Move away from Western culture, preserve values - Most Rev. Mante to citizens
The immediate past Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Most Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, has charged Ghanaians and by extension, Africans, to extricate themselves from what he calls the ‘Western gaze’, in other to win lots of the battles linked to dumping of ideas and cultures alien to us such as the LGBTQI+.
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He said in the name of modernity most Ghanaians had found everything foreign as good and disregarding cultural and traditional values.
“Western gaze is the mass and insatiable gravitation towards and the crave by the third worlds for everything western such as culture, technology, academic pursuits, migration, the quest for greener pastures and entertainment, among others, without scrutiny, and this has affected the cultural and moral values,” Rt Rev. Mante said.
He was addressing the maiden National Assembly of the Presbyterian Counsellors’ Association (PCA) at Abetifi-Kwahu.
The immediate past Moderator said the debacle of the LGBTQI had moved from a community to a movement’s agenda, therefore, breaking away from the Western Gaze would be a more effective way than any form of legislature.
He also stated that mediums such as counselling should be used to help deal with some of these realities that third-world societies lack full appreciation of.
The Presbyterian Counsellors’ Association is the umbrella association of all trained and practising counsellors such as professionals, clergy and the lay within the church.
The National Assembly, held at the Ramseyer Training Centre Abetifi-Kwahu, was on the theme: ‘Jesus Christ The Alpha and Omega; The Holy Spirit- Our Counsellor,’ Rev. 21:5, John 14:26.
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Simplify complex issues
The Most Rev. Prof. Mante stated that counselling went beyond advice; therefore, practitioners should use all the acquired training, skills and knowledge inspired by the directions and the dictates of Christ and the Holy Spirit, to simplify complex issues that overwhelm those who came to them for help.
He cautioned that Christian and academic or secular counselling should not be confused, since the latter did not apply the tenets through the eye of Christ and the direction of the Holy Spirit.
“Some counselling theories and processes ignore prayer before and after counselling sessions.
I think prayer is very important in this endeavour because you break into the troubled persons’ souls and minds.
Without the help of the power of the Holy Ghost, you cannot be of help.
Thus, prayer is very important,” he stressed.
Executives
As part of the activities of the Assembly, elections were held and all the national executives were retained as they contested unopposed.
They included Mrs Anane-Adjei (President), Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah Dattey (Vice-President), Edem Adjei and Emmanuel Yeboah-Darko as Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.
Geoffrey Asante Akuffo (Treasurer), Justina Owu-Adjiri (Organiser) and Rev. Lawrence Kwesi Tete, the Spiritual Life Coordinator.