RELIGIOUS RE-EDUCATION

RELIGIOUS RE-EDUCATION

Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

Some Muslim and Christian youths have expressed the need for religious re-education in Nigeria. When I was first confronted with this need, I tried to enquire if there is anything wrong with the religious education we have had hitherto. I discovered that religious education has been deleted from the syllabus of many schools while it does not even exist in the curriculum of some schools in Nigeria. A further enquiry reveals that many people are afraid of religion because they think that religion has done more harm than good in many parts of the world. 

On February 17, 2012, All Africa posted that “as religion grows, so does Inter-Faith Conflicts in Africa. This publication claims that Nigeria is not the only country that is experiencing religious related conflicts. Egypt now has a very high record of violence especially the conflict between Muslims and Orthodox Christians. The insurgency of Ivory Coast was given a religious dimension. Some people thought that it was a conflict between the North (with a predominantly Muslim population) and the South (with a predominantly Christian population). The propagandist of Al Shabaab also raised an alarm of religious conflict in Kenya. According to the report of the Citizen newspaper, the religious harmony in Tanzania is now threatened to such an extent that the Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata) had called on the government to form a special commission of religious leaders to be proactive in the sustenance of peace. Some part of Mali is still being ravaged by religious violence. These are only a few examples of countries in Africa that are experiencing religious related violence. The worst indication of the fear of religion is intra religious conflicts.

I have been confronted by many people with the questions on the future of Inter-religious dialogue in Nigeria in particular and in the world in general. Some people have expressed total lost of confidence in inter-religious dialogue for unimaginable reasons. Some Christians now find it very difficult to trust their Muslim neighbours whom they have loved and cherished. I do not know the veracity of their claim that some people operate on the adage that “the fact that you love an animal does not mean that you should not kill it”. This is expressed in Hausa as “Sabuwa da kaza bata hana yanka”. Some Muslims and Christians have accused some preachers of both religions for preaching inciting sermons which provoke violence. This has deepened the mutual suspicion from both sides.

There was a time in the history of the Church when the Holy Bible was quoted out of context by some people who want to do evil for their own selfish interest. A lot of studies, namely exegesis, textual and historical criticism of the Bible have helped a great deal to make the true message of the Bible relevant for all ages. It is time for our Muslim brethren to vigorously expose the contextual power of the Qur’an to reveal to the world that Islam is indeed a religion of peace. It is time to let people know that some war verses in the Qur’an and the Old Testament of the Bible were revealed in the context of war. These verses which were valid in that context and situation may not be relevant in our modern world if we are serious with the promotion of religious coexistence. 

The way the message of the Qur’an is lived can testify that the Holy Book does not promote violence but the dignity of the human person. The Qur’an supports peace building to such an extent that Muslims are instructed to believe that “If anyone slays a person, it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people” (Qur’an 5: 32). Consequently the good life of every Muslim is a renewed testimony in the modern world as prescribed by the glorious Qur’an. The noble, honourable and good life of a Muslim can contradict the opinion of some people who believe that some Muslim youths have been so brainwashed to the extent that for them, a person who does not practice their religion is not better than a vulture. 

I have read the Bible and the Qur’an from cover to cover. I have also read the commentaries. My discovery is that these holy books promote human dignity but many Christians and Muslims through their bad behaviour present to the world a false teaching of the sacred scriptures. I have seen so many good and holy Christians and Muslims who have proven that the religion they practise is a complete way of life from the sacred scriptures. Saint Paul captures the abuse of religion in the second chapter of his letter to the Romans that because of their actions, the name of God is blasphemed among unbelievers (Romans 2, 24). Many people have mistaken the actions of some people has the dogma of their religion.

Once upon a time, a prince went out to play with his colleagues. All of a sudden, he started to abuse the father of one of his play mates. The boy responded by also insulting the father of the prince. The king’s son ran home to report to his father that his friend was insulting him. The king asked the boy, what happened? The boy said, just because I insulted his father, he started insulting the king. It is you who insulted me first replied the king. He punished the son severely for insulting another person’s father. Each time we practise mischief in the name of religion; we insult God and ridicule our religion. Because of the many bad habits some people have acquired in the name of religion, the call for religious re-education becomes imperative. The big question is how? Where do we start from in attempting to re-engineer the brain and the mind that has been filled with religious garbage for so long?  Mahatma Gandhi told a group of Christians, “I love your Christ, but I hate your Christians”. He said this because he felt that some members of the group he was addressing were not projecting the true image of Christ in the way and manner they live.

I still believe there are so many Christians and Muslims today who bear true witness to the scriptures. This is why the call for religious education and re-education is necessary for our present age. How do we go about this? Who is to plan this project? Who is to execute it? Who will be the teachers and who will be the students? Is it enough to make religious education mandatory at all educational levels? What do we do about the religious books that are floating the world with wrong doctrines and have been accepted for use in some of our schools? How could the fanatical preachers who promote inter-religious hatred in our various Churches and Mosques be re-educated to stop misleading the innocent followers? Do we need license for preachers? Who should issue the license? Should it be the religious experts, leaders or government? May I conclude by saying that there is nothing wrong with religion? It is those who practise the different religions that need proper education and awareness. Let us begin to think of how to redeem our God given religions from those who have become manipulated manipulators of religion. 

Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua is the Director of Mission and Dialogue of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja and Consultor of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims (C.R.R.M), Vatican City