Chiedza Vol 19 No 1 Use and Abuse of Religion in Africa

Abstract

Humanity still struggles to understand and resolve religious divisions and conflicts that are apparent in the contemporary world. By religion, one understands the interior impulse of every human being, that which constitutes their way of being by the observance of societal and pious practices. As observed in this present edition of Chiedza Journal, humankind still faces controversies about religion and its constituents. Religion always involves the urge of any group of people to engage with the transcendental and the end of such engagement will be human flourishing. But the human element of all religions has resulted in bitter rivalries. We, therefore, need to expurgate the distorted religion for us to hold a true religion that aims at human flourishing. The human element of all religions has resulted in discrimination by one religion against others, misunderstandings, and bloody conflicts and these have characterised religion throughout the history of humankind. Most religions possess scriptures that they believe are divinely inspired, but often religious communities no longer can distinguish the divine voice from the human. Different contributors to this present edition confirm that religion can be both the giver and taker of life. Religion is experienced as sometimes an instigator of conflicts and a reconciliatory tool. Religion becomes a force that both divides and unites people. Is the propensity to unite and divide a characteristic of all religion? A religion may claim to be an instrument of peace and reconciliation because its primary goal is the more complete development of a person as both spiritual and physical being. But despite this claim, many religions have a history of violence: Catholic against Protestants, Sunni against Shite, and Muslims against Hindus. Where does this violence come from? How can humanity resolve such contradictions? Do all religions possess a potential to be violent because of claim to be exclusive and to posssess a superior character? Bihorubusa Chiedza, Journal of Arrupe College, Vol. 19. No. 1. May 2017 7 Reflecting on the origins and causes of religious violence, Joseph Chidube Chukwu argues that religion is inherently violent because it is a human institution and therefore its members and particularly its leaders are guided by selfishness and ambition. To serve these ends, there can be a “continuous re-interpretation of different texts of the scriptures to suit the immediate need of followers of religion and bending the scriptures to the will of the interpreter”. Another source of religious violence is the inherent ambition of every religion to convert humankind to its religious practices. Chukwu concludes that the “use of religion is always dangerous. Religion is to be experienced and lived or practiced and never to be used”. Bonaparte Isingizwe unpacks the ideas behind the word terrorism. He argues that “terrorism is a product of any distorted religion…” As a result, anybody who adheres to different beliefs or religion than ours becomes an enemy, and killing him or her becomes a moral duty. Also, the mishandling of the situation by world leaders provokes acts of terrorism as self-defence tactics. He further argues that counter-terrorism becomes a double evil. If one locks up people whom one suspects may be terrorists or bombs a whole city where some terrorists are suspected of being present, this is a new form of terrorism. The history of many religions has created justified prejudices against religion since religion has been seen as instigating hatred and discrimination. Many people view religion as serving illusions which offer false hopes to people. Notwithstanding the historical background of religion and its negative impacts on humanity, Christopher Mapunda considers religion as the best way to reconcile the divisions in humanity. For him, though not totally innocent of violence, religion becomes the most effective way of initiating sustainable peace because “it aims at the greater good that fosters peace, justice, equality and human dignity”, since religion has a transcendental aspect that looks at every human being as a special creature willed by God, and therefore deserving to live. He argues that religion because of its virtuous goals has the potential to begin and enhance sustainable peace. In “The Real Doom: Secular Crisis and Neo-Pentecostalism”, Emmanuel Ogwu examines the way in which corrupt activities are Editorial 8 Chiedza, Journal of Arrupe College, Vol. 19. No. 1. May 2017 often conducted in the name of God. He argues that it is impossible for human beings cosmologically and ontologically to understand the Supreme Being because His being surpasses that of human being. The misconception and inability to understand the Supreme Being results in the proliferation of different churches and faiths because of their failure to agree on the cosmological reality that escapes human knowledge. The misunderstanding or simply the failure to comprehend God, therefore, creates unjust societal structures that undermine humanity and allows destitution and hopelessness to be the ordinary experience of much of humanity. The search for transcendental reality brings about confusion. Alphonse Pignan, in his article “Du Fondement de l’Instrumentalisation de la Religion chez Nietzsche”, observes the instrumentalisation of religion in social, economic and political ideologies. He tries to explain why religion is often instrumentalized for personal ambitions. He holds that the failure to comprehend the Supreme Being leads to pessimism and nihilism which are a consequence of believing that God is dead. If God is indeed dead, human life is meaningless and explains Nietzsche’s conclusion that “the best thing is to not have been born, not to be, to be nothing” or “to die soon” after “the state of nihilism”. These are the only reasonable responses to human sufferings. If religion is distorted, it is unable to provide a communal and individual identity. Armel Kouyimoussou Béranger’s article addresses the loss of religious values in postmodern society. Postmodernism entails the loss of the society and a shared social consciousness and questions the very idea of society. Some religions aim at converting the entire world, and this is true of Christianity and Islam. Tobias Dindi Ong’aria, in his article “Loyalty to the Religious Community in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: A Critical Dimension to Religious Living in Africa” maintains that critical thinking is important not