5 Reasons Why Africa is Poor #3: Religion

This is part of a series on 5 Reasons Why Africa is Poor (#1 Weak Institutions, #2 Culture, #3 Religion (this article), #4 Geography and #5 Poor Governance) of which this one looks at the third reason, that being our religious beliefs.

Definition

​According to Wikipedia, a religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe as we know it.

In that are also rituals and daily activities that help individuals connect to a higher power and accomplish the will of that being. Usually highly emphasized are works and activities that ensure virtuousness is maintained. One of the major defining characteristics of religion is that if this lifestyle is not observed, there are dire consequences in this as well as the next life.

​In order to do this subject justice and not get misunderstood, we need to first open with a clear distinguishing between being religious and being spiritual in the truest form and way. This is gonna be evangelical in nature but I would be doing a great disservice if I did not show you the difference herein.

Religion vs. True Christianity

​There is a great difference between RELIGIOSITY, CHURCHIANITY and CHRISTIANITY. Many are GOING TO CHURCH but few are GOING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH LEADS TO LIFE (Matthew 7:13-14). Many name the Name of Christ (2 Tim. 2:19) and claim to be Christians but few understand what a Christian really is. Many are RELIGIOUS but few are RIGHT WITH GOD. May God help us to understand the difference between RELIGION and true CHRISTIANITY as set forth in the Word of God, the Holy Bible.

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Comparison

In all the paragraphs outlined in this section, the first refers to religion and how one lives by it, the second relates to true faith as a Christian and how we live by it. After reading this part you will immediately realize that we have many folk who are religious and call themselves Christians when they should in fact be called Churchians!

“Salvation is something I must do. I must somehow earn or gain salvation by the way I live.”
“Salvation is something only God can do. Salvation is of the LORD!” (Eph. 2:8-9; Jonah 2:9).

Religion is summed up in one word: DO – man trying to DO different things to please God and earn His favor.    
Christianity is summed up in one word: DONE – Christ dying on the cross to save sinful man (John 19:30).

The religious man is busy “working” (doing good works) in order to be saved.    
The saved person is “not working” (Rom. 4:5) but is RESTING upon the finished work of Another (that other being Jesus Christ)

TRYING
TRUSTING (Acts 16:31)

A Work to Do which is never done (How can anyone work well enough and hard enough to earn salvation?)      
A Word to Believe (1 Pet. 1:25) about a Work that is Done (1 Pet. 1:18-19).

Man hoping to save himself       
God saving hopeless man (1 Tim. 1:15)

RELIGION is man trying to BRING HIMSELF TO GOD (by human effort, good works, ritualism, traditionalism, sacraments, etc.).    
CHRISTIANITY is Christ BRINGING US TO GOD on the basis of what He did for us on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).

Religion is man trusting his own good works (Titus 3:5). 
Salvation is man trusting the good work which the Lord Jesus did on the cross (Rom. 3:22-26).

A religious ritual               
A real relationship (John 17:3)

Following rules
Enjoying life (John 6:47; 10:10).

“I must reform my life and turn over a new leaf”
“I must be born again” (John 3:7).

Doing Something            
Knowing Someone (John 17:3)

Man trying to please God in the wrong way (Rom. 8:8 “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God”).  
Man truly pleasing God in the only way (Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”).

Seeking to earn God's favor by works
Receiving God's favor by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8 and see Eph. 1:6).

“I can work my way to heaven and earn my salvation” (Romans 6:23 teaches that we have earned our way to hell: “the wages of sin is death”) 
“I could never live well enough to earn my way to heaven. Christ had to pay the price for my salvation”  (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).

“Salvation is something that a person must earn.”           
“Salvation is a free gift” (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 4:10).

The sinner sees himself as good (Luke 18:11-12).             
The sinner sees himself as sinful (Luke 18:13).

The religious man compares himself with others (Luke 18:11).   
The saved man sees himself as God sees him (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 53:1-3; Rom. 3:10-12).

TRUSTING SELF (Luke 18:9)         
TRUSTING CHRIST (Eph. 1:12-13)

BOASTING IN SELF (Luke 18:11-12)          
BOASTING IN THE LORD (1 Cor. 1:29-31; Eph. 2:9)

“I have kept the law! I have done that which God has required” (Matthew 19:16-20).    
“I have broken the law but I am trusting the One who came into this world to save guilty lawbreakers” (1 Tim. 1:15).

A religious man trying to earn his way to heaven by works may be likened to a man trying to swim from New York to London by his own efforts and energy and strength. He will never make it!         
The person who is saved by faith is likened to a man getting on a ship in New York and trusting that ship to bring him safely to London. This man simply rests upon the ship and lets the ship do all the work.

The religious man is seeking to establish his own righteousness (Rom. 10:3).      
The saved man is satisfied with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).

Religion is pictured in Genesis 3 by the fig leaves that Adam and Eve made for themselves – a terrible covering (Gen. 3:7 and see Isaiah 64:6).      
Salvation is pictured in Genesis 3 by the coats of skin which God provided by way of the shedding of blood – a perfect covering (Gen. 3:21; Rev. 19:8).

