“My Heart Is Open”: Actor Russell Brand Unveils Interest In Christianity
“My heart is open,” actor and comedian Russell Brand said in a recent X (formerly Twitter) video unveiling his interest in Christianity.
Brand is known for his roles in many Hollywood movies, including “Despicable Me” and “Bedtime Stories,” to name a few.
However, several of his past films contained immoral and explicit content. The actor also struggled with drug addiction and promiscuity.
In a Jan. 21 video entitled “Why I Wear a Cross,” Brand discusses his newfound interest in Christianity and the crucifix. He opens the video by chanting in Latin.
“The reason I wear a cross is because Christianity, and in particular the figure of Christ, seems to me to be inevitably becoming more important as I become more familiar with suffering, purpose, self, and not self,” Brand begins.
“I’m reading the Bible a lot more and as I’ve told you before, I’m reading Rick Warren’s “Purpose-Driven Life.”
“When I grew up, Christianity seemed like it was either really irrelevant and old-fashioned and sort of dusty and sort of incense,” Brand continues, chanting “Anno Domini.”
Brand then explains what he sees as Christians trying to “modernize” the religion. Either way, he thought, “Both of those roots seem like I don’t know if there’s anything for me.”
However, as he ages, Brand sees that he “needs a personal relationship with God.”
“It occurred to me that if instead of always talking to myself inwardly, I could replace one of those voices with an indwelling. God says in Galatians that it is our job to die so that, as Christ died on the cross, he might be reborn in us. I’m very interested to hear what you think because, for me, my heart is open.”
Catholics Respond To Russell Brand
Several Catholics responded to Brand’s request for suggestions on X (Formerly Twitter).
One Catholic convert suggested reading the works of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
“Please read Saint Thomas Aquinas. It will make a lot of sense to you,” Matthew Marsden wrote. “When I realized you could prove that there is a God by reason, it changed my life.”
Another user cited Saint Augustine’s “Confessions.”
“In his ‘Confessions,’ Saint Augustine wrote, ‘Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee,’ the X user suggested.
“You are an incredibly intelligent man, like Augustine, and appear to share the same restlessness he experienced, which can only be healed by embracing the cross.”
Others suggested watching Catholic sermons and praying the rosary
Pray for Russell Brand as he embarks on his journey to the fullness of truth!
Bree Solstad, known previously as a star and “creator” of the pornography industry, has undergone a radical transformation and become a Catholic. Her Baptism took place at this year’s Easter Vigil, marking a significant milestone in her spiritual journey, Solstad, who was usually recognized on the X platform (previously Twitter) as “Miss B Converted,” announced her conversion on January 1, 2024, leaving her previous life behind and giving herself completely to her newly discovered faith. “I cried with great joy after receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus for the first time,” said Solstad to The Daily Signal, expressing the profound impact of this moment on her life. After a decade in the pornography industry, both as actress and as a producer, Solstad decided to leave her sinful past, wealth and self-destruction behind. Her decision wasn’t easy and, as she predicted, she faced criticisms and ridicule from some of the online community. However, her determination to follow Christ and leave her former life behind remained firm. In an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal, she shared the details of her trajectory and journey of faith.
After a childhood in which she was active in the Lutheran Church, she left the faith during her university years, submerging herself in a lifestyle of excess and libertinage. However, a series of transforming experiences, including a visit to Italy and her encounter with sacred art, led her to question her way and look for meaning in her life. The Virgin Mary’s figure, omnipresent in the streets and places of worship she visited in Italy, impacted her profoundly and led her to a path of spiritual redemption and renewal. After returning home, she confronted the emptiness of her former existence and sought spiritual guidance, which finally led her to embrace the Catholic faith wholeheartedly. Reactions to her conversion have been mixed, but Solstad finds consolation and strength in her new relationship with God. Instead of producing contents for adults, she is dedicated to the creation of unique rosaries and Christian jewels, symbolizing her spiritual rebirth and her commitment to a life of virtue and service. Her story has had a profound effect on others, with several former colleagues of the entertainment industry for adults approaching her in search of guidance and support. Solstad hopes that her witness will inspire others to seek the light in the midst of darkness and to find peace and redemption in faith.
In a world that often seems to be dominated by superficiality and hedonism, Bree Solstad’s story is a powerful reminder of the capacity of divine love to transform even the most lost and desperate lives into a story of hope and redemption.
Did you know that: 166,324 people die daily, 6,930 people die every hour, 116 people die every minute, and 1.93 people die every second?
Yet, most people are afraid to consider their own death out of fear. In this episode of Authorschoice Online, we will consider the four last things that will happen to everyone, beginning with death.
Death, according to Christian teaching, is the separation of the soul from the body. The soul, being spiritual, cannot die (i.e., it is immortal), but it is also self-reflective, aware, and knows. It also possesses the ability to move from one place to another, passing through walls and things like that. More importantly, as soon as we die, God grants our soul light to see with perfect clarity the good or evil aspects of the choices we have made throughout our lives up until the moment before our death. Death makes these choices permanent, and the soul adheres to these choices and can neither change nor repent any longer. Thus, the soul of the dead perseveres in choosing or rejecting God forever. Death irrevocably fixes the good or evil we have chosen in life, and we cannot change it. Put another way, death is the end of the testing process; what remains is either reward or punishment. God immediately judges and rewards the good soul with heaven and judges and punishes the evil soul with hell. If the soul is in a state of grace with some imperfections, it goes to purgatory for purification. This immediate judgment is the particular judgment, and it differs from the general judgment at the end of the world.
Immediately after death, the soul is Judged in the Particular Judgment
At the particular judgment, the soul of the dead appears immediately before God (even as the relatives are weeping or preparing the decomposing body for burial). God grants the soul light to see the choices made while alive. If it has chosen God (good), it rushes towards God, who is infinite love, beauty, happiness, joy, eternal blessedness, and the very source of all that is lovely. If it has chosen evil, it rushes away from God and towards hell: hatred, evil, misery, emptiness, and eternal separation from God. The truth of the particular judgment and the immediate retribution or punishment at the moment of death is borne out in sacred scripture by the words of Jesus on the cross to the good thief, “Today, you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Regarding the fittingness of immediate judgment after death, it is argued that, since a dead man cannot choose good or evil anymore, there is no reason to wait until the final judgment at the end of time to reward the just or punish the wicked. Besides, such a “waiting” or “delay” will only punish the just, keeping them in a state of permanent anxiety, not knowing their fate, while at the same time, it would be a reward for the damned soul whose punishment is put off for a very long time till the end of the world.
Purgatory
If the soul is imperfect, having no mortal sin but retaining imperfections, it goes to a place of purification we Catholics call purgatory. This is because, before a soul enters heaven, every trace of imperfection must be eliminated, and all attachment to sin or evil must be destroyed and purified.
Even though many people (primarily Protestants) contend that there is no purgatory because the Bible does not explicitly mention it and because we are fully prepared for heaven when we pass away because of our salvation through faith in Christ alone, the Church teaches that purgatory is in the Bible, even though it is not explicitly mentioned. The sense of purgatory is clear from the Old Testament, the second book of Maccabees, where Judas Maccabee took and gathered a collection of money for the sin offering for the souls of his dead men to be released from their sins. (Mac 12:39). In the New Testament, purgatory is even clearer. 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 talks about two fires: one fire to examine the good or evil of men’s deeds and another fire to purify them before they are saved. Experience tells us that there are different shades of perfection, and we all can grow in perfection. Thus, purgatory answers the question, “What happens to the soul of the imperfect who dies?”
This is why the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass during the funeral and encourages all to offer suffrages for the souls in purgatory. The souls in purgatory, by nature of their state, can no longer merit graces for themselves and are wholly dependent on the people on earth to pray for them.
