Spiritual Healing in a scientific age

SPIRITUAL HEALING IN A SCIENTIFIC WORLD: By Vincent NNANNA

When the heart speaks, however simple the word, its language is always acceptable to those who have hearts. For this reason, I intend to drop my nom de plume and write as if speaking from the pulpit to the effect that hearts and souls may be touched and healed.
Any time the word 'Health' is mentioned, the intellect, like the computer memory, races back and forth in search of corresponding images to match her understanding. Often times, we stumble on words like vigour, stoutness, contagion, hereditary, medication, hospitalization, epidemic, and all the et cetera. Health is associated with acquired wealth and a person's ability to retain the best medical practitioner, hence the saying that "Health is Wealth." But the truth of this saying lies in the fact that a truly healthy person enjoys a state of wealthiness that money cannot buy. To gain a better understanding of Health, let's cast our minds back to the condition of Man at the Garden of Eden. The dominion God gave to man at the beginning of creation included power over sin, sickness and death. At what point then, did these malevolent triad creep into man's life? The first recorded case of sin in the Bible is that of listening to and obeying other voices. In that scenario, Eve preferred the argument of a lieing-talking serpent to that of her Creator, and Adam was soon to subjugate his role of calling his wife to order, and danced along. The multifarious results were pain in child-bearing, weakness in toiling, killing of ones brother and indulging in prodigalism.
Another instance we have of unhealthiness prevailing among God's children was when the Israelites murmured against constituted authority, and turned to other gods. According to the Scriptures, their behavior angered God and He allowed them to be bitten by fiery serpents (Numbers 21:5 and 6). There is abounding evidence to prove that every situation of sickness or death has been occasioned by sin in one form or the other. It was this understanding that prompted the disciples to inquire of Jesus Christ concerning a lad that was born blind whether it was the boy who had sinned or his parents.
Jesus' brief ministry contained more than thirty specific cases of healing. In the majority of those instances, he not only healed the sick, but enjoined them to "go and sin no more, lest greater evil come upon them."

The Nature of Evil: Evil or unwellness is a condition where the five senses, the organs of the human system and the physical and mental faculties become dysfunctional. If these conditions could be brought about by a violation or disobedience of God's commands, it stands to reason that restoration to normalcy can only result from right conduct. Instead of examining ourselves to see the evil in us that has occasioned our state of unwellness, we look to the stars and accuse our Creator for venting His anger without cause, or we look to the earth and accuse our parents for what we term hereditary diseases or still claim that we have been visited upon by the sins of our forefathers ancestral curses. When we come face to face with climatic changes, we blame our condition to epidemic or contagion or genetic cross-pollination. In our delusion, we loose sight of our God-bestowed dominion over everything upon the surface of the earth, above the skies, under the sea, et cetera. (Genesis 1: 26-28).

The Turning Point: As Christians, we ought to rejoice in the fact that the Scriptures have already provided the way out of these trials. The Book of Romans chapter 6 verse 16, clearly says "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" When Apostle Paul cautioned against looking lustily at a woman, he only meant to show the power of the human mind. The Mind, which does not constitute part of the human organ, controls a greater proportion of human thinking, reasoning and physical expressions. When one Mind tries to exert overbearing influence over another, the weaker one can be made to do the biddings of the stronger. It is against this danger that the Scriptures counsel us to "Let this Mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5). Having the Mind of Jesus, instead of the mind like of Eve and the Israelites as earlier mentioned, will lead to the benefits of 2 Chronicles 7:14 which says, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land."
Materia Medica: Where do we turn to in times of trouble? To matter, of course. "The medical triumphs of this century are generally regarded as among the wonders of our age. Less well known is the extensive, documented literature challenging modern medicine's right to be accounted an exact science or even a socially satisfactory system of health care. This dissatisfaction is by no means confined to such crusading critics as Ivan Illich and Robert S. Mendelsohn, with their insistence that medical science still causes as many diseases as it cures. The criticisms extend through hundreds of sober medical reports, sociological studies, ethical disquisitions, economic analyses, legal decisions, popular magazine articles, and academic investigations. As President Derek Bok of Harvard ruefully suggested in a carefully balanced 1983 report on the needs of the university's medical school, "Dean Burwell was only partly facetious in stating to Harvard medical students: 'Half of what we have taught you is wrong. Unfortunately we do not know which half.'" For instance, nosocomial illness an umbrella term for a whole catalogue of infections acquired inside the hospital has proved fatal to some patients who entered the hospital for treatment of a very minor ailment. It was estimated in 1978 that of 32 million persons admitted to American hospitals each year, about 1.5 million develop some kind of nosocomial infection, and 15,000 die of it. Despite the progress in medical science and technology, President Book wrote in his Harvard report, "Many studies have revealed that doctors make a disturbing number of major diagnostic errors, and he illustrates this by a recent survey of 100 autopsies at a prominent teaching hospital which disclosed such mistakes in twenty-two percent of the cases." These revelations are not intended to belittle a profession so distinguished by dedicated zeal as the physician's. It is just to say that generally the cultured class of medical practitioners is grand men and women, therefore they are more scientific than are the false claimants to Spiritual Healing." Robert Peel

