Sir,
I'm sure that the president himself (and Barack Obama too, who was on a similar pilgrimage to Israel - prayers at "the Wailing wall" etc) would be among the first to tell you, quoting from his Gospel that
"all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God"
We are to presume the president's four-day pilgrimage to Israel a success and that too we presume about the millions of Muslims who go on Hajj every year and pray
"Sami'Allahu liman hamidah
- Rabbana lakal hamd !"
Surely, you (philosopher, atheist, whatever) are not qualified to verify that the president's pilgrimage was a failure? Let us hope that the Almighty heard their prayers. I am praying along with all those who pray to the One and Only Almighty, also for Nigeria.
You keep on selectively highlighting President Jonathan's few moments on the banks of the River Jordan - but for other interested observers another touching moment was President Goodluck Jonathan on his knees, surrounded by some family members, friends, political allies and without a doubt one or two sycophants laying hands on him or near him and praying fervently where the photo caption declares "President Goodluck Jonathan kneeling at the tomb of Jesus Christ"
In Israel we do not give up : we are praying and will continue to pray and work for peace, but as you know, the devil is still very active, instigating the terrorists to do evil
What you say about Boko Haram should resonate with all those who are not blood-thirsty, but the remainder of your statement, that "other religious faiths believe in prayer and Nigeria is worse for their spirituality" is short-sighted and an affront to all the struggling religious-minded people in Nigeria.
So where is the respect we all expect from you for your innocent, fellow Nigerians, the majority of whom are prayerful?
BY the way, - thanks and praises - the Almighty delivered me from the jaws of death on the 6th of October this year, so I cannot go that way again.
Sincerely,
To hold a public office and fail to live up to the expectation of the people will earn any public or political office holder a huge disrespect in Nigeria. That much I know."Tolerance would dictate that we respect the president of Nigeria's religion, even if the Boko Haram people may not be happy about President Goodluck Jonathan's pilgrimage to pray for the end of bloodshed and the beginning of peace and stability and greater prosperity in Nigeria."
For the President of Nigeria to go to river Jordan to pray when Nigeria has similar waters shows how fake his religious belief is. The President is aware, I believe that the Israelis and Palestinians have been killing themselves for many years and yet prayers at river Jordan have not solved the conflicts and wars. How does he think his prayers there will soften the hearts of Boko Haram religious sect and give Nigerians a peaceful breathing space? Or did he go there to offer prayers for the forgiveness of sin of corruption and political greed of his Political Party, PDP?Our President did not go for baptism like Jesus unless his visit to the place is considered a spiritual baptism. Does Nigeria need any spiritual baptism? I doubt it.Nigeria needs sustainable, physical infrastructural development not prayers. Boko Haram sect and other religious faiths believe in prayer and Nigeria is worse for their spirituality.I have not seen in my life any Presidents or Prime Ministers from America or Europe who took their national problems in prayers to river Jordan to solve and yet they believe in the efficacy of prayer.I refuse to accept any religious hypocrisy demonstrated by those who stood around the President at river Jordan.I want to passionately appeal to Mr. Femi Falana SAN to sue the President to court on behalf of Nigerian public for using the public money for such a religious pilgrimage.SO
Sent from my iPhone--Hopefully, we will not be making the same kind of noises should Pope Francis 1 decide to grace Nigeria with a state visit as some of his predecessors have done earlier.
In many of the world's religions, rain is a sign of blessing, water is a purifying agent and rivers are holy: the Ganges, the Jordan River, Lake Kinneret etc...
According to Christian geography, the River Jordan is where John the Baptiser baptised Jesus of Nazareth.
Tolerance would dictate that we respect the president of Nigeria's religion, even if the Boko Haram people may not be happy about President Goodluck Jonathan's pilgrimage to pray for the end of bloodshed and the beginning of peace and stability and greater prosperity in Nigeria.
Let us count our blessings.
Who knows, it's possible that as a result of presidential prayers Nigeria just beat Iran by four goals to one in the World League, Youth division.
On Tuesday, 29 October 2013 01:35:15 UTC+1, seguno2013 wrote:This is interesting. Don't they have rivers in Bayelsa State where the President can go with other Nigerians to pray? Or don't we have better rivers in Nigeria where the President and fellow Nigerians can go and pray? What is so special about river Jordan in Israel that attracted the President to abandon his high office at this material time to waste Public taxpayers' money in Israel? How many times have we seen the Prime Minister or President of Israel come to Nigeria for such a frivolous jamboree?I cannot imagine our President will go to a dirty river in Israel when we have better rivers in Nigeria.During the time of Jesus it was recorded in the Bible that people with shin disease and the physically challenged went there to bathe. And that Jesus performed miracles there. Did our President go to river Jordan to see a miracle water because such is not in his country?Na wa o!Yemoja will forgive you all. Aase.SO
Sent from my iPhone--
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