{"id":35544,"date":"2015-01-29T06:12:44","date_gmt":"2015-01-29T05:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=35544"},"modified":"2015-01-29T06:12:44","modified_gmt":"2015-01-29T05:12:44","slug":"nigerian-elections-christians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/articles-opinions\/nigerian-elections-christians\/","title":{"rendered":"On Nigerian Elections and \u201cChristians\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0<\/strong>Leonard Karshima Shilgba<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am deeply concerned that at this time of political campaign, as it usually happens, the word \u201cChristian\u201d is loosely used in reference to certain candidates for elective offices in Nigeria. The church stands the risk of being used for very indecent purposes, and I would like to counsel the church leadership not to mislead Nigerians. In the book of Acts chapter eleven and verse twenty-six it is written: \u201cAnd when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it happened to them also that they met together for a whole year with the church and taught a large number of people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.\u201d<\/p>\n

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It is clear that the disciples of Jesus Christ did not give themselves the name \u201cChristians.\u201d Rather, it was the observing world that looked at their conduct, examined their priorities and values in life, and then came to the conclusion that those were similar to Jesus Christ\u2019s, the man they had certainly heard about. Jesus Christ said that his food was to do the will of God and finish his work. I have seen, by their conduct, a different set of priorities in the conversation or lifestyle of many of Nigerian politicians who call themselves \u201cChristians.\u201d And I am afraid for innocent Nigerians who fall for the entrapment of religious identification and decide who to vote for on that basis. As a pastor, let me restrict this essay to \u201cChristian\u201d misidentification rather than the misidentification of adherents of other religions that are practiced in Nigeria.<\/p>\n

In response to an allegation by a Christian missionary E. Stanley that he had rejected becoming a Christ\u2019s follower (i.e. Christian) and yet he loved to quote the words of Christ, Mr. Gandhi responded, \u201cOh, I don\u2019t reject your Christ, I love your Christ. It is just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ.\u201d Gandhi fell in love with Jesus Christ\u2019s Sermon on the Mount by which his whole life was guided\u2014a life of unconditional love, self-sacrifice for the good of others, forgiveness, meekness, peace-making, etc. He was disappointed that \u201cChristians\u201d among whom he had lived on three different continents of Europe, Africa and Asia (England, South Africa and India) did not live up the sermon.<\/p>\n

My friends, we do not know Christians by their name or attendance at church meetings. We know them by their deeds. I remember, one day a disciple of Jesus\u2019, Simon Peter wielded a sword in defense of his Master. His master asked him to sheath his sword with this firm declaration: \u201dThose who live by the sword shall perish by the sword.\u201d Let me quickly add that those who rule by the sword shall certainly perish by it. Christians do not encourage violence, and neither do they keep quiet when it is being loudly pondered. It was reported that the governor of Bayelsa State hosted some Niger Delta ex-militants at the Bayelsa government house, where in his presence Mr. Dokubo Asari reportedly said, \u201cWe are going to war. Everyone of you should go and fortify yourself.\u201d Another ex-militant said, \u201cKeep sentiments apart. We are ready to match them bumper to bumper.\u201d They reportedly warned Nigerians that \u201cany attempt to dethrone the president [Dr. Goodluck Jonathan] would be seen as a direct attack on the Ijaw nation,\u201d and \u201cthreatened to unleash violence on the country and take back Niger Delta oil should Mr. Jonathan lose re-election.\u201d [Arodiegwu Eziukwu, Jan., 24, 2015]. I should expect the governor to quickly caution them against such disposition to violence. I was disappointed that the governor simply, as reported, thanked the ex-militants, urging them to \u201cresist the temptation of being recruited by the opposition to destabilize the state.\u201d He then promised to take their support to President Jonathan! I call on the Bayelsa governor and President Jonathan to disassociate themselves from the violent support of the ex-militants. Any Nigerian can support any politician of their choice; but I would not want anyone to threaten me and other Nigerians to vote for the candidate of their choice. Persuasion of ideas is what we need in a democracy, not violent language of threat. And President Jonathan or Governor Dickson should not encourage violence or keep quiet in the face of violent threat because it favors them now. President Jonathan is usually referred to as a \u201cChristian.\u201d Let him prove it. If his ambition is increasing tension and violence in the land, he must ask himself if truly he is righteous. The Holy Bible, which he may believe in says, \u201cWhen the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.\u201d Are Nigerians rejoicing or mourning?<\/p>\n

Christians do not engage in falsehood. I have heard a lot of lies or half-truths lately. Truth has nothing to do with falsehood, and the scriptures say that there is no lie in God, who is the Truth:<\/p>\n