Na wah oooo! So which one are we to do now? Retaliate or not? So the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says retaliate. They are a group that is more conservative - the more mainline churches. The Pentecostal fellowship (PFN) though says Praise GOD through it all.
I found this particularly funny :
Williams said that giving praises to God would change the situation of the country, especially the killings in the north and kidnapping in the south Eastern region.” Williams explained that it was always good to praise God in the time of persecutions and war, calling on Nigerians to worship the almighty with their songs.
“Through this alter of praise, war will subside. We will challenge God with our praises even in this period of challenges,” he said.
So someone comes at you with a dagger and you praise your way out of it. Well sha, what do y'all think? Who is right - PFN or CAN?
Article when you click:
Jos crisis: PFN warns Christians against retaliation
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has urged Christians in the northern part of the country not to retaliate any attack by sect groups in the region, calling on them to maintain peace at all time.Written by Kunle Awosiyan, Lagos Thursday, 27 January 2011
The national vice-president of PFN, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, said this at a news conference in Lagos, on Wednesday.
He said that the Christian body sympathised with Nigerians who had lost their relatives, friends and properties in Jos, Plateau State crisis, but added that revenge would not solve the crises.
Lamenting that the frequency of the violence is disturbing, Oke said, “It is time the government found lasting solution to the killings of innocent Nigerians. It looks as if there is no government in place with the incessant killings of our people.”
He directed the church in Jos to always react to any attack on them with love, endurance and spirit of reconciliation, stating that any attempt for them to retaliate might trigger war in the land.
He said, “violence undermines evangelism and should not be encouraged among Christians.
Instead of retaliating violence with violence, our church in the north must resist it with love and peace.”
At another forum, another Christian group, “The Altar of Praise” has concluded arrangements to organise a praise session to usher in peace to the country as it prepares for another general election in April.
The national coordinator of the group, Bishop Kayode Williams, said that various gospel singers would be paraded at the event to bring the mercy of God on the country.
Tagged, “Altar of praise for the nation,” Williams said that giving praises to God would change the situation of the country, especially the killings in the north and kidnapping in the south Eastern region.”
Williams explained that it was always good to praise God in the time of persecutions and war, calling on Nigerians to worship the almighty with their songs.
“Through this alter of praise, war will subside. We will challenge God with our praises even in this period of challenges,” he said.
Source
"PFN warns Christians against retaliation?" What a useless advice to give amidst monumental breakdown of law and order! Hitherto, no collective voice was guiding the Christians in Jos, so advising them not to retaliate is non issue. The victims are non-indigenes, so what is happening in Jos cuts across all creeds, imho. It's wrong to assume that all the affected people were/are Christians.
ReplyDeleteWell, the word muslim comes up a lot in the Jos Crisis. It may not be the only factor, but religion is an important factor.
ReplyDelete