RShaman-Africaeligion is the most profitable business in Africa today. In Africa, starting a church is a guaranteed investment, safer and far more profitable than forex trading, stock market trading, bitcoins, etc.  You can start a church with as little as $20 and start reaping $20,000 in just months.  It only takes a couple of "miracle performing actors and actresses" to start "harvesting" in Africa.

In Africa today, the blind can see, the cripple can run, even the dead are rising again with the help of "anointing oils". Meanwhile, my poor friend has been visiting every miracle center on the continent hoping for a cure with no luck.

Because it is "written" the devil or Lucifer is the root of all evil, we blame the devil for almost all our problems. We blame something we cannot even see as the cause of all our problems. Is that wisdom?

I don't think the devil is the root of all illiteracy and ignorance, and I think sometimes we just over-blame the devil for no good reasons at all. Instead of blaming ourselves for our ignorance and inabilities, we blame the devil just because it is "written".

Some may call me the assistant "Lucifer" for making this post but I still believe sometimes we just have to say it the way it is. Religion is doing more harm than good in Africa. Religion continues to tear Africa into pieces and I don't think Africa can prosper under the dark shadows of religion.

The traditional African religion (or Voodoo) is part of our culture and tradition and there is very little we can do about it. Some people, especially outsiders, sometimes think there is nothing good in the African traditional religion or voodoo but the truth is that, the African traditional religion or voodoo has benefited Africa more than Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. combined.

The African traditional religion or voodoo has been with Africa since the beginning of time. It has helped in shaping not just our moral standards but also our very sense of identity. For example, before the arrival of Christianity, Islam and the other foreign religions, people were afraid to take other people's wives. People were afraid to cheat on other people. People were afraid to unjustly attack and trample upon the rights of innocent people. Children were afraid to disobey elders, etc. Why? Because the ancestral spirits we worshipped were very just spirits who rewarded the good and punished the evil. There was a sense of fear but discipline in our communities.

Some western people often portray Voodoo worshippers as savages and ignorant for believing in ancestral spirits. Meanwhile, these so-called educated western people believe in "saints" forgetting that saints are nothing but ancestral spirits too. Voodoo has been in Africa since the beginning of time and there isn't much we can do about it. However, there are some barbaric practices we can do away with. Child marriages, female genital mutilation, etc., are some of those barbaric traditions and practices we can and must do away with.

Christianity and Islam on the other hand, are the cause of almost all the wars and tribal conflicts in Africa today. Christians believe God is a Christian while Muslims believe God is a Muslim forgetting that God has no religion. Christians don't want Muslims to rule them and Muslims are ready to kill for Allah. That explains the several conflicts and tension in Africa today especially in countries like Nigeria and Ivory Coast where the Christian-Muslim populations are close to 50-50.

As I mentioned earlier on, every poor man wants to start a church in Africa today. Why? Because, starting a church is the easiest and fastest money-making method in Africa. There are so many pastors, bishops and even popes roaming about the streets of Africa. The sad thing however is that, almost all these so-called "men of God" are full of nothing but evil.

They come in suits, sometimes in white gowns dressed like saints, but agents of the devil ready to kill and destroy. These so-called men of God deceive people, especially the illiterate poor in the villages and small towns and even the so-called graduates in the cities, all in the name of God. Most carry Bibles which they cannot even read yet they refer to themselves as "men of God". Instead of preaching the good news to the people to help better their living conditions, they only preach about money and encourage people to "sow seeds".

Go to Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria right now and see things for yourself. Children as young as 6 months old are being buried alive in the name of Christianity. Instead of saving souls for Christ, these so-called men of God just kill souls for Christ in Africa today. Some so-called pastors and "anointed" men of God point these innocent children out as witches and wizards. The innocent children are then subjected to severe beatings until they confess to things they know nothing about. Some parents are abandoning their "witch" children all because some crazy "men of God" branded those kids "witches". This may sound crazy and untrue but it is very true. There are so many videos on youtube about African child witches and how these stupid and evil "men of God" point people out to be stoned to death for being witches and wizards all in the name of Christianity.

I am not some crazy atheist. I do believe in God, I do believe in goodness and I do believe in life. However, I don't believe in Christianity, Islam, or any religion for that matter. In fact, in the case of Africa, religion is toxic and kills innocent people and I don't believe Africa can prosper under the dark shadows of religion. I believe it is time we wake up and start reasoning.