That being the case, how could we entrust our health-care to people whose practices are based on assumptions? Some practitioners who confess to practicing healthcare delivery can only pass for mental assassins or money-minded quacks. What most of them try to do is magnify a condition of fear and ignorance and make it seem real to the sufferer. The end result is ingestion of a greater poison to overcome the effect of the weaker, and a diminishing financial status of the unsuspecting victim. Let's consider one common practice among the medicals. When a patient complains of a feeling of pain, the most probable prescription will include some doses of analgesics or pain killer. What the drug does is to numb or dull the brain and render the memory cells insensitive to pain. A repeated numbing of the cells by this process will ultimately lead to their destruction. We must remember that brain cells are the only cells that CANNOT be replaced or regenerated once they die. Who can tell how many brain cells are killed by a single dose of so-called pain killers, while the doctors get paid for turning fellow human beings into guinea-pigs? Consider also the method of the traditional herbalist, who, most of the time will recommend that the potency of his herbs or roots (concoctions) is being attained when soaked in some local spirits; What alcohol does is to cause the walls of the intestine to thicken and the organ to contract thus preventing the secretion of gastric juice, and inducing ulceration, bleeding; sometimes vomiting and ultimate death.
How many be the instances where the medical profession have pronounced death sentence on sufferers of what they brand terminal or chronic dis-ease? Many are the cases where their predictions have been rendered of no effect by the victim's reliance on spiritual remedy divorced of all material contaminations. Predicting danger does not dignify life, whereas forecasting liberty and joy does, for these are strong promoters of health and happiness. Resort to spiritual method of healing, as Jesus did, is a form of mental medicine, which gains no potency by attenuation, as does homoeopathy; and its largest dose is never dangerous, as with allopathic medicine; but the more the better in every case. This accords with the Scriptural injunction to "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17).
It is clear that sin endangers sickness and culminates into death. But man is not helpless because our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus who says in essence, "I am the Way, Truth, and Life, and whosever believes in me shall not perish but have everlasting life." Believing in Him, means to love him; and loving him means to keep his commandments: "to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your Soul, and with all your might, and to love your neighbour as yourself."
Enjoy a blissful ride onto healthiness, in the Name of Jesus Christ, A-men.

Why this silence?

When crises loomed in Kenya, we all shouted, foul! Today, a more humanitarian situation is looming in Zimbabwe, like a time bomb that will not take long to explode. And nobody seems to be talking about it. Could we possibly be overwhelmed with a situation we are already acquainted with? Who does not know that Mr. Mugabe will prefer to cling on to power, even while within the portals of the grand leveler of all human greatness - death? Who does not know that he would exploit the arrogance of his unrepentant neighbour to smuggle arms with which to scare his opponents into flight? Who does not know that the South African mascot will pretend to be too busy to call his friend to order, or at least summon other SADC heads of state to speak his mind? Who will bell the cat? The United Nations certainly has a jurisdiction on this matter. What are they waiting for? And above all, what are Zimbabweans in exile there for? Don't they have a network that can combine efforts to invoke an ouster clause on an illegal regime. The election results so far indicate that Mugabe has no right to remain in the State House. He is in a terrible state of shock to the realisation that the mammoth crowd that was singing his eulogy at the campaigns, went into the voting booth to speak the truth to their conscience. Once the people whose interest and destiny are at stake have spoken, what moral justification does anyone else have in condemning the opposition or the West? We are aware of the suppressed press in the jungle called Rhodesia, but what use is the Worldwide-web if the journalists in that enclave cannot use it effectively to speak out? They only need to act as whistle-blowers and leave the amplification to the rest of their compatriots around the globe. Or have those Zims in exile opted to play second fiddle in foreign land? More questions than answers. Where there is a will, there certainly is a way.

