Gaming Pastors

Anointing Oil.

Consultation fees.

Mezuzah.

Yamaka.

Talismans.

Waist bands.

Wrist bands.

Lotteries and gambling in all forms is a growing phenomenon that has caught up with us like a fully blown virus that won’t go away anytime sooner.  And while it is equally attracting a commensurate concern from a few conservatives, it is also worthy to note that we cannot just wish it away unless our law makers decide to hold the bull by the horn.

A cursory look around our towns and cities readily gives you insight into gullible people being exploited in all forms, all in the name of religion and its attendant salvation.  Charlatans with bibles, posing to have heard and seen God are abusing the citizenry.

What happened to "freely, I gave you' freely you shall give or they probably paid for all these gifts? Given that, in tandem with the findings of consumer studies which posits that consumers are rational at all times and not gullible, can the government still look beyond that maxim and salvage its people?

Why do we allow fraudsters to parade and exploit our very own with impunity? If a President had so much compassion for some displaced Yemeni citizens in times past, then it is prim and proper that same compassion is extended to Ghanaian citizens.

Freedom of Association cannot be translated into an avenue to abuse people and offend the sensibilities of observers. All of us may be groping in the dark, but a ray of light in the tunnel should be enough hope that a silver lining is nigh.

How different is a Pastor who engages in all forms of extortion by fronting salvation under the guise of religion from a certified businessman who consults for a living? How many Pastors give to some of their dire and needy church members? All they do is to take, take till the members are pale and lost as it were.

How sensible is it that the one professing to be the bridge between the flock and Jesus; the supreme watchman and protector be guided by a host of trained security and heavily built men yet continually admonishing and asking the congregation to believe and trust in their maker and to think that all these is funded by the same church is lost on some observers. Is it a situation of the congregation casting their bread on the waters while the pastors and leaders going around to gather them?

We can’t speak to the calling issues of these pastors since we were not there but we can speak to their responses because we have been admonished to know them by their works and thus far, their work ratings do not seem to be making things easier. We cannot begin to worry about them when we already have that of the politicians to contend with.

 

In as much as the people would have to be conscientized  to realize that they are followers of Jesus and not the pastors to forestall most of these anomalies, the government also owe it to the people to salvage them from these organized crimes. Government must scrutinize some of these religious groupings to ascertain whether they have the goodwill of the people at heart or they are just in for their family and friends because the hunger games must stop and the musical chairs must go with it.

Writer tweets @the vilejah