Why is it surprising that members of the "bourgeois" class display their "bourgeois" characteristics. True these are pastors and they profess religion and this is equally a religious matter. But isn't class position religion-blind? This particular case is more fruitfully dealt with, I believe, as a political-economic than simply a religious issue.
At the level of religion, though, a major aspect of the practice and prayer of Nigeria's health and wealth gospellers is that God should lift them up from being lower class to becoming upper (and if possible, ruling) class. The particular expression of Christianity of this apostle requires accumulation and display as a marker, not just of religious identity but, of spiritual authority. The leader has set the example by manifesting success as is expected by the members. This implies that he is walking the talk!
As to the source of their wealth, this has not been properly researched to my knowledge. I'll like to join those who might be interested in doing this someday. What percentage of it comes from their poor members; what percentage from very rich members, or from appropriating all church offering as their personal income; what percentage from legitimate entrepreneurial activities; what percentage from their corporate salaries; what percentage from cashing in on tremendous social and business connections they build as leaders of international organizations; what percentage from social and political capital that directs or misdirects national economic resources their way as members of the ruling class; what percentage from easy/ier access to super soft bank loans, juicy contracts, oil blocks, gifts from politicians, or gifts/donations from church member with means or with vital economic access.
If people agree that this expression of Christianity is one born out of and adapted to the neoliberal capitalist system, national and international, why do they call for and expect that it should revert back to the pre-capitalist gift economic system? The types of churches led by the apostle left this type of economy behind some two decades ago!
Perhaps a more useful question I like to ask is why millions of their well educated and rational followers support them and applaud them when they acquire these jets - especially if these jets are bought out of membership contributions as most commentators suppose. The other question I like posed is a rhetorical one of whether this isn't also analogous to how millions of Nigerians applaud and support the wealth and display of their local political patrons and godfathers/mothers - even those whose accumulations are blatantly corrupt and illegal?
An important charge against this apostle is that of the ethics of his display of such opulence in the midst of national poverty, and probably of the poverty of the majority of the membership of his church. But even that charge is largely from outside of his circle of fellow believers in the gospel of wealth and health. Except it can be proved that they acquired these jets illegally or through the use of illegal funds, the ethical charge of flamboyance against them is extraneous to their beliefs and practice and to the expectations, it seems, of their membership.
A religious leadership marked by simple, non-flamboyant, monastic, or mother Theresa type lives is only one out of several historic expressions of Christianity as we know. Methodologically, therefore, the apostle might be justified to rebuff most of the posts here as no more than people trying to enforce on him and his group, their particular views and partisan expectations for how they feel Christianity is in ESSENCE and should be practised.
What we have in this cases of the leaders of these church types, in Nigeria, and in much of sub Saharan Africa, at this time of increasing poverty, economic mismanagement, political ineptitude and of the inability of Africa's intellectuals to deploy and successfully apply their wisdom to turn the situation around, is an expression of religion with a perfect fit for the ethos of its time and space.
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 8:42 PM
To: dialogue
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Apostle Suleiman Aquires First Private Jet — Like Oyedepo, Oritsejafor, Adeboye
God, why am I in a wrong profession?
TF
From: <saharareporters@mail-zg367.getresponse.com> on behalf of Sahara Reporters <saharareporterstv@gmail.com>
Reply-To: "saharareporterstv@gmail.com" <saharareporterstv@gmail.com>
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 4:51 PM
To: Toyin Falola <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>
Subject: Apostle Suleiman Aquires First Private Jet — Like Oyedepo, Oritsejafor, Adeboye
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