POSTERITY

Discussing posterity is like embarking on a journey that will never come to an end. Before this generation came to be, our forebearers had constantly been moralized on the virtue of bequeathing a noble legacy for posterity. This appeal conjectures a homo sapiens personification. The call extends beyond the present generation and will continue through generations yet unborn. Posterity therefore, seems like a persona non grata hence the abject neglect or nonchalant attitude towards it. The truth is that posterity is to human existence what tweedledee is to tweedledum. It could be called a two-edged sword sort of phenomenon. We could also liken it to the chicken-egg relationship. It does not matter which is first. What is important is that both depend on one another for propagation of their generations.
It is hard to say whether posterity is there because of anterior generations or successive ones. Whichever it may be, posterity is there to serve both interests. To the one side of the divide, it is like a motivating factor against insensitiveness, greed, self-centredness and reckless living. Were it not for the sake of posterity, people would perchance bother less about toiling beyond putting some meal on the family lunch table or having just enough clothes to cover the body, until they breathe their last. Civilisation and technological advancement would have been adversely undermined but for posterity. Morality would have been thrown to the dogs because people would care less about the consequences of any irrational behaviour. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” would have assumed centre stage.
To the other side of the equilateral demarcation, posterity, assuming a human face and staring humanity eyeball to eyeball says, “See what I have done for your sake. What do you intend to do about improving on it?”
While whipping up emotions of gratitude, it serves to motivate or challenge humanity towards greater endeavour. This leaves a trail of unbroken chain of cause and effect, action and reaction. It is not in all circumstances, though, that posterity posits itself in the past and point to the future. The very fact that this journal is being put together is for posterity. Wise people will glean through the pages and decipher something that will have some impact on their lives. Generations yet unborn will read and thank goodness for ancient wisdom. Posterity exists in the immediate.
Posterity in itself is an embodiment of virtue, but the misinterpretation of it has led to so many negative tendencies. Otherwise, what would make a man seek to perpetuate himself in political office as purported president of a country whereas he is only trying to amass wealth for a micro unit of posterity – his immediate family to the disadvantage of the greater human factor – the nation at large?
If man had the option of choosing to live beyond the prescribed age of one hundred and twenty years (see Genesis chapter 3 verse 6), it would make sense to see why people build reinforced concrete mansions with state of the art gadgets. Or why a nation would want to plant a piece of flag on the surface of the moon or under the sea bed to colonize a territory. This is not to suggest that interterrestrial explorations are not necessary. But when it goes beyond serving the overall interest of humanity, it becomes an obsession.
There are three major factors that impel humans towards doing things for posterity. One, some religious fanatics believe that the revelation of John in the Book of Apocalypse has numbered them among those that will inherit the “new earth.” (ibid. 11:10; 20:4; 21:21-27). Every attempt made by these set of believers towards discovering the earth is to preserve their dream home. I am not to judge the rightness of that Biblical interpretation or otherwise, but when we cast our mind back to the Guyana tragedy of recent memory which was based on an erroneous interpretation of the Scriptures, we can clearly see where these could lead us to. The Guyana sect was a bunch of greedy people who did not want to leave anything for posterity. They would rather embark on wanton destruction of their possessions and finally taking their own lives, their offspring’s, everything. But they inadvertently left a history for posterity to learn from and be wiser.
The second reason has to do with tradition which behoves us to “let our children enjoy better opportunities than we have.” This is like a moral obligation which one is not bound to uphold except to the extent of ones understanding and moral rectitude. Let me quickly say that morality to me is the Eldorado of the Golden Rule which says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Every facet of moral ethics is hinged on this premise. Society would brand a person who lives on inheritance and fails to contribute to the advancement of humanity as a lazy gold digger; which remark is in itself derogatory. Therefore, even some fortunate ones who happen to have benefited directly from the benevolence of posterity or the goodwill of their ancestors, almost always strive to maintain a status quo to ensure that the baton does not stop changing hands by their own ineptitude, because of the saying that to whom much is given, much is expected.
The third factor that has served to foster posterity can be linked to economic prosperity. When people have more than a lifetime’s sufficiency, the tendency is to invest and reinvest. Even when some sum is stalked away in security vaults, it still benefits the overall interest of the populace through the law of multiplier effect in Economics. This situation can best be likened to the legendary dog that follows an overfed person in the hope that if he doesn’t defecate, he would vomit. Either way, there will be food for the dog.
It has often been said of naïve persons that “posterity will demand explanation.” This statement which again gives posterity a human face has its beneficial value. It has been a constant reminder against incredulity.
Some sceptics would ask, “Where is posterity?” Let such a sadist look around him and see suffering humanity scavenging rubbish dumps for food to eat. Look at the carnage on our roads resulting from neglected or badly finished road networks. Go to the hospices, prisons yards and orphanages and see suffering humanity most of who are in conditions not of their own making. Look around the countryside and see the absence of essential facilities and infrastructures. It is not unusual to see a family that is despised and isolated by other members of society because some despicable legacy had been bequeathed by some unscrupulous forebearer. There are abounding instances of abandoned mansions which nobody would want to live in because of the belief that it is being haunted by some mysterious forces. There are cases of girls born to some families who could hardly find a suitor except some gluttonous stranger because they stand accursed and consequently would spell doom to any one who dares to associate with them. There are communities that suffer underdevelopment on account of unfulfilled pledges by their ancestors to some serious moral obligations that have spiritual implications. In their minds, this unfortunate lot is asking the endless question, “Where is God in all these? What has happened to the promise of a good life? What have I done to deserve suffering in this manner? What unseen hand could be responsible for my plight? And a myriad of unvoiced lamentations keep reverberating into space. In Christiandom, this endless agony is referred to as witnessing against evil, and it doesn't go forth without attracting severe penalties on the evil-doer. One does not need to look far for evidences of posterity demanding explanation. Because they would not come to look us in the face and point accusing fingers is no reason to believe that perpetrators of evil can go unpunished. In her literary work, Science & Health with key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, “Thoughts unspoken are not unknown to the divine Mind” (Page 1 line 10).
Look at the contrasting picture of another group who has not considered it a virtue to live for the sake of others, no matter in what insignificant measure. It is to them that posterity is directing the unspoken question. I can hear someone repeat the Abel response, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9(b).
When it comes to time of reckoning, posterity will certainly demand of us what footprint we have left on the sands of time. If we happen not to find ourselves on the two extremes, we should expect to hear our Lord saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Mathew 25:21).

