Religious practice is predicated on belief systems founded on metaphysical nature.
The people believe and yield to a power that is unseen, higher and beyond human control.
It is on this ground that I believe any move to regulate exercise of faith, and the power that comes with it, may not go far.
I believe the law and regulations enacted will not be effective in reining in the so-called rogue preachers and spiritual leaders.
As a philosopher, religion is a factor of belief, culture, conviction and practices.
In the Christian context, there is no one who advertises that they are offering miracles at a price.
Most often it is the believers, out of their faith and conviction, who give whatever form of gift and offering to their spiritual leader.
And the givings are voluntary depending on the congregation’s relationship and proximity to the God they believe in. Nothing is wrong with this.
We can cite countless instances in the Bible, which is the foundation and the anchor of our faith, of people giving gifts and offerings.
In fact, it is an edict that you could not got to the prophet empty-handed. The Bible, for Christian faithful, cannot be overridden by any law.
Therefore, if you formulate a law and then you come arresting people, who will be the complainant given that the faithful have given their monies or substances voluntarily?
A side from the fact that this approach of regulation may not work, the other problem is that it will be counterproductive in the long run.
Driven by their belief system and convictions, some people will go underground and do even worse things in the name of religious belief off the radar of government systems.
It is difficult to determine who is misusing who.
Even in the Shakahola case, the prosecution’s case has never substantively taken off because no congregant has come forward to claim he or she was starved or denied food or strangled by Paul McKenzie.
They took part, in whatever activity, out of their own volition guided by their belief.
This regulation will not work.
Theologian and bishop spoke to the Star
