Naturally, I am not inclined to write here successively on religious matters, but developments of the last few days leave me with very little option. Some things should simply have no place in religion, Christianity in particular.
Learnmore Zuze
In a recent interview with Zororo Makamba, Bishop Noah Pashapa of Liberty Churches International expressed tough views against the widespread prosperity-focused churches sprouting in the country. It is on record that most young men are now forming churches with a view to self-enrichment, a thing even rebuked by President Robert Mugabe.
Pashapa, in the same vein, accused such wealth churches of engaging “in superficial care and concern activities, whilst robbing from the poor and enriching themselves.” For some reason, Pashapa’s interview with Makamba, is alleged to have rubbed the United Family International Camp the wrong way leading to the availing of a video claiming that, contrary to his teachings, Bishop Pashapa was not taking care of his elderly mother as evidenced by the video in which Gogo Miriam Pashapa received $280 and groceries from the UFIC. The reaction on social media indicated fury as most people felt the video connoted an unorthodox means of hitting back at Bishop Pashapa. Now, while the act of giving is to be praised, the act assumes a sinister motive when it has to be used as a punch below the belt. It brings to the fore serious questions on the sincerity of such help; it raises the question of whether the act was done in good faith if it has to carry a sting at the end. Even biblically, it casts a dark shadow on the motive of a giver should they parade the act; a sincere giver, I suppose, would not.
On the TV show, Tonight with Zororo, in an episode which focused on the evolution of the church in Zimbabwe, Bishop Pashapa took a swipe at the mushrooming churches with a focus on earthly riches saying they lack a depth of understanding of many things including, “Philosophy of religion, lack of training in Theology and polity of the church”. Theirs is a gold spell of prosperity, gold being the underline. It takes from the poor and enriching themselves,” Pashapa noted. What Bishop Pashapa said is a shared feeling among many Christian fundamentalists.
Churches have become more of money-spinning ventures which can now even lend money to governments. Bishop Pashapa was unsparing in his criticism and further said, “They have a very myopic understanding of the church. Just their little group is the only authority on the church and everyone else is wrong. Just their brand of Christianity subscribes to one strand which is the gospel of prosperity message which focuses on material items of wealth.” In my view, Bishop Pashapa ‘s utterances struck the nail square on the head. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not and has never been about earthly riches at all and in that he spoke a true Christian position.
Consequently, a 28-minute video was availed showing Gogo Pashapa praising the UFIC for the help and thanking God for the “miracle”. The desired effect obviously was to discredit and embarrass Bishop Pashapa. In all honesty, there is no way Bishop Pashapa would fail to give to his own mother the items given to her; it is apparent there is an unsaid part of the story. In analysis, it would be wrong to align with either side yet, even going by the angry reaction on social media; people felt UFIC had used “below-the-belt” tactics to score points. The “exposé” was certainly in bad faith whoever was behind it. It would have been prudent to disprove Bishop Pashapa’s views using scripture instead of hitting below the belt
Everyone knows and understands the economic hardships in Zimbabwe if you are a person who lives off hard work. Life is generally tough for the ordinary honest Zimbabwean who has to work for a living. No one is spared from the hardship except a few seen through their opulent lifestyles in a country teeming with poverty. I conceive it to be unfair to attack Bishop Pashapa in light of the fact that his mother got help from another denomination. It is common knowledge that the state of Zimbabwe at the moment is so terrible that many a people have been left at the mercy of the wealthy. Anything that promises to ameliorate suffering is readily embraced due to the economic crunch. Help in whatever form deserves praise, but it is one thing when help has to assume the status of a weapon. It is quite noble that as members of the clergy, people should debate in a frank spirit without drawing on unorthodox means to “win”. This could degenerate into a very ugly war should everyone resort to the tactics of sensitive denigration.
Learnmore Zuze is a legal researcher, author, and media analyst. He writes here in his own capacity. E-mail:[email protected]
