God bless Pastor Lazarus Muoka (5) –His alcohol ban

As hinted in last week’s column, Pastor Muoka did not include smoking, the drinking and selling of alcohol or working in a hotel among sinful acts. He just told his audience that smoking and taking intoxicating drinks were bad habits and advised them to stop doing them and stay off working in the hotel. From what I heard from some members of his church, the pastor came up with the policy that those who belong to his sect must not drink or sell alcohol because of the disgrace drunkenness brought on Noah in the Holy Bible. And that he is against his followers working in bars, hotels and guest houses because they are places where some men and women commit adultery, plan criminal activities and share their loots and where people smoke cigarette, pipe or marijuana (or marihuana), drink alcohol or sniff or take cocaine and as a result could get influenced into engaging in these obnoxious, unhealthy and unchristian practices.
As reported in Genesis 9:18 – 28, Noah, the only pious person in the world, who along with members of his family and their animals were the sole survivors of the flood destruction of mankind (Genesis Chapters 7 & 8), took so much wine that he got so drunk that he removed all his clothes and laid nude in his tent. On beholding the ugly sight, Ham also known as Canaan, one of his three sons and the ancestor of the Canaanites, went to inform his brothers, Shem and Japheth. Who not to see the nakedness of their father walked backwards with a garment held on their shoulders and covered him up.
When Noah woke up and heard what Ham did, he cursed him, saying he would be the servant (or slave) of Shem and Japheth. Although not stated in the Bible I believe Noah might have so reacted because Ham might also have made jest or condemned his naked situation. Of course, it is common knowledge that in our modern world many people across the globe, especially in Nigeria, have claimed they committed such crimes as rape, incest, murder, armed robbery and kidnapping under the influence of alcohol or by smoking Indian hemp or the use of other hallucinatory drugs or substances.
It goes without saying that as far as they do not contradict or go against divine laws and teachings in the Bible, a church leader has the right to give rules of behaviour to the members of his or her sect. Especially the ones that can keep them away from committing crimes or sinning against God’s injunctions in the Christian Holy Book, that could make them fail to have salvation and gain entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. So, Pastor Muoka has not done anything wrong in telling members of his church not to smoke, sell or drink alcohol and not work in bars, hotels and guest houses.
In a world where several millions of women, if not billions, now wear trousers and use bangles and necklaces and millions of men put on earrings and jerry curl their hair, I know many would wonder why I have been wasting my time writing on issues I should have realized that most people would ignore. Of course, I am aware of this, but I am writing for certain cogent reasons and because I believe I may convince some people if they are made to realize what they are ignorant of. And for me, it is okay if they are, one or two persons.
The first is that many Christians, including some clergymen and women, have not read all the 66 Books in the Bible from Genesis in the Old Testament through Revelation in the New Testament. In the event, they do not know of God’s order against men and women wearing the dresses or ornaments of the opposite sex. Secondly, most Christians are not aware that curses are placed in Deuteronomy 27:11 – 26 on anyone who will not obey all the laws of the Lord and teachings in the Bible. But as can be seen in the last verse, no exception is made of any of the divine injunctions. So, those who think unisex dressing is a minor issue and that it does not count with the people of the modern world are making a great and terrible mistake.
The point is that most people are not aware that some of the problems they have are caused by their violation of God’s warnings and stipulations in the Bible and Koran or the sins of their parents or grandparents. The Peoples Democratic Party losing the presidential election in 2015 and the crisis it has been having since then have origin causes which I warned former President Goodluck Jonathan against in an article in June/July 2010 which I titled: Jonathan think twice, wait for 2015.
Continues next week Wednesday