Opinion: Is religion killing our humanity?

By Malik Opeyemi Joseph
My Name is Malik Opeyemi Joseph, in the course of interacting with people over the years, many assumptions have been made about me clearly on the basis of my name alone, I must admit that I find it quite entertaining to change my name to suit any purpose I deem fit.
To the Muslims, I am Malik, to the Christians, I am Joseph, to Neutrals, I remain Opeyemi.
Few days ago, I saw a neighbour of mine, a muslim who I had introduced myself to as Mr Malik asking me if I was observing the Ramadan fast, I laughed and smiled simultaneously and muttered something, not saying Yes or No, I was enjoying myself again, the chameleon in me brought to the fore, I only hope this mind games does not cost me something precious soon.
That said, I find it puzzling when people discriminate on the basis of Race, Sex and especially Religion, those close to me know that there is one argument I can never be dragged into, no matter how tempting- Religion.
So, when a pastor in Kenya ask his gullible followers to eat grass, or a Nigerian pastor buys Private Jet at the expense of his poor tithe-paying, seed-sowing, tongue-speaking church members or an  Iranian Imam instructs his beard-spotting, turban-wearing, Islamic members to fight others who share a different religious orientation, I am always appalled at the actions of these individuals not because they are Christians or Muslims, as the case may be, but because they are humans and seem to have lost their sense of humanity.
Are we not Human beings first before being a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist and what have you?, If not for the loss of Humanity, how can a woman dismember the privates of an innocent baby?, Her step child and child of a Man she claims to love, how can a man have carnal knowledge of a 4year old Son of his Neighbour? Why should a politician embezzle billions, “the commonwealth  of a nation”?. What does it profit a man who is either  tired of life or brainwashed of a good after life to kill  himself alongside hundreds.
All over the world, people have committed several heinous crimes, best described as man’s inhumanity to fellow men, kidnapping, Rape, Stealing, Murder, e.t.c, that one begins to wonder the rationale behind such, clearly, our ethical and moral values have been thrown to the Dogs.
The norm now is “To each his own” and no longer “one for all and all for one”, the saying that a child is raised by a community no longer holds true, parents frown at discipline coming from an outsider, this emboldens the child to commit offences knowing that the parent “has got its back”.
Many schools do not have a standard code of conduct for students not because they do not wish to but the fear of  enforcing the punishment for breach of such codes reign supreme, as they do not wish to incur the wrath of  some parents knowing that their survival rest on making such parents happy come what may.

The world will become a better place if we all see ourselves as one irrespective of our Tribe, Race, Sex, Skin colour and Religion, our differences are there just to show our uniqueness and appreciate the wonders of our evolution.

P.s- Oscar Pistorious has been sentenced to 6 years imprisonment for killing his Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Malik Opeyemi Joseph, I tweet at @opsymalik, [email protected].

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