Are we perishing for lack of knowledge?
Religion, which ever doctrine, is principally meant to bring peace and development to its adherents.
Ever since its introduction to Africans and Ghanaians in particular, we have embraced the Bible with so much zeal to the admiration and sometimes amazement of the white man who introduced it to us. (Perhaps in keeping with a local saying that, Paul came late but has surpassed the predecessors)
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In a country which boasts that majority of its citizens are Christians, there seems to be diverse variations and philosophies as to what Christianity is all about.
Belief in the tenets of the Bible to a large extent shapes our thoughts, actions and everyday lives. Such beliefs also influence our attitude towards life and death.
What is becoming worrying is our seeming lack of understanding of the teachings of the Bible which in some instances has led to certain unfortunate incidences.
For instance, the Bible encourages us to fast from time to time, but I refuse to believe that this requirement covers people suffering from certain medical conditions.
Such occurrences have got me thinking about whether everything that happens is actually the will of God and whether the biblical teaching that in all things we should give thanks to God really holds for every situation and should be taken literally.
These sentiments of mine have arisen as a result of the recent death of a loved one. He was a staunch Christian who never missed church; His services to the church were legendary.
He was known to be very prayerful and could do all the different types of fasting for very long periods to the admiration of many. He was calm, respectful, and generous and his church members could testify that his faith in God was exceptional.
He would often say that the God he served would never let him down. In short, his spiritual life was described to look like the imitation of Jesus Christ.
Over a period, he was not feeling well and was convinced by friends to visit the hospital.
The doctor monitored him for a period and diagnosed that he had high blood pressure for which he was to put him on medication. Well, this loved one refused to believe that he had the condition.
He gave his usual response that the God he served would never forsake him and that it could not be possible that God will watch on for him to suffer high blood pressure.
He, therefore, would not agree to take any orthodox medication except some herbs. He increased his dry fasting for long periods and added intensive prayers, hoping the God he served so diligently would intervene. To cut a long story short, he passed on to the surprise and sorrow of family members.
I have since been contemplating whether this means that his God did not listen to his prayers? Or could this unfortunate incident be the will of God or a misunderstanding of the teachings of the Bible?
Stories of people perishing because they willl not agree to take orthodox medicine abounds. What is strange is that pastors and their close families seek medical intervention when they are sick, so where from this faith?
I have also heard of how people have pitched camp at prayer camps believing that that is where their salvation and remedy for ailments are located.
The Mental Health Authority for instance, has used the media to expose some of the ill treatment that mentally ill patients go through at some of these camps and pictures of such patients chained to trees and objects are no secret. This is despite their effort at educating the public.
My questions are: Is it not possible to take prescribed medication and pray simultaneously? Does taking prescribed medication mean the lack of faith in God? Does the Bible really teach us not to patronise healthcare facilities? Does the Bible truly discourage us from listening to our doctors? I do not believe so.
I do believe in prayers but I do also believe that it is God who has given humans the knowledge known as science for the benefit of humans.
I think that people are needlessly suffering and dying because of their misconception of the Bible and how they perceive God.
Too many Ghanaians are perishing as a result of their misconception of what the Bible teaches. It is time we rethink our belief system for as the Bible says, for lack of knowledge my people perish.
Writer’s E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]