On Christianity...
Listen, I have always had questions but my questions were exacerbated by the sad loss of my beloved grandmother (a story for another day).
As a Christian, I have always asked myself if I chose
Christianity or I was groomed into it. I know nothing else. That’s what I was
born into. But do I believe that Jonah was swallowed by a fish and vomited out
whole and well? Do I believe that the Red Sea parted into two and people walked on dry land? Do I believe that Jesus was born of a virgin?
Now for the avoidance of doubt let me make it absolutely
clear that I believe in a God, a Greater Being, A Musikavanhu. He is not one
that I am only told about, I have experienced him personally. He exists in my
life and I have seen his hand many a times and look forward to seeing it more
in the future. But is He the God in the Christian bible?
My ancestors, who I will admit I know little about, had a
way. They had a way that worked. How was it that a foreigner could come into
our land and tell us that that way was wrong and we should all abandon it and
even go a step further of abhorring it. And as if that wasn’t enough, adopt their way. How?
My questions increased when I started reading about the role
of the church in African injustices. Slavery, colonization, genocides. The
church features and often times may have been a vehicle of these injustices. What
does that say about the intention/ objective of the church in Africa? Did they
really come to save a people? Where the people even lost and in need of saving?
As an example, I got really riled up watching Queen Njinga on Netflix. She
had to relinquish her ancestors in order to save her family and her kingdom.
But it was these ancestors that gave her direction as she ruled. It was these
ancestors that provided her military strategy. Making her give them up was
tantamount to disarming her kingdom for their own benefit.
I might not get answers but I am glad I am asking questions
because I am not certain that I chose Christianity. It was thrust upon me in my
infancy and maybe in asking questions I will draw closer to the only religion I
have ever known.
Until then I will put it the way it is in the Beautiful
Desiderata by Max Ehrmann – ‘Be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to
be…’
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you're asking questions. I believe you're in between moments, where you're questioning everything you have been told. I will never advise anyone to join Christianity without them doing thier own research.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you also acknowledge that there is a God, a greater being and maker of all.
Now this is what I believe and know, there is a difference between Christianity and religion, religion played the part in colonisation, not Christianity. The same way that other people use the name of God for their own gain. And like every religion, even our own African religion, there was a right side of it and wrong side of it, sort of like a dark and white side.
We shouldn't let go of the right side of our ancestors by any means, but we should abhor the dark side of our religion (the same goes for every religion)
I hope you continue researching for answers, in that very way, my God will find you and make himself known to you.