Friday, March 29, 2024

For Christians and Muslims alone

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An altar boy during palm sunday celebrations in Lusaka

The casual rise of Atheism, or most emphatically, the non-committal, cold and distant ‘been there, done that’ ex-fanatic Christian & Muslim folks, who don’t believe much in anything anymore remains on the constant increase!

Why’s that? I’d tell you. In their thoughts, “Why praise or exalt the name and doctrines of a self-glorifying Pastor, or tread the heavily devout principles of an Islamic Sheik(human beings & religious joint-heirs like you & I) when I can find God for myself and evolve my personal depth of understanding of the Bible or the Koran?”. These are frequently asked questions, and with the never-ending continuous trend of slavish devotion to Orthodox & Pentecostal doctrines / practices, as well as the steady influx of Islamic extremism, I decided to weigh in my opinion to lend little pieces of advice to my Christian & Muslim brethren.

Christians

Doesn’t it bother you that your local assembly shares a totally different theological belief and opposing doctrine(s) with the other churches across the hall? Sure it does in your heart, and although you share silent reservations, you tag along with your preacher’s point of view anyways.. After all, you always haven’t got time to flip through the scriptures for personal research, so your “Man of God’s” interpretation becomes superior in all issues to yours. Your seat belts are clung tight to a church that cannot assist members in distress, yet demand ‘sacrificial giving’ and amazingly judge it’s congregation(including poor you) for the quality of offerings and tithes they render, yet you sit lips sealed and nod in partial agreement(sometimes you even clap in naivety!).

If for EVERY problem you have, you always crave the need to run to a Pastor or Prophet, or you strongly believe that continuous prayers, sowing seeds & prophesy without putting to work or developing yourself will amass riches for you, then you’ve failed overwhelmingly as a Christian! Discover God for yourself through study of the scriptures and develop your skill set! Much said.. Moving on…

Muslims

Through current study, I’ve discovered that the inconsistency between certain Islamic philosophies, doesn’t quite have much to do with the sacredness of the Koran, but rather the ‘appropriate’ & ‘inappropriate’ interpretation of it’s verses. Could it be that some narrations of the Koran may not be accurately conveyed by the narrator, hence misinterpretation and conflict of instructions?

Digging further, I realized disagreement in Islam is not only acceptable, but in fact, “rewarded by Allah” and those who ‘qualify’ for this reward are only the Islamic Scholars who have the working knowledge of the Koran (in other words, the average Muslims are not permitted to review or uphold personal insight for themselves). Therefore, could this be the reason for Islamic extremism & other rigid philosophies created by these Scholars?

I strongly urge the Muslim brethren to not solely depend on the Imams or Sheiks for interpretation of the Koran. The only difference between you and the Sheik, is the depth of understanding! You can evolve your understanding as well!

Muslims, ask yourselves.. What’s the Koran’s precise view on Polygamy? Was it stated as a Universal Concept, or a particular instance of the Arab culture? We all know Seventh century Arabs were the first audience of the Islamic practice. So can we be entirely wrong to say the Koran may have been written in a language and way that was relevant to the lives of the Arabs? The same Koran that “permits” a man to marry four wives, also stated that marriage should not be for Lust. In that case, what drives men into accumulating more wives for themselves? Or can a man love four women at the same time?

Secondly, where does the Koran stand on Women Rights? Why do some Muslim men allow their wives pursue their dreams and prospects, while others stifle the freedom of theirs? Is the Islamic Patriarchal nature a cultural inheritance of the ancient Arabs, or a spiritual commandment? Find out for yourself!

Finally, what does the Koran truly say concerning Association with “Infidels?”. While some Scholars take some verses out of context and portray Islam as violent & aggressively devout (hence terrorism & Islamic insurgency), other Scholars preach peace and are against forced conversion, as war against “infidels” should only be called for, when Muslims have been expelled by force out of their lands for the sake of their religion (of which neither is the case with Boko Haram or the other Jihadist sects).

We all have got responsibilities as Christians or Muslims to seek for TRUTH ourselves, without being radicalized or religiously enslaved by others who seek the truth for us based on their own understanding and interpretation. #FindOutForYourself!

By Nimi Princewill

Twitter: @princewill_nimi

25 COMMENTS

  1. This man or woman writes controversial biased stuff. Lt your reputation is at risk with this columnist. The earlier you stop publishing his writings the better for you and the country.

