ROTTEN TO THE CORE

The Holy scriptures tell us that in the final days, false prophets will come in the name of the father. This is an end that only God knows too well. his only son does not not even know As a nation, Kenya can well be said to be living the end days, literally. The very sign that God warns us to be wary of has been unearthed in a manner that literally shook the country to its core, in the religious spectrum.

The Gospel of prosperity has relegated the Holy Gospel to the back foot. Evangelism or televangelism has become one of the most lucrative professions, in a country where the insuperable greed for money has been taken to greater heights. The men of cloth are at it; performing miracles at a rate that would even make Jesus Christ green with envy. The chilling revelation by Mohammed Ali on Gospel Limited has literally every gasping in awe about the dark side of the word that is supposed to offer comfort and relief when things are thick.

Pastor Michael Njoroge of the Fire Gospel Ministries, in Embakasi was unmasked in a not so friendly manner. In what many would describe to be akin to meeting your in-laws the day you walk naked, a call girl revealed it all. She gave an account of how she has for some time colluded with the man of cloth to fake some body deforms in order to blackmail people on the miracle performing capabilities of our wachungaji. Her narration to the whole nation read like a fiction as she unraveled how miracles are faked in order to win over more people into the church. The very prostitution that the word of God condemns has once again joined hands with those supposed to preach against it. The common goal of getting money has joined these two at the waist, just as Siamese twins!

 This increase in church members translates to cash, painlessly earned but enough to drive one into the posh lifestyles. Flashy clothing and top- of – the range fuel guzzlers best describe most of these men of God. Ironically this gospel of prosperity seems to favor one side of the equation as most of the worshippers have been weighed down by troubles, poverty and desperation. The combination of all these has made them run to the churches in droves, apparently to have that life-changing miracle. To them, the church offers them solace from the bitter troubles of an un-forgiving world, that apparently is hell-bent on causing them grief and agony.

In what best describes a consumerism behavior at its best, the preachers have turned these into a milking cow. Unlike what the Son of God did during his days on earth, miracles and prayers are being exchanged for money. Armed with some cash, a troubled Kenyan is sure to get that life-changing miracle and turn the troubles into a thing of the past. In a clear demonstration of how the religion is the opium, of the masses, the churches are overflowing with worshippers. Thousands are trouping into these halls in the belief that they will kiss bye to their troubles and afflictions.  Paupers find their way to riches and those suffering from chronic diseases like the deadly HIV/ Aids are cured. Some men of the cloth are maximizing on this desperation to milk the people of the little that they got in their pockets.

These revelations at the Fire Gospel Ministries call for a keen examination and scrutiny into the work of the church that has been brought into disrepute. Should preachers remain true to their calling, if any or turn it into a business venture that is prevalent nowadays, more than ever? The word of God has left bitter scars in the lives of many, who hoped to get respite from it. Ironically it has turned many into millionaires, choppers, top- of- the range vehicles, flashy expensive clothing and posh houses being their trademarks.

This game has reaffirmed the extent to which our society has been eaten into, almost irredeemable. Desperate people are being mesmerized by the antics of these fanatics who call themselves men of God. This is a guise under which purely devilish acts like paying people to fake body deformities and give false testimonies are being performed. Apart from the mainstream churches, business enterprises in the name of the Holy Word are cropping up, solely with the purpose of fleecing an already weakened Kenyan. Is Kenya slowly but surely turning into a Sodom and Gomorrah of a kind? What with the miracles babies, prayers to riches, prayers to cure incurable ailments like HIV/Aids and turn poverty into riches?

Let us all help put out this fire before it burns us all.

LET US BE WARY OF THESE OPPORTUNISTIC TERRORISTS

It’s over a year now since our defense forces crossed into a lawless Somalia, in pursuit of the    Al -Shabab. The incursion has borne dividends as the militants have been deposed of power and driven away from their strong-holds. Kismayu, the militants’ heart of operations is well within sight of our forces, now operating under the African Mission in Somalia, AMISOM. Tabda, Belles Coqani, Dobley, Afmadhow and other towns captured by our forces have been pacified and law is slowly but surely returning to Somalia. Beaches are now coming back to life. The people of Somali are now realizing the opportunities in their country that for more than a decade has never known peace.

However, this progress has posed a nightmare of its kind in Kenya. Terrorists and their sympathizers are now striking the country, in attacks reminiscent of a dying horse. These have left anguish and agony in its trail. Grenades and improvised explosive devices,  have killed Kenyans, maimed others and instilled fear and despondency within the Kenyan people. Perhaps the most chilling of them all happened at two churches in Garissa. Seventeen innocent Kenyans, among them two policemen assigned to provide security, lost their lives, after deadly attacks at the Garissa African Inland Church and Our Lady of Consolata Catholic Church, in Garissa.  Many others were left injured. In attacks never before witnessed in the country, places of sanctuary and worship had been turned by terrorists into slaughter houses. These attacks will forever go down the annals of history as the deadliest, since the 1998 bombings.

In a pattern that has become so obvious, these attacks are on innocent Kenyans, in crowded places. It is sad to note that places of worship have not been spared either. It seems like nobody is safe. This comes at a time when political activity is abuzz. Kenyans, just like any other country, throng venues for political rallies. This presents the most complex of challenges to a police force that is trying its best, but lack of adequate resources; machinery and good will are hampering its efforts.

Just in the run-up to the constitutional referendum in 2010, terror struck Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, where a prayer meeting cum NO-political rally was being conducted. Several people lost their lives and many more were injured. As a country, we should be vigilant enough and help our men in uniform in combating this menace, posed by cowards. Political rallies, mainly due to their high attendance figures may form a soft target for these blood-thirsty terrorists.

The country is in heightened political activity. The mammoth rallies are back. This is a time when our security forces need our help. A time the concerted effort of every Kenyan of good-will is what will win the war against these cowards, out to shed the blood of innocent Kenyans. Let us be vigilant enough and compliment the efforts of our men in uniform. As a country let us be wary enough to ensure that these terrorists do not find their way into our political rallies and wreck havoc as they have already demonstrated in churches and social joints across parts of the country.

These cowards have already lost it to the might of our defense forces at their own backyard and have resulted to hitting hard at the soft targets. This is what has led to the attacks in our social places and churches, leaving behind a trail of anguish and agony. Past incidents should have taught us that these terrorists are determined to cause pain on their way down.  Good people and Kenyans, of goodwill let us work together with our security forces, for it is needed, now more than ever.

We might be coasting to victory away in Mogadishu, but let us not forget that we need to be vigilant at home.