The Failure Of Our Society Is Largely Aided By Religious Leaders

 The Failure Of Our Society Is Largely Aided By Religious Leaders

It has been said without contest that "the silence of good men crowns evil with success". It is not what an enemy did that pains the most, it is rather what a friend did not do. Things have so fallen apart as they are today because those who supposed to speak out are just busy dining and wining with those responsible for the society's decay.

When the great iroko of the East, Chinua Achebe, wrote his book “Things Fall Apart", things were not even as deteriorated as they are today. The country was still salvageable at that time. And I surely suppose that was the sincere intent of Achebe, when putting up such a monumental piece.

As it currently stands, likening Nigeria to hellfire is the least comparison anyone can make. Nigeria is far worse than hell. And even families, being integral parts, is reflected in such a negative way by the decayed Nigeria society. It is a reflection that has, unarguably caused a terrible erosion of family values. 

Martin Luther King Jr. said, "For religion to be germane, it should be reactive to the social conditions prevalent in people’s lives. Religion should rise above the teachings, vis-à-vis the idealistic heaven, by focusing on the earthly situations that could encumber individuals from trailing the heavenly goals. Besides, religion should accomplish the roles of assimilating individuals with each other notwithstanding their races. Religion which disregards social injustices is immaterial because it would only offer fabricated optimisms instead of reproving the society-wide putrefaction. Religion should be a trigger for positive transformations on the individual and macro disciplines".

But, unfortunately in this part of the world, religion is a means of extortion from the poor. The religious leader connive with the political leaders to extort the poor in the society. The religious leader looks the other way when they see evil, just because of the monetary gift and promises from the political leaders who are perpetrating these evils in the society. Religious leaders have done more harm to our society than good. That the society is decaying the way it is doing today because our religious leaders failed in their duty to protect the interest of their flocks, and prior their own selfish interests.

Religion should be a trigger for general transformation as Rev. Martin Luther said. But here we are. Most religious leaders, out of uncontrollable urge for material things, have become corrupt and owned by the other side. And this is rather unfortunate because they become a security risk.

Instead of encouraging those who fight justice in the society, they pretend to be peaceful in misleading ways, keeping deadly silence at matters that require their voices. This is especially dangerous because most followers will not know that their seeming peaceful posture is a direct consequence of some damaging video of orgy or whatever negative secret records, held by the political side, and which could be used to blackmail them.

I summarize with these words below, as said by Martin Luther, "A Religion which disregards social justices is immaterial because it would only offer fabricated optimisms, instead of reproving the society-wide putrefaction".

Written by Obulose Chidiebere

Edited by Chibueze Daniel

For Family Writers Press International