The Ten Commandments Brouhaha in Oklahoma.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma ruled in a 7-2 decision that the Ten Commandments statue on Capitol grounds violated the state’s constitution and therefore, must be removed. Since this ruling, Christians across the United States have been expressing self-righteous disgust, disappointment and anger over the court’s decision. 

As a Christian though, I refuse to be concerned or outraged by the legally-ordered removal of a mere object of decoration when several pressing issues are calling for attention. Isn’t this the United States where popular religions have largely been bastardized and turned into one big joke? This is a country where a guy (well-known in his community as a Muslim cleric) and who, actually was observing the current Islamic fasting season, went on a drive-by shooting of his rivals in the drug-dealing business. This is a nation where the most vocal Christians are the most racist, prejudiced and hateful of people different from their race. And this is God’s own country where a lot of the so-called religious people are closet gays, on-the-down low, pedophiles, sexual perverts and serial hypocrites. They preach one thing in public but practice something else in private.

By the way, George Carlin (American social critic, actor, and author) had the following reaction to the issue: "Here is the real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse: You cannot post 'Thou shalt not steal,' 'Thou shalt not commit adultery,' and 'Thou shalt not lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians."

Al Sharpton: The Gold Fish has no Hiding Place.

When the news broke the other day that one of the highly visible and vocal civil rights activists in the black community, Rev. Al Sharpton owed some money in unpaid taxes, I was not really surprised. Guys like that, in spite of the pious image they portray to the public, usually have some stinking skeletons in their cupboards.

I was however surprised to learn that the amount he owed was in the sum of $4.5 million! According to an investigation conducted by the New York Times, Sharpton “regularly sidestepped” taxes, rent and other bills. His non-profit organization National Action Network alone owes over $1 million in overdue payroll taxes. Now, how could taxes be deducted from the employees of his organization without the same taxes being remitted to the Internal Revenue Service?

For Al Sharpton, it is a double moral tragedy.

In his desire to fight for justice and the civil rights of other people, Al Sharpton does not necessarily have to be a holy angel or a saint. But he is not only a sundry civil rights activist but also someone who strongly lays a claim to religious leadership, a factor on which rests the bulk of his reputation. For this factor therefore, he definitely needs to be morally above board.

And in silly attempt at self-defense, Sharpton appeared on the CNN yesterday saying that the reported $4.5 million was the original figure he was ordered to pay back in 2008, but that he has been making regular payments since then and the amount is now less. Pleaseeeee! Can someone please tell this guy that whether 2008 or 2014, he has no moral right to owe taxes, period!

Sharpton cannot, on the one hand, strive to be seen as a respected “man of God” that is playing “savior” all over the place while, on the other hand, he is grossly shirking in his civic responsibility to pay taxes in his individual capacity and as a business man who owns some for-profit companies such as Raw Talent and Revals Communications.

If a famous, money-making public figure such as Al Sharpton refused to pay taxes why should poor, ordinary folks like me pay?

Your Attitude Goes Before Your Religion.

Some years back, I used to work with a guy who was notorious for his negative attitudes to life. This guy would curse or swear like a rogue sailor over the smallest form of irritation or annoyance. One moment, he was smiling with a colleague and the next moment, he was “stabbing” the same colleague in the back without batting an eyelid.

This guy’s attitude to work was something else. If he was not being lazy, he was complacent. And the worst aspect of it all was that the guy was as prejudiced and racist as a stray, diseased dog was known for being rabid. There was really “nothing good to write home about him”.

Then, something happened one day at work. We were all talking about our weekend, and particularly the past Sunday. It soon came to the turn of this guy. He began by saying “I was in the church…and as a Sunday school teacher…”

“What?...” almost everyone in the office exclaimed and glared at him simultaneously.

“What is what?” the guy, embarrassed, turned around to gape at us.

Suddenly, the entire room was quiet!

I was the first person to speak. “Did you just say…you were a Sunday school teacher?”

It took him a few seconds to answer but he finally did, “Yes…and so?...”

Quietly, everyone began to leave the room, one after the other.

 

When Pastors Get Personal in Their Sermons.

There is a big moral danger in the manners by which some pastors, especially those in "Pentecostal" or new generation churches make it their business to get personal in what they say on the pulpits. These pastors personalized their "interpretations” of the Holy Bible to suit their vain, selfish purposes.                                                                                                                  Their usual excuse is to “blame” it all on “divine inspirations”.  By so doing however, these “men of God” inadvertently leave several doors open for lazy, negative speculations within the ranks and files of their congregants. Among the consequences of these speculations is the avalanche of gossips that sooner or later consume the entire church. The worst aspect of it all is the resort of the same church members to link every subject of sermons to certain individuals and their private affairs.

Nigerians and Religious Posturings !!!

For God's sake, Nigerians!!! 

Is this the latest fad in the Christendom? Lately, I've been seeing pictures and videos of some Nigerians rolling on the ground while praying. In this picture is Pastor (or is he Bishop or Arch-Bishop?) Ayo Oritshejafor rolling on the floor during a prayer session in Abuja, Nigeria. 

I guess this new "style" has overtaken the usual act of "speaking in tongues" in religious posturing or playing to the gallery." This is very interesting. If we mortals are silly...definitely, God is not!