Prayers alone will not rescue the nation
What you need to know:
- But who can deny how polarised the country had become due to the aggressive nature of Cord’s demands and the arrogant intransigence of the Jubilee Government that I spoke of last week?
- There is little doubt about the challenges, threats and opportunities facing the country. Now that Saba Saba went off peacefully, will religious authorities retreat to their holy places convinced that their prayers were answered?
Without a shadow of doubt, Kenyans are a praying nation. We have prayer breakfasts, keshas by the dozen, traffic jams during crusades and street cleansing to welcome street preachers.
We bless the weapons of armed forces, anoint politicians, bless rallies and sometimes pray that rival meetings be declared illegal. Prayer may well be the answer, although it would be difficult to find consensus on what might be the question.
The inter-religious council of Kenya went to Uhuru Park two days before the Cord rally, and Catholics set aside Sunday last for peace prayers in a last minute call as Saba Saba got closer. The faiths clearly showed their doubts about Cord’s ability or willingness to hold a peaceful rally.
Many accused them of being negatively influenced by the scare tactics and propaganda of the government. As a result the major religions were judged to be partial. But they have become well accustomed to criticisms of that nature.
Some consider the Monday meeting a major flop and the beginning of the end of Cord, but most are grateful that it ended peacefully. But who can deny how polarised the country had become due to the aggressive nature of Cord’s demands and the arrogant intransigence of the Jubilee Government that I spoke of last week?
Neither side handled the past month’s affairs with any degree of dignity or civility. As the tension rose, many others started looking beyond the two camps for a remedy for the country’s ills.
FAILURE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP
But what role could religion play in the rescue and transformation of the nation? Have religious leaders anything more to offer beyond the bonds of prayer? There is little doubt that if the major religions put as much effort into fighting injustice and negative ethnicity as they devote to praying for peace, we would have a wonderful nation and authentic religion.
Prayer should not be the beginning or end of religious engagement in public life. Prayer and solidarity need to be complemented with brave actions designed to restore hope and support the rule of law.
But prayer as a rescue solution in emergencies is desperation and only highlights the failure of religious authorities to show convincing leadership. This obsession with prayer meetings to resolve every crisis reminds one of Yahweh’s anger over religious feasts, solemnities and noisy songs that He says He is fed up with as in Amos 5.
Instead, He wants justice to flow like a river and integrity like an unfailing stream.
There is little doubt about the challenges, threats and opportunities facing the country. Now that Saba Saba went off peacefully, will religious authorities retreat to their holy places convinced that their prayers were answered?
Will they leave the country again at the mercy of ruthless politicians or offer constructive, consistent leadership, calling the nation to greatness and progress?
Put another way, can organised religion transform society in a just manner or will it remain an obstacle towards positive and necessary change?
Religion is never neutral. It has the potential to mobilise, inspire and proclaim truths that go beyond ethnicity and politics or it can become the hostage of the same two groupings.