The pain of loss & pain of the senses
The souls in purgatory suffer two kinds of pain. The pain of loss consists of a certain delay in seeing God. The souls in purgatory no longer desire material things; they only have one consuming desire: to see God. Although that delay is painful, it differs greatly from the loss-related pain that the damned souls experience in that they have the satisfaction of knowing that it is only a temporary delay and that they will eventually see and join the love of God. In addition, there is the pain of sense that some call fire. This fire purifies them of their imperfections. This suffering is not a meritorious act because it is not performed freely but with compulsion. Yet, the souls in purgatory gladly accept this fire and impatiently await the end of their trials so that they can be with God. The duration and intensity of their suffering are dependent on the amount of suffrage we on earth offer them through our good acts and Eucharistic devotions. It is the duty of charity to pray for the souls in purgatory since they are our brothers and sisters. It is a requirement of justice since souls can be unduly detained because of our negligence, and finally, it is the obligation of piety that we owe members of our supernatural and natural families who might be in purgatory.
Hell
Truly, many do not understand what hell is; if they did, they would be anxious never to go there. Strictly speaking, the Catholic Church does not talk about those in hell because they are considered to be outside of the Church. They are no longer a part of the church. The souls of people who die in a state of opposition to God through attachment to evil go straight to hell. Hell is the ratification of the choices they freely made up until the moment of death. Death makes the opposition to God permanent and eternal. In Hell, the separation from the all-loving God is permanent, irrevocable, and without end. It is a life of complete frustration and emptiness. Hell is the opposite of love; it is hatred, darkness, and eternal punishment. It is eternally living with evil and knowing that it is forever, without end. Recalling that we are going to die and that there is an afterlife could help us keep focused.
Hell involves two kinds of pain. The pain of loss and the pain of sense
The pain of loss is the most intense and, in enormity, surpasses every other suffering imaginable because it is the loss of the ultimate end, happiness, and eternal bliss desired by every creature. The souls in hell experience intense remorse, not because of repentance from their sin but because of the enormity and eternal duration of their punishment. They also experience the pain of the senses, which some consider to be unquenchable fire, burning sulfur. Even if they do not know it, all men are created in the image of God to live with God forever. Every soul hungers for this union of love and happiness with God. To be eternally deprived of ever achieving this is the most terrible suffering a soul can have—a loss of all meaning and purpose and a permanent state of frightful misery
This pain of sense on the other hand is comparable to dying but never dying, hence the name “eternal death.” Apart from these two pains mentioned above, there are other pains, such as the suffering of being in the eternal company of the wicked and the damned, where all is misery and vile, the permanent company of the devil and all his demons, where hatred and evil are the only rules. We should truly pity those who do evil here on earth.
Heaven
The existence of heaven is explained in the same way that the existence of hell is explained. It is proper and fitting that those who die in the state of grace, without sin, and in union with God, having kept and obeyed his laws in this life be rewarded. That reward is the immediate and eternal possession of God who is love.
The metaphor of heaven as the dwelling place of God in the sky can be misleading, but through faith, we know that heaven is not a place but a living relationship with the Holy Trinity in Christ. The happiness of heaven is the enjoyment of all good, all love and beauty and bliss in God in a permanent eternal way without any fear of loss, forever. This eternal vision of God cannot be unless God grants the soul a light of glory that illuminates and unites with God. This light of glory called lumen Gloriae enables the creature to see and know God. Since love comes from knowledge, this act of seeing and knowing God is immediately followed by an intense love of God that produces immense joy, happiness bliss that nothing in this world can describe.
Thus, the soul participates in all the joy and happiness of the blessed. Moreover, it is in the blessed company of the saints, Mary, and all the blessed. It also knows all creatures through the mind of God. It is able to communicate with his loved ones on earth and rejoices as they progress towards heaven.
The final judgment
Unlike the particular judgment that comes immediately after death, the final judgment comes at the end of the world. It is the public ratification of the irrevocable sentence of the particular judgment. Moreover, is in keeping with the justice of God that just as many people do good without reward because no one sees them and many people do evil and are never caught, the final judgment will be the universal acclamation of hidden good-doers and universal condemnation of hidden evildoers.
It is also the time for the resurrection of the body. The same body that participated or even aided in the good or assisted in the evil done while on earth, will resurrect and re-unit with the soul for the universal judgment of body and soul. The final judgment will show that God’s justice prevails over all the injustices perpetrated by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death. Our hope does not look forward to the eternal life of the soul alone but to the eternal life of the whole human person, body, and soul. There is an eternal life of salvation, as a participation of the entire man in the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In addition, there is an eternal life of damnation, in which the separation from God becomes eternal.
The death of rising Afro-beat musician Mohbad shocked Nigerians, and sadly, his heartbroken fans and well-wishers were unable to say a proper farewell as his family buried him the next day, sparking speculations that the late singer was a Muslim because Muslims bury their dead quickly. However, research indicates that he is a Christian, possibly even a Catholic. In fact, he is seen with Catholic images and symbols in this music video. If this is true, it is possible that the deceased musician will rise again.
This is due to the fact that Christians believe in the resurrection. They believe this because Jesus said:
“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.” (John 6:54)
How do you eat Jesus flesh and drink his blood? Isn’t this a cannibalism?
This was what the Jews standing next to Jesus at that time said.
Was he joking or perhaps speaking figuratively?
If he was, then had the moral obligation to clarify these deeply offended listeners because cannibalism is deeply offensive to any right-thinking person, but for the Jews, it was an abomination since God forbids them to drink blood: “You shall not eat any blood” We are forbidden to eat any blood. When an animal is slaughtered, its blood is poured away” (Leviticus 7:26).
But Jesus did not apologize or clarify. Rather, he doubled down, saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53–56).
And scripture says that “after this, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him” (John 6:66)
What did Jesus do next?
He turns to the twelve of his closest friend whom he called his apostles and asked them, “Would you also go away?”
One of them called Simon Peter, “To whom shall we go, you alone have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68)
That day, their friendship was saved. They must have waited with bated breath for the day when Jesus would serve this repulsive food. They didn’t have to wait long, because a few days later was the Jewish feast of Passover, during which every Jewish family had to sacrifice a lamb and eat the flesh as God commanded in commemoration of the lamb that brought their forefathers freedom from Egypt. As a result, we read in (Matthew 26:26-28).
Hence on that night, while they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples, said, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.
“This is my body which is given for you”; “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk 22:19.20).
Jesus’ words should be examined in light of Passover, which occurred in 1250 BC when God ordered the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb to save them from the Angel of Death in Egypt. Chapter 12 of Exodus contains this instruction. This is called the Passover story because it’s part of the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt. In Exodus 12, God instructs Moses and Aaron on the Passover meal and the use of lamb’s blood to mark Israelite doorposts to protect them from the Angel of Death. This important Jewish event is celebrated annually.
Fast-forward 1250 year later, Jesus was in the upper room, commemorating the Jewish Passover, and was offering banquet of bread and wine.
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.
“This is my body which is given for you”; “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk 22:19.20).
What is happening in these words?
Most people disbelief that Jesus can change reality bread something else, into his body or change the reality of wine into his blood.
But who is Jesus? In the book of John we read: “In the beginning was the Word, the word was with God and the word was God.”(John1:1)
Jesus is the word of God become flesh.
Are we surprised that Jesus words transform reality?
Jesus says, Lazarus comes out (John11:43), and the dead man comes to life, a change from a dead substance to a living substance.
Thus here we are also confronted by the word “transubstantiation.” The bread becomes the body, his body. The bread of the earth becomes the bread of God, the “manna” of heaven,
Recall what Jesus said in John 6:48-68
“I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”
It is critical to pay attention to what the Lord actually says in John 6. He does not simply say, “This is my body,” but rather, “This is my body, which I have given up for you.” Because it is given, it has transformed itself into a gift. We might notice the same thing in the words on the cup. Jesus did not just simply say, “This is my blood,” but rather, “This is my blood, which is poured out for you.” Because his blood is poured out, he is crucified; he is nailed to a cross and dies in agony. His blood is poured out, first in the Garden of Olives due to his interior suffering as a result of his mission, then in the flagellation, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, and, finally, in the piercing of his Heart after his death. As a result, Jesus is the true Passover lamb is slaughtered for the sin of mankind. Recall, when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him, he exclaimed, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'”
Furthermore, Revelation 5:6 speaks of Jesus when it says. “I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
Hence by not resisting violent men and willingly offering his life Christ transformed and defeated violence with love, thus transforming death itself into resurrection.
