INDIVIDUALISM? IN THE CHURCH!

Adam Smith, wherever he is now, must be leaping for joy. In 1776 (when his book, the WEALTH OF NATIONS WAS published), he seemed to have changed both the economic and the political landscapes. Whats more, he has been hailed as the father of economics and been blamed as the reason the poor become poorer. He advocated capitalism – something about benevolence of the baker and his bread, an invisible hand, and privatizing the fate of the economy. Simply, he preached that the society as a whole improves due to our inherent self-centeredness. The idea is, everyone does what is good for him or herself, thereby making the social order better.

            His thoughts have been debated, modified and sometimes rubbished in the centuries since his book came out. But never has his brainchild been so thoroughly accepted (except, maybe in 1776) that it becomes frightening. I’m talking about capitalism in religion, no, capitalism in Christianity.

            Christianity has been preached many times as a way of life and not a religion. We, Christians get that, don’t we? It has been and is still been proclaimed as the only way to get to heaven or the land of paradise. We, non-chriatians don’t get that, do we? Now, the new inside information in our various churches is that we should be capitalist in our belief. Individualism has become the order of the day. If you want to go to heaven, you must build a good relationship with God. You and you alone. More “I”, “me”,” my” than “ours”, “us”. The thinking behind this logic seems reasonable enough. We come to this world alone. We die alone. We would be judged alone. So, invariably, your destiny is in your hands. Your actions and inactions determine your destination (heaven/ hell). But all these are justifiable to a point.

The whole purpose of this your-father’s-salvation-cannot-save-you analogy is supposed to encourage more people into the religion, the way of life. Now, it is just chasing people away. If my parents don’t have any bearing on my going to heaven or hell, why the flip are they forcing me to pray, praise or go to church. It’s my life, my spirituality, my heaven. Every other entity can go to Bethlehem for all I care (Disclaimer: the above is a fictional thought and should be viewed as such. Any coincidence occurring is just that, a coincidence. The author is not responsible for what you think about or say to your parents).

The most interesting aspect of this yarn is that these same people that preach the concept of ‘me, myself and I’ are the same individuals that accuse the lawmakers of being selfish. They accuse them of synphoning public funds to make sure nobody in their linage or generation or genepool is poor again. They point fingers at the wealthy with the monopolies at their disposal while millions of Nigerians are suffering. There is also the case with people in position of authority and influence that help only others like them. the most gallant examples that come to mind are the state governors. How can you be against what you vehemently talk about in your religious gatherings? Capitalism in the church and socialism outside it.

            If this movement continues, Karl Marx would soon be leaping for joy. Because, like Marx himself believed, too much individualism would eventually bring its downfall. And a new social order would rise up supporting the fact that we can all go to heaven if the church authorities and our homes are given total responsibility. Collectivitism carol. Everyone’s salvation would depend on the church. Churches would begin to have salvation figures to attract more members although they would definitely be under the leadership of a government church. Once the leader of my church is saved, I am saved. Christianity would be socialized.

Personally, I don’t care for either individualism or collectivism but a compromise can be reached. If the church authorities and homes do their Christian jobs of guiding, the individual should be left to continue the journey. Yes, mistakes would be made, some regretted, some irrevocable, but at least, an unforced chance is given to everybody. And Adam and Karl can stop leaping.