The Chairperson/President,
Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU)
Kampala.
Dear Sir,
This is an open letter though addressed to you in particular but copied to your fellow Inter-Religious Council members. First of all, I’m not happy the way you have handled the COVID-19 pandemic issue in Uganda as Senior Spiritual Leaders that are entrusted by Jesus Christ your Master to give spiritual guidance and guidelines to the political leadership and all the flocks of Jesus Christ and most especially in a such exasperating and hard-hitting time like this one of national lockdown. Are you aware that the flock you are called to shepherd are going through hell both spiritually and physically? Are you aware that some of your flock have lost their lives, been displaced, scattered, sick, others have gone hungry as a result of lack of the shepherd to feed them spiritually?
Are you aware that some of your flock have been forced to run out of marriages because of the financial hardships caused by the pandemic, others committed suicide, children abducted and sacrificed, murdered, wives battered and maimed by their husbands, souls are going without food and water, among several other troubles and tragic situations for the last 90 days or so of the uncalled national lockdown.
Are you aware that you and your team have suffocated the Church and houses of worship and you are the trouble causer of this innocent blood shed, family breakages, murders, forced sexual sins that have happened during this time and are still happening now in Uganda etc? ASK me why?
It’s true there was an outbreak of CORONA VIRUS globally and Uganda in particular, you were then invited by the H.E the President of Uganda at State House Entebbe between and or around 15th March, 2020 for instructions and or consultations as he did to other key stakeholders’ in Uganda. Politely, what was his introductory words after settling down before you in that very meeting room? When he finished addressing you, what was your input or response? And what was the way forward? Men of God!!
Whatever emerged during that meeting and the closing prayer one of you could have made either puts back Christ on the Cross or it undressed you before Him and disowned you as you disowned Him before your beloved President but all in the name of FEAR, UNGODLY CONTROL, INTIMIDATION, COMPROMISE AND WORTHLESS CHEAP FAVORS. You feared Man and you gave out your flock to the wolves and total misery they are going through. The church, the church of Christ was handed over during that meeting to be pastored by His Excellency and be ushered by his team of Mafias and greedy Ministers whose planning and execution of such national plague and levels are below of a primary pupil. You are the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of God’s indignation (Ezek 22:24).
You ultimately decided to listen sheepishly, you went mute before him like a troubled and a handphone that has gone out of network just because of the sin of compromise and gave out the people of God to die, go without food, their wives being snatched by the well to do greedy and evil men who have plundered the nation to zero; to the extent of borrowing over Shs 6 trillion in only 78 days to fight COVID-19.
You have not only sinned against God but also against the entire nation of Uganda and most especially the people you shepherd. You acted like how David acted before Prophet Nathan in 1Sam12:13-15. You feared a mere man and never exercised your mandated biblical authority. Did you even ask the Holy Spirit immediately he called you and or when you were on the way going to meet him and or during his briefing what was the Holy Spirit saying in tandem to the H.Es instructions of closing worship places? Or you were excited to meet the big man in anticipation for economic bribery.
When Saul feared people and never killed other animals as directed by the Lord, God never forgave him. The spirit of compromise. He feared people and his Kingdom was taken away from him (1Sam 15:24-29). You sold your flock to the hands of the enemy as the Bible puts it right in Proverbs 29:24-27 thus, “Whosoever is partner with a thief hates his own soul: he hears cursing, and betrays it not. The fear of man brings a snare: but whosoever puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Many seek the ruler’s favor: but every man’s judgement comes from the Lord. An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked” (KJV).
Remember, the scripture says, “And the servant who knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes (Lk 12:47). Its evident that you conspired with the Head of State to spiritually, economically and politically bring all Ugandans under their knees using your God given offices well knowing that we who are so inferior to you have nothing to do at the end of the day.
There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey, they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the profane, neither have they shown difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and am profaned among them. The princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And the prophets have daubed them with untempered mortal, saying vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, thus says the Lord God, when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yeah, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully (Ezek 22:25-29).