As a result, at the Last Supper, the gifts of bread and wine, creation and work of human labor are transformed so that in them the Lord himself gives himself to us and transforms us into one body with him who is the Seed of the resurrection.
Christ institutes the Eucharist as the sacrifice on the altar that anticipates his cross death by consecrating his body and blood. He gave his apostles, seated beside him, the power to effect that same change and offer the same sacrifice, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass celebrated worldwide, by commanding them to “do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19). The prophet Malachi said 5800 years before Christ: “From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations; incense offerings are made to my name everywhere, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.”Malachi 1:11)
In addition, shortly after His resurrection, he gave them the power to forgive sins. (Jn. 20:22) And before His Ascension into heaven, he gave them the mandate to preach His gospel and baptize in the name of the Trinity, making disciples of all nations. (Mt. 28:19-20) Thus they were to continue His priestly redeeming mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” (Jn. 20:21) These powers would be handed down to their successors through the sacrament of Holy Orders, in which the ordained priest, by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, is marked with a special character, and is so configured to Christ the Priest that he can act in the person of Christ the Head of the Mystical Body
The most enlightening word Jesus spoke at that moment is covenant,” because it defines the episode and shows what Jesus wanted and achieved with his death. He sought a “covenant”. Two Old Testament texts of the covenant on Sinai, when “Moses took the blood [of the sacrificed animals] and threw it upon the people, and said, ‘Behold the blood of the covenant’” (Ex 24:8), are mentioned here. The “sacrificial meaning” of Jesus’ death is expressed as a sacrifice similar to Sinai’s, since it is also made with blood, but it is very different because it is the blood of a conscious, free man who gives up his life
Despite all of the biblical evidence, many Christians do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They argue that Jesus was speaking figuratively at the Last Supper and did not intend for his words to be taken literally. They even mock the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as a blasphemous act, claiming that even if you attend Mass every day of your life, a single mortal sin can still send you to hell. They reject the claim that the graces received from the Mass would prevent such a thing from happening. They argue that as long as man’s effort is required for salvation, it is faulty theology because salvation is by “faith alone,” no good works of ours can contribute to our salvation, since we are incapable of doing any good work because we are completely corrupted as a result of original sin. As a result, they reject the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and believe that the Last Supper was merely a banquet and not a sacrificial representation of Calvary.
It is important to note, however, that for 1,500 years prior to the Protestant Reformation, all Christians unanimously accepted the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, as well as a unanimous agreement that the Last Supper was both a sacramental representation of Jesus’ Sacrifice at Calvary and a banquet.
Consider the writings of the early Christians as evidence for this. The Didache is one of the most ancient and authoritative Christian writings, reflecting the first-century Church’s teachings and liturgical practices, says, “On the Lord’s own day, assemble in common to break bread and offer thanks; but first confess your sins, so that your sacrifice may be pure… your sacrifice must not be defiled.”
Thus, Christians have long extolled the numerous benefits of participating in the mass sacrifice and receiving Christ’s body and blood.
According to St. Cyril of Jerusalem (died 387), receiving the Eucharist makes a Christian a “Christ-bearer” and “one body and one blood with Him” based on Christ’s words and what St.Paul said, “The bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the Body of the Lord? For we are one bread, all who partake of this bread.” I Corinthians 10:16-17.
Holy Communion is a guarantee of heavenly glory and our bodily resurrection from the dead, according to Christ’s own promise (John 6:55). St. Irenaeus (died 202) simply stated, “When our bodies partake of the Eucharist, they are no longer corruptible, as they have the hope of eternal resurrection” (Against the Heresies, IV, 18, 5).
Hopefully, Mohbad will be resurrected, especially if he has been eating spiritual food known as the Holy Eucharist. Though many may find this improbable, citing the frequently prevalent sexual content of his video and immoral lyrics, it’s important to remember that God is limitless in his mercy, and the evidence is right there in scripture, as the very first person to enter heaven was the thief who was crucified with Jesus, who asked him to remember him when he enters paradise, and Jesus said to him, This day you shall be with me in Paradise. As a result, just like the thief, all of us sinners need to believe in the resurrections and the importance of the Eucharist, and Jesus will come to our aid just as he did the thief.
Many of you who witnessed the election on February 25th may be wondering why God allows bad things to happen. Buhari and his footsoldier, Mohamed Yakubu, rigged the election despite all of the prayers and supplications. Why would God allow that to happen? These are the kinds of questions that have plagued mankind’s relationship with God for centuries and are one of the main reasons why many people have abandoned the faith, become atheists, and given up on religion. In this paper, we will look at why God appears to let things happen and what this means for our relationship with him.
One way to answer the question is to ask who God allows bad things to happen to. This is significant because we can all agree that bad things should happen to bad people. For example, if a person steals, he should be punished. However, most people disagree that bad things happen to good people. Are Nigerians good people? Though some Nigerians are good, there is ample evidence that the vast majority of Nigerians are not. Here are five reasons why Nigerians aren’t as good as we think.
1. Spread of corruption
Corruption pervades every sector in Nigeria, from public government circle offices to local government and all the way down to the lowest strata of society. Nigeria scores 24/100 in the global corruption perception index in the 2022 world global corruption index. In layman’s terms, 24/100 is equivalent to an F9 at university. Furthermore, we are ranked 150th out of 180 countries in terms of corruption, with the highest score being the most corrupt. Some may argue that high-profile corruption cases in Nigeria occur at the highest levels. Nonetheless, it is equally true that the Nigerian state is corrupt at all levels.
2. The Nigerian Constitution is fraudulent.
The nation’s constitution is fraudulent and allows victors of electoral fraud to be sworn in and “enjoy” state powers while their cases are still being heard in court. Who would vote for a constitution that allows electoral fraudsters to be sworn in? This is why Bola Tinubu stated, “Power is not served ala carte; they must snatch it.” He is well-versed in Nigeria’s constitution. And indeed, Prof Pat Utomi of Arise TV argued that it was not Tinubu who said those words first, but Arthur Nzeribe, an Igbo, who said that it doesn’t matter if you bought the form for the elections, do your best to be declared the winner and then use the power of the state to frustrate and decimate the opposition. Thus, can a group of people be considered good people if they deliberately allow a loophole in their constitution that allows criminals to be rewarded for their criminal actions with the highest office in the land and allows them to “enjoy power”?
3. Corruption of the Best is the Worst
According to Socrates, “The corruption of the best is the worst”, it follows that a country cannot, in theory, have a good population if the majority of its best citizens are corrupt. Universities are the center of learning in other parts of the world. Professors are involved in research, development, and technological advancements and they formulate economic policies that result in enormous wealth for other countries all the while molding young minds. Professors, however, are employed in Nigeria to rig elections beginning with the INEC chairman, Yakubu Mohammed, who is a professor of history and a university lecturer, who together with other university professors, are now spearheading the most primitive election rigging Nigerians have ever seen. However, by doing so, these professors have exposed themselves and let the cat out of the bag as to why Nigerian universities are being so poorly run by these professors, who have exposed themselves to be irredeemably corrupt.
4. Nigerians are narcissistic
Nigerians have an exaggerated sense of self-importance, despite the fact that most African countries outperform us in all indices of development. Consider our nearest neighbor, Ghana, which has a 9% higher education rate than Nigeria, while our East African counterpart Seychelles has a literacy rate of 95.9, while we barely reach 60%, and this holds true for all indices of development, as there is virtually no city in Nigeria with pipe born water, good roads, adequate supply of electricity, and or standard health care, yet we arrogate to ourselves the title of a giant. So the simple answer to the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen?” is so that those who believe they are good will realize they are not. As a result, if we want bad things to stop happening and people like Tinubu to stop stealing your elections, we must stop stealing government funds to build our personal houses in the village. Let us stop misplacing people’s files in order for them to pay a bribe. Let us stop inflating government contracts fraudulently, or petty theft will be just another Tinubu or Yakubu waiting for an opportunity.
