THE INSPECTORS

By Okechukwu Iwuji

Religion, a Philosopher said, is opium of the people. Opium is a powerful drug made from the juice of a kind of flower used in the past in medicine to reduce pain and help people sleep. By implication, he likened religion to anesthetic injections used in operations to lessen or prevent the pains of cuts during operations.

What is not clear is Karl Marx intention; to mock or extol the virtues of religion. Many today make reference to this statement to spite on religion thereby show disenchantment about religious profession. While it is true to be an opium, religion is meant to have more impact than an inducement to sleep if understood and sincerely practiced. The Philosopher may have considered the occupation of Despot and Tyrant rulers of his day on their subjects and the later weakness to resist this domination due to fear and reverence to the Supreme one. As a result, the subjects groan under the yoke of servitude.

Such Nations hopefully wait for Divine intervention to end the tyranny instead to choose path of revolt. This unwavering confidence on God’s unfailing interest in the affairs of men acts like soothing balm on the pains of the people as they eagerly wait for his time as it is believed that God’s time is the best. This is typical of Some African experiences were godless rulers with a corner of the mouth invoke God’s assistance to lead and with the other lie at everything.

Preaching sacrifice, patience and tolerance with the government to stabilize while loot the treasury. Same rulers are ready to deploy military might on axis that oppose to their vaulting ambitions. It is religion that has prevailed on the entire region of
Africa from going up in flames. Apart from this, some folks that committed suicide for some reasons advanced did not have bad days than others living today. In their frustration and hopelessness lacked or refused the healing balm of God’s word. True religion exposes us to God’s word which is said to be medicine to our bones.

Faith in the word creates assurance, hope and peace within. It helps us to ride over the stormy seas of this life and sleep over our troubles. It strengthens our hearts to face the battles of life. It enables us to dwell in peace and safety with one another. Have peace with God and Man while we await divine hands. It redirects our hearts from materialism to spirituality. Generally, it eases our pains. Religion without doubt creates consciousness of existence of a Supreme Being recognized as the Creator of all things.

Though there are some contradictions in presentation of who he is, what he likes, how to worship and reverence him among different religions yet there are substantial agreement on some other teachings. Such teachings as love for humanity, uprightness in dealings, eternal reward and punishment, forgiveness, truth, seeking his pleasure always etc. From these teachings other moral and motivation exhortations are evolved. And these have in no little measure worked to shape our World. Unfortunately, the tinny-thread of contradiction sets us wide apart to the detriment of building a just and prosperous society in some quarters.

A man without religion is sold to the devils and without a guide and good instructor. Religion is a spiritual compass to eternity with God or Satan. It is better imagined the state of our World in the absence of religion whose moral instructions has taken a lot captives. The horror, pain and sorrow a few bedeviled minds have inflicted on people of the Earth keep hearts panting and justifies the need for religion. Terrorism and other vices are satanic arrangements to overrun our world.

As it is written, the whole world lies in wickedness and groans until now. It is this moral instruction that has prevailed on nations from carrying out vengeance and retaliation against others rather swallow bitter pill of wickedness or even take up arms against some member of hers. The writer does not intend to assert that religion has achieved fully its purpose in the lives of people on planet Earth rather had to some extent made the World a better place. Efforts of kingdoms of darkness to go wild are kept in check because of the presence of true religion. It cannot be blamed for man’s woes but man who out rightly rejected it or attended to it with levity or hypocrisy.

True religion has ability to rid from man greed, selfishness, lust, avarice, racism and other tendencies that lead to corruption. Some one at first instance would be jealous for Nations with multiplicity of religion as a second Paradise, judging from the fact that greater majority would be influenced positively if practiced sincerely. For instance Nigeria, where Christianity, Islamism, Gordian and minor religious sects exist, (at least, Christianity has about 60 per cent, Islamism 35 percent and others 5 per cent). If majority should walk within religious principles will bring workability of programmes meant for the system. Evil practice of few and effects will be swallowed like a drop of cube in an Ocean. Every person will be happy. No one in the system would find readily reasons to move out to another. In this system, every thing would work; healthcare schemes, Electricity generation, Employment and whatever.

Both the Leader and the Led seek to deliver their bits with fear and trembling of the Supreme that will bring every man to account on the day of reckoning. When this eludes a nation with diversity of religion anarchy and troubles of large magnitude will take over. Then it justifies chanting again ‘Papist and Protestant should now in peace abide, as religion here now true or false lie side by side’. The religious Bigots should hide in shame, for none has shown anything better than the other. Cease from dissenting voice of rivalry and give focus to her follower ship. Taking up violence and intimidation as part of crusade to win converts instead of persuasion to see reason to accept ones belief is against human rights, ungodly and obscure. Abundance of religion should through godly teachings web people into one objective of building a brotherly society where every one is shepherd to another than divide. In Nigeria and some other parts of this world, destructions to lives and properties traceable to religious riots are enormous. Several billions of naira has been lost to religious riots since it’s inception in the country. Some of the destroyed properties could not be replaced to date. Companies have been grounded; others relocate to other environment friendly nations. Good brains were lost to these tragedies. Finances diverted to rehabilitate these destructions would have enabled a further step of development.

Development usually retards in areas that hosts repeated religious conflicts since they are tagged volatile areas for investment. The central teaching of true religion is righteousness which is said to exalt a nation while sin is a reproach to any people (nation). Exaltation means upliftment or progress, prosperity etc. Doing the right things which is one mark of right living ensures peace, sincerity, orderliness and good governance which creates enabling environment for progress. A warring nation never finds time for meaningful planning. Love for humanity banishes fears, selfishness and encourages equality, fair play and sacrifice for the benefit of all. Through the eyes of love communal interest is pursued rather than personal interest to the detriment of others.

When greater percentage of the populace lives righteously the hand of God’s favor is drawn on their endeavors because he is pleased with them. Their labor prospers. All live with a single goal to serve one another for a common good. Leaders and the led work together with little or no friction for none seek his own. Sin which represents all manner of unrighteousness brings retrogression every way. In it, greed, dishonesty, corruption of different dimension is breed. It is a canker that tears nations apart. Corruption and looting which are products of godlessness bring a nation to a standstill as case with Nigeria. Think about it, all the nations that have achieved enough feats in live; freedom, good governance, progress and inventions kept at the beginning the tenets of religion in view.

Email: iwujio@yahoo.com