By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
NyamewaaNyamewaa
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Women
  • Culture
Reading: The truth about miracle-seeking in Ghana
Share
Aa
Aa
NyamewaaNyamewaa
Search
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Women
  • Culture
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2023 | Just Nana Ama
Politics

The truth about miracle-seeking in Ghana

Nana Ama Agyemang Asante
Last updated: 2013/05/22 at 4:07 PM
Nana Ama Agyemang Asante
Share
SHARE

Image

Picture: Some Ghanaians at a prayer meeting

We witness so many miracles every day that it is impossible to deny the existence of miracles even if one did not believe in a god.  The very act of waking up from our sleep and the ability to use the five senses are examples of daily miracles. And for a Christian who has read parts of the bible, I do believe everyone can have  the “ the-touching-of-the-hem” moment but I also know neither Jesus nor any of the disciples performed miracles on demand.  Which is why I don’t understand the miracle-seeking attitude of many Christians in Ghana.

Ghanaians go to the church and to their pastors for everything. Truth is, some  pastors claim they (yes, and not the holy spirit) have the powers to heal,  grant visas, lands, houses, fertility, husbands and many more. And so people go to them looking for a cure for everything including poverty and insomnia.  We have all heard stories where husbands have encouraged their wives to sleep with a pastor for a child.

Of course there are people who go to church for spiritual succor – they read and the bible and live diligent lives. But a number of people only go to church in search of prophecies and miracles. Prophet T. B. Joshua has received some really high profile endorsements for his miraculous abilities,(not naming names but some swear by the touch of his hand.) Little wonder thousands trooped to the Spintex road branch of the Synagogue Church of All Nations to secure a bottle of holy water.

The stampede that killed four and injured many had been a long time coming – people are desperately seeking solutions and hopelessness breeds fanaticism.

I have heard many blame the miracle-seeking mentality on the fast-food culture where  Christians no longer want to pray for a solution to their problems but want instant solutions without lifting a finger. There’s some truth in this but are these poor people who have not read the bible for themselves and attribute a case of malaria to the  powers of evil to blame for for seeking solace in a bottle of water?

I know  nothing about religion makes sense but we certainly cannot attribute  people going to pastors for healing for malaria instead of hospitals to just the fast food culture. I believe the latest surge in miracle seeking shows government’s failure in providing the basic needs of Ghanaians.

In fact if government and local authorities were efficient; the traffic that was created by the last announcement and the subsequent stampede would not have happened.  First of all, someone would have prevented the building of the church on such a major and narrow road.

Government has not only neglected to implement zoning and planning laws, it has failed to protect the Ghanaian Christian from the excess of some pastors. People seeking jobs, justice, education, healthcare, and improved living conditions are rushing to pastors because the systems supposed to ensure Ghanaians live in dignity have failed or in need of a miracle too.

And the pastors and some churches have recognized the desperation of the people and cashing in with glee and the promise of a change.  The mindless worship of pastors by Ghanaians would reduce if government does it work.

You Might Also Like

Don’t be Fooled: A Vote for Bawumia is a Vote for Akufo-Addo

Parliamentary Committee Report on Ghana’s Anti-gay Bill

Why is the Ghanaian Christian God so cruel?

In Ghana no life matters — unless you are among the elite

On interns, insults, and ministers

TAGGED: basic amenities, diseases, government of Ghana. Jesus, miracles, stampede, Synagogue Church of All Nations, T. B. Joshua

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Nana Ama Agyemang Asante May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013
By Nana Ama Agyemang Asante
Follow:
This is Nana Ama Agyemang Asante or @justnanaama on Twitter (yes, it is still Twitter to me.) You might remember me from co-hosting on Citi CBS. I created this blog to reflect on life in Ghana. Then, I got on radio, and this blog became my safe space to say the “unsayable” with my chest—without the risk of endless meetings (just kidding… or maybe not). Anyway, radio is on hold for now—turns out thinking and writing about Ghanaian politics is just as exhausting as living through it. As for my podcast, Unfiltered? Taking a breather, because multitasking is a myth. I’m currently working on the Ghana Women Expert Project. Oh, and I’m also studying religion, which means I am immersed in a world of questions Sunday School teachers refused to answer and sermons that annoyed me. I will however, be popping by to post some of my unfiltered thoughts on everything from life in Ghana to reflections on religion and religious communities
Previous Article Forever marching past but never moving forward
Next Article Let’s Honor Amidu By Speaking Truth To Power
2 Comments
  • Prince Maruf says:
    May 22, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    Some go to church just for the miracle. They are those the devil finds job for, since they are lazy and want a short cut to riches.

    Reply
  • Kweku Yeboah says:
    August 2, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    I disagree that the mindless rush of people to pastors for miracles will reduce if the government provided all the amenities Ghanaians want. This is because Ghanaians have been conditioned over the years since the advent of the prosperity gospel message to expect miracles from God once they pray and worship their pastors and shower money and gifts on them in the name of sowing seeds. Even Ghanaians who have travelled abroad to Europe and America still do these although there are more amenities in these countries. They are just looking for miracles to get rich quick overnight to obtain instant healing for any sickness or social problem such as divorce, childlessness, unemployment etc. Most of us have been conditioned to believe that hard work cannot take us anywhere unless we receive miracles through our pastors who act as our intercessor. That is our problem and unscrupulous pastors will continue to exploit this to enrich themselves.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Read

Government blundering making us all seem stupid
Politics
Sex, Sermons, and Submission: Why I Left the Church
Society Women
Christianity is un-African, homosexuality isn’t
Society
Whose vagina is it anyway?
Society
Letter to President Mahama: Fix Dumsor already, damn it!
Politics Society
Otabil’s pricey, unbiblical menu of miracles
Society
In Ghana no life matters — unless you are among the elite
Politics
In praise of Otiko’s refusal to bend
Politics Women
Why is the Ghanaian Christian God so cruel?
Politics Society
Suspended ornament: Why NPP is not serious about involving women in governance
Politics Women
Follow US
© 2023 Just Nana Ama