5. Nigerian are not united
The ethnic profiling, killing, and maiming of people, especially in Lagos, who are from a particular tribe, happened within a week after the elections were rigged. Instead of the entire Yoruba community rising up to denounce it, this is further proof that Nigerians are not good people. Nigerians should be fighting together for the new Nigeria that Peter Obi has proposed is possible.
Thus, the above five reasons, though not exhaustive, show that Nigerians are not as good as they think, and so when we ask “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people,” the answer may be that many people who think they are good are not, and bad things help them see their evil and change their ways. Another reason why God allows bad things to happen is the Christian belief that God, though he could have done it, did not create a closed world (where men are only robots and he alone can control what happens) but rather an open-ended universe (where men can actually make decisions that shape the universe, making it open to many possibilities). He made man in his image. He created man in his own image and likeness, giving him freedom and intelligence to choose between good and evil. Thus, we can use our talents for good or evil, creating a more violent and unjust world. We see that Buhari and his agent Yakubu Mohamed could have held free and fair elections to ensure justice for all, but they chose manipulation, injustice, and violence instead. Thus, men who choose evil are responsible for injustice and wickedness, not God.
However, this is why heaven and hell exist: God gave man the freedom to do as he pleases, but He also requires a strict account of every man’s use of that freedom at the end of his life. Those who used their freedom for good would go to heaven, while those who used it for evil would go to hell forever. Thus, God allows temporary evil and injustice in this world because all who do good or evil will receive eternal justice. The Bible says God lets the rain fall in good and bad weather and lets the weeds grow with the darnel until harvest, when he gathers the wheat into the granaries and burns the weeds in an unquenchable fire. Perhaps the ultimate end of Buhari, Tinubu, and Yakubu would be the eternal punishment of hell fire which God would inflict on them on the last day if they do not repent for this big theft in this life, but let us not think that we would escape hell if we don’t repent of our own petty theft. He who is faithful in little is faithful in much, and he who is dishonest in little is dishonest in much. Petty thieves are just Tinubu or Yakubu waiting for their chance.
6. Jesus Christ and the redemptive suffering
Jesus Christ—true God and true man—provides another explanation for why God allows things to happen. The sinless, innocent, and just one. God allowed him to suffer. Why? Thus, Christ died to redeem us from death out of love. Christ’s passion and death defeat evil and show us that suffering can be redemptive. The sinless one freely chooses, and embraces the Cross as an act of love, in perfect love and obedience to his Father, reconciling us to God and showing us how we must embrace the cross and suffering that comes our way in atonement for our sin and the sin of the world. According to the Catholic Catechism, sin makes men accomplices in criminal structures that lead to violence and injustice. Sins create ungodly social systems. Personal sins create “structures of sin.”
Hence, it is sins and immorality, not God that cause bad things. Thus, we must unite to restore public order and morality. But it must be remembered that the goal is not to purify structures, but to help people become moral again. No matter how much you purify structures, if you do not restore the people in them to morality, these sound structures will once again be endangered. Pope John Paul II said, “This is a task which demands courage and patience.” [23] Courage because we must not be afraid to clash with the prevailing atmosphere. And patience—changing society from within takes time. It takes many people working on different projects with like-minded people to promote schools and educational institutions that provide urgent human formation that eventually bring about the right moral environment.
Someone sent me this video of an exorcism by an evangelist, Chukwuebuka Alozie Obi, the founder of the Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, located at Okota, between Festac and Isolo. It appears Ebuka received the gift of prophecy at the very young age of 12 and could tell the future, for instance, he could tell if a pregnant woman would give birth to a boy or a girl (Ibangbe) and was encouraged by a catholic priest to use his gift for good and avoid canal sins, the priest then took him under his wings and helped him develop his gift. Hence, presently, Zion Prayer Movement Outreach attracts thousands of people from all over Nigeria seeking some divine answers to their prayers and his YouTube channel has close to one hundred and fifty thousand followers.
Nonetheless, there are a few things that remain troubling about this ministry which may undermine the Christian message. First is the use of superstition as an instrument of control. It appears Evangelist Ebuka encourages superstition beliefs in the supernatural powers to things such as rings, amulets, and so forth among his followers. For instance, in this video you can see Ebuka saying that someone in his congregation was trying to charm him with a demonic ring, he then goes ahead to ask the person to come forward whoever he is, and after a long wait, a young man walks through the mist of the dense crowd and mounting the podium of the alters produces a ring. Evangelist Ebuka triumphantly shows the ring to the excited congregation and later steps on the ring to as it were, destroy the power of the ring.
Indeed, if someone believes that a demonic ring has the power to make some other people fall sick or have a car accident, in essence, the implication is that that piece of metal has a power that is greater than the power of God because it able to nullify God’s own power or wishes for to protect us. This indeed is superstition. Hence anyone who believes that a ring or any other object has the power to control their future, then they are implying that object’s power is mightier than the power of God to protect them. That is exactly what their belief implies.
Consequently, superstition goes against the Christian faith which teaches that God only is supreme, and all power belongs to Him to decide our present and our future, our state of health. No ring or flying crow can do that since that would entail overriding the power of God. Indeed, the devil can infest an object and use it as a means to perpetrate its diabolic aim. In such an instance, it would be the devil that is responsible for the activity and not the ring itself. Hence, St. Thomas defines superstition as the sin of attributing divine powers to anything other than God or offering worship to God in an improper manner”. (II-II:92:1). Superstition is a sin against the first commandment: “Though shall not make yourself a graven image before me.” The sin of superstition is similar to the sin of idolatry which is to make or worship anything other than God.
Additionally, there are other forms of superstition amongst which are the types referred to as vain observances. An example of vain observance could be the belief in an EVIL EYE. For instance, the fear of the number 13 and fear of Friday 13 because some believe that on that day, something bad is bound to happen. Hence the supernatural powers that properly belong to God’s discretion of determining what happens at each time and day is now being attributed to the numeral 13 and hence putting at par with if not above the power of God
Hence St. Thomas argues that superstition includes all beliefs and practices that, at least by implication, attribute supernatural or preternatural powers for good or for evil to causes evidently incapable of producing the expected effects. Undoubtedly, rings, amulets, handkerchiefs, and bats are not capable of producing supernatural effects since, being material objects, they naturally do not possess such powers, and anyone attributing such powers to them is, therefore, guilty of superstitions.
This is not to say however that the devil cannot infest an object such as a ring and handkerchief with diabolic power. The devil being a supernatural being, precisely an angel possesses that power and can transmit it to a ring, and this is called diabolic infestation. In such instances, it is the devil that is responsible for the activity and not the ring itself. In such case prayer be offered to God for the deliverance from the devil as the main source of the diabolic activity and not the ring itself. And if the devil is the prime cause of the activity, Evangelist Ebuka should focus the attention of his congregation on repentance, sacramental penance, prayer and fasting, and living a holy life as the most effective way of freeing the souls from the bondage of satans and counter of the devil’s influence on souls
Prophesy
Furthermore, it appears that many people flock to Evangelist Ebuka because of the success of his prophecies. Hundreds of participants in the Zion Prayer Outreach are constantly giving testimonies of how the prophecies of Evangelist Ebuka have come true for them. There are cases of barren women who have given birth to children, people who have recovered from business setbacks, and many more, and these successes do more to fuel the belief in prophet Ebuka and the increased growth of his ministry. However, Wilhelm argues that the “apparent success” that so often attends a superstition can mostly be accounted for by natural causes, since when the object is to ascertain, or to effect in a general way, one of two possible events, the law of probabilities gives an equal chance to success and failure.” For instance, when a preacher makes a prophecy for instance that a young married woman will have a child in one year. There are only two possible outcomes: either she gets pregnant or she does not. It is most likely that if this young woman believes the preacher she is more likely to do all the right things to help her get pregnant hence reinforcing her belief in him. On the other hand, if she does not get pregnant, in all likelihood, she would also find cogent reasons to believe that the failure is due to her lack of confidence or her hidden doubt of the words of the man of God.
