Shakahola Mess: View from the Pew

Shakahola Mess: View from the Pew

We continue to wait for the final word from the government and the courts. Meanwhile, our lives have resumed normalcy, and we are still going to churches, and soon the Shakahola matter will be constrained to history, only to be quoted the next time there is such a related tragedy.

If you have ever warmed a pew, even if it is for a few minutes, this matter affects you, and you hold the key to the solution. For starters, we are all human beings; thus, we need to remember such tragedies happen to people and not animals.

We could also be unknowingly associated with churches and other organisations that have Shakahola-like tendencies. The only difference is that no cases of physical death have been reported. There are many forms of deaths. Because we can count the number of bodies, we can be in agreement about the severity of the tragedy.

If you agree with me that humans are three in one: spirit, soul and body.  Documented evidence of physical and emotional abuse exists, then we can agree that there is spiritual abuse. Because this is unseen, a definition would be very contentious. So let us say this is a form of abuse at the spiritual level.

This is a broad outlook on the Shakahola matter rather than looking at it as a cult. Spiritual abuse covers all forms of malice: deception, control, manipulation, debauchery, cults…. If we approach it this way, then it is actually possible to identify abuses in some of the sanctuaries and gatherings we are proud of, and we are always singing praises about.

All around us there are many forms of spiritual abuses. The greatest challenge is that they are not readily identifiable. Plus, many of us have not been taught that being spiritually empowered is a personal responsibility. See, a doctor can encourage us to exercise, but he cannot force us. We just assume that as long as we are human beings, we know what to do to take care of our physical bodies.

Unfortunately, we do not extend the same level of commitment to the spiritual dimension. We approach the spiritual dimension as this incomprehensible thing that is the preserve of a few, and we are encouraged to seek experts to help unpack it for us. We do not acknowledge our personal responsibility in the matter. The systems all around us encourage that ignorance too. This becomes a breeding ground for false teachers and other charlatans.  

The controls the government puts in place just take care of the legal, not the spiritual. The government cannot tell us to fast or stop fasting – the government cannot enforce spiritual discipline. It will only offer a legal framework, but the rest are personal decisions.  Ours is to exercise the ability to make personal decisions courageously.

The same way we decide which pews to warm, is the same way we need to take personal responsibility for all spiritual matters. The same diligence and vigilance exercised in matters such as choosing a marriage partner, jobs, travelling to a new destination, buying land or a car, should be extended to all spiritual matters.

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