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Dealing with our own religious ulcers
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The ubiquitous ethical lapses by Christian leaders in Swaziland have reached epic proportions, which can no longer be ignored.
Apart from their ethical standing with regards to romantic affairs, some of their utterances, teachings and doctrines on the country’s cultural norms and political practice have been tail-twisters not only to the authorities but the populace in general.
Ever since King Somhlolo’s vision about white people bringing a book (umculu: Interpreted as symbolising the Bible and education) and also bringing the coin (i.e. Indilinga: - Interpreted as symbolising money) and his directive that Swazis should extol the book (Bible) over money, Swazis have always regarded themselves as a Christian nation and have always held Christian leaders as paragons of virtue.
Though belonging to different church denominations, expectations on their sublime collective morality have been very high and the conduct of leaders of the early orthodox churches did not disappoint.
The increase in the number of churches was seen as an increase of righteousness in society. Differences in their doctrines were very slight and did not cause concern to the authorities of the country. Then there were defections and splinter groups from the mainstream orthodox churches but still that was regarded as a minor issue of an internal nature to the Christian family household and the authorities kept their distance from such issues.
Before they knew it, the country was in a state of religious inflagration. First to ruffle the feathers were the Jehovah’s witnesses. Those were non-conformists who openly showed adversity to the country’s cultural norms and traditional practices such as wearing mourning gowns and certain traditional regalia by females. They had the unusual audacity to tell traditional leaders in the face what they would and wouldn’t do. So obstinate were they in adhering to their beliefs and doctrines that they were banned in certain countries because they were viewed as causing disorder.
Among the first Christian African countries to banish them was Malawi. Church splits only affected authorities when it came to splinter groups seeking land on which to build their churches in Chiefdoms. The clashes were based more on doctrines and principles rather than on questions of morality.
King Sobhuza II was so respectful of religious organisations that he never banned any church in his life no matter how weird or offensive their teachings were.
Nowadays the issues are as diverse as they come. There is hardly a week that passes without a scandal of one prominent religious leader or another. You just wonder why. Is it because the media has become more active and more vigilant than before? Is it that these things have been happening all along but were not being reported? Is it because the generation of leaders and preachers is becoming younger and younger than before? Is it because of the laxity of our legislations which are not so strict on the establishment of churches and the appointment and recognition of church leaders?
Their indictment permeates every act of the under-world you can think of. They are implicated in rapes, armed robbery, paedophiles, adultery, extortion, embezzlement, witchcraft, gender violence, ritual murder and corruption of all sorts.
Revolting as that may be, we should all bear in mind that they are as human as anyone. What befalls a human being also befalls them and the emotions they go through are the same as ours. The only difference is that they put an extra effort towards living a righteous life and have devoted themselves to encouraging others to lead devout and blameless lives.
The Bible says, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate”. (Hebrews 4:11) Jesus himself, despite being the son of God and Lord of all, recognised the difficulty of sticking to what is good when he said, “Go through the narrow gate because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it” (Mathew 7: 13-14).
This means that leading an acceptable life is a struggle and when you are in involved in a struggle you are exposed to multiple falls and sustaining abrasions and injuries; but the struggle must continue. We must not just think that it is only Christians that are expected to lead Crime-free and blameless lives but every citizen is bound by law to lead that kind of life. We should not treat ourselves as if we have got licences to do evil just because we are not Christians. That’s why we all go to jail when we fall foul of the law. Sonkhe sititfupha tiya egwayini embikwemtsetfo.
Today, I want to make a contribution towards certain pastoral demonising utterances on certain aspects of our national cultural and traditional practices. The Incwala ceremony, Reed Dance (Umhlanga), ancestral veneration (emadloti) and polygamy have been on the radar of Christian religious attacks for quite sometime now.
Harsh pronouncements akin to author Salmon Rushdie’s “SATANIC VERSES” have been made on these practices by both renowned and mediocre Pastors of local and foreign origin.
One big international church organisation was forced to close shop locally through self-censorship for issuing a scathing attack on one of our national indigenous religious practices. I wouldn’t like to name the church for obvious reasons and because it is still operating, though under a different name.
Attending its services is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss for anything in the world! Now a massive church started and run by a local is under the spotlight for the same attack which has reportedly made some sections of the country’s leadership hot under the collar.
What do you make of this? It is reported that authorities are toying around with the idea of taking tough disciplinary action against the Pastor and founder of the church concerned. My advice to the authorities is DON’T DARE! Swaziland is a God-fearing country and God has every right to raise the standard for his own people.
Whilst the cultural norm in controversy cannot be found specifically mentioned as a sin or otherwise in the Bible, Swaziland should defer everything to God himself and leave the Pastor alone. What if it is God himself speaking through the man? What if it is the Pastor’s own opinion and conviction? The authorities must take heart from these words spoken by Gamaliel when the disciplines were presented before him for punishment for spreading what they considered to be a misguided form of religion, “… I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone. If what they have planned and done is for human origin, it will disappear, but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God”. (Acts 5: 38-39).