Exorcism
Indeed further disturbing trend about the Zion Prayer Outreach and Evangelist Ebuka is his clear violation of the strict guidelines of the Code of Canon law’s precepts regarding exorcism. The Church stipulates that casting our demons or exorcism when done in public should be done by a duly authorized priest. The code of canon law states that:
“The power of Christ can be given to some to cast out demons, but it is not given to all and sundry, but only to the Bishop or priests authorized by him. According to the code of canon law, Can. 1172 §1. No one can perform exorcisms legitimately upon the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary(i.e. the Bishop).
§2. The local ordinary is to give this permission only to a priest who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life. “Rituals and formulas approved by the Church authority” must be observed (i.e. the Roman Ritual must be followed).
Nonetheless, Evangelist Ebuka is not an ordained priest and yet he performs public exorcism as you can see in the video above.
According to Exorcismus.org, an online magazine dedicated to the topic of exorcism, it must be strongly emphasized that only exorcisms performed by priests authorized by the bishop’s power have healing power. All other practices resembling exorcisms, conducted by laymen as well as unauthorized clergymen do not bring a real freeing – they are its caricature. Exorcism when conducted by an unauthorized person is often done for the sake of money, which may be in the form of television rights, Television popularity, and image to attract more followers
Hence anyone who consciously acts in disobedience to the codes of canon law of the Catholic Church is a false exorcist.
Furthermore, the Code of Canon Law teaches state that an evil spirit – as practice shows – will not leave a possessed or tormented person if exorcisms are undertaken by an unauthorized person, a fraud, or a “healer”. This also applies to priests, who – in disobedience or due to a lack of knowledge and prudence – conduct exorcisms over a possessed person without their bishop’s permission.
Additionally, disobedience and dabbling into exorcism can have tragic consequences we read in the books of acts ( Acts 19:13-17) some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried pronouncing the name of the Lord Jesus over people who were possessed by evil spirits; saying, ‘I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.’ Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’ And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them, and overpowered them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.” (Acts 19:13-17).
This incident in sacred scripture confirms that not everybody has power over the evil spirit. To defeat Satan it is not enough to pronounce the Name of Jesus – it also takes real faith and preparation. The sole invocation of Jesus is no excuse for lay exorcists. The way they use it, it resembles incantations, (i.e using the Name of God in a magical way),
Furthermore, an exorcism that is not followed by any long-term pastoral help is an exercise in futility. Christ warns us in the Gospel: “On that day many will say to me:
‘Lord, Lord, did we not (…) cast out demons (…) in your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7: 22-23)
Furthermore, true Exorcist is prohibited from accepting anything in return not even indirectly via TV ratings, honor, or popularity.
This is what Jesus said in Matthew 10: 8-10) “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts.” (Matthew 10:8-10)
Thus Evangelist Ebuka is at the very least violating the laws of the Catholic Church since he is neither an ordained priest nor has he received authority from the bishop and yet he is carrying out exorcism as this video portrayed, and hence falls into the categories of a fraudster who as scripture foretells, may be treading on very dangerous grounds since the devil is not something to toy.
It is worth noting that the principal ways lay Catholics can defeat demons and diabolical activities is by saying the rosary and a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed the rosary has been proven to be an effective weapon against the evil one and a weapon that the devil is in great fear and Catholics are encouraged to say it often and regularly. Equally important is the practice of frequent confession as an antidote to the devil.
Unfortunately, Evangelist Ebuka makes little mention of the rosary or the practice of frequent confession in all his preaching. Furthermore, he rarely speaks about or encourages greater participation in The Holy Sacrifice of Mass, or reception of the Eucharist, one of the basic foundations of Christian living which Jesus himself established “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you.”
The further worrisome aspect of the Zion Prayer Movement Outreach worship at this ministry can no longer be recognized as “Catholic”
There are people falling down at the touch of his hands, and howling, jumping, and frenzied cries as we can see during the introduction of this video, All these practices are at the red lines of idolatry because it appears that Evangelist Ebuka is now the center of attraction rather than Jesus, and the eyes of the people are on him, and the people gathering round him are attributing to him powers when indeed the exact opposite should be the case with Jesus Christ as the center and people getting closer God. More disappointing is that Evangelist Ebuka doesn’t urge his faithful toward greater Devotion to Mary, Mother of God, Mediatrix of all grace.
Other evidence that makes the Zion Prayer Movement Outreach suspicious is the observation that Evangelist Ebuka rarely calls his listeners to conversion, repentance, and change of heart, or to love even their enemies. These are messages that should be at the heart of every Christian ministry, and hence the mark of authentic Christian worship. Nonetheless, these are all missing in Evangelist Ebuka’s sermons; rather he seems to talk endlessly about material well-being, prayers of deliverance from enemies, and success in earthly possessions like lands and other properties.
Not that there is anything particularly wrong with material things, as we know material passions though good in themselves are not the focus of Christ’s message, and we can even argue that Christ used very strong words indeed in warning his disciples to be on their guard against the tendency to material. In Luke 12:15 we read, “He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.” In Matthew 19:12 he says, “In fact, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to get into God’s kingdom.”
Finally, as we have seen, video evidence confirms that Evangelist Ebuka not only disobeys the precepts stipulated by the code of canon law but deliberately ignores his bishop. Hence, on the Facebook page of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church Aguda Surulere, is a disclaimer of the Zion Prayer outreach from the desk of the Archbishop of Lagos, Bishop Adewale Martins who in 2017 issued a circular cautioning the lay faithful to stay away from the Zion Prayer Movement Outreach since the group has persistently ignored invitation by the authorities of the archdiocese to submit themselves to the authority and guidance of the church. The circular points out that though they appear to be catholic, and even has some priest and religious of doubtful character who participate in their activities, nonetheless, the lay faithful should be aware that some of the practices going on there are a danger to the authentic faith and liturgical discipline of the catholic church and hence the faithful should beware lest they are led astray.
In conclusion, the Zion Prayer Outreach and its founder, Evangelist Ebuka, though claiming to be catholic are in serious violation of the authentic Catholic teaching in their practice of superstitious belief in the supernatural power of objects such as rings, amulets, and bats, by attributing supernatural powers to these object, the violate the strict prohibition of attributing powers that belong to God to material object that by their very nature are incapable of wielding such powers, and hence they commit a sin against the first and second commandments. In addition, further aggravated deviation from the authentic catholic faith is Evangelist Ebuka’s use of simple tricks masked as prophetic powers as an instrument to deceive the people. In addition, his unauthorized practice of casting out demons reserved only for duly authorized ordained priests are lack of emphasis on the Eucharist, the sacraments, and other approved norms of Christian piety are his repeated refusal to submit to the guidance and correction of church authorities and hence Church authorities have rightly alerted faithful Catholic, advising them to stay away from this ministry as its activities cannot be in keeping with the true faith.
Evidence that physical disability is not a lack of ability surfaced once more when Cindy Chilaka, a physically challenged University of Port Harcourt student, posted a video of her graduation with the title “What God cannot do does not exist.”
This multi-talented young lady, who completed a university course despite her disability and is also a talented hair stylist, shared a video in which she was dancing for joy whilst donning a t-shirt with the inscription “What God cannot do does not exist.”
The inscriptions refer to God and affirm how the concept of God and faith in his providence can help people face great odds with confidence. It is said that it is easier to climb a mountain when you know you will meet a friend at the top.
Believers and people of faith can face life’s great challenges with confidence and courage because they are assured of God’s all-loving providence as their father. This increases optimism about outcomes, and studies show that optimistic people have more positive outcomes. “An optimistic attitude helps us be happier, more successful, and healthier,” according to kidshealth.org. According to Liz Mascolo, General Mills’ business unit director, it focuses on positive outcomes (Umah 2017). “It doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily shiny and happy at all times of the day,” she says. “However, it does imply that you have the ability to look at a situation and, while it may be difficult, see around the corner and see the possibility…versus the difficulty.” (Umah 2017).
