My attention has been drawn to a recent tweet by a popular Nigerian pastor and political commentator, Reno Omokri. In this tweet, Omokri aimed at atheists and atheism. He stated:
“If you have friends and family that are ATHEISTS, don’t argue with them. Instead pray for them to face a NEAR DEATH situation. Nothing gives ATHEISTS sense than(sic) facing DEATH. They see things CLEARLY and start shouting OH GOD OH GOD SAVE ME”.
This tweet is ridiculous and petty. It shows the comedian aspect of this pastor! Omokri was urging his Christian followers not to engage in debates with atheists. Okay! He would rather prefer that theists pray that their atheist friends and family members encounter a near-death experience. For Omokri, death makes atheists sober and compels them to acknowledge God and seek salvation. Omokri has in his quest to bash atheists exposed his ignorance of the Christian scripture and the Christian tradition. He has forgotten an instructive verse in his Bible that says: “Come now and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18).
So why didn’t Omokri ask his Christian theists to extend this invitation to atheists? Omokri should be urging his theistic followers to engage atheists, to interact and exchange ideas with them. After all, the Bible says: “Iron sharpens iron” (Prov: 27:17). Argument, debate, and reasoning together have been part of Christian history and enterprise. Christianity owes its spread around the world to teaching and educating non-believers. So it was unpastoral for Omokri to ask his followers to shirk this solemn responsibility.
Meanwhile, let’s assume that Omokri does not adequately understand the Scripture and thinks that a near-death experience occasioned by prayers would expose the hollow of atheism.
Omokri suggests that on facing death, atheists see things “clearly”. What does that mean? What are those things that atheists see very well on their death-bed? God? Angels? Satan? Heaven? Hell? What is it that a dying person sees vividly that a living person does not? Why is it that Omokri has more faith in the sight, knowledge and exclamations of a dying atheist than that of one who is sound in mind and health?
I mean how does a near-death situation validate theism? How does facing death make belief in God a more credible and plausible option? How does a deathbed disposition invest one with a special sense and sight? What other sense does a dying person have apart from the sense of one’s mortality?
If death does anything at all, it validates atheism, not theism. Of what value is shouting “Oh My God! Oh My God! Save me”, on a death bed. What purpose does it serve? What difference does it make? Let’s assume that an atheist on a deathbed shouts: Oh my God! Oh My God Save me. How does that change the ontological status of God? Does that make God less an imaginary being? Shouting the name of something does not mean that it exists. Shouting the name of God does not mean that God exists. People shout the names of God, Allah, Jesus etc because they are socialized to do so. It is like shouting and calling on one’s ancestor, late father or grandfather. Both god and ancestors are imaginary entities and cannot save anyone no matter how ‘clearly you ‘see’ them on a deathbed or shout their names. Death demonstrates the impotency of God and the futility in hankering after a savior from above. When facing death seeing God or calling on God is a futile exercise. This is the sense and realization a near-death situation brings.
Unlike Omokri, I say to all theists “If you have friends and family members who are atheists argue with them, challenge them, debate them, find out why they disbelieve in God. Seize every opportunity to educate and enlighten yourselves, and rid yourselves of illusions and delusions that stop you from confronting death with courage. Do not waste your time praying for atheists to face a near-death situation because the cup of prayer is empty. Please do not wait to realize this on your death bed”.
That may be too late.
*** Written by Leo Igwe.
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