BANK ROBBERY IN COTONOU

Between 15.00 hours and 15.30 local time on April 1, 2008, the city of Cotonou was greeted with an unprecedented commando-style armed robbery. Some robbers numbering about fifteen had anchored at the lagoon which constitutes the eastern border of the Dantokpa international market within the city centre. They looked like other fishermen and passenger ferry boats who disembark by that harbour to enter the market. So, it was difficult to suspect anything uncommon except that their speed boats’ engines never stopped running.
Their destination was two international banks located within twenty meters of each other within the main bowl of the Dantokpa market. Within less than two minutes of assuming strategic positions, the robbers who were apparently heavily armed with automatic sub-machine guns and some AK-47 simultaneously fired warning shots and ordered everyone in the banks to stay quiet. They then went ahead to amass every cash they could lay hands on including from customers who had not yet handed theirs to the Bank cashiers. Operations ended, the robbers then engaged in sporadic firing, shattering doors and protective gates in their bid to escape. While people dived into nearest hidings for dear lives, the robbers sped off to their waiting flying boats and disappeared into the high sea.
The Manager of the Dantokpa branch of Diamond Bank and his staff were in a very traumatic state of mind to speak to anyone. All he could tell me as I pressed to get some bit of information was that they had a hierarchy in the bank, and I should rather approach their headquarters to speak with the Public Relations Officer. As at the time of filing in this report, all the Banks branches have been placed under lock and key. The Police Commissioner at the Dantokpa post told me that his men had not arrived at any conclusive reports, and so could not risk any incorrect information.
All the traders and business people within the two adjoining international markets had thronged to the scene of the incidence to see things for themselves, as there had never been any robbery of its kind before in the city. When I tried to speak with some of them, they were unanimous in condemning the general security situation in the city. They were of the opinion that if there had been adequate security, such an incident could not have taken place. Meanwhile there has not been any word as to how much money had been taken away by the robbers. But on a usual Tuesday (which records high traffic on account of traders coming from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina-Fasso), the takes are always higher than other days of the week. Therefore, the robbers must have taken this trend into consideration before embarking on their operation.