CAIN'S RELIGION – “I bring to God the labor of my own hands” (Gen. 4:3).          
ABEL'S FAITH – “I bring to God a blood sacrifice. An innocent substitute must die to save me” (Gen. 4:4).

Hoping to be saved by good works (a false hope)            
Saved unto good works by God's grace (Eph. 2:10).

Religion teaches that good works are the cause of salvation.      
The Bible teaches that good works are the result of salvation.

Religion says, “Good works are those things that a person does to be saved.”    
The Bible says, “Good works are those things that a saved person does” (James 2:14-26).

“Christ is my Example and Teacher. I try to follow Him and live as He lived.”         
Christ is my Savior and Substitute. I am trusting Him and only Him to save me” (Luke 23:40-43).

“I hope I will be saved.” “I think I will be saved.” “I feel that I will be saved, maybe.”
“I KNOW I am saved right now” (1 John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on to name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life”).

As has been clearly demonstrated from the above contrasts, Religion is actually an institution established by man for various reasons which include but are not limited to exerting control, instilling morality and dogma. Organized, structured religions all but remove god from the equation.

​Spirituality is born in a person (through salvation) and develops in the person (through the daily feeding of the word). It may be kick started by a religion, or it may be kick started by a revelation. Spirituality extends to all facets of a person’s life, not just their days of worship. Spirituality is chosen while religion is often times forced. 

​The Challenging Factors

Unfortunately, even I as a Christian realize the challenge we face when it comes to true faith and spirituality as we live in a fallen world, and that world has manipulative people seeking power to dominate and control, to their own selfish benefit, and even the church of Christ has such wolves posing in sheep’s clothing, seeking which sheep to devour.

What follows then is the perhaps the most harmful way in which religion (even within the Christian faith’s clergy) has become a millstone around the necks of men and as such has perpetuated poverty in Africa.

By this author’s standards, religion is the foremost factor in propagating poverty more than all the other four factors. If the list were to be arranged in order of harmfulness from the most to the least, then it would be religion at the top of the list, then culture, geography, poor governance and finally weak institutions.

​Let us look at precisely how religion does this in Africa.

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Religiosity = Poverty

The first big surprise is that there is a very interesting correlation between religious countries and poverty. Did you know that the top 30 richest countries in the world are the least religious whilst the bottom fifty poorest countries are almost 100% religious? What is it that causes poverty to work hand in hand with religiousness?

​As you may know, there is only one exception to this above “fact”, the USA; it is generally religious but rich as a nation. I will show you later on why this is the case.

Why?

The poor nations’ religions biggest negative teaching emphasizes the “pie in the sky” paradigm. This basically tells people that you are no responsible for all that happens on earth, that you simply “resign” to your fate and best of all, that there is a better life ahead in the afterlife. The emphasis is in being fatalistic in outlook.

The rich nations stopped being fatalistic (as wrongly taught by religious establishment) and instead believed in their capacity and continue to do so to change their future through their own efforts (talents, gifts, skills, efforts, abilities, resources etc.). This has then seen them overcome great odds, identify their weakest points and then collectively work to eliminate these factors.

The USA Anomaly

Their religion emphasizes a “here and now” mindset besides the hereafter. As such the mindset emphasizes is the utilization of all talents and abilities for the betterment of their livelihood today. We are now seeing this form of “prosperity gospel” being preached in poor countries as well, the only challenge being that religious dogma has still a great stranglehold on many people’s mindsets that they either totally reject the truth taught within it, or else, embrace it believing it’s a panacea to wealth without the factors of time, effort and value (skills).

The saddest part is that the vultures that stand behind religion know that the poor are the most vulnerable and thus susceptible to being fleeced out of their hard earned resources, and so use religious dogma as a vehicle to amass wealth (more later).

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​Tool for Mind Control by the Ruling Class

Above all else, religion has been and continues to be the most powerful tool that is being used by the establishment as a tool for mind control. With religion the ruling class can justify war, oppression and downright slavery.

In case you did not know, Jesus Christ was the most anti-religious person to ever get credited for starting a movement that has spread to the entire world and have the most lasting influence ever. In spite of the fact that religiosity has been born out of his teaching, that is not what He taught – for He loathed any form of religiousness – period. He taught and emphasized spirituality through faith in Him, not men’s institutions.

He was so anti-religious that he tells them off and shows why they are so empty and burdensome. You can read his entire speech in Matthew 23 where he calls them out for what they are – control freaks!

With religion the ruling class can justify inequitable wealth distribution using the five key seeds shown below.

1. Control

Religion has been used time immemorial as a means to control the poor. This is done by instilling the “suffer now and benefit in the afterlife” mindset. It is this teaching that caused a great awakening of the protestant movement in medieval times when Martin Luther learnt the shocking truth about the mother church after his visit to Rome.

Religion controls the poor by teaching what is termed the “suffering” model. It is thus touted as a mark of piety and emphasized by “works”. If you suffer more, you get a greater reward in the afterlife epitomized by bliss.

