@Mekus_rebound
Religious Extremism in Nigeria. **Religion, on a general note, has to do with the belief in the existence of a supernatural being. It's the function of the metaphysical.** In *Nigeria*, we have *3 major* types of religion; Islam Christianity and African Traditional Religion These different types of religion believe in different *supernatural beings.* Muslims believe in **Muhammed**, Christians believe in **Jesus Christ**, and traditionalists believe in different gods which are *dependent* on the *tribe*. RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM: ***Extremism*** is the behavior of people who try to bring about political or religious change by using *extreme* methods. An extremist resorts to ***extreme measures*** in religion or politics. It is found in all religions, but more apparent in some. Religion has been ***abused*** in several ways to suit the *interests* of persons who consider themselves the *custodians/guardians* of the religious laws. They use religion as a **shield** to commit **heinous crimes** and also *convince* their *gullible followers* and impose their ideology on them. Religious extremism has become ***rampant*** in Nigeria, most especially, in the ***Northern*** part of the country. Most *neutrals* would have thought that religious *extremism* is just common among the uneducated, but it's so *disappointing* that these extremist *ideologies* are more *rampant* amongst the supposedly educated ones. The story as narrated by @Cogamedia took place yesterday, and in the light of that, a lot of persons began reminiscing and testifying on how they had survived religious extremism in the past. One of them was a secondary school student, who was 15 yrs of age at the time. His friends who were in the same age bracket, accused him of blasphemy and wanted to behead him. Word got out to the people outside, that someone has blasphemed. The mob gathered outside, asking for the release of the young boy who had supposedly blasphemed, so that he would be beheaded. Luckily for him he was smuggled out of school by the then Vice Principal. He still has PTSD from the event, up to this day. They've also been times where Christians in the Northern part of the country have been slaughtered for events that didn't even happen in the country.
**POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.** Religious extremism can be curbed, if the adherents of the various religions in the country, can have ***respect*** for one another's views. They should understand that they are inter-religious diversities and try their best to be tolerant to them. ***Religious tolerance*** (the ability to accept beliefs that are different from ours) should be taught in institutions of learning, beginning from the *lowest level* (Primary schools) to the *highest level* (Tertiary Institutions be it University, College of Education or Polytechnic.) Nigerian tertiary education should *help* Muslim *communities* and *institutions* to study Islam ***analytically*** and ***critically*** at different levels of society. Nigerian tertiary institutions should also help *Evangelical churches* to *review* their programmes so that they can be more *inclusive*. I want to Sincerely thank My Dear Friend and latest sponsor @Ellawrites . Thank you so much for always being there, I really appreciate. May 13, 2022.
18 comments
Religion is never an excuse to killing or any barbaric and uncivilized act. What our people need is enlightenment.
Yes they really need enlightenment cause they are wallowing in ignorance. Thanks for your contribution dear Royaldiadem.
You are welcome 😊
I came across a post on Twitter and that shot was crazy, do you know that some most Muslims are being taught that if they kill, their sins will be forgiven, a lot of them will believe what their leader says and won't even bother to check the Quran
And it's a very wrong indoctrination but most of them can't even interpret the Quran to know what's wrong.
It feels like we Africans carry this religion things on our head. Honestly, it's a foreign religion like I've always said. Also, you cannot fight for God. If God is angry, let him fight for himself. Burning the girl's body is wrong and it's a sin. I'm a Muslim and I've always learnt that a good Muslim doesn't kill. I hope the girl finds peace in heaven.
I don't even know what to say about this cause of the mixed feeling I'm having right now, I just hope God have mercy on us in Nigeria. Many people don't study again, but rather, believe what they are told
That's the reason why those guys are deprived of proper education, so that they would keep wallowing in ignorance. Thanks for your contribution Fashti.
You're right, very right and also, you're welcome
If any person is speaking against any god, let that god fight for himself. At least, we have heard stories in the past about the traditional gods that fight with thunder and other things. We have no power to create any human being and so, we have no right to take anyone's life for any reason except in law.
They illegally took the lives of those guys and nothing will be done sadly. This is the country we are in.
first of all, I would like to point out that Muslims don't BELIEVE in Mohammed. Also, those places in the north where these things happen are ruled by sharia law, and that is the accordance by which they act on. The only way is to abolish sharia law in the north, but we know it won't happen. May the soul of the girl who lost her life recently rest in peace.
Thanks for the correction dear Aimure. I hope that the law be abolished as soon as possible cause it's really bad and unfavorable to neutral persons.
Isn't that foolishness? For something that happened in Denmark others have to lose their lives for what they know nothing about? So many people are not okay upstairs o. This is not a country and trust me, nothing would be done regarding that student that lost her life.
That's the most painful part Sir Ola. I heard that those guys were arrested and the ingrates over there staged a protest, asking that the arrested persons be released. This was the same set of persons that said that they wouldn't protest during endsars because it's against their belief. It's really bad.
They can't do it for Endsars but can do it for someone who took a life. This is sad.
My dear friend, your article was very interesting for me. I like very much to know about traditional religions. To avoid religious extremism, I think the best possible solution it is that, the adherents of the various religions must respect for another's views.
Yes dear Hellen. Religious Extremism is not an option at all. This has resulted to the death of thousands of persons in the country.