LATEST ON THE BANK ROBBERY

The "James Bond" style of escape by the daylight bank robbers in Cotonou yesterday still holds the populace spellbound. This morning, people are apprehensive of opening their business houses. They just gather around in clusters, discussing the dramatic event of yesterday. Armed security officials are being noticed at all the Bank premises, which had not been a common feature in the past.
The Police Commissioner at the Central Police station has confirmed that four (4) persons have been taken into custody for questioning in connection with the said robbery. The suspects are said to be some members of the gang who could not hasten into the speed boat as it hurried away with their loot. These four men therefore decided to join their group at some predesignated spot but were unfortunately caught within three kilometres on their way outside the city. Some of the evidences found in their possession include locally made shortguns and packets of unused ammunition.
What appears to be collateral damage resulting from the robbers fire power include two soldiers identified as Houssou Fiarc and Eric, whom the robbers perceived as potential impediment to their escape bid and sought to get rid of them. The two soldiers are reported to have died from gun shot wounds and have been deposited at the University Teaching Hospital where two other women are still being treated for serious bullet wounds.
Bureau de Change operators in the informal sector who have their shops or stalls right in front of the motorway that passes through the market have got stories of having been robbed during that operation.

Missing Original Certificates

Originals of Educational certificates belonging to one TRACY BAVINGTON, taken at CRESTWOOD School, have been found, and are now in safe hands, awaiting delivery to anybody who can give convincing proof of ownership. They include:

1. Certificate of Secondary Education
2. Computer Awareness certificate
3. General Certificate of Education - English
4. Pitmans Examinations Institute - Typewriting

URANIUM IN NIGERIA (The Gains and the Pains)

URANIUM FIND in Nigeria

We are simulating something closely resembling the spiritual term ‘omniscience’ by being able to share vast amounts of information over tremendous networks. Nineteenth century concepts of what was called a ‘billiard board universe’ has dissolved into relativity and the more recent so-called ‘principle of uncertainty.’ As a result, the atom has split, atomic and nuclear energy are being tapped to increase by a vast degree the availability of physical power which has already leapt over great barriers. Yet the general feeling is that we have been able to chip away only a few fragments from the mountain of knowledge. Looming ahead of us, practically intact, lies a huge mass of fundamental facts any one of which, if uncovered, could change our civilization in a manner never before known.
Whereas these developments portend of high economic gains, political superiority amongst equals, security advantage, et cetera, one cannot loose sight of the adverse consequences that could result from a misuse or deliberate abuse. Fire, they say, is a good servant, but could be a very stubborn master. In Nigeria, gas, a by-product of oil exploitation, is being burnt off because oil companies neither utilize nor recycle it. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company says that about 40 percent of gas produced in the country -- almost 23 billion cubic metres -- is burned annually. The World Bank estimates that Nigeria loses about 2.5 billion dollars annually to gas flare. This is the same gas successive governments have pledged to pipe down to factories and kitchens across some four countries within the West African sub-region, to wit, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Senegal. During an interview with one of Nigeria's past President, I was told that agreements have been signed and that laying of the pipes would start in ernest. That was some five years ago, but the project still remains a pipe-dream. In addition to oil, Nigeria also has gold reserves and arableland suitable for commercial exploitation. These resources, if properly harnessed, will make Nigeria less dependent on oil which accounts for more than 90% (ninety per cent of her total revenue).

