By Takura Zhangazha*
You could almost laugh about it. Thousands of adult Zimbabweans flocking to a
Sunday service to ‘see’ the power of ‘prophecy’. Over and about a US$ 1 million pledge on, you
guessed it, the ability to prophesy what was in a religious leader’s
pocket. These thousands of Zimbabweans
were not only in the auditorium. They
were also online and watching live. It
was as dramatic as it was without depth.
And even if you didn’t attend the service physically or
watch it live online, you could not escape it in general conversation or on
social media.
With the narrative being given as that of a self anointed prophet
Emmanuel Makandiwa had decided to challenge all other purported religious (Christian
and traditional) leaders to identify what he would have in his trouser pocket
this previous Sunday.
Being the Catholic agnostic that I am, I laughed about this
when I encountered the story from journalist friends and other colleagues.
What I did not realize was the fact that there are thousands
of Zimbabweans that took this quite seriously.
Or even if they did not, they were willing enablers of the expansion of
its narrative. Be they musicians, celebrities
or just general believers in religion and its import on the lived physical or spiritual
afterlife.
As a writer/blogger, there are some topics you are generally
warned to steer clear of. And one of
these is religion. Mainly because it is
not only a sensitive matter but also because it may have safety and security
concerns for your personal well-being. Not only because of religious fanaticism
but also the reality of the fact that many Zimbabweans are embedded in one faith
or the other. Both by way of their right to religious freedom but also
upbringing or personal experiences.
So I will tread somewhat carefully. But also honestly.
The self-styled Prophet Makandiwa who challenged others of
his ilk and kind to identify items on his pockets is phenomenally influencial
in Zimbabwean society. A thing that he
know and utilizes to maximum public evangelical effect.
His popularity is not beyond question as evidenced by not
only the massive attendance at his weekly sermons(American style). I am not
sure what capacity his auditorium has but I would hazard to argue it can equate
to a weekly seating capacity of 15-20 thousand. More like the Harare City
Sports Centre. And that’s a lot of
people for cyclical weekly religious sermons from a singular individual.
But it is our now lived reality that he commands these
thousands of Zimbabweans almost at his religious beck and call.
So I did a little ask around. Why would men and women of
various professional qualifications or attributes believe that this is as religious
as it can get? For themselves or their families?
And the key question here is ‘why?’ in a Zimbabwean
sense.
As much as we claim to be highly educated or at least to
have one of African’s highest literacy rates, we couldn’t have a decent number
of us flock to cross-checking/prophesying what is in another man’s pocket.
If religion was not a serious functional and social stabilization
business/sector in Zimbabwe, this would be completely laughable. Bordering on crosschecking how we relate to
magic and illusion as shown on television or a community road-show.
But we have to deal the hand we are dealt with. Religion is
intrinsic to Zimbabwean culture. Both in
its traditional and colonial, post-neo-colonial dimensions. And in the contemporary it is more of the Christian
version of the same that influences how we relate to each other and also come
to sort of understand and deal with our national political economy.
This latest popular and popularized incident of ‘prophesying’
or guessing ‘things’ in another man’s pocket for 1 million United States
dollars is a key low for Zimbabwe. Not
only for its government, religious leaders but also for us as a people.
It may be entertaining on social media but it is ridiculous
as a national debate issue.
What it brings into vogue is the fact that we are an over-religious
country that is functioning on high levels of superstition and materialist religiosity
(Protestant ethic, anyone?)
Let me explain this a little further. Where you have comrades believing that one
can become rich based merely on their faith and by themselves, you have a country
that has no future in the context of elite privatization of the state’s
resources. It is like functioning on a
wing and a prayer but with some religious element to spur you on.
Be it in relation to your job or lack of it, school fees or
the life you envy after watching a television programme or a western movie that
depicts life in the way you prefer or aspire to live it.
Without any iota of sensitivity to the historically given
fact that our Zimbabwean society should function on the basis of enabling human
equitability for all. No matter your religious
or economic background.
What is evident is that religion is like our national
politics, a little bit of entertainment and individual populist, cultist
recognition.
What Makandiwa did most likely gained him more followers
(and likes). What those that sought to challenge his ‘prophetic matters’ also
helped them get newer recognition.
It however has not and will not change the country for the
better.
So comrades should go ahead and find their Jesus, Allah,
Buddha or Musikavanhu to help them deal with what are their own real challenges
in their existence.
The imperative however is to understand that religion,
though being some sort of business, cannot fundamentally define the Zimbabwean
state. Even if for entertainment and an
assumed sense of belonging. Nor can the Zimbabwean
state be found in anyone’s religious pockets.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity. (takurazhangazha.com)
(takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment