(TALKZIMBABWE) My faith being challenged
My faith being challengedNancy Nyamhunga—Opinion
Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:00:00 +0000
WHEN I hear and see Dr Sentamu, Pius Ncube and Desmond Tutu among other notable “man of the cloth” advocating military intervention in Zimbabwe, I ask myself whether Christianity itself is evil or it is being abused by few attention-seeking individuals to further some evil causes.
I was born and bred in a very Christian family – so much so that my parents’ had to abandon their first choice for my name which was a Shona name in favour of “Christian name”.
My mother had wanted to call me Chenai, but the then Anglican priest at our local parish would not accept the name as it did not sound Christian for me to be baptized. My father, being a great fan of Frank Sinatra then, opted for Nancy (Sinatra’s wife), and the baptism was conferred. I still haven’t found any relationship between the name Nancy and some notable characters in the bible – all I have proved beyond doubt is that the name sound very English.
My up-bringing was very much influenced by Christianity – at least from what I used to believe were Christian values. As a little girl I was a member of the Brownies and I used to love my little brown uniform with a yellow sash across. Later I graduated to the Girl Guides membership.
All the while all our teachings were about loving one another, helping those who were less fortunate in society, respecting our parents, our elders etc. I can even still sing the Brownie motto today:
I promise that I will do my best
To serve my duty to God
To serve my country and other people
And to keep the Brownie law
Yet today, my very faith is being challenged by those who supposedly represent Christianity. Where is Dr Sentamu’s love for Zimbabweans when he advocates mass bombs to be dropped on the streets of Zimbabwe? Bombs are designed to cause mass murder, yet a representative of a church I grew up believing to represent love and peace sanctions such actions.
Pius Ncube, apart from committing adultery whilst at the helm of the highest office of the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, has never regretted his call for military intervention in Zimbabwe; he has asked the South African government several times to cut-off electricity supplies to Zimbabwe. He doesn’t care about how such actions will inevitably speed up the death of someone who might have lived a bit longer.
Sanctions - in whatever form they are packaged in - are designed to cause mass pain, and ultimately death. Desmond Tutu has not been left behind in the race.
What I cannot understand from these men of cloth is – if they are for peace and love, why do they not come together and travel to Zimbabwe and meet the political leadership there?
Why are they not taking this initiative to act as mediators between Zimbabwe and UK given their views are highly respected in the western countries? Why are they instead choosing to sanction mass murders- something contrary to Christian teachings?
I have asked so many questions lately with regards to Christianity and events happening in Zimbabwe without getting any answers. I still have many such questions. Who appoints the top leadership of churches in Zimbabwe and Africa in general especially with regards to traditional churches, and what criteria are used. Is it someone’s faith in Christian values or political inclination?
Yet it is not just these men I have mentioned who have challenged my faith.
I once attended a Shona catholic service in UK and the priest was constantly referring to the “brutality of the Zimbabwean government” at every given opportunity. He even went to state that finally the Catholic Church had “eventually found a way of ex-communicating Mugabe, basically he ex-communicated himself”, to use his own words.
Not that it would bother me if such an event had indeed happened; if laws are broken in any organisation then we all expect to be punished.
My concern was whether this was meant to be a normal church service or a political rally. I didn’t expect that kind of language from a church priest. I was expecting some kind of solace, respite from the intoxicating politics of Zimbabwe and here unexpectedly I was being lectured about the same politics.
Is there something wrong with today’s Christianity or is it a case of abuse of office? Should churches be involved in politics and if so, which role should the church play? I would have thought churches are supposed to be conciliatory, act as bridges between warring factions but never expect the churches or those who lead them to fan wars. Perhaps I’m the one who is ignorant.
Whilst I’m locked in this self-imposed battle, I’m struggling to keep my old Christian faith, that which taught me to respect my all my elders, more so those who are suppose to represent Christian values. Meanwhile I get inspired by characters like Bishop T.D. Jakes and refuse to recognize the above men of cloth as representatives of Christianity, but as politicians camouflaged in the philanthropic world to cheat their way into high political offices.
Nancy Nyamhunga
Leicester, United Kingdom
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, DESMOND TUTU, NEOCOLONIALISM, PIUS NCUBE
posted by MrK @ 11:10 PM
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