Publications
Partners
Followers want what societies can’t offer: identity and hope, writes Chris Maxon
The façade of a pastor who resurrected a “dead” person from the coffin awakened feelings of embarrassment as I pondered the rate at which our people seem to be desperate in seeking miracles.
I nostalgically reminisced about growing up and being told by my grandparents, through folk stories, who and what I was, as well as how I should behave.
Many young people today grow up in single parent families, if they are lucky, or are nurtured by a relative.
The concepts of identity and identity crisis are much in vogue, especially among young people.
There are youths and young adults who will admit at the slightest urging to be suffering from one or other crisis of identity.
We were recently entertained and tormented by the rape trial against televangelical pastor Timothy Omotoso, who is alleged to have raped young girls in the name of some god.
Others like him claim to possess the power to telephone God and request, on your behalf, some blessings.
Thousands of people flock to these so-called churches and make exorbitant contributions for these “men of God” to turn their misfortunes into everlasting happiness; all at the cost of sexual servitude and one’s dreams.
I understand the sentiments expressed in a News24 article, Fake pastors make women vulnerable (May 9 2018).
The writer, who is clearly a woman, yells: “What is wrong with us South African women? When will we learn? How will we learn? But the writing is on the wall. Why have we given in to being the receiving bowl to such an extent that we allow foreign activities to strip our dignity? We continue to become victims of satanic and sodomising acts by so-called pastors, but we continue to flock to each gathering and every new church tent that is being set up.”
Let me quickly admit – I support the calls for these heathens to be shut down.
But I bite my tongue when I realise women and other followers want something that present day societies can’t offer: identity and hope.
Our people are lost. They are hopeless and sick, and in need of healing. Most importantly, they want to find themselves.
Identity is the knowledge of who you are. Knowledge that is hard won through a real “exploration” of possible selves (perhaps in those crazy teen years or campus life in your twenties) and finally crystallised with a “commitment”.
Sound familiar? It should.
Erik Erikson, famous for his theory on psychosocial development and coining the popular notion of identity crisis, developed the framework of exploration and commitment as the factors that might explain our identity achievement (or not, as the case may be).
Psychologist James Marcia created four identity statuses:
. Achievement – exploration and commitment have occurred; most developmentally mature of the statuses;
. Moratorium – continued exploration without commitment;
. Foreclosure – commitment without exploration, perhaps by taking on parents’ values/expectations; and
. Diffusion – no tangible exploration or commitment; the least developmentally mature status.
Let’s face it, the “God business” is thriving in the world and in South Africa in particular.
Internationally, pastors such as TD Jakes, Chris Oyakhilome and Bishop David Oyedepo are among the top 10 richest pastors, who own the most expensive mansions and private jets.
The same is true of African pastors such as Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng, Shepherd Bushiri and Walter Magaya. The top six richest pastors in Africa, according to indapaper.com (2018), are all from Nigeria.
In the nexus of prosperity and the Gospels (the story that brings good news about Jesus as the lord and saviour of the whole world) many have found the goose that lays the golden egg.
Others, the goose that offers willing and God-fearing people who would do anything, including submitting to sexual abuse, for prosperity.
The fact is, prosperity gospel churches go back to the US in the early 20th century.
It is chronicled; the founder of the prosperity gospel “faith movement” was Essek William Kenyon (1867 to 1948), a pastor and founder of Bethel Bible Institute.
Kenyon was an ordained Methodist minister. He later left Methodist ministry and founded several churches which he linked to the Baptist church.
Many will be familiar with Karl Marx’s criticism of religion – that it acts as an opiate for the poor.
He argued that the religious hope for a better life in heaven is a drug that blinds people to their hardships and prevents them from taking the actions needed to lift themselves out of poverty; that religion works against the poor by keeping them complacent and docile.
What we are witnessing today is an obsession with the supernatural. Desperate people are simply miracle addicts who will do anything to get a fix.
Enterprising ministers have identified this and are now selling various products of “faith” in church.
Therefore, the mushrooming of churches should not be confused with a sudden interest in Godly living, but rather in what God can do materially and physically for the individual.
In the process, television networks, radio stations and print media are also making a killing.
Interestingly, traditional beliefs are also based on the idea of manipulating supernatural forces for personal benefit, and so Christians who chase after miracles are not different from people who frequent traditional healers.
In both instances, people are seeking miracles and they are obsessed with strange activities.
In a patriarchal society like ours, where women continue to carry the burden of reproductive work, are paid lower wages than their male counterparts and face increasing pressure to seek professional advancement at the expense of spiritual practice, the church is where they find hope.
Others, with due respect, are seeking companionship as their partners have become zombies on the move who are ONLY concerned about their next fling.
Beyond just chastising the criminals in the business of gospel, we must work on our self-identity.
The ultimate goal for individuals is to develop and nurture those choices that are consistent with their true self.
To deny the true self is to deny the best within us. To find more happiness in life means to live in harmony with one’s true self.
We must, therefore, help each other to find ourselves. At a societal level we must change the dependency (“government must”) narrative and infuse a sense self-sufficiency and adequacy – I CAN mentality.
Lastly, I believe we’re more than what happens when we’re at our worst.
Maxon is a social commentator
TALK TO US
Are you in search of a miracle to aid or inspire you? SMS us on 35697 using the keyword MIRACLE and tell us what you think. Please include your name and province.
SMSes cost R1.50. By participating, you agree to receive occasional marketing material
