Christianity doomed?

Is this the end of Christianity?

Is Christianity on its death bed or are we close to the prophesied Biblical end? I am not sure which question answers which. However, both still remain. Let’s try and see whether we can get answers.

Now, you may be wondering, “what is the genesis of such questions?” Well, I am sure you are no stranger to the times we currently live in.

Our leaders are becoming more corrupt and insensible by the day. Some even dancing while we suffer their failures. Renown and accomplished professors have become common thieves – looting university coffers dry. Policemen are now armed robbers by night, and businessmen these days sell air in broad daylight.

Fortunately for them, they too are ‘Christians’ and we will all meet in church on Sunday. The one day of the week where all is forgiven and forgotten. The one day where the pastor turns the pulpit into a sanctification platform for thieves and murderers.

Just so we are on the same page, our pastor is that guy we know who smokes weed and imbibes, before coming to preach-cum-brag to us, a congregation that he will later abuse, just before demanding for our offering.

Preachers lying?

We will then be told that we are not as successful as the ‘saint on Sunday and thief on Monday brigade’ because we are less Christian. After church, the custodians of our ‘moral compass’ will be shielded from us by their body guards, as though contact with us will make them less ‘Christian’ – even our pastor nowadays.

And who are we?

We are the other Christians who return to church every week with our hard-earned offerings. We are also the ‘Christians’ who can’t wait for our chance to be the leaders and businessmen we cherish every Sunday, and then curse for the remainder of the week.

What then is Christianity or rather, what has Christianity become?

If the Holy Book is anything to go by, Christianity is for Christians and a Christian does not cheat, steal or commit murder. Also, a Christian is one who does not envy the way of the wicked. Those are the principles. Today, we not only envy the way of the wicked, but have found ways to both justify and participate in it.

Mahatma Gandhi studied the Bible and wanted to be a Christian. However, based on the Bible’s teachings, he couldn’t find even one Christian worthy of the name. This is despite the numerous ‘Christians’ he constantly interacted with. He then decided against becoming a Christian. There are some of us who have suffered the same fate as Gandhi.

Family walking to church

Most of us though, were born into families that simply went to church and by so doing, considered themselves Christians. This is even without knowing, what it really means to identify as a Christian. Our parents used to abuse each other in the estate yet on Sundays, we all went to church together like nothing had happened.

It’s no wonder, thieves pray just before a robbery, politicians abuse each other on the pulpit, the youth think Jesus is on twitter and some pastors don’t even believe in God.  A case of blind people leading their fellow blind.

Some learnt to pray and even remembered the way to church the day they fell behind on their bills. Never before when they were doing great. When their landlords kicked them out, guess what their resolve was: God doesn’t help and Christianity is thus fake! A big HAHA! Christians always pray and remember God, whether in good or in bad times!

I was in an office yesterday and I heard someone say that Christmas was no longer Christmas without money. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ – when did it ever become about money? A Christian worthy of the name ought to appreciate Christmas better.

The truth is that Christianity has never changed. It was, is and will continue to be the same. I think most of us just never understood it to begin with. We merely joined the ‘I am a Christian’ frenzy passed down from generation to generation.

Going to church on Sunday does not make one a Christian. Being born in a Christian family does not make one a Christian. Claiming to be a Christian does not make one a Christian. In addition, and most important to note, the saint on Sunday and thief on Monday brigade are not Christians. Likewise, those that envy and wish to be them are not Christians.

Therefore, to the question, is Christianity on its death bed or are we close to the prophesied Biblical end? My answer is simple. Are you a Christian?

Ogunde Ochieng.