only in the religious arena but also in the community. Using Achebe’s novel to support his argument, he argues that self-fulfilment and personal ambitions constitute threats not only to community but also to idea of religion because of distorted ideologies and teachings it Bihorubusa Chiedza, Journal of Arrupe College, Vol. 19. No. 1. May 2017 9 brings about. He talks of critical loyalty towards one’s society which in fact can be understood as a critical thinking of religions. The failure to provide a critical analysis of religion has led our young people into radical groups that constitute a great threat to humanity, as observed in the example of Al-Shaabab deadly attack in Kenya. Precious Nihorowa’s article “Is Belief in Spirits an Obstacle to Development and Economic Organization in Africa?” similarly argues that belief in spirits affects the economic growth of our continent; a bad spirit is believed to be the factual cause of the African ailing economy, and this means the people do not examine the substantial causes for national failures. George Hama, in his article, “The Re-evangelization of Structures: A Reflection on the Zimbabwean Situation” argues that Christianity seems able to respond to the Zimbabwean predicament which can be seen as a structural problem. He therefore urges the need to see how far structures of Zimbabwe society are informed by Christian values. If they are shaped by such values, we will create a just society that promotes ethical and human values; i.e educating the consciences of the people. He affirms that religion, especially the gospel of prosperity makes far-fetching promises and this has kept adherents in abject poverty. Boniface Onyango Okumu in his article, “Interreligious Dialogue in Africa: A Platform for Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding” argues that interreligious dialogue becomes a platform for conflict transformation and peacebuilding in Africa. He points out that religion has been an object of controversies and divisions among people, and these religious disagreements have led to bloody conflicts and violence. He seeks to promote acknowledgement that no religion holds a monopoly of the Truth; everybody needs to discern together and come up with a common understanding in order to avoid any ambitions that discriminate some in order to advance one’s interests. Francis Zangairai in his article “The Confluence between Religion and Leadership: Partners and Adversaries”, maintains that religion and leadership are interwoven. For him, religion continues to “give ethical and moral direction to activities and life of any given society; it also gives hope to people in the society”. Religion is viewed as a binder and unifier of the society. He holds that religion is life and gives life; Editorial 10 Chiedza, Journal of Arrupe College, Vol. 19. No. 1. May 2017 religion is a way of life; and a way of life is religion; it makes African life meaningful. Religion has become “the mode of apprehending reality” in Africa. He also states that religions can impact the life of any nation both negatively and positively. Moses Ndung’u argues for a greater elevation of African Traditional Religion(s) in contemporary African society. He maintains that religion is part of the African life and experience; it is Africans’ way of life. That is what makes each African notoriously religious. Religion in fact influences the whole being of an African. The author argues that we should learn to take seriously the critical consciousness that was created from African Traditional Religion(s) (ATR). Armel Setubi Fosso and Agathe Mossane Sagne advocate protection of our “common home” for us to develop a more harmonious life. They also raise the necessity of caring about creation, and seeking better means to use it rationally. Oscar Momanyi, in “An African Religio-Cultural Quest for Ethnic Harmony: Beyond the Being and Having Dichotomy” shows it is possible to achieve a healthy balance between having and being in order to live a better life. He stresses the importance of secondary reflection in examining and evaluating one’s life in order to live harmoniously with others. The lack of balance between being and having is present when human ambitions sow divisions among people; he therefore calls for a balanced life that focuses on human flourishing instead of searching for individual ambitions. Going through all the articles contained in this present publication leads to the conclusion that reason and critical thinking are crucial for us to have a true religion. Human beings should practice rationality to critique any religion in order to identify and remove those human weaknesses that can distort scriptural texts and in their place, develop the essential principles that aim at the human spirit. Reason should determine faith since reason itself is God-given, and God cannot contradict what He Himself gave to human beings. Only reason can eliminate the element that instils violence by the pursuit of one’s Bihorubusa Chiedza, Journal of Arrupe College, Vol. 19. No. 1. May 2017 11 interests, and it restores the truth and essential features of religion. Faith and reason should enable us to reach to and get a pure and transcendental religion. Besides, a three-fold approach namely awareness, critique and dialogue (interreligious, honest, open and peaceful) are suggested as best ways to eradicate religious violence. It is now my pleasure, on behalf of Chiedza, to express my gratitude to all those who worked tirelessly for the realisation of this presently collective work. I am particularly grateful to the various authors for entrusting their articles to us. I also thank the other members of the Chiedza Board for their generosity among many other commitments. I thank in a special way my assistant editor, Emmanuel Ogwu who made sure that things were done on time. Tobias Dindi Ongari’a, the former Editor-in-Chief, deserves gratitude for ensuring the continuation of leadership and the smooth running of the enterprise; I wish him well in his next mission. Prof. Anthony Chennells too should be thanked as the ever-acting staff adviser to whom we owe the quality of the publication. The Journal owes a lot to you, Professor! I wholeheartedly thank the Dean of Studies at Arrupe College, Dr. Evaristus Ekwueme for his continuous support. I also appreciate the work of different translators, both within and outside the Arrupe Jesuit Community, the students and lecturers for their constructive critiques towards building and improving the journal. I wish you all good reading.

Pascal Bihorubuso