COLUMN: CLERGY, distance yourself from politics because it soils you to the core

 Why is the church of today too sensitive that it is an untouchable subject to speak about without backlash?

In Kenya, the church is a multibillion industry. Some of the wealthiest tycoons around are pastors who ventured into the business of selling hope and preaching prosperity to impoverished souls.

Desperate people have often sold every material possession they owned and donated to the church to try and buy the favour of the Almighty while here on earth and also reserve a seat in paradise when they eventually kick the bucket.

Many self-proclaimed men and women of God start their own churches, not because it is a calling, but because they know that this is the easiest route to strike the jackpot. Simply climb onto the pulpit, threaten the congregation of going to hell and demand for money; you’re rich!

So many wolves in sheep clothing have become clergymen, leading to endless cases of philandering, embezzlement and power wrangles in the modern-day church. It is a ceaseless struggle for resources by selfish gluttons who think of nothing else apart from living a life of opulence and extravagance.

We all know of evangelists who have queer sexual tendencies, who have been accused of fornication, sodomy, rape and defilement. We have heard of secretive swindlers, seductive conmen and outright robbers who hide behind the pulpit to trick their faithful followers into elaborate rip-off scams.

Perverted scoundrels have even been called out by the Communications Authority for being vulgar on national television. The warped degenerates have killed innocent road users, others have pending criminal cases related to all manner of wrongdoings, yet these are the people who represent the divinity of the Christian faith here on earth. They cannot be adjudged incompetent, wrong or wayward. They are never to be corrected. 

Theology classes

Now a gang that is opposed to institution of guidelines to check the haphazard mushrooming of worship centres across the country. They are even resisting the implementation of a proper theology curriculum to ensure that not every snake oil merchant who can blabber scripture opens a church.

Churches do not want to be regulated, churches do not want to pay tax, churches do not want to be audited or held to account, churches do not want to be questioned on anything, churches do not want to be assessed, evaluated or criticised, they did not want to adhere to COVID-19 prevention protocols, they oppose all kinds of vaccines and now these churches want to call shots in politics.

Several unscrupulous clerics have desecrated the church by accepting the proceeds of graft. Many others are still salivating for it and will sell their souls to the devil just to have a share of the dirty money. They will not see, hear or condemn any evil as long as they receive a share of the loot.

I believe that men and women of cloth should distance themselves from politics because it soils them to the core. Let them concentrate on spreading the gospel; not vouching for corrupt politicians so that they can get money. Otherwise, they should just declare that congregants are for hire by politicians!

Greed amongst ecclesiastics has effectively made sure that churches are conduits of corruption. I steal, I give some to the church and I'm declared holy! Try speaking anything against the vile new norm in the church and ministers will be on your neck, prophesying your political downfall and threatening to send you straight to hell.

One sympathiser of the covetous preachers told me that “the wealth of the wicked is for the just. If its corrupt money let the righteous, have it and advance the Kingdom of God.” But I insisted that they are just co-perpetrators who have lost the authority to preach morality! If handling stolen goods is a crime, then dirty money should transmit its despicability even to its otherwise sanctified recipients.

We have the kind of church that will hold grudges against those that do not splash money around; the kind that does not believe in being fleeced dry. Instead of asking for your money, menacing gospelers will intimidate you with doom. The bullies will vow to curse you. But you can engage in all manner of iniquity if you give generously. Debauchery, murder, theft, deceit; all kinds of heinousness by ‘philanthropic’ racketeers are pardonable.

The church, especially in Kenya, is extremely filthy and needs thorough cleaning!

STORY By MUTUGI NJUE