Senior Pastor of Christ Tower of Grace, Rev. Emil Clad, has urged Christians to desist from insults in politics as Christianity has no place for invectives, especially against leaders. According to him, the situation where people insult their leaders at will is becoming commonplace in Ghana, and it is even more disturbing when Christians engage in such name-calling. This, he says is an affront to the teachings of Christ.
“You see Christians these days insulting leaders, presidents. It is wrong for anybody to insult another person. It is even worse when Christians who are supposed to know better, insult their leaders. This has no place in Christianity.”
He however clarified that while there is nothing wrong with critiquing policies, programs, actions and conduct of parties and persons and leaders running them, this should never degenerate into insults.
Rev. Clad regretted that the church is being compromised, and has even taken sides which is making it increasingly difficult for it to call out wrong behaviour.
“The church must be the standard for everything that is good and if it is being compromised by its conduct and a quest to look good in the books of politicians, then there is a problem. These days we don’t have people who will say this is wrong, we will not allow it,” Rev Clad observed.
Ghana is currently in the process of healing from a fiercely fought election with some protests across the country in dispute of the election results as declared by the Electoral Commission. There are indications that the election may eventually be determined by the Supreme Court.
Delivering a sermon on Sunday on the theme, ‘how to love’, Rev. Emil Clad, said it is important to work against offending others as offences breed hatred which may lead to other unfortunate consequences. He observed that the swelling tension owing to partisan politics must be de-escalated and a good way to begin is to avoid insults and apply wisdom to speech.
“Sometimes when you hear some people talk, you will think they own the country. Ghana does not belong to any one individual. It belongs to all of us, and it belongs to God. Bible says the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. Stoking fire with insults and unguarded speech because of politics cannot be right. Ghana must learn how to walk in love.”
A starting point to walking in love is to avoid insults and offending people, he said.