Optimism necessitates hard work, which distinguishes it from positive thinking, which is simply daydreaming about positive outcomes without putting in the necessary effort. Cynthia, despite her handicap, was very confident that God would see her through, and her faith gave her the optimism she needed to face and overcome those challenges. Her joy is shared by friends and family alike, and it stands as an indictment of those who give up and cease to strive for their dreams regardless of the obstacle. Cynthia’s completion of her graduate degree despite missing a limb and having to navigate around campus on crutches shows that those who have all of their limbs have no reason to give up.
To summarize, Cynthia’s faith in God’s providence manifested in her optimism and, as a result, fortitude until she achieved her goal, a lesson for all who face challenges of any kind.
According to an online magazine, Dice Ailes, a rising Nigerian musician, recently purchased a home in Canada for his mother. This is the video in which Dice gives his gift to his mother while she prays and dances for joy.
Dice who posted the video on his Instagram feed wrote: “Anything for you mom.” Indicating that there is nothing he would not do for his mother.
It’s heartwarming that the aspiring singer spends his first paycheck on a house for his mother.
And if you asked Dice why he did it, I’m sure he’d say, “Because she’s my mother, she gave birth to me, and that’s all.”
It makes sense; people like to honor their mothers. I’m sure Dice would buy his mother some spiritual gift (if he could) that would make her even more beautiful, such as freedom from original sin. The issue is that money cannot purchase such a gift; only God can. Because he is God, Jesus can. As a result, Christian tradition holds that Jesus protected his mother from original sin from the moment she was conceived. He bestowed the spiritual gift of the “Immaculate Conception” on her solely because she is his mother.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was officially declared on December 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX, in the Bull Ineffable Deus. This document states:
The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin’”
Some may wonder, “Where is the bible?” It’s in the Bible, but only in an implied sense. For example, after Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, God told the serpent, “I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring.” It’ll crush your head, and you’ll hit its heel.” ‘
Given that Christians agree that “the woman” is an allusion to Mary, and “her offspring” is an allusion to Jesus, who would crush Satan’s head, this implies that the “enmity” between this woman and the serpent was predicted right from the start, and thus the woman was sinless from the start. In his encyclical “Fulgens corona,” Pope Pius XII says:
“If at a given moment the Blessed Virgin Mary had been left without divine grace, because she was defiled at her conception by the hereditary stain of sin, between her and the serpent there would no longer have been -at least during that period of time, however brief,- the eternal enmity spoken of in the earliest.
Furthermore, Jesus did not just make his mother sinless; he also filled her with grace, as the arch Angel Gabriel confirms in Luke (1: 28): “Hail, full of Grace, the Lord is with you.” Furthermore, Christ died for Mary because, even though she was born sinless, she needed to be saved just like everyone else, but Christ saved her in a unique way. Everyone else was saved by Christ pulling us out of the ditch into which we had fallen, but he “preserved” his mother from sin by preventing her from falling into the ditch through a unique privilege. Because of her important role as God’s mother, the merits of Christ’s passion and death were applied to her in advance, preserving her from sin from the moment of her conception.
Many Christians recognize Mary as Jesus’ mother, but some would hesitate to call her God’s mother. Why is this case? They argue that treating her like a goddess would be idolatry, something absurd. However, if they took the time to examine the evidence, they might discover that it is not so absurd.
In Galatians 4:4 we read, “But when the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman”. And in Philippians (2: 6) we read “His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are”
As a result, Jesus has both human and divine natures. Nonetheless, because mothers give birth to people rather than natures, Mary is the mother of Jesus, who is God. As a result, we can conclude that Mary is God’s mother. Indeed, to conclude otherwise would be to commit the error of either denying that Jesus is both true God and true man. This is what happened in the fifth century, when a certain Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople, argued that Mary only gave birth to Jesus, the man, and not Jesus, the God. The reason for this is that a mere mortal cannot give birth to God.
The Nestorian position was rejected or condemned by the council of Ephesus (4:31), which affirmed that Mary is indeed the mother of God because Christ is both true God and true, man, and is one person of God.
As a result, Christians, particularly Catholics, revere her because she is the mother of God. In fact, in the fourth point of the tenth commandment, God expressly commands that we honor our father and mother, and God himself expressly obeyed this commandment. Christ honored God, his heavenly father, and Mary, his earthly mother, bestowing graces on her and protecting her from all sin from the moment of her conception until the end of her life.
Furthermore, Mary is known as the ever virgin because it is believed that she was a virgin prior to, during, and after the birth of Christ otherwise, people may question if Christ’s divine. The prophet Isaiah predicted in Isaiah 7:14 that the messiah, Christ, would be borne by a virgin. This demonstrates that Mary was a virgin prior to the conception of Jesus. In Luke (1: 34), Mary asks the Angel, “How can this be, since I do not know man?” This is further evidence that Mary made a virtuous act by remaining a virgin from her earliest youth. Finally, when the Angel appeared to Joseph in Matthew (1: 20), the Angel said, “Do not be afraid, Joseph son of David, to take Mary home as your wife, because the Holy Spirit has conceived what is in her.”
Genesis (3: 16) provides evidence of her virginity during childbearing: “God said to the woman: ‘I will multiply your childbearing pains, and you will give birth to your children in agony.’” As a result, since ruptures of the organs of child bearing are the cause of pains, which scripture tells us consequences of the original sin. Hence, it is reasonable to assume that Mary, free from original sin, was also freed from pain in child bearing and remained intact and thus a virgin even during child bearing.
Evidently, the fact that Jesus entrusted Mary to his disciple John at the moment he was drawing his last breath on the cross is sufficient proof that had no other children after Jesus. Moreover, it is fitting that Christ, as the only son of God, should also be the only son of Mary, his human mother. Similarly, just as Eve participated in the disobedience of the first Adam, ushering sin into the world, Mary, the new Eve, participates in the obedience of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross, ushering redemption into the world.
Hence, Mary is co-redeemer of humanity with Jesus, through her conception, and birth of Christ, the son of God. By her gift of him to humanity, she reconciled humanity with God, and thus making us children of God. Her corroboration with her son’s death on the cross resulted in the great gift of our redemption, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in man, making us Children of God and Temples of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, Mary is also the Queen of the Universe because she is the Mother of Christ the King. Just as Jesus’ earthly life culminated in his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, Mary’s earthly life concluded with her bodily assumption into heaven. As Christ, her son, reigns as king of the universe in heaven, she reigns as queen of the universe in heaven. In the book of Revelation, St. John writes, “And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” She bore a male child, one who will rule all nations with an iron rod, but her child was taken up to God and his throne [Revelation 12:1, 5].
Finally, if Dice Ailes can give his mother a house simply because she is his mother, the fact that Christ would give his mother the gift of the Immaculate Conception simply because she is his mother should not surprise anyone, but rather makes logical sense.
Many Nigerians are understandably shocked by the death last week of Deborah Samuel, a beautiful 25-year-old female student at Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto., who was mobbed by her classmates for alleged blasphemy against Islam. However, instead of mourning, Christians should rejoice because Deborah has given her life for her faith, the surest proof that she possesses the truth, and that her love for God is mightier than the power of darkness and terror, for greater love than this no man has that he lays down his life for his friends(John 5:13). Furthermore, from ancient times to the present, it is the blood of Christians that waters the seed of the faith ( LaBanca, 2018). This is our faith and the law that our founder, Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross for us, established, and Deborah conquered death by dying.
According to reports, the trouble started in a class WhatsApp group when Deborah was asked how she passed an exam, and she replied that it was because of Jesus. Her response irritated some male Muslim students, who mocked her Christian faith and advised her to remove that statement. In a knee-jerk reaction to the attack on her freedom, she refused and went on to remind them that the class WhatsApp group was created to discuss class assignments and tests, not all the “religious nonsense” they had been posting here.
