Recently, my Facebook timeline has
been bombarded with requests for me to type Amen on a status from a pastor,
bishop, archbishop, apostle, commander, prophet, papa eish they are just too many I am even failing to keep up with the
titles. The reason for typing Amen is that I am supposed to receive some form
of blessing in my life- a car, written off debt, a wife, cash among many
other things. Then if I do not type Amen it then implies that I am missing out
on all the goodies stored up for me. Does typing Amen in the Facebook comments
really work?
I am trying to rationalise how the
whole thing is supposed to work. I do not know if God is holding on to my
blessing just waiting for me to type Amen before He makes the flood gates open. Could it be the reason that my bank account is not overflowing or I do
not have that Range Rover yet is because I did not type Amen. Maybe when I type
Amen it is meant to ignite something in the heavens that the showers of goodies
will drop on me. Perhaps there is something about a Facebook post, it could possess something supernatural that my carnal mind cannot comprehend.
The one thing that I do know for
certain is that there is no consensus, as to whether typing Amen is right or
wrong. There are sections of society who believe that this is nonsensical hoodwinking.
Some Christians who type Amen are often accused of being gullible and failing
to use their common sense. Then for the ones who do type Amen, they proclaim
that it is a statement of exercising their faith, defending their actions by
saying that God works in mysterious ways or it is also a means of showing
solidarity. Of course, Psalm 105: 15 (NIV) which says, "Do not touch my anointed
ones, do my prophets no harm," has been used to warn others against
speaking ill of Christian leaders. Here I would like to be enlightened, are
people using this verse appropriately or it is used as a means to scare people
from speaking their mind.
The challenge that I have is using guilt or manipulation as a means of forcing people to type Amen or share a post.
Statements such as the first 1,000 people to type Amen will receive a miracle
from God or if I do not type then I should expect bad luck in the next 7 days. I
do not need my arm to be twisted in order for me do something. It should be my prerogative
to do so. I have seen some rather absurd statuses that have left me wondering
why people believe certain posts. The sad answer may be that some people are
quick to believe whatever they are told as long as it comes from a 'prophet'.
It has come to the extent of eating grass, church members being kicked,
punched, trampled upon all in the name wanting to receive a miracle or someone
pretending to be walking on air. Perhaps it is the levels of desperation and
misery that exists in our society, that people are looking for hope to cling to
because that might be the only way they will make it through the day. Or should
we blame the church leaders who take advantage of the desperate church
congregants, who are willing to defend them with all they have and they know this.
Choosing whether to type Amen on a
Facebook status is an individual decision. I have not done it so far because I
do not believe that I need to be the first 500 to type in order for God to
bless me and once the 500 have typed then it means God's blessing and favour
will not come my way. Secondly, it is high time we began to question some of
our church leaders and doctrines. Rather than follow blindly we need to
start our sentences with why, how, when
and what? The good part is we do not have to touch the anointed, we can always
ask them from a distance.
So why do you type Amen? If you
don't, why don't you?