Add comment
Bernie Helsby
Mainstream religion is rooted in tradition, divisive political agendas and cultural bias! It has no bearing on scriptural truth or Jesus life and ministry and therefore will receive its judgement in full! The book of Revelation clearly shows the reasons why Gods Kingdom ( Heavenly Goverment) in the hands of Christ Jesus will put the record straight once and for all times regarding his Fathers will and purpose for our beautiful earth
chengetanai gutsa
The issue of religion is controversial. Westerners failed to accept that during the dawn of colonization, mission at first instance failed to convert Africans just because of language barrier, hence labelled African religion, pagan and depicted Africans as people without religion. Africans had religion but the way they practiced their religious beliefs were magical and fearful.
Fred Snr Addo-yobo
Even if you abolished Christianity, Islam, etc the human being will still have his/her basic animal instincts -survival of the fittest or is it the greediest? We will find other channels to self destruct. Non Africans should not pontificate; they've engineered two massive world wars and have prepared for a third.
Jimmie Blurck
It is not wrong to say religion has brought about some conflicts, but it's very wrong to state that it's because of religion that people can now disrespect parents, take away wives and etc. There's a very clear boundary between globalization/ urbanization and religion. Just because foreign religion came along with globalization and urbanization causing a shift in terms of behavior and norms doesn't mean that it's the root cause of change. Blaming foreign religion can be equaled to "blaming lucifer" for your troubles, something you can't see blaming foreign religion for all your social vices just because "you think so".

It is due to globalization and urbanization that we get to see every tom dick and Harry trying to start a ministry that will "elevate you to heaven with immediate effect " but it's just because they need to cope up with urbanization and see that as an escape root. Let's not blame religion, it's urbanization that's the root cause. Culture has never been static, and certainly no static culture has survived history. There's literally NOTHING TO PUT BLAME ON as change the unavoidable

Triston Russell
Dear Author, I don't know who you are but you are very very wise. I think that you have asked some profound questions. Religion seeks to divide and not unite. Africa needs unity and wisdom. Politicians need to be accountable (and not blame a biblical "boogie man"), and when people commit crimes against their fellow man, I suspect that the solace of heavenly forgiveness does nothing to deter this wickedness.
Nathaniel Ijioma
Religion does not make sense because everything you know about any religion on earth, SOMEONE TOLD YOU ABOUT IT—It should be a major crime to indoctrinate a child into some religion. Religion has no scientific basis whatsoever. You cannot test nor verify it anywhere in the universe. You only need to read the so called holy books and wonder whether the author is deliberately insulting your intelligence: such childish outdated fairy-tale nonsense that, obviously, might have had some effect on an ancient unsophisticated primitive mind.

This is why we must study accurate knowledge and gain valuable expertise, based on fact—find the cure to an incurable disease, eliminate human suffering, invent innovative utilization of renewable energy supplies, etc. We should spend most of our time playing our own part in valuable economic exchange, not in religious dogma. If all we learnt our whole life was religion, the human race would be eternally backward.

Rebecca
I feel sad for the poster because he does not understand or know the truth about God. God, Jehovah, who created the world, and sent his son Jesus, to die in your place so that your sins would be washed away, and you would be able to spend eternity in Heaven with Him.

Religion is man-made. But just because you don't like religion, don't turn away from seeking the TRUTH about God. Your eternal life after death rests on Jesus. The Muslims' eternal destiny is dependent on Jesus - someone they don't believe is God but just a prophet. The atheists' eternal destiny is dependent on him choosing or rejecting Jesus. Everything in this life is about Jesus - all things were made for him and through him. Just because someone doesn't believe the sky is blue, doesn't mean the sky isn't blue.

Unfortunately, ancestral worship was a man-made tradition that does not please God. God is all mighty, and no one else should be worshipped besides him. The ancestors cannot do anything for you since they are dead. They cannot appreciate your respect paying or your sacrifices - they are either in Heaven or Hell based on their acceptance or rejection of Jesus. Jesus was the last sacrifice for all sins - there is no need to sacrifice anymore since he paid it all for you and for me. The choice is yours, whether to accept him and him alone, or to choose the alternate, which surely ends in hell. It's just the truth, and a warning made in love. xx

Chilombo Justine
Religion just like faith is an expression of one's ignorance about a life not so clearly understood. Most of the things we talk about in religion are just assumptions that we claim to be true. People have failed to understand life and attempt to understand it by coming up with something that is conventional though can't be proven. Religion is full of hypocrisy. That is why even Jesus warned the Pharisees that they were hypocrites.
Andile meshack
Religion is the weapon of the white western, eastern and arab nations to colonise, enslave, indoctrinate, culm down, justify, and conquer Africa and Africans. You'd pray to these people's God or Allah, and as an African you'll reap nothing except bad luck because your own Ancestors have turned their backs against you for leaving your own traditions and cultures that have served them for millions of years on this earth. Your preachers, pastors, and imans are just deceiving you into believing that you are meant to enjoy heaven when you are dead but in the meantime give them all your money for them to give you a ticket to enter those heavens...A GREAT DECEPTION!!!
Sherrie thee Njeri
I think you really need to experience God in order to truly understand him. Based on your post, you sound like you are bitter about something that has happened to you, but there is no love greater than the love of God. Personally, I've experienced it and I truly believe God is alive and God is the root of all goodness that still exist on this planet. As humans, we need hope. As Christians and Muslims, we have to have hope. Otherwise, what is the essence of life? There isn't any action that has no consequences. In school, when you study well and you do good, you are rewarded. The laws of a country dictate that, if one doesn't follow them, you'll be thrown to prison. Why then do you expect there to be no consequence to God? Aspire to live life in a good way. There isn't a greater reward than one which comes from that.
All the best