The Muslim students, enraged by her dismissal of the Islamic articles they had been posting, demanded that she apologize for insulting Islam and, specifically, the Prophet Mohammed (AWS) by calling the Islamic articles “nonsense.” Deborah refused, claiming she had said nothing wrong and had insulted no one. When the Muslim student insisted, they threatened to deal with her if she didn’t. Deborah responded to their threats by leaving a voice message that said, “Holy Ghost fire, nothing will happen to me,” and reiterated that the WhatsApp group was created for class assignments, tests, and academic pursuits, not for religious purposes. However, she had unknowingly signed her death warrant as the Muslim student went outside the school grounds to hire some Islamic executioners and led the men into the school grounds looking for her. Pandemonium erupted, and her classmates fled to the school security room to hide her, but the men arrived armed and ready to deal with anyone who stood in their way, and they overpowered the guards and dragged Deborah out. “What do you hope to accomplish with this?” She asked the killers, and those were her last words, according to her classmates, as the men and several Muslim students beat, stoned, and clobbered her to death, and the video of them setting her corpse on fire has long gone viral on the internet, shocking not only millions of Nigerians but people all over the world.
The acts have been condemned by Muslims and Christians alike, and no one can think of a justification for such behavior. Who appointed those Muslim classmates to the positions of judge, jury, and executioner? According to Nigeria’s current Chief Justice, Justice Tanko Ibrahim Mohammed, “Islam is not a primitive religion in which followers can take the law into their own hands and commit jungle justice.” Rather, there is a judicial system in Islam that hears and decides cases, including criminal trials, and anyone accused of committing an offense against the religion or a fellow citizen should be brought before a court (either a Sharia or a secular/common law court) for adjudication” (Shuaib, 2022).
Furthermore, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, a respected and learned Islamic cleric, offers a powerful refutation of those who believe that Islamic tenets call for bloodshed when he says that even the Prophet Movement (Peace be upon him) was insulted while he was alive and he did not kill anyone (Alamu, 2022). According to Bello Shagari, a Muslim business consultant, the mob killing of Deborah is un-Islamic and repugnant and would end up giving Islam a bad name. This was posted on his Twitter feed:
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, condemned the killing in its entirety on Thursday in a message from the Sultanate Council, urging Sokoto state authorities to bring the killers to justice. The message is displayed below.
On Friday, President Buhari reacted to the incident, calling the killing illegal. He stated that, while Muslims all over the world demand that the Prophet be respected, no one in this country has the authority to break the law. The President offered his condolences to the deceased’s family and demanded an impartial investigation into the incident (Ailemen, 2022). According to critics, the President’s tardy response came only after the British High Commissioner demanded justice and the arrest of Deborah’s murderers. However, the point has been made. Surprisingly, some critics argue that Deborah had crossed an Islamic red line and thus deserved what she got. Shehu Shagari, on the other hand, condemned such clerics and urged them to wake up and educate the public about the truth(Orupe, 2022).
Furthermore, Shiekh Gumi contends that mob actions tarnish Islam’s white sultan’s reputation as the religion of peace, and he urges those who stain their hands with blood by engaging in extrajudicial killings to repent because they were perverting the name of Islam by using it to justify their bloody deeds. Furthermore, he reminded everyone that Nigeria is a secular state and that when Muslims and non-Muslims coexist through mutual agreements, they must be respected, and anyone who harms them is breaking Islamic law and will be unable to smell the fragrance of paradise for 40 years, according to the Quran.(Alamu, 2022). In addition, he argues that if Muslims want all men, particularly non-religious people in this country, to convert to Islam, then they must shun mob action and violence which will only alienate people from Islam by portraying Muslims as killers. Furthermore, the cleric claims that such mob actions contribute to an increase in insults and not less (Odunsi, 2022).
Adewale Martin, the Archbishop of Lagos, condemned the killing as barbaric, diabolic, and satanic, and urged authorities to find and punish the perpetrators (Eyoboka, 2022) while urging Christians to remain calm. Similarly, the youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the murder and petitioned the Inspector General of Police to leave no stone unturned until the killers are apprehended. The Christian Journalist Association of Nigeria, as well as Catholic communicators and Christian groups from across the country, have also condemned the killing (Jannamike, 2022).
Regardless, Deborah may have erred and should have apologized for disrespecting the Islamic faith, but none of her actions justified the brutality of the death meted out to her, and what is clear is that the people who carried out this dastardly act acted wantonly and do not have the support of Islamic scholars or law enforcement, as Sokoto police have arrested some of them while the rest remain at large. The subsequent mayhem that ensued following their arrest is further evidence that these are the works of thugs who should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
However, Christians must understand that it is not uncommon for them to perish at the hands of those who despise them. Those Muslim students despised her for being a Christian and wished to teach her a lesson to show her that her Christianity cannot protect her against their power. However, they are mistaken because a Christian lives through death. We Christians are not only anti-violence; we are a religion of love, and our founder, Jesus Christ, teaches us to love our enemies and do good to them.
Instead of mourning, which is understandable, Christians rejoice when they give their lives for their faith because that is the surest proof that we love God, for greater love than this no man has that he lays down his life for his friends, and additionally, from ancient times to the present, it is the blood of Christians that waters the seed of the faith, and Christianity has always grown deep roots and wider spread as long as it is persecuted. This is our faith and the law established for us by our founder, Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross.
Deborah’s assassins have only her body and can do nothing else because she is now immortal and with God, and everything, as Deborah’s parents stated, is in God’s hands. And, while pleading with the authorities to do everything in their power to bring justice and bring the perpetrator to justice, let it be known to them that Deborah has conquered death and defeated them precisely by dying at their hands, just as Christ her savior conquered death and the devil by dying on the cross, and similarly, Deborah will rise again seated with Christ.
“You cannot wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to be happy,” these were stunning words from Jane, a 30 year old young woman recently won a golden buzzer for her original song “it’s Ok” But what captivated and captured hearts of audience and viewers around world was that she has advance cancer and yet smiles shares happiness all around.
The judges and audience at the American got talent (AGT) where taken aback when she casually told them she has been dealing with cancer. “When they last tested, I had cancer in my lungs, spine, and liver,” she said, “but I want all to know that I am much more important than all the bad things that has happen to me.”
And a lot has happen to her including the loss of her husband of 5 years who abandoned her in 2020 because of her illness which started two years after their marriage. She is presently going through chemotherapy with the resultant weight and hair loss and the cancer keeps recurring, doctors says she has just two percent chance of surviving.
“Yet two percent is not zero, and people don’t know how amazing that is,” she said.
“I have had cancer three times now, and I have barely passed thirty” she said. “There are times when I wonder what I must have done to deserve such a story. I fear sometimes that when I die and meet with God that He will say I disappointed him, or offended him, or failed Him.”
On the contrary, God must be rather pleased with her ability to be happy in spite of all and right now she is an inspiration to millions who perhaps do not know how to be happy.
“You cannot wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to be happy,” she said to the lead Judge Simon who was struggling to find words to describe her courage and cheerfulness in the face of so much suffering. Words many people around the world would forever remember when they have to deal with one trouble or the other in their lives. And for that Simone gave her the golden buzzer even with the stunning rendition of her original song to a standing ovation
As for me, Jane Marczewski is a most inspiring young woman, an angelic example to many who bulk in the face of inexplicable suffering and losing their happiness become a prey to the vicious wolf of sadness and depression. This woman shines a brilliant light through the tunnel of darkness. I love her
In Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “I Confess (1953)”, a priest, Fr. Michael Logan would rather face death than violate the sanctity of confessional when falsely accused of murder. In such movies, one learned something of the dedication and firmness of the conviction of those who are called to the catholic priesthood. In today’s Hollywood however, all a priest has to do is open his mouth and you realize he knows nothing about the priesthood, the church or the Christian altogether and his words are filled with shallow and pathetic clichés. Today, Hollywood script writers feel no need or obligation to truthfulness and accuracy regarding the priesthood and bend over backwards to present priest as fools, clumsy and dimwitted. Thus when I watched Bishop Baron sterling review of a movie “Calvary (2014), about a priest who threatened with death went on to offer his life as an offer of love and forgiveness, I wanted to watch the movie “Calvary” to see if Hollywood has finally got it right.
