I couldn't help sympathising with an acquaintance of mine, who, after a particularly trying day at work, dealing with those he often refers to (rather contemptuously, sadly) as "rubbish people", said to me in exasperation: "Kofi, I am just totally fed up with the hypocrisy of so many Ghanaian Christians - who seldom fail to tell one just how religious and God-fearing they are - yet steal, lie through the teeth and are totally unprincipled individuals."
Indeed, sometimes when one looks at the practical evidence, in their day to day lives, one wonders whether those who ought to be Christ-like in their interactions with others, because they claim to be church-going born-again Christians, actually believe in God at all - or whether Christianity is just a modern-day psychological equivalent for them, of the Juju-man, fetish priest and fetish priestess of pre-colonial traditional Africa.
I have lived within a stone's throw ("shouting distance" would probably be a more apt description of the distance between us - considering the racket your average charismatic Christian church in Ghana makes) of no less than three charismatic churches for over a decade now.
One of them, which has a huge compound, also doubles as a school for pastors - to churn out yet more of the blighters. Over the years, one's heard many a highly-strung and fiery preacher-man who sounded more like vengeance personified - the much-feared Voodoo priest of the past, than Christ.
Needless to say, their sermons were invariably about God punishing the devils who were stopping one from progressing in life; receiving abundance, etc - all "in the name and blood of Jesus." Not once did one hear character being mentioned - or the importance of being honest and principled in a nation steeped in corrupt practices.
Suffice it to say that the racket made by today's tycoon-preacher-man cum Voodoo-priest is definitely not the sort of sound one would hear in heaven. That is one of the reasons why I am pleased as Punch that in the new house which I am moving into - a few days hence - I shall neither hear loud sermons that irritate one no end, nor overhear the insincerity of arrogant young so-called born-again Christians - who congregate behind my fence-wall, as a form of intimidation (doubtless, punishment for my being such an eccentric - in a society that expects all to conform).
Unfortunately for me, snatches of the mundane and often empty-headed conversations of those born-again hypocrites and eavesdropping peeping Toms, regularly waft over my fence-wall late at night - carried by the cool breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.
No longer hearing those empty heads will be a real blessing for one indeed, dear reader - that, and the fact that one will no longer have to put up with having to listen to tone-deaf singers (who incredibly dream of becoming gospel singing stars, despite their handicap) and fiery sermons devoid of compassion and full of uber-materialism. What bliss - and one can only thank goodness for such little mercies. Amen!
Tel (Powered by Tigo - the one mobile phone network in Ghana that actually works!): + 233 (0) 27 745 3109.
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