By Nick Mangwana
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Christianity is a lifestyle. So
are many religions. A thumping 85% of Zimbabweans are said to be Christians in
one way or another. At least they profess to be one. Politics is what it is. Some define it as the use of intrigue,
strategy, gimmickry and strategy to obtain a position of power or control.
Imagine then that 85% of Zimbabweans decide not to mix their religion (way of
life) and politics and leave themselves to be ruled and governed by their
inferiors. Those ones who just want gain
control and power for the sake of it.
Those who want to gain a position for
what it brings to them rather than what it enables them to do for the nation
and their people? What disturbing world will that be? Even in the current mix
nations are being ruled by terrible people who profess Christianity. That maybe provides them with a bit of moral
check. One of course just hopes.
The other heathendom political
world seem to be what some people and a
Newsday editorial for the 6th of November titled “Keep Churches out of politics” seem to be
calling for. Among other things it
alleged that Zanu PF was so desperate for money that it was hoping to raise
funds for its conference from a couple
of the most prominent so-called " prophets" Messrs Makandiwa and
Magaya. Maybe it's Magaya and Makandiwa as it is alleged that these two are
fighting for their own pre-eminence so the order by which they are written down
might be a "political" issue. This columnist’s views on this new movement of
Pentecostalism are well documented. Suffice to say that they are unflattering.
But that should not detract from the fact that the call for these two and the rest of the churches to stay
out of politics just because they are thought to be associated with Zanu PF is
ill-conceived and very self-serving. It
is a fact that this type of a call only comes whenever there is church's
association with the Ruling Party involved.
That being said, raises the debate whether as the call to keep churches
out of politics is a good call, one just happened to cross the mind at the time
when the rich pair was associated with Zanu PF?
Religion is said to structures one’s way of
life, and politics modulates it. The whole Bible is based on
the interaction
between politics and religion. There is a whole Land Question which emanates
from a People occupying others land based on a religious promise they alleged
to having been given to them by God. That is an issue that has absorbed the
whole world to this day in what is known as the Palestinian Question. It is one where religion could not be kept
out of politics. In talking of Biblical promises and politics the fact most
religious leaders then were political leaders cannot not be ignored.
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As one traverses the Bible they
come across the Crucifixion whose basis were both a religious and a political accusation. There was confusion of about Jesus’
declaration that he was King of the Jews. Some felt this was a rebellion
against Caesar and the political order of the day while others saw some
religious sacrilege somewhere. The end
result was a political leader in Pontius Pilate releasing Jesus to the Jewish
religious sects of Pharisees and Sadducees resulting in the most revolting and
sadistic from of religious martyrdom.
And we are here today talking of a religion that was founded upon that
religio-political martyrdom.
But that happened in far off
foreign lands. let's bring it closer to home. From the days of Father Gonzalo da Silveira
all the way to Robert Moffart tracking through the Liberation Struggle to
this day organised Religion and Politics have always been inseparable in
Zimbabwe. The occupation of many African lands had the double edged sword of
the Bible and the maxim gun. The infamous 1883 Letter to Imperialist
Missionaries by King Leopold II comes to mind in illustrating this inseparable
combination.
More positively, during the
Liberation Struggle, Catholic periodical known as Moto Magazine was banned by Ian Smith in 1974
to only emerge in 1980 after Independence because of its position against the
Rhodesian Regime and its perceived
support for the Liberation Movements. When it comes to the nationalists
themselves (however they ended) the nation had clerics such as Ndabaningi
Sithole founng president of Zanu, Abel
Tendekayi Muzorewa prime minister of
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia and Canaan Sodhindo
Banana the first State President of an Independent Zimbabwe. Weren't all these
cases an interaction between church and
politics. Isn't just rich (pun intended)
that suddenly there is a voice that says Makandiwa and Magaya stay out
of politics?
How many times has Zimbabwe
experienced political rallies packaged as Prayer Meetings? Hoo zvakanaka
zvichiitwa navamwe kana zvava zve Zanu PF mavara azara ivhu (Is it only
acceptable being done by those opposed to Zanu PF but it becomes foul when the
ruling party delves in religion)? Why is the nation not hearing these cries to
keep politics out of religion when Bishop Bakare calls for his “Convergence”?
Doesn't whole outlook Civic Society in Zimbabwe have a veneer of
Christian work? Is civic service only
that which is opposed to the State? Churches are allowed and should be allowed to deal with civic
issues such as human rights, governance
and justice. But those that want
to rally behind the status quo should also be allowed the same space to
advocate and finance such causes without risking demonisation. One can argue
that if the State is accused of religious persecution (rightly so) and
intolerance when it falls hard on churches it perceives as a front for certain political parties, then it
is naturally the same accusation should go to those demonisation those churches
identifying with the status quo.
Churches be left alone to be outspoken against political
excesses, but by the same token they should
When church provides a moral
voice in a political discourse, it doesn’t always have to be
anti-establishment. All political
parties are aware that churches complement or oppose their work. And naturally
both politics and religion are divisive and naturally they will always
have a strained or complimentary relationship.
If there is nothing wrong
with Levee Kadenge issuing statements against the
government, maybe there is also nothing
wrong with people like Rev Andrew
Wutaunanshe are deemed to hold either Pan Africanist or Nationalistic slant in
their life outlook issuing pastoral sermons deemed to identify with the same
ideals as Zanu PF? If there is nothing
wrong with Pius Ncube delivering religious edicts against the government, what
would be wrong with Mapositori uttering supplication for the health of Zanu PF
leadership?
Whether people like it or not,
politics and religion will always interact and political parties will deploy
them to their own ends. It’s all down to who can do it more creatively and in a
more productive way. Churches cannot only be recognised as a vital force to foster moral conscience oppose
the State and be accused of collusion when they work with the government of the
day.
The attack of seemingly hostile
clergy does not only come from those opposed to the government. Those in power
have also issued what could be deemed to
be unholy edicts against religious organisations and individuals. If this is unacceptable, then it should go
both ways.
On their part religious
organisations riding roughshod over politics by choosing when to utter their 2
pence worthy through the so-called pastoral letters, retreat and claim
unfettered freedom of worship when politicians return fire. That is tantamount to them having their cake
and eat it. If politicians can be scrutinised and attacked, those religious
organisation which rightly get involved in politics should be given their
political just deserts like everyone else. After all who can separate religion from politics?
And politicians should also be free to use churches as fishing ponds, after all that's where 85%
of the voters are. Let politics and religion interactively co-exist , after all
what actually is the difference between the two?
Religion is both a unifying and a
diving element in society. Just the same as politics but generally religion has
killed more than politics. And this is not about the current wave of terrorism
and the accompanying outrages to extremism. The reality which everyone must
live with is one cannot separate religion from politics. And politicians love
giving moral authority to their nonsense by quoting religious texts. It is
known the most favourite scripture to be quoted by an incumbents in political
positions and those that support them is the one that says every leadership or
dominion is ordained in heaven. How self-serving!
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