First and foremost, religion is a human activity. Thus, there is a relationship between religion, ethics and humanity. Religion gives people something to believe in, provides a sense of structure and typically offers a group of people to connect with over similar attributes. Religion and spirituality are both rooted in trying to understand the meaning of life and, in some cases, how a relationship with a higher power may influence that meaning. While religion and spirituality are similar in foundation, they are very different in practice. Whereas the relationship between religion and science is the subject of continued debate in philosophy and theology.
In 2010, sociologist Phil Zuckerman published society without God: what the least religious nations can tell us about contentment. Zuckerman lined up evidence that the least religious societies also tend to be the most peaceful, prosperous and equitable, with public policies that help people to flourish while decreasing both desperation and economic gluttony. In Nigeria for example desperate politicians unwittingly use religionists to fulfil their political ambitions. This is what religion has become in the hands of manipulators – religious false teachers down through the centuries have known something in common, namely, that religion can be fun and profitable—for them.
This article seeks to examines the biblical underpinnings of virtues that should characterised spiritual awakening as against religious bigotry. Religious intolerance is intolerance of another’s religious beliefs or practices or lack thereof leading to religious violence and extremism (also called communal violence), is a term that covers all phenomena where religion is either the subject or object of violent behavior. Religion in the hands of manipulators is a time bomb – the easiest means to enslave people, including ‘intellectuals’, is religion.
There’s no correlation between religion and good governance. If you’re offered a job in a company owned by a Muslim and the pay is good or a lucrative contract, will you reject it because the offer is coming from a Muslim or do we interrogate the religion of an airplane captain before boarding an aircraft? In the recent past few months as we gradually approach the 2023 general elections, our fault-lines have been further widened by reasons of religion and politics of convenience. Don’t let anyone deceive you further, liberated minds are the “5%” and thoughtful few. Therefore, spirituality is KEY, be in tune with who you are in the SPIRIT. Religion in its own right is supposed to bring us peace and tranquility but
It has caused:
1. More harm than GOOD.
2. More hatred than LOVE.
3. More destruction than REPAIR.
4. More damage than FIXING
5. More sorrow than JOY
6. More sadness than HAPPINESS
7. More tears than LAUGHTER
8. More extortion than GIVING
9. More enslavement than LIBERTY. Hence the need to rethink religion in politics, particularly in the 21st century. Sadly, while some Nigerians are still caught up looking for leaders who will represent their religion in the 2023 elections, the civilized world have moved beyond the narrowness of religion. Instructively, the example of United kingdom (UK), where the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Indian origin is a Hindus underscores the way forward. Paradoxically, it was the same UK that introduced Christianity to us in Africa, they select leaders based on competence and not religious identity.
Conclusively, permit me to conclude this article that seeks to examines the boundary between religion and politics with the golden words of Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah, he has profoundly said: “The greatest challenge now is how to begin a process of reconstructing our nation hoping that we can hang on and survive the 2023 elections. The real challenge before us now is to look beyond politics and face the challenge of forming character and faith in our country. Here, leaders of religion, Christianity and Islam, need to truthfully face the role of religion in the survival of our country. The Nigerian Constitution has very clearly delineated the fine boundaries between religion and politics. Yet many politicians continue to behave as if they are presiding over both the political and the spiritual realms in their states rather than governing in a Democracy.” finally, a wise man once said: therefore, it has become imperative to set a boundary between religion and politics.
NIGERIA IS NOT FINISHED! NIGERIA SHALL BE VERY GREAT AGAIN IN THE WORLD AND THE WESTERN PEOPLE WILL BEG FOR A VISA TO VISIT.
Odusanya is a Nonreligious African committed to Humanitarianism, Emancipation and Egalitarianism.
