Rebuttal: We voted for bread and butter, not a Cathedral

This is a rebuttal to an article titled 'The argument against the National Cathedral is lame', published on myjoyonline.com on 16 January 2019.

The writer suggests that building a "Cathedral is not second to bread and butter issues" amidst other points in favour of a National Cathedral.

He further supports his claim by quoting scripture from Haggai 1:2-11, which entails God's admonishment of the Jews through Haggai, after they returned from Babylon and had built expensive houses for themselves but had 'neglected' the temple of God.

The Jews were struggling to make ends meet so Haggai told them to put God 'first' and 'rebuild' the temple and God would richly bless them.

But before I proceed I must say I'm no theologian.

I believe it is an open secret that the Mosaic dispensation, which relates to Moses or to the Torah (the Five Books of Moses); especially, relating to the laws given in the Torah until Jesus Christ came is similar but not the same.

Let's read what Jesus said to the Samaritan Woman at the well;

Jesus said to her: Believe me, the time will come when you won't worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans don't really know the one you worship. But we Jews do know the one we worship, and by using us, God will save the world. But a time is coming, and it is already here! Even now the true worshippers are being led by the spirit according to the truth. These are the ones the Father is seeking to worship Him. John 4:21-23.

Please follow me to Galatians 5: 22, where a true apostle of Christ, Paul talks about what the Spirit of God exhibits. "God's spirit makes us loving happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled."

How many of the 71 per cent Ghanaians who are Christians exhibit these values?

Should we pine for these values as a people or a Cathedral?

Moreover, Christ has made it clear, the Spirit of God does not dwell in temples.

It is true. There are more Christian task payers in the country. So a call for a National Cathedral by Christians wouldn't be wrong.

But are Christians in this country yearning for a Cathedral as some people will like us to believe. Or is it an imposition of someone's wish on Christians and the county at large?

We voted for what we want not for the wishes and pledges of someone to manifest.

Ghanaians want the manifesto to manifest fully.

According to the Ghana Statistical Service, 6.8 million people representing 23.4 per cent of the entire Ghanaian population are poor. This means they couldn't spend 4.82 cedis per day in 2016/2017.

Another 2.4 million people representing 8.2 per cent are languishing in abject poverty. These people couldn't afford 3 cedis worth of food daily in the same period.

So if a government promised to deliver the people from this misery should its focus not be on the bread and butter issues?

Let me leave you with a  poem by the late Prof. Kofi Awunoor,

"The Cathedral"

On this dirty patch

a tree once stood

shedding incense on the infant corn;

its boughs stretched across a heaven

brightened by the last fires of a tribe.

They sent surveyors and builders

who cut that tree

planting in its place

a huge senseless cathedral of doom.

 

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