One of the pillars for building a virile nation is spirituality. We have neglected this to our ruin. The role of religion in ushering in the industrial revolution that swept across what is today known as Europe is well documented by history.
The strong bond between the early church and the Greeco/Roman Empire was not for fun, it was about substance. It was about the inevitability of the spiritual in achieving a healthy society. We know the various interplays that took place between the church and various emperors of the Roman Empire before one of them finally accepted Christianity as a partner in progress and as long as the collaboration lasted the empire thrived and remained very healthy. More judgements curbed the animalistic tendencies in every man.
Someone once said, “If you give a man the best in education and deny him moral training, you end up producing a monster.” A critical assessment of the history of development of many nation-states would show this statement to be very true. When the mind is open, psychologists after so many empirical studies have told us, it will be so ready to receive whatever influences flying around. In this condition it is more susceptible to negative vices often prevalent in natural settings. Doing evil is like pulling down an edifice that took several years to build. Destruction is easier than construction.
The struggle between England and Anglicanism on the one hand, and the Romans and Catholicism on the other was only about national independence and pride. It bordered also on the place of pure spiritualism in national development. When the British created a class system, which suggested that except a person climbed into the Republican grade, one had no societal standing, hence no contributions to make. Those below were in ordinary, plain language sub-humans. This created a system that was not only inhuman and therefore unacceptable, it was a provoker of all that could destabilize a society and it did cause much problem to the British Empire.
America came to be from the ashes of the controversy as the church pushed for change. Those who couldn’t stand the messy situation packed their belongings and left in search of New World and new country – that is the America, which is today pushing the frontiers of freedom in every corner of the globe.
Space won’t allow one talk about the place of religious puritans, “The Great Awakening” crusade and the making of modern America. It is a rich and positive history to read. Most, if not all the cardinal constitutional law and civil jurisprudence of America have their roots in Christian principles and rules.
We have neglected the spiritual side, and like one observed earlier, it has become too costly. In the course of an argument with someone just last week, he said: “Even men and women who profess major faiths have been in the business of running down the country.” He began to reel out leaders with Christian names in highly placed public positions.
The answer one gave was simple and direct: “Most of those people are Christians by accident of birth” – just individuals born into Christian families which in truth doesn’t qualify one as a member of the household of faith. He didn’t understand and we hadn’t the advantage of time to enable me give him further explanations. One has seen friends bear the name ‘Musa’ and you ascribe Islam to him and the person quickly says, “No I am not a Moslem.” Yet names for a greater part of the world is of great significance.
Take for example Chukwuemeka. The mere mention of the name takes one’s mind straight to the Southeast. The same goes with Toyin, which would point to Southwest. Politics of identity is embedded in us but our formal education and non-formal tutorship guide us on how we fight this conflict. In all it will require valour which flows from plenty of discretion. It is foolish to rise and punch your “brother” in eyes when it should be very obvious if your senses are still in place that he could become blind as a result of that action from your part. That would reckless we all know.
One can’t easily remember the particular sage who said, “there is an external force that pushes men to act in ways contrary to sane thinking.” In the Christian faith it is a strong belief our names unleash forces that propel our behavior. We take a few examples. In Isaiah 9:6-7, the Bible announces the coming of Jesus and it was emphatic on the name: “He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace.” Jesus turned out to be all that.
Abram, meaning “exalted father” stayed just so in his idolatrous family until he was 70 years old, no achievement receiving vain glory until God intervened beginning with a change of name from Abram to Abraham before he gained fruitfulness. Jacob meant a supplanter; he walked the earth that way until God came to change the name to Israel and he birthed modern Israel.
Sarai had to be changed to Sarah before a lady who had passed menopause could get a child. Esau was to be senseless, and so for food he gave away his birthright.
Reuben’s case is very pathetic far more than the rest. The spirit of the old Jacob had a strong hold on him even in ripe adult life. His father was a supplanter so Reuben came to be, talk of ancestral curse and here we have a classical example to work with.
Biblical Reuben was careless and ruthless, a horrible combination to find in one person. Bible says he was unstable. He went after his father’s concubine, Bilhad, who had given birth to two children for the father. Reuben “knew” the lady and from that point he lost himself and a kingdom. He lost his father’s blessing, his position as first son and his tribe, which was to be the first was relegated downwards. All because of one act of indiscretion.
When we calculate and make plans to build a modern Nigeria it is very crucial we take spiritual aspect as serious as the physical dimension. Definitely, there is more to earthly journey than what our physical senses can comprehend.