Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Of turning the Church into political battle fields!

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The Church is not just a fancy or simple building…..it’s the body of Christ. Central to this are foundations in worship, edification and of course, evangelism.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Apostle Paul refers to the Church as “God’s field.” In the same scripture, Paul admonishes the Corinthians for their lack of growth; he further teaches that a fully functioning Church can be a place of growth for God’s people as they obviously continue to enjoy spiritual nourishment.

Is the modern-day Church fulfilling its core mandate of worshiping God in truth, equipping believers and bringing lost souls to Christ, not forgetting serving them? Your guess is obviously as good as mine.

To avoid skirting around issues, yester morning we saw former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu, who doesn’t seem to have a home Church, turning-up at the Catholic Church in Chawama compound.

We aren’t dimwits; and we obviously don’t need to be rocket scientists to establish yesterday’s event wasn’t just an ordinary Sunday service whereby folks pitched up on their own to bid farewell to an outgoing priest. Since when did believers start going to Church in their political regalia and chanting slogans?

This was a well planned move that ensured that hundreds of people happened to be in the right place at a particular time…..to show solidarity and give ‘ichimwela’ to the former head of state as he arrived or took leave, thanks “kachola kandalama” and PF’s admirable mobilisation skills.

It’s sad that some members of the clergy continue to defy logic by allowing politicians to turn the Church into political battle fields as opposed to being Vineyards where we should all seek spiritual growth.

Churches are obviously made up of individuals from a wider political divide – UNIP, MMD, FDD, EFF, DP, SP, PF and UPND. Imagine what you’re doing to the body of Christ once you start taking sides? You’re dividing congregations!

In June this year, newly appointed Ndola Archbishop Benjamin Phiri banned politicians from attending mass for a purpose of campaigning…….not even being invited to the pulpit to greet the congregants

“Keep away from places of worship. I’m not going to tolerate that behaviour, no politician whether rulling party or opposition, we don’t want you to come and disturb us,” he counseled.

Timely warning, indeed. But wait a minute……why do some members of the clergy still see it fit to invite politicians to grace their occasions? We hope and pray they aren’t motivated by the temptation of “brown envelopes.”

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst

6 COMMENTS

  1. Brown envelopes and today’s clergy are not mutually exclusive. Mind you, most Catholic priests have ‘wives’ and children and as such need extra income!!

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  2. ………

    That is very true…….

    Religion and worship has been the reasons for millions of deaths world wide……….

    Lungu is playing a very Dangerous game……

    Belive me, if the sides were switched , there would have been tear gas and shooting in the church by security forces, people would have died………

    But our peace loving president choses to develiver development instead……….

    Zambians will decide, 2026 is a long way still

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  3. ………

    That is very true…….

    Religion and wor.ship has been the reasons for millions of dea.ths world wide……….

    Lungu is playing a very Dan.ger.ous game……

    Belive me, if the sides were switched , there would have been tear gas and sho.oting in the church by sec.urity forces, people would have di.ed………

    But our peace loving president choses to develiver development instead……….

    Zambians will decide, 2026 is a long way still

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    1
  4. ………

    If the roles were reversed……….

    There would have been a massacre in that church……..

    But this president choses development over violence……

    Forwadee 2031

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