Three key factors are erroneously emphasized.

1. Martyrdom – Taught and emphasized to young zealots who then senselessly commit suicide and suffer great pains to further the agenda of their leaders. Poverty and suffering are usually a great breeding ground for recruiting such people and then indoctrinating them with this teaching.
2. Suffering – “Pie in the Sky” is their lot, not “here and now”. Slavery, colonialism and the current status quo has been and continues to be fueled by this teaching. The idea is to show the poor that suffering is the greatest “works” that can be done to gain piety (holiness).
3. Money/Materialism is evil – Perhaps the worst paradigm as it opposes a “positive mental attitude” and justifies poverty in the minds of those who suffer from it. All money, property, ambition, assertiveness, confidence and the pursuit of success and wealth is seen as embracing worldliness and greed and thus are evil. Better is one to suffer and live in mediocrity than enjoy and live in success and prosperity.

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2. Kingdoms and Empires

Religion also promoted their leaders as being gods/god’s reps on earth and thus imposed a ruling and slave class system upon the populace. This has been practiced since ancient times and the idea of nobility finds its greatest strength through religious institutions. Nobility suggests that the ruling class have special blood (sacred) and thus rule over the “commoners” who serve the elite.

3. Slavery

One of the darkest chapters in the history of the world was mass enslaving. The ruling class usurped authority from the poor, forced them to convert and then had them enslaved for forced labor. The slave trade was justified by religion. The whites had a right to rule and blacks had no rights but be slaves.

It took centuries before the abolitionists and rights activists begun to work fervently to eliminate it – but not before seeing the great toll it had on the development of a continent and its citizens – the Africans.

4. Colonialism

​This was the “back end” of Christianity as a religion. When missionaries came to preach the gospel, the came with the three C’s namely Christianity, Civilization and Commerce. The idea was convert, modernize and then exploit.

They converted us to Christianity but with a subtle plant, by using imagery of a white Jesus Christ with blonde hair and blue eyes. He looked just like the missionary! He then “civilized” us with his technology and “etiquette” so that we now looked, dressed and talked like him. He further divided us into ethnic groupings and then used color code to separate us. Whites, Indians, Colored and Blacks with blacks being classed the least and whites the most.

​This brought about the fifth seed, shown below.

5. White supremacy

White supremacy gets its greatest advocacy in religion. Unfortunately Christianity has been that vehicle that has carried this terrible seed. Here in the propagators of this teaching have taught that “white” is good (white list, white magic etc.) and “black” is evil (black list, black magic etc.)

Slavery, Apartheid and the Jim Crow laws all got their strength and validation from religion through the misapplication of the Bible. The idea was not to teach the truth that sets free, but the lies that bind and enslave masses – in this case the indigenous black Africans.
This teaching was so powerfully engrained by using force, through lynching, through killing, by false teaching and by perpetuating an environment that disenfranchised black people and favored white people through inferior education and lack of equal opportunities in order to keep them blind, deaf, dumb and dead.

By continually placing this teaching everywhere, it did not take long before black Africans believed and even accepted to be trampled on and even stolen from, through colonialism and neocolonialism.

One of the most obvious proofs of this dangerous seed is seen in the “bleaching” of skin so openly practiced by people of darker skin pigmentation. The inferiority complex is so engrained that now lighter skinned is seen as angelic and beautiful whilst darker skinned is seen as poor and classless – This has caused the “skin bleaching” industry to boom.

Therein lies the proof, blacks actually now believe that they are so cursed that they have to change their own identity into that of their oppressor to be seen as progressive. This is evidenced by the term “bazungu” for anyone of influence or power. Very tragic.

Cameroonian/Nigerian pop singer, Dencia, before and after using skin lightening cream.

Consequences

The above items have imposed and emphasized the fact that with this “religious” angle, the elite can continue amassing wealth whilst the poor are kept distracted by the emphasized teachings as shown above. They then justify the continued suffering which works both ways

• Maintains the status quo – the rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
• The religious leaders continue in comfort (justified by the “work for God” prototype) and the poor continue is misery (justified by “pie in the sky,” “martyrdom,” and “materialism is evil” paradigm).

It is this author’s opinion that we need to unshackle ourselves from the chains of religious dogma and mind control and get the freedom of His truth. We need to stop following rules and regulations and gain liberty in His Word. We need to eliminate the distance of religious ceremonies and rituals and instead have a worship lifestyle with the Holy Spirit. We need to have a personal relationship with the creator instead. When we know Him, we will know His will for us. When we know His will we will then know the purpose for our lives.

Now, when we know our purpose, therein lies our destiny and then, the journey becomes one of learning, giving and becoming salt and light. Salt is representative of its ability to bring change to the flavor of society to bring about positive and equitable lasting wealth. Light is representative of illumination from the darkness of poverty and illiteracy, bringing about the greater good of society through the establishment of positive legacies for posterity.

​In the next article, we will be looking at the matter of how geography has had an adverse effect on the ability for Africa to create and retain wealth.

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