BISHOP TO CHRISTIANS: Use Lenten period to intensify holy war against terrorism

Nigerians have been advised to take immediate advantage of the Lenten period (a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter) to intensify a Holy war against the nefarious activities of the deadly Boko Haram militant group.

The call was made on Saturday by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Alfred Adewale, who said that Christians must stand to ‘wage war’ against the menace of the insurgents.

Speaking further, Most Reverend Adewale decried the shameful insecurity techniques at all levels of government in Nigeria and the sheer lack of respect for humanity.

He said; “War of non-violence”, and that: “In the midst of these threatening and highly inflammable times, Christians must stand to ‘wage war’ against these menaces that give us a horrific stare, with all the weapons of Christian moral values and a surprising attitude of non-violence to a violent society.

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“Our war isn’t that of bloodshed, vengeance, anger, hatred but the conquering of evil and its perpetrators with the light of truth and the balance between faith and reason that exalts humanity as the centre of every endeavor,” Rev. Adewale maintained.

When asked about the adverse effects of attacks by terrorists, Rev. Adewale said; “The current socio-political climate of our dear country Nigeria, is indeed volatile as we witness almost intermittently the unbridled spate of killings, shameful insecurity techniques at all levels and a sheer lack of respect for our common humanity.

“It seems to be that nothing really sears us away from each other more dangerously than religion; religious ideals and practices that trample upon the very core of our existence. What else can be responsible for this if not the egregious discrepancy between faith and reason? On the occasion that one of the other tilts to the extreme of the scale, the result cannot but be devastating. Faith without reason and reason without faith is never good for the survival of societies,” he warned.

“What kind of strategy is this? How long shall we continue to take this nonsense and be spat upon, insulted and murdered? This is a point where Christianity stands alone, and it is undoubtedly a challenging approach.

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