The story is set in Ireland, a priest, Fr James Lavelle (Bleedon Gleeson), is accosted in confessional by a very bitter man who threatens to kill him in 7 days time, because he was abused by a priest, and thus wanted revenge. The angry man would not give his name but told the priest that he will give him seven days to put his affairs in order at the end of which he would meet him at the beach for the kill. The next seven days tried the nerves of the priest who had to resist the temptation fleeing and brace up to meet the killer on the appointed date.
Yet, in spite of Bishop Barron’s excellent review, and in spite of great cinematography, I was left once again with a hint of disappointment by the scripts portrayal of Fr James character. He comes across as a frustrated man. Granted that post sex abuse scandal Ireland is a difficult place for a priest, and his cynical parishioners often mocked him, nevertheless, he lacks deep knowledge of theology and ability to refute errors so beloved in St. Thomas Aquinas and he is often tongue tied when he comes up against the postmodernist arguments of his cynical parishioners.
In the movies opening scenes, Fr. James worries about a very promiscuous woman parishioner who was often beaten by her lovers, in one instance she comes to church with bruises on her face, he tries to get her to say who did it but she wouldn’t tell, so he asks her husband who is a butcher but he says it wasn’t him but a black man who is her latest boyfriend. So he confronts the black man and tells him not to do it again, but the man gets angry and throws a cigarette butt at him practically telling to shove off and mind his own business. It can be argued that as a priest, Fr. James overstepped his boundaries there and should not have taken the path of confrontation, of playing the neighborhood policeman but rather should have restricted himself to praying and administering the sacraments of penance to this woman, hoping that she will of her own accord change her ways.
That is what Jesus would do isn’t it? Take for example the case of Mary Magdalene. Jesus did not go chasing down all the men with Mary Magdalene and having a word with them. Rather he spoke to Magdalena, and his words brought her peace and encouragement and she finally decided to change her ways. Similarly, Christ spoke in dept with his flock and was not afraid of telling them difficult truths even if they wished to kill him. It is not difficult to see that there were many of Fr. James’ parishioners who needed to hear healing but Fr. James seemed strangely incapable of providing that healing perhaps out fear of rejection. This perhaps denotes a lack of faith typical of the modern clerics as well as too much reliance on human logic.
In another scene, Fr. James goes to visit a serial killer in prison, yet again he failed to initiate the type of conversation that could lead to repentance and in the ended up screaming accusations at the sinner. He should have helped this killer ask God’s mercy or does he not believe in the power of prayers himself? Then there is the issue of the drinking. Towards the end of the movies, when his time was almost near, and knowing that time is running out, Fr. James took to drinking, this is of course is very bad for a priest, whisky and prayers aren’t the best of friends; it is either one or the other. Compare this with what Jesus did during his last hour, Christ rejected the cup of sour wine offered to him on the cross, but even more, he prayed for those who where crucifying him. This is what I would have expected Fr. James to do if he wished to portray the image of true priest rather than a caricature.
I believe a priest can triumph even in an environment of great cynicism through prayers, fasting and penance bringing about the conversion of hearts because the Holy Spirit is the one that acts. That is how Cure of Ars was able to covert his whole parish in post- French revolution France. He had long conversations in spiritual directions with his parishioner helping them examine their souls and resume a relationship with God.
Finally, the theme of Calvary is forgiveness, a much underrated virtue in modern society, as father James told his daughter, Fiona. Christianity brought forgiveness to the world and it is the first thing the world chunks out when it throws Christianity out the window and thus its cities are full of people locked in a vicious circle, men like Jack Brennan (Chris O’Dowdy) threatening to kill Fr. James, because he cannot forgive, and has grown old in angst because of an evil that happened years past, when he was a child and which he has allowed to consumes his present, such that he is ready to kill, not just the guilty party, but anyone. As unspeakable as the clerical abuse scandal in Ireland and elsewhere was, it is still staggering that in a society where sex is promoted as a commodity for recreation, its abuse by a minority of unfortunate clerics calls for the killing of the name of every good priest to satiate the thirst of unforgiving hearts, yet to err is human and to forgive is divine. Thus Fiona’s visiting him in prison after he had killed her father embodies for him the superiority of Christian forgiveness and hope.
Many are troubled by recent utterances of Pope Francis about homosexuals deserving a family as he call for their freedom and choices to be protected by law. There is no doubt that for many, this may be disconcerting, perhaps even alarming since we all know that this act is explicitly condemned in the bible and the teaching authority of the Church right from the beginning. Thus, many may be asking, what does it mean and what is the Pope saying here. Well for those looking for answers on what the Pope is saying, they need look no further than his newest encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. In the first few pages, he makes it clear that he is calling all Christians back to the fundamental primacy of charity as the distinguishing mark of the Christian. In all things, and especially to those most in need, the poor and the wounded of this world, Christians must show charity.
He narrates in Fratelli Tutti, the story of the Good Samaritan who of all the people that came alongside the man dispossessed by robbers was the only one who had it in his heart to help him. The Samaritan realized that this man needs a friend and a family and decided to be one to him. What is a family but people who accept and a company one another in their wounds, take care of one another, spend time with one another. Time is one of the most challenging things to give to others, the Pope continues, and for sure, the Samaritan must have had other plans that day, and had to give them up, making drastic changes in order to accommodate the wounded man, pour wine and bandages on his wounds, he had to make a u-turn and find an Inn.
The Samaritan became a neighbour to the wounded Judean. By approaching and making himself present, he crossed all cultural and historical barriers. Jesus concludes the parable by saying: “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37). In other words, he challenges us to put aside all differences and, in the face of suffering, to draw near to others with no questions asked (pg. 21).
Fratelli Tutti
In Fratelli Tutti Pope Francis carefully draws our attention to those who Jesus said rejected the wounded man, those who on sighting him crossed to the other side. They were religious people! The very people with an obligation to help, to live charity, and they failed miserably in this regard.
It shows that belief in God and the worship of God are not enough to ensure that we are actually living in a way pleasing to God. A believer may be untrue to everything that his faith demands of him, and yet think he is close to God and better than others. The guarantee of an authentic openness to God, on the other hand, is a way of practising the faith that helps open our hearts to our brothers and sisters (pg. 19).
Fratelli Tutti
The Holy Spirit is calling Christians to return to the roots of Christ charity, which came, not for the righteous, but to call sinners to repentance. Christ condemns sin, but never the sinner; ask that we do not judge.
Perhaps in their hearts, those Levites, priests that passed to the other side were judgmental like those disciples who asked Jesus whose sin it was that made blind the man born blind. Jesus gives the answer, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, rather it is so that God’s power may be made manifest” (John 9:2). Those born blind to the true nature of sexuality, can be likened to the man born blind. Many homosexual are so not by their own choosing, and yes each is born with his melancholy basic temperaments, ill temper, and sanguine. But born that way has never means living that way. We all have the obligation to struggle against self defeating urges, and the adulterous, must cease using his passion, and the glutton desist from gluttony.
Consequently, charity demands a moderation of language. Homosexuality is an issue so many people are so passionate about today unlike in the 19th century when homosexuality was relatively hidden and obscure and considered by a wide section of people as wrong and improper. Things are totally different today, and it’s accepted by most advanced societies, and even celebrated in the media, thus charity demands that the sensitivity of so many people be taken into accounts when issuing statements at the risk of antagonizing, and hence closing hearts permanently to the saving word of God. It must be kept in mind that meeting someone midway may be the beginning of leading him out of it as long as you bear the light and know the way. And thanks to the unchanging teaching of Christ and his Church, every Christian bears the light and knows the way.
Those who fear that concessions are slippery slope to changing the church’s teaching on homosexuality often cite the gradual caving of civil laws in different countries in West as evidence of how concession to civil union ends with full endorsement of homosexual acts and even acceptance of homosexual marriage as the equivalent of marriage between man and woman. Those who entertain this fear need to make an important distinction between Church and civil society. The church is a supernatural society whose laws come outside of her and revealed by God and thus no one can change those laws. Civil societies have laws coming from within men prone to change. Thus the Church has nothing to fear in getting as near as she can to the sinner to save them because she is well anchored on solid rock.
Authors-choice: Hope & Revival 