DEAR CHURCH 2

     …Again, church, you’re utterly blind. I am afraid I have to be blunt. You’re blind to your duties; blind to your surrounding; blind to the spirit of the age and its manifestations. Apparently, your gaze is fixed upward into the clouds. May I juggle your memory a bit.

          Somewhere in Persia, Fifth century B.C, a certain young woman faced an immediate threat of annihilation. She was a complete stranger. She was also chaste, virtuous, and godly. This young woman risked everything she had to save her people from a sinister plot. She led her people with character amidst severe opposition. She is Esther. She was in touch with reality. And she exists only in the memory of your followers. Because you’re out of touch with reality, your children are too.

Need I mention the Hebrew boy, Daniel? His unstinting devotion to God and unrelenting prayer led a Nation to God. The Babylonians were soaked in Idolatry, charmed by wealth; they couldn’t care less about your God. In great opposition, rigorous indoctrination, you have a boy whose character is impeccable. This is what Eugene H. Peterson, author of The Message Bible has this to say in his review of the book of Daniel, “There are some of us who want to concentrate on the soul, and other of us who want to deal with the big issues of history. Daniel is one of our primary document for keeping it all together- the personal and the political, the present and the future, the soul and society”.

    Dear Church, you have a lot of followers who are not ‘keeping it together’.

What about Joseph, Ruth and Dorcas? Your followers are nothing like these individuals.

        You have misfits; they’re all concerned about themselves. Our country is plunging into chaos, gradually losing its values (if not lost already) and they do not care. May be they are looking ‘up’ too like you’re. They passively talk about God but do not know the first thing about Him. You’re content with their tardiness and occasional visits to your edifice. They love the place because it keeps them away from their responsibilities out there.

I am really grateful that you took your time to read this letter of mine. I apologise for its verbosity. I will do better next time. Until you hear from me again.

In anticipation of your prompt response.

Yours Dearly,

Othman