Even if the Pastor is considered to have digressed on the word of God and peverted it, let’s take heed of what David said concerning King Saul whom he knew very well that God had deserted and appointed him in his place. “The Lord forbids that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed (I Samuel 26:11)”. Let’s just keep a safe distance from the turf of God’s servants! We might disagree with what they say but let’s just keep it at that; no more no less. God will do his own judgment on his own, not us.
Let’s do what Jesus Christ himself advised us to do through this parable of farmworkers who could no longer distinguish between the wheat they had planted and the weed because they looked alike and, therefore, found it very difficult to do the weeding. The farm owner directed them not to touch anything but to leave everything to himself as the owner because he would be able to make a difference and take appropriate action when the right time came (Mathew 13: 24-30).
On the other hand, it is about time the authorities sat down to take a hard look at those who try to justify everything we do with the Bible. We should accept that no human being can meet all God’s standards. The Bible says; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). It further says; “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. (Romans 3:23).
We should bear in mind that some of our traditions have been there long before the Bible came and, therefore, cannot be expected to be in line with Biblical standards through and through. Biblical criticism on some aspects of our culture is, therefore, to be expected as a natural development. Those who try to sugar–coat all our cultural norms and traditional practices with Biblical justification are not being realistic.
Failure to comply with certain Biblical requirements is only human. There could be no repentance if human beings would justify every questionable thing they fail to change with Biblical quotations as being acceptable to God.
Intfo nayisehlula kuyenta nome kuyiyekela asivume nje kutsi cha kuyasehlula. Hhayi kuyigabisa emacici eBhayibheli. The Bible says people who do such things “… serve not our Lord Jesus but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). It further warns; “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the TRADITION of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Let’s allow God to set his own high standards and only confess to our own failures to comply. After all, we are not failing to meet all His Commandments and our struggle to meet each one of them continues.
Kwehluleka kuletinye tintfo akusho kutsi asale siyekelela kukonkhe ngisho nalesikhonako kukwenta. Loko umuntfu lakukhonako kukwenta akwakwentisise. Longakhoni kudlala ibhola uyakhona kwenta lokunye. Let’s emphasise on our strengths and polish up on our own weaknesses. Paul says, “… perfect that which is lacking in your faith” (I Thessalonians 3:10).
KUKHASHANE EZULWINI BEKUNENE KUNGESIKO KA-MCHOZA!
Apart from their ethical standing with regards to romantic affairs, some of their utterances, teachings and doctrines on the country’s cultural norms and political practice have been tail-twisters not only to the authorities but the populace in general.
Ever since King Somhlolo’s vision about white people bringing a book (umculu: Interpreted as symbolising the Bible and education) and also bringing the coin (i.e. Indilinga: - Interpreted as symbolising money) and his directive that Swazis should extol the book (Bible) over money, Swazis have always regarded themselves as a Christian nation and have always held Christian leaders as paragons of virtue.
Though belonging to different church denominations, expectations on their sublime collective morality have been very high and the conduct of leaders of the early orthodox churches did not disappoint.
The increase in the number of churches was seen as an increase of righteousness in society. Differences in their doctrines were very slight and did not cause concern to the authorities of the country. Then there were defections and splinter groups from the mainstream orthodox churches but still that was regarded as a minor issue of an internal nature to the Christian family household and the authorities kept their distance from such issues.
Before they knew it, the country was in a state of religious inflagration. First to ruffle the feathers were the Jehovah’s witnesses. Those were non-conformists who openly showed adversity to the country’s cultural norms and traditional practices such as wearing mourning gowns and certain traditional regalia by females. They had the unusual audacity to tell traditional leaders in the face what they would and wouldn’t do. So obstinate were they in adhering to their beliefs and doctrines that they were banned in certain countries because they were viewed as causing disorder.
Among the first Christian African countries to banish them was Malawi. Church splits only affected authorities when it came to splinter groups seeking land on which to build their churches in Chiefdoms. The clashes were based more on doctrines and principles rather than on questions of morality.
King Sobhuza II was so respectful of religious organisations that he never banned any church in his life no matter how weird or offensive their teachings were.
Nowadays the issues are as diverse as they come. There is hardly a week that passes without a scandal of one prominent religious leader or another. You just wonder why. Is it because the media has become more active and more vigilant than before? Is it that these things have been happening all along but were not being reported? Is it because the generation of leaders and preachers is becoming younger and younger than before? Is it because of the laxity of our legislations which are not so strict on the establishment of churches and the appointment and recognition of church leaders?
Their indictment permeates every act of the under-world you can think of. They are implicated in rapes, armed robbery, paedophiles, adultery, extortion, embezzlement, witchcraft, gender violence, ritual murder and corruption of all sorts.