In the event that such evil things have happened in this country as you watch quietly yet you are God’s watchmen over His people as the Bible puts it right His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber (Isaiah 56;10). What does Isaiah say in 62:6, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day nor night: you that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence”. (Other Refs: Jer. 6:17, 31:6, Song of Songs 5:7, 2Kgs 17:9). You ought to reconvene your meeting immediately and defend the spiritual God given rights and authority over such kind of abuse by the caress State that is now in the hands and wise leadership backed by the “Bachwezi” as rightly put right by Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba Muhoozi! If you do not do this, the Good Lord will still use another person (s) as in the case of Esther 4:14. Who knows, what if it’s the time for the Lord to reclaim His honor after all it has been replaced by the “Bachwezi”?
You need to quickly set up a standard upon the walls of Uganda, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord has both devised and done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of this Country (Jer 51:4). The Full Gospel Church leadership of early ‘70s under the leadership of Bishop Mutebi and others stood against the Church tyrant (Idd Amin) in the broad day light and the Church stood to date. I know your problems…. resist cheap favors and “gonja” from God’s enemies and live or the Hand of God will raise against you. Are you preparing for the great revival in Uganda of 2022 or your preparing and devising means of lying the President to steal his money and help yourselves and your families using the name and titles of your Churches?
Note: From time immemorial, it’s the cardinal responsibility of the church through its leadership that must guide, direct and control the political leadership of its excessive oppression, robbery, unjustified murders of innocent souls, economic hardships, political persecutions etc. Where is the Church in Uganda apart from conducting prayers in your homes, social media and concert prayer fellowships at State House? Did God call you to distribute buckets of soap, sugar and beans and posho to His people? Is that the key role He called you for? Or you just disorganize yourselves into unnecessary responsibilities to justify your double-edged faces? Conspirators! Conspirators of the Cross!
In conclusion therefore, if you have run out of the wisdom and boldness, ask for it from the Holy Spirit. He is the Chief Helper, Comforter and Intercessor to help you instead of making yourselves so supernatural and destroy the whole Nation. Or consult other spiritual leaders in your relevant Ministries and be humble enough to accept responsibility because you are just human beings who can error!
In addition, our spirituality defines our person and determines how we live, relate and work as Christians and as priests of God. Abraham Maslow is quoted as having said, “The spiritual life is ….part of the human essence. It’s a defining characteristic of human nature, without which human nature is not fully human”. A person with an unhealthy spiritual life will find it hard to live a healthy life and to maintain healthy relationships with others. A healthy spiritual has at least three important components: the knowledge of God (which is more than knowing about God-mere information about God: the understanding of the self; and a growing, appreciated relationship with others).
As I may speak of three different lifestyles of a priest: a life style of “soldier”, a life style of a “slave”, and a life style of a ‘servant”. These terms, soldier, slave, servant, signify the personality or personhood of a priest in relation to Christ, to God and to the people of God. When we are not sure or aware of how we are related to Christ (to God), a lot of things may go wrong. Even Jesus had a question to His disciples directly, “What about you?’ Jesus asked them. “What do you say am?” We are not only to know who Jesus, but also who we are in Jesus? Whether as the lay faithful or as the Priests of God we are deeply and truly spiritual human beings. This point makes a great difference in all we are and in all we do or say in His life. Elaborating on the spiritual dimension of our lives at all times and space. Keneth C. Haugk writes;
Everyone’s life has a spiritual dimension. God persists in revealing this dimension wherever and whenever he can, despite society’s continual efforts to thwart him. As one who seeks to care for others as a Christian, you need to be ready to relate to the deep spiritual needs of others. Your readiness to do so will be communicated to others by the climate of acceptance and encouragement you create, by your sensitivity to opportunities to raise the issue, and by your willingness to take whatever time is necessary”.
Lastly, its critical to bear in mind that our spirituality’s highly implicated in how we use or misuse, honor or dishonor, respect or disrespect, celebrate or desecrate our times and our spaces. Time and space are sacred realities we share with God and with others in life. We keep them alive or dead, helpful or harmful, peaceful or poisoned, etc. It’s a choice. Jesus calls his disciples to servanthood ministry, not servitude or soldier.
Blessings,
Pastor Tumusiime Abel (PhD)
General Overseer,
Divine Center Ministries International (DCMI)
Tel: 0772079019
Email: abeltumudiime774@gmail.com
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