Re: Spirituality Must be Homegrown to be Effective

In order to clarify what I was saying earlier. I referred to 'a form of animism' since it is my understanding that Animism like all other religions has various sects, some more negative than others. I also stated about animism that is practised today 'that does not serve their spiritual advancement, or result in sufficient real social benefits' It would seem that since Animism is no longer main stream in Africa, what survives has degenerated and can no longer serve the spiritual needs of society. How could it? For any religion to remain relevant it has to keep on redefining itself,reinterpreting the world in the light of ever increasing knowledge like some sectors of Christianity does. (Christianity usually veheminently oppose any new sociological or scientific development, but they then embrace it about thirty years after everyone else, and then take credit for bringing it about, eg. abolition of slavery) So since Animism has become an underground religion, the input from the intelligensia would not be available to it. This age calls for rationality. I do not equate rationality with the former colonial masters, because most of what they did was done in the name of religion underpinned by the horrific, them - and - us mentality encouraged by the biblical revelation and myths. They could settle lands already occupied by people and annihilate them with the assurance coming from scriptures like 'God has laid up the riches of the ungodly for the righteous.' Of course the righteous being themselves. There was nothing rational or moral about that.

What I see as its main failing in the past,is that it was so spirit oriented, yet did not prepare the people to understand the western mind through discernment, or even revelation. Most societies still seem to feel a need for organised religion. To have one of their own making would be a better choice than jumping on the bandwagon of the tribal gods of Christianity or Islam. In my opinion though the old indigenous religious dogmas will need some reworking.