Only recently, it has been reported that Uranium deposits have been discovered in some six states of Nigeria by the Atomic Energy Division of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. This silvery-white radioactive metallic element was first discovered in the Liruai hills in Kano state and in the Kigo hills near Dorowa on the Jos plateau. Other states where the find have been reported are Adamawa, Cross River, Taraba and Bauchi respectively. This indeed is a heart-warming news not only to the federal government but to the people of the concerned states. At least the derivation revenue accruing to mineral-based states is going to boost the coffers of the states’ Treasury. To the country at large, this means a drastic shift from the problematic crude oil sector to some less competitive enterprise.
According to studies, not many countries of the world are endowed with the radioactive mineral which makes Uranium highly priced and of high value. It is obtained from the ore uranite which occurs in small bodies of granite containing pyrochlore with 3.3 per cent uranium oxide, 3.3 per cent thorium oxide and 41.1 per cent niobium and tantalum oxides.
However, uranium mining being an area of significant interest in the world at present, it is necessary to inform and assist the resident communities (potential victims of radiation) identify the key issues and rights associated with uranium mining. It is important that while the named communities are counting their Dollars that will come by way of derivative allocation, they should also consider and properly understand the USES, GAINS as well as related health HAZARDS of this highly priced mineral deposit and that the determination of their future should be arrived at soberly and appropriately.
It should be known and properly understand that uranium mining has stimulated immense distress in respect to environmental and radiation aspects over the last three decades around the globe.
Indeed, from the economic perspective it is clear there might be an opportunity for countries endowed with this mineral deposit to profit immensely from its exploitation. However, it is necessary to raise this supreme and most fundamental question whether or not the economic benefits outweigh the social concerns and hazards considering that the life span could only be between 10-12 years.
The government and the general public should be aware that:
Uranium mining carries the danger of airborne radioactive dust and the release of radioactive radon gas and its decay products which is hazardous to the general public and workers.
Uranium has radiological consequences for employees if not well protected risking development of lung cancer and other pulmonary diseases.
There will be contamination of water resource use with the toxic chemicals used in the separation of the uranium ore.
Mismanagement of uranium disposal waste from leaching ore can have long term health and environmental consequences.
Environmentalists and Environmental protection Agencies as well as Human Rights Organisations and other concerned Non-governmental organisations might not achieve every goal and may concede to lack of scientific and legal authority to realize the necessary goals immediately but, assistance and assurance from the relevant authorities that fight to preserve and monitor the environment for posterity will certainly come. With the visit to China of President Yar'adua last February, it is expected that Nigeria should be able to diversify her mineral exploitation to include URANIUM. Moreover, the electricity crisis which has become almost the country's middle name could be laid to eternal rest if the potentialities of uranium are fully exploited.

