Religion creates an avenue for many charlatans to parade as so-called men of God to fleece the poor of their meagre resources. There was a liveliness, a curiosity, an engagement with the world - a directness in their dealings with others - that seemed to be missing in traditional African life. Does Christianity cause physical conflicts? Christianity has an economic, religious and political roll in most places it has influenced and Africa is no exception. When Mr Okyere complaints that governments in Africa use religion as a vehicle to stir up trouble among people to advance their political and parochial interests it only says more about the kind of people we have in our governments than it does about the contents of the Christian religion. )a{�����.Hś�-�Ze�,��Mg �Q��� ����!^>�H��Ƚ;� ߷��! Modern Europe still feeds itself from this religious source. He is able to transform the human heart. We see this in our national politics all the time. /Filter /FlateDecode It is rather interesting to note that London’s The Times newspaper, on December 27, 2008, published an incisive article by Matthew Parris, a British Political Writer and an atheist, titled “As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God,” in which the writer came to the opposite conclusion from that of Mr Okyere. We begin to exalt commitment over feelings, forgiveness over anger, patience over shortcuts, honesty over deception and sacrifice over comfort. Rather than only pointing you to some enlightening great teachings and deep truths, he, by his power, transforms hearts that are dead to God into hearts that are alive to God. The tenets of Christianity are recorded in the book of books called the “Holy … Religion is a major cause of physical conflicts and doctrinal disputes in Africa and the world as a whole. (�ũ�Gf!��b�N���x&��90� 6�㚖�@�2L�"@��qF� ���a ���.�r�����S����3���MXy���!F� bo@pr�Y~a�D��߇��N�v�@n!b�D��֚�8�S�e���(5PH6ܗ?}�l'���7�*�C�V�"���x�G��'�ؚ�/��F0�Y������r��Fو�G���^1.[���uŏ��������6"�{�K�l=!�{bǃq����. ��7�5Y���̗�|Ws�-��{�g4/dlN�@�(��VQGwˏR��ig�ev�`�z{�I��. Thus when a claim to truth is made by any person or religion, all we have to do is check to see if it corresponds to reality as it is and also whether it is logically sound. Interestingly, this is precisely the message of Christianity - there is something desperately wrong (the Bible calls it sin) in the heart of man and Jesus holds the remedy. Why Would A Loving God Send People To Hell? Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share research papers. In fact, according to Matthew Parris, while working in Africa, he observed some of his African Christian work colleagues and confessed that it would have been convenient to believe (because of his worldview) that their honesty, diligence and optimism in their work was unconnected with personal faith but this did not fit the facts. The arrival of Christian religion like the Moslem religion in Africa has a far-reaching effect on the society. Religious doctrines create a sense of fear or timidity in its adherents. %PDF-1.3 Whether you are looking at Copernicus or Kepler or Galileo or Pascal or Newton you find men who believed in God and were curious to learn about this world. H�tW�n����+�Zl�MbV�dЃ��*�%�"gh�)w���:��D�n�H�zWݪS����CGIQ�n-�\Օ��$�3W�iTn���������������:Z�ש���$T��l�U%A�R�i]����^���O�kw�p�������&\Q��|q��M����-�lU��ݗ�S�k��n~U�3�^D�*�`���([� ��1)�����ׁS�U�Du^�nGq�R��UP�z��)H�:U ⣡��%�[X�W��d��S��:�����u���H5�g��{�)I�j��P�HL�R��a&\mXD���$o��]Gi�֚ y΃QR�O��!Q� ڎ���V�I�����S�%���'env�e��P�cu����5������LsK�� Africa, and specifically Nigeria is subject to many problems, including corruption, greed, continued sexual immorality and violence. Thus I think the argument about Christianity being one of the religions making adherents lethargic should be shelved. Jesus even encouraged Martha to do likewise (Luke 10:38-42). Africa that could claim an involvement in the Jesus movement from its inception till today. �Mj�Bb��[Iɬ�"���0�3F�,'���oC��'��`���*kQ-(�9U�]Rw�����V�4TCB����Qj��+���nz��n4H��ʺ���Ҥq�w��#���9-��ka�t� 6 hours ago, Digital Transformation In Post-COVID: Africa Continues To Tr, Akatsi North NDC Parliamentary Candidate Swerves NCCE Debate, Akamba Storms Eastern Region With The People's Manifesto As, Peace Council Inaugurates Ahafo Regional Branch, Road Accidents Killed 78 In Western Region From January To S, December 7th Elections: Failed NPP Aspirants Rally Behind Ak, 10 Reasons Tamale Central Constituency Needs To Switch To NP, A Petition To President Akufo-Addo: National Service And Iss, Mrs Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is Vindicated for saying that t, An open letter to Mrs Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, Yaw Buaben Asamoah Campaigning For Skirt And Blouse In The A, What Has "Otani Gyimifoc" Have To Do With Agyapa Royalties L, Nyarkotey on Sexual activity and Risk of Prostate Cancer: Re. On The Nature Of Politics: An Open Letter To The Christian Politician, Get the latest live updates about the Coronavirus Pandemic, Catch up on the latest news videos from around the world. Now ‘more religion’ here does not mean that the cure for religiously induced evils lies in increased blind religious zeal (which is at the very heart of the problems observed by Mr Okyere in his article). This is the kind of real transformation Mr Parris observed in the African Christians which led him to conclude his article saying: “Those who want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid themselves that providing the material means or even the knowhow that accompanies what we call development will make the change. Religion in Africa does not encourage creativity, invention or critical thinking, because of its conservative or static. ���qA�q�&�ظ)�v���ʟ�������R���9p�f��b8$�]�m����i�m�]�n�֋��1�i�ؾB�Hϰ�w(7&О}�R�W������/"`#�E���. When Christianity abandoned its Palestinian roots, its new home in the Graeco-Roman world included North Africa (Maghrib ), which was the breadbasket of Rome, and shared extensive commercial and cultural relations with Palestine and the Levant. The influence of Christianity on SocietiesHistorians concede that it was Christianity that civilized barbarian Europe. Even Jesus himself cautioned his followers not to live by the sword (Matthew 26:52). 6 hours ago, On Voting Day: Media Tasked Not To Rush To Declare Their Own... Further, women were generally not educated nor were they allowed any active role in the affairs of religion yet Jesus allowed Martha's sister, Mary, to sit at his feet in the role of a disciple while Jesus taught her. About his observations, Mr Parris, confessed, “It confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my world view, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God.” I will refer to some of his observations in my responses to the points raised in Mr Okyere’s article. Rather, the cure lies in a stronger and more intelligent commitment to the Christian faith as faith. It was too obvious that what these people were in their character was actually influenced by a conception of man's place in the Universe that Christianity had taught. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.”, R. G. ColemanE-mail: [email protected]Blog: www.rgcoleman.wordpress.com, The author has 14 publications published on Modern Ghana.Column: RobertGColeman, Disclaimer: "The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Modern Ghana. So rather than being static and un-progressive, biblical Christian teaching enables men to be curious and creative.