Feature: Who Dare Criticise Men Of God?

“Here I stand accused. I cannot do otherwise… If I am not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don’t want to go there My warrant is the word of God – Naught else is worth believing… where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel”. – Martin Luther (1517)

Tithe, which is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:7-8 is said to be a tenth of voluntary and generous proportional offer by the offeror. There is no command and it is not a legalistic requirement. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says; “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, (so let him give) not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Maame Frema’s action in confronting Reverend Solomon Bruce at the Methodist Wesley Cathedral, Sunyani and the fallouts seem to be telling some of us a whole lot. The woman was expressing her feeling about the pastor’s charge against those refusing to pay tithe and calling those people armed robbers. She reacted appropriately; “…if it comes to armed robbery (with respect to non-payment of tithe) then it is you, the Bishops, church elders… who are armed robbers.”

And how did the Methodist Church react to this? “The Methodist Church in Ghana through its appropriate agents has extended love and compassion to a member seen in a viral video. We thank God for the maturity demonstrated by the minister in not continuing the exchange and we are grateful to the member for her apology…” Good for the maturity of the Methodist Church.

But what are the other syncretic churches saying? Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah shocked the Christian Community with his “curse” on the woman; “The woman has brought a curse upon herself and her children.” We do not believe it was Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah of the Royal Chapel who was saying this?

A curse on the woman and her children? What have the children done? What would he say if he learnt that some of the woman’s children did not support their mother’s “confrontational position”? Sam Korankye Ankrah may be using some of the tithe to buy air-conditioners, support hospitals, … Do the members attend the hospitals free? And when they leave the airconditioned church and go to their “homes” are their homes also air-conditioned?

The congregants at the Royal Chapel would nod sheepishly, grin shamefacedly and clap timorously. You will ask whether he has read this quotation from Socrates: “Don’t force children into your own ways, as they were created for a time different from your own”.

Eastwood Anaba, born in 1961 and graduated at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology as a pharmacist left the profession and entered into full-time ministry in 1988 with his wife Rosemond, a biological science graduate giving him support in his Fountain Gate Chapel Ministry. Tragedy befell the couple in 2009 when two of their children died in a fatal accident in Tamale on their way to attend an Easter Convention in Bolgatanga.

This priest, a prolific writer and powerful orator does not see anything wrong in tithe-paying. Why should he? See his church in Bolgatanga; see the enormity of the structures he has built in Bolgatanga including hotels; Akayet… where or to whom does he report to? Pharmacy versus Christian evangelism; which one is more profitable? Who owns the Church? Who will inherit the Church? Go on, preach on, Pastor Eastwood.

Evangelist Asiedu admits the Methodist Bishop did not speak well… “whether you pay tithe or not, we (the Church) will come to your aid when you are in trouble… But the woman has insulted Jesus Christ… you are an agent of the devil if you support the woman… who has spoken against a “son” of God” Outspoken Prophet Oduro: “Wo tithe kakra a woatua nti, woredi y?n at?m… why are you speaking such nonsense” (Because of the mere tithe you have paid you insult us, men of God.”) And Dr  Bempah will say; “…if you are dying, I won’t give you any support — for refusing to pay your tithe; most of the poor people remain poor…

We found in the Bible Matthew 7:1-3. “Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye.” Who are we to charge at the pastors and damn them as “fake” pastors, preachers evangelists.

Our research into the relationship of Ghana and South Africa revealed South African firms/entities in Ghana: MTN, DSTV, Stanbic Bank, Absa, Shoprite, Goldfields, Protea Hotels, Broli, Lancet. Ghanaian firms/entities in South Africa: Action Chapel, ICGC, Royal House Chapel. No comment.

Syncretic churches, being those which blend elements from two or more distinct belief systems including Christianity with (African) indigenous pagan or cultural practices, thus creating a new distinct faith abound in Africa, more especially, Ghana. The so-called “men of God” use fear, intimidation, to woo congregants to their churches… “In my prayer, I was carried into heaven and God spoke to me…” (then the revelations will flow; you will die tomorrow; your business will succeed; you will win the election…).

It is surprising whether many of our “men of God” have read the church history… The early followers (Peter, Paul, John…) were not called Christians till after the death of Jesus, at Antioch. Jesus challenged the existing rites of the Jews… he drove money changers and merchants from the Temple in Jerusalem who had turned the Temple into a den of robbers” (Matthew 21).

The first Church was Catholic, and in 1054 broke up by the East-West Schism resulting in Eastern Orthodoxy under Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius who excommunicated each other in 1054…

The Protestant Churches emerged when Martin Luther published his 95 Theses pasted these on the door of Wittenberg challenging Catholic practices like the sale of indulgences, giving birth to Lutheranism in 1517. Thanks to the Gutenberg printing press which provided the means for the rapid dissemination of religious scripts in the local languages (not only Latin).

Anglicanism, otherwise known as Episcopalianism, emerged as a “via media” (middle way). King Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope in Rome refused the King’s divorce of Catherine of Aragon and his clandestine marriage to Anne Boleyn. The King got the Act of Supremacy passed, declaring King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England, giving him the avenue to annul the marriage with Catherine of Aragon and the marriage of Anne Boleyn in 1527.

The emergence of Methodism is traced to John Wesley and Charles Wesley (with the support of George Whitefield) in the 18th Century. The members believe in these principles establishing it; people are all, by nature, “dead in sin”; They are justified by faith alone; It was started as a movement at Oxford University, a small group (Holy Club) was said to be “methodical” in their approach to Christian observance.

If you follow Matthew 6:19-21 and you plan to store up your treasures in heaven, some people including the “men of God” will exploit your ignorance and naivety to enrich themselves on earth, just as the European explorers came with Christianity and Christian teachings… where is Heaven? Up there? What has the Artemis II found “up there”? The moon — with its own “force of attraction” And why should anybody including Osofo Roja take credit for “revealing” a world crisis in “Hantavirus” pulmonary syndrome.

The post Feature: Who Dare Criticise Men Of God? appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Read Full Story