REINCARNATION

Websters dictionary of the English language defines Reincarnation as the re-birth of a Soul on earth in a new body after death. That goes to suggest that for reincarnation to take place, one must first die. It also suggests that the experience must be manisfested on the body. Thirdly, it points to the fact that it is the 'soul' that reincarnates. Based on this premise, one would have sharply responded that this is a non-issue since the death phenomenon is merely an illusion, which is to say, there is no death, neither could there be any reincarnation since it is the former that gives rise to the latter. When the subject of pre-existence is brought up, sometimes there is the inclination to think that it implies previous existence in the flesh, whereas man doesn’t live in the flesh even now. You will never understand the fact of man’s pre-existence so long as you believe in time. Divine consciousness is from everlasting to everlasting. But that is now. A single statement by Jesus Chist the Master Physician will elucidate this argument further, "Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had before ever the world was." (John 17:1-5). Life, not only that of Christ Jesus, has no beginning and can never come to an end through what is called 'death'. One moment of divine consciousness will wipe out centuries of false belief. I would therefore urge my reader to maintain an open and unbiased mind until we get to the conclusion of this discourse.
This subject has evoked a lot of controversy oner centuries. There are more than four schools of thought that have propounded varying theories; most presenting only a physical manifestation as their evidence.
The Indians of Sikih and Hindu religions are said to hold the belief that a human soul can reincarnate into a cow or bull, hence the level of veneration and kind treatment they accord these animals.The elephant is treated as a sacred member of the Indian household because of the same belief that it might be one of their reincarnated ones. Their ceremony of cremating the body of dead people speaks a lot.The fire is to burn off all dross material as with cleansing from accummulated sins while the sprinkling of the ashes to the ganges is symbolical of final purification to facilitate the reincarnation process. If one were to follow the evolution theory, it would sound absurd that a 'soul' that has evolved through the lower stages from apes to human should degenerate to a level lesser than human. Let's leave that part to evolutionists for now.
Christians are divided on this issue, with less than ten percent timidly harbouring some notion favourable to the phenomenon known as reincarnation. This insignificant number of believers hinge their argument on some New Testament passages of the Bible where the disciples of Jesus asked Him who had sinned, that a young man would be born blind. (John 9:2). It is argued that this question reveals that the Hebrews of that age did believe that actions of men in any cycle of earthly existence contributed in determining the nature of their next level of reincarnation. Fortunately, Jesus could not corroborate that belief. He would rather turn their attention to the fact that such occurences only provided an opportunity for demonstration of the healing power. Another passage of interest is the last Book of the Old Testament, Malachi 4:5 which says, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." At the time of that promise, Elijah had long passed on from physical existence. Therefore, it stands to reason that he was meant to reincarnate in another form to fulfill the promise in Malachi. This text is further supported by another encounter between the followers of Jesus Christ and their Master when he enquired of them who people say he is, and they answered - Elias, John the Baptist, Jeremias or one of the prophets. Christians try as much to avoid discussing these texts in-depth to avoid being labelled "infidel."
Another belief which is strongly held by majority of Africans even before the advent of western forms of religion has it that people can have a rebirth manifested in the physical realm up to seven incarnations. Their only proof lies in some character traits exhibited by a newborn baby. Another almost convincing evidence borders on physical appearances closely identical to that which had been noticed on some departed family members. This belief is so strong that some people would name their new born child after the one suspected to have reincarnated him or her. They would look out for certain behaviours and would easily try to match some coincidental gestures as proof of divine return of a loved one. Such souls are always treated with the utmost respect lest they depart prematurely in protest for being despised.
The fourth premise upon which I wish to consider this subject derives from the writings of a nineteenth century Metaphysician whose names appears on the American Women Hall of fame for her revolutionary discovery. Reverend Mary Baker Eddy writes in her ground-breaking exposition, Science & Health with key to the Scriptures, "As a man falleth asleep, so shall he be after death, until probation and growth shall effect the needed change. Mind never becomes dust. No resurrection from the grave awaits Mind or Life, for the grave has no power over either." (ibid. Page 291 lines 22 - 27). This interpretation is derived from the Book of Ecclesiastes chapter 11 verse 3, "In the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be." Hers is not an argument in favour of or against reincarnation. She speaks in what the Scriptures call "a new tongue" as with the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. She is speaking of deathlessness as she succinctly explains on Page 289 of the same Book, "The fact that the Christ, or Truth, overcame and still overcomes death proves the 'king of terrors' to be but a mortal belief, or error, which Truth destroys with the spiritual evidences of Life; and this shows that what appears to the senses to be death is but a mortal illusion, for to the real man and the real universe there is not death-process." She concludes that "God's universe (including man), is spiritual and immortal."

I have searched the Scriptures and have found that Mary Baker's argument coincides with the first description of man as "created by the Word of mouth proceeding from God" as recorded in the Book of Genesis chapter 1 verses 26 and 27. If God made man in His own image and after His likeness, and God is a Spirit, therefore, it follows that man is spiritual and deathless. God is not an anthropomorphic being. How then can we believe in the death of that which is deathless? For reincarnation to take place, according to the proponents of that ideology, man/woman must first die. This can not be a possibility since death, as we know it, does not exist.
We must learn to believe in Life which is eternal and the real, more than we believe in what is termed death, which is only a passage from one stage of mortal existence to another, not much different from a clown leaving the stage to reappear and mix up with the audience at the lobby, wearing a gentleman's atire and looking like any other person in the crowd. Unrecognised by the crowd, he still moves in their midst, carrying within his memory all the tricks that made him a focal point some few moments ago on stage, although unable to register the same impression as he moves along doing other activities of ordinary life.