Revolting as that may be, we should all bear in mind that they are as human as anyone. What befalls a human being also befalls them and the emotions they go through are the same as ours. The only difference is that they put an extra effort towards living a righteous life and have devoted themselves to encouraging others to lead devout and blameless lives.
The Bible says, “Strive to enter by the narrow gate”. (Hebrews 4:11) Jesus himself, despite being the son of God and Lord of all, recognised the difficulty of sticking to what is good when he said, “Go through the narrow gate because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it” (Mathew 7: 13-14).
This means that leading an acceptable life is a struggle and when you are in involved in a struggle you are exposed to multiple falls and sustaining abrasions and injuries; but the struggle must continue. We must not just think that it is only Christians that are expected to lead Crime-free and blameless lives but every citizen is bound by law to lead that kind of life. We should not treat ourselves as if we have got licences to do evil just because we are not Christians. That’s why we all go to jail when we fall foul of the law. Sonkhe sititfupha tiya egwayini embikwemtsetfo.
Today, I want to make a contribution towards certain pastoral demonising utterances on certain aspects of our national cultural and traditional practices. The Incwala ceremony, Reed Dance (Umhlanga), ancestral veneration (emadloti) and polygamy have been on the radar of Christian religious attacks for quite sometime now.
Harsh pronouncements akin to author Salmon Rushdie’s “SATANIC VERSES” have been made on these practices by both renowned and mediocre Pastors of local and foreign origin.
One big international church organisation was forced to close shop locally through self-censorship for issuing a scathing attack on one of our national indigenous religious practices. I wouldn’t like to name the church for obvious reasons and because it is still operating, though under a different name.
Attending its services is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss for anything in the world! Now a massive church started and run by a local is under the spotlight for the same attack which has reportedly made some sections of the country’s leadership hot under the collar.
What do you make of this? It is reported that authorities are toying around with the idea of taking tough disciplinary action against the Pastor and founder of the church concerned. My advice to the authorities is DON’T DARE! Swaziland is a God-fearing country and God has every right to raise the standard for his own people.
Whilst the cultural norm in controversy cannot be found specifically mentioned as a sin or otherwise in the Bible, Swaziland should defer everything to God himself and leave the Pastor alone. What if it is God himself speaking through the man? What if it is the Pastor’s own opinion and conviction? The authorities must take heart from these words spoken by Gamaliel when the disciplines were presented before him for punishment for spreading what they considered to be a misguided form of religion, “… I tell you, do not take any action against these men. Leave them alone. If what they have planned and done is for human origin, it will disappear, but if it comes from God, you cannot possibly defeat them. You could find yourselves fighting against God”. (Acts 5: 38-39).
Even if the Pastor is considered to have digressed on the word of God and peverted it, let’s take heed of what David said concerning King Saul whom he knew very well that God had deserted and appointed him in his place. “The Lord forbids that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed (I Samuel 26:11)”. Let’s just keep a safe distance from the turf of God’s servants! We might disagree with what they say but let’s just keep it at that; no more no less. God will do his own judgment on his own, not us.
Let’s do what Jesus Christ himself advised us to do through this parable of farmworkers who could no longer distinguish between the wheat they had planted and the weed because they looked alike and, therefore, found it very difficult to do the weeding. The farm owner directed them not to touch anything but to leave everything to himself as the owner because he would be able to make a difference and take appropriate action when the right time came (Mathew 13: 24-30).
On the other hand, it is about time the authorities sat down to take a hard look at those who try to justify everything we do with the Bible. We should accept that no human being can meet all God’s standards. The Bible says; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). It further says; “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. (Romans 3:23).
We should bear in mind that some of our traditions have been there long before the Bible came and, therefore, cannot be expected to be in line with Biblical standards through and through. Biblical criticism on some aspects of our culture is, therefore, to be expected as a natural development. Those who try to sugar–coat all our cultural norms and traditional practices with Biblical justification are not being realistic.
Failure to comply with certain Biblical requirements is only human. There could be no repentance if human beings would justify every questionable thing they fail to change with Biblical quotations as being acceptable to God.
Intfo nayisehlula kuyenta nome kuyiyekela asivume nje kutsi cha kuyasehlula. Hhayi kuyigabisa emacici eBhayibheli. The Bible says people who do such things “… serve not our Lord Jesus but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). It further warns; “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the TRADITION of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Let’s allow God to set his own high standards and only confess to our own failures to comply. After all, we are not failing to meet all His Commandments and our struggle to meet each one of them continues.
Kwehluleka kuletinye tintfo akusho kutsi asale siyekelela kukonkhe ngisho nalesikhonako kukwenta. Loko umuntfu lakukhonako kukwenta akwakwentisise. Longakhoni kudlala ibhola uyakhona kwenta lokunye. Let’s emphasise on our strengths and polish up on our own weaknesses. Paul says, “… perfect that which is lacking in your faith” (I Thessalonians 3:10).
KUKHASHANE EZULWINI BEKUNENE KUNGESIKO KA-MCHOZA!
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