This Sam Harris - Van Jones episode " Where is happiness?" - is a very satisfactory discussion that addresses the full import of the MLK quote, and should be of interest to all Nigerian men of the cloth, pastors of megachurch flocks, and other Christian laymen and women preachers and social workers engaged in transforming our communities for the better…
As Bishop Dom Camara of Brazil once wryly observed, "When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist."
What is most surprising about Nigeria, where there is freedom of speech, almost to an unfettered extent, is that with the sole exception that I can think of, namely the brave soul known as Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah who in my opinion sometimes goes overboard on the political situation in Nigeria in spite of which he is not a good illustration of the adage that - apart from in Iran, religion and politics don't mix or can only be a volatile mix - because all said and done he personally does a lot of good by speaking up - more good and not any harm. Take for instance, what Bishop Kukah says in that Toyin Falola Interview about which one still reserves some ideological comments, in no hurry to disturb what remains of peace and tranquillity in Nigeria or to play into the hands of those who firmly believe that there should be a divorce between church and state, and between mosque and state; but just look at all the hullabaloo about the "Muslim-Muslim ticket " or where the Northern vote would go if it was a "Christian-Christian ticket " ( Atiku would be smiling all the way to the bank)
Ah, Dunya!
From the Christain point of view, of course, it should be preferable to choose eternal enjoyment in heaven -For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
"To the Ministers I stressed the need for a social gospel to supplement the gospel of individual salvation. I suggested that only a "dry as dust" religion prompts a Minister to extol the glories of heaven while ignoring the social conditions that cause man an earthly hell"(From "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr", edited by Clayborne Carson)
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Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Founder/Publisher of, www.publicinformationprojects.org)
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