Pan-Religious Bullies

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You all know who Bullies are, right? Yes, they pick on people physically, take them to a secluded corner and deal with them; is that all? No. There are also people who pick on you Emotionally or based on your views about a subject matter which they can't seem to accept, they still qualify to be called bullies. I've had my fair share of the later category of bullies over time. In this context, I'll term them Pan-Religious Bullies. Hmmm...

☯ During his lifetime, Fela Ransome-Kuti, later Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was absolutely Pan-African. He held his views so much he took them to his grave. Was he a Hero? In his own clime, Yes. Did he really do something to effect change like the Mandela, Malcom X and Ghandi-s of this world? Subjective. Truly, history remembers the Legends and forgets the Men. I believe that one of the greatest signs of an educated mind, not necessarily a literate is the ability to entertain other people's non violent and  non demeaning views, cultures, religion etc without encroaching, judging, vilifying or even accepting them.

⏳ To the chronicle; that year, I was having a conversation with a classmate and all was going on well until...He asked, what church do you attend? I attend Cherubim & Seraphim (a white garment church) at home but because of its distance to my lodge here in school I attend the closest Church to my lodge (which obviously isn't even a white garment Church), I told him. Then came the statement, "how come, you don't look, talk or behave like someone who attends that Church. If I had known you attend that church, I wouldn't have gotten close to you". Really, biko, how do they look like? Do they have horns  ? Talk like Hitler  ? Behave like Lucifer  ? What are you still doing here sef, now you know, oya hang yourself. I left him still wandering if he had bitten off more than he can chew and still felt sorry for him because he has a miniature reasoning quotient. Politics within a religion, that's a subject for another day.

   That's why some people are so Jaded they only live like Methuselah. No impact, just record of Old age. Whether a person has a different view as to your culture or religion, please see them first as individuals and not as a group. I'm sure some of the ethnocentric and religious bias you have about them are even as a result of hearsay and not necessarily an encounter. Just like the fallacy, all men are dogs without dating all, your premise is your view and experience but my dear the conclusion is faulty. I met Northerners at N.Y.S.C camp, boy oh boy, nice and friendly, hospitable, one even bears the name Sylvester, should I treat him with disdain because Bokoharam is from their part of the country? Then my certificate should be withdrawn.

  ‍Some of my closest friends pre-university and during undergrad are Muslims and I still maintain contacts with them. E.g @Sodiq Ibrahim @Joke Onilude, great friends, do they treat me like I'm an outcast because I don't hold their religious views, never.
Interestingly, as an undergraduate, I had a hall mate turned Brother @Omotayo Ahmed who would always sit me down and school me about the dictates of Islam hoping that one day "I'll see the light", and I'll tell him about the dictates of Christianity to the best of my knowledge hoping that one day he'll also "see the light". I go with him to the mosque to fetch water because of its borehole and also gave myself an Islamic name, "Abdulquoyum", I can't even recall the meaning or even sure I spelt the name correctly but we laughed about it every time. The high point is that he has never imposed his views or told me how I'll have a space in hell because I'm a Christian; that doesn't mean I've not seen Muslims who are also religion biased, but why is it that it's my Christian brother who doesn't belong to my denomination that'll castigate me on what I should look, talk and behave like? Did you create your own version of God which is different from theirs? ...and your version of religious beliefs taught you to be judgemental? Understand my brother/sister, we are first humans before anything else.

     You'll see the billionaires of this world, African, American, Asian, European, Australian, Mixed race, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus etc dine together at the table of brotherhood giving no care to boundaries and also sharing ideas. No wonder Karl Marx said, "Religion is the opium of the masses". Or why do we think the rich die richer? It's simple, they don't have time for bias, they see only opportunities irrespective of your culture or religion. They don't become a religion denizen and forget their humanity. The Emirates group is controlled/owned by U.A.E (Islam dominated) citizens but have their airlines and conglomerates in Christian dominated countries too; why do you think they do? Opportunity, that's all they see.

P.S(i): Just think about this and treat everyone as an individual and with love because the person God/Allah might have deposited your propeller for success or assistance with might be someone from a different culture and religion; then remember Amos 3:3_Can two walk together unless they agree?

P.S(ii): I think Bokoharam and the likes should be seen purely as terrorists groups who doesn't want the progress of the nation and not Islamic-terrorists groups all because they chant prayers in Islam. We've had cases of individual Christians/other religions too terrorising people without being labeled Christian-terrorists.

P.S(iii): I know we are all shaped by our various cultural and religious beliefs that we have been indoctrinated into; and affirm no one wields enough knowledge to give a final say on a subject matter, hence my submission.

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Ogunlana A. Owolabi