    • Who is this Mimi princewill ? We need delete him before weekend before Zambia is set on fire. Zp please arrest the man.
      We chased likes of field ruwe, I can’t see how such princewill can survive us.

    • He should do a similar one on Jews, Romans Catholics, SDA ,Protestants, Pentecostals.

      If they are all christians why can’t they merge.

  2. That picture of an alter boy is total blasphemy to christianity displaying a ”hindu god” in the place of Jesus Christ.

  3. What`s wrong with one seeking to know the truth? Instead of listening and accepting every word coming from your “abusa”, you not try and read the scriptures and verify the sermons and thereafter choose a spiritual path based on your own understanding of the truth or even question the man of God when an opportunity arises?

    Instead of abandoning our religion because of fellow men who are doing a bad job at it, why not invest time and know the truth so that we strengthen our beliefs? To me the writer is spot on.

  4. I like this hombre, his/her articles are mind provoking and straight to the point. Very concise & well summarized.
    Only the indoctrinated will advocate that he/she is not given a platform to express his/her views! Nobody is being forced to read anyway!

  5. UPND CADRES WHO ONLY KNOW HOW TO INSULT PRESIDENT LUNGU CANNOT COMPREHEND THE CONTENTS OF THIS ARTICLE. SO THEY WILL EITHER REMAIN QUIET OR NOT EVEN COMMENT INTELLIGENTLY ON IT. PLEASE GO TO SCHOOL AND DONT JUST CONFINE YOURSELVES TO DUNDUMWEZI.

    • Please let us breath some fresh air for a change!Life is not just about PF and lungu. if you have nothing to talk about apart from PF please keep quiet.

  6. I see nothing wrong with what this man has written. somehow he is just encouraging us to be critical thinkers and become less gullible. he has not insulted christianity or islam.

    • Ba Cain na Ba Kaputo. IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING TOPICS OR STORIES ON LT YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT ALMOST ON EVERY TOPIC THERE HAVE BEEN POLITICAL CADRES COMMENTING AND WANTING TO ASSOCIATE EVERYTHING WITH ECL. AND I WAS SURPRISED AND SIGHED WITH RELIEF WHEN I NOTED THAT THE POLITICAL COMMENTATORS WERE VERY QUIET ON THIS ARTICLE. THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED THAT THIS ONE NEEDED A BIT MORE INGENUITY AND THINKING. THAT WAS THE REASON I POSTED MY OBSERVATION. THE QUIETNESS FROM THE POLITICAL CADRES FROM UPND IS SO VERY EVIDENTLY CLEAR.

  7. This guy is trying to make black people miss out on heaven like his relatives in Greece. We shall worship Jesus Christ, the true one with bronze skin and woolly hair. Not the fake one on pictures and crosses.

    • If that makes you feel better you can also add your Black Jesus was a Zambian from Lusaka as you love to be lied to like a toddler!!

  8. Matters of religion,personal matters indeed.Personally,instead of encouraging people,particularly the young to spend time reading religious books,i would say spend time studying mathematics and sciences,for they are a sure way of triggering your potential by developing a curious mind that can push boundaries,both perceived and physical ones.

  9. I read his other poor article on common sense and I discarded him but now he seems to have improved both his logic and grammar

  10. Hats off to the writer. You have nailed the point lacking in organized religion that grooms its followers to abandon critical analysis. The Bible, for example, demands that our worship of God be rational service to Him (Romans 12:1) i.e. involving all our human faculties including the brain. Also, in Luke 10:26-27, Jesus said: “What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

  11. I am a Christian and I am surprised by some comments here from some Christians. Many Christains and Muslims today are exactly what this person here has said. I don’t know what he or she is but that’s of very little importance to me. I may not agree with his beliefs if he is not a Christian and whatever he may be, I agree with him 100%.

    Many Christians and Muslims just follow blindly without reading or researching themselves and this has led to brainwashed Christians who believe whatever their hero Pastor or Sheik says. The Bible says TO STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED. Read 2 Timothy 2:15. There is so much that is happening in the name of God which is just an extension of self. I do not know with what motive the writer was writing but the advice is worth listening to; DONT JUST…

  12. Simple minds can not apply themselves to seemingly hard issues that demand verdict.
    There is falsehood and truth in that article, come one elucidate the germ and throw out the chaff. Not ‘ukabova’ with dimwit simple matters of commonality of Zambia.

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