Opinions of Friday, 2 December 2022

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

Ghanaians are very religious; why then is the nation overflowing with sins; who are those committing them

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My country Ghana is renowned for its religiosity. The people in the country are either Christians, Muslims, or fetish worshippers without any known, or a few, atheists. All the various faiths as believed by Ghanaians have a common cardinal pillar they are built on, or revolve around. And that pillar is morality and love of your neighbour as thyself.

Any religion one subscribes to in Ghana preaches against the love of sin. Whether it is Christianity, Islam, or fetishism, those belonging to that faith are preached to stay away from committing sins against their neighbours but to love them as themselves. Is it not so?

If yes, do we judiciously aspire to do as our religion tells us? If yes again, why does Ghana abound in heinous crimes with the people therein infatuated with committing crimes in the blink of an eye? Why has corruption become entrenched among Ghanaians and keeps ramifying like a mid-Summer, or a harmattan, bush fire?

If I am not afraid, I will say almost everyone in Ghana has the instinct to commit a crime without fear, yet, we call ourselves Christians, Muslims, or fetish (idol) worshippers, and Ghana is a Christian country.

If we were true Christians, Muslims, or idol worshippers, obeying the principles of the religion, then I beg to ask, who are those committing the various dastardly crimes ongoing in Ghana?

Pardon me to cite a vivid example to help home in my message. NDC National Chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo is a known Pentecost Church Elder. He stands in front of the congregation to preach God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to them.

Nonetheless, was he, not the one who in February/March 2022 caught on recorded audio in a secret meeting coaching some NDC faithful to go out to kidnap, murder, and insult people as well as carry out arsons? He was doing all this with the aim of causing public disaffection for his political opponent in government to pave way for NDC to come back to power.

Is his demonstrated character that of a religious person? No, yet he is a highly respected Christian in the eyes of his Pentecost Church members.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is a Baptist Church member who at times preaches to the congregation. There are recorded instances of him telling blatant lies to deceive Ghanaians all for want of political power. However, he is a Christian.

I, the writer, assert to be somehow religious but can sometimes behave in a manner that will make people watch me, their mouths agape, wondering if Rockson Adofo is indeed a religious person.

Are all the sins and crimes heard to be committed almost every day not done by the same religious Ghanaians and their visiting religious counterparts from other parts of Africa or the world?

To cut a long story short, I invite all Ghanaians to watch the attached video, especially from the 36th minute to the 50th, or to the end, to ascertain for yourselves how Ghanaians are deceiving themselves, believing they are Christians or religious but they are not.

Muse about the songs, “Heaven h3 deE lai lai” and “One day, one day, wo bE wu”

Once you listen to the songs and cogitate about them, you will realise how you have been deceiving yourselves as Christians or Muslims with already purchased tickets in hand to go to heaven.

My keyboard is playing up so I will end here but not without first saying a big thank you to the Saviour Faith Church (Gyidi) at Kumasi-Abrepo, the authors/singers of the songs.

He who comes across this publication should please forward it to their social media friends until every Ghanaian gets to listen to the songs and relate them to their lives in case our love of committing sins or crimes would reduce.