The Biblical Vs Colonial Jesus: A Profound Enlightenment

By George Kimando

I was forwarded this story by a friend who thought it would interest me. And sure it did, hugely so. It’s attributed to one Roseline K. Njogu whom i have never met, but the beauty of her narration and the theological issues it elicited simply arrested my thoughts.

It’s an issue ever close to my heart in my spiritual journey: the disconnect between the beautiful message of Christ and the manner in which it came to us, rendering many Africans pseudo atheists in its very practice.

Listen to her.

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About fifteen years ago, I gave my grandmother, Raeri, a makeover. I was a fun loving 21 or so year old and Raeri was a beautiful soul in and out.

I took off her headscarf, combed and styled her all grey hair, put a little makeup and earrings too.

At the end of our time together, she thanked me gently, spat on my hands (that is how Meru elders bless you) and started to remove her earrings.

“Please keep them,” I said.

“Oh no dear. I stopped wearing these when I found Jesus,” she said.

I stopped. I couldn’t understand what she meant. What did Jesus have to do with the earrings?

Over the years I heard more of these “earrings” stories. Often, but not always, from older Christians.

Oh, we don’t pay dowry. We are Christians.

We can’t circumcise our boys in that manner. We are Christians now.

I changed my name when I got married to Kamau because of my faith.

She doesn’t have a Christian name? You’re only calling her Mwende?

Over the years, I picked a running theme: that the African culture was incompatible with Jesus.

Jesus is the reason we have white weddings with veils, but we consider Itegas, Koitos, ruracios, nkuranos etc “Pre-wedding” events and unchristian.

Jesus is the reason we don’t drink busaa/muratina/marwa, but have a glass of wine or a cocktail.

Jesus is the reason our children are baptised Jayden, Carol, Michelle and Liam but not Maina, Gatwiri, Kemboi or Tirindi.

Is Jesus Western?

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the Jesus of the Bible, the Middle Eastern brown man of meagre means, and the Jesus my grandmother and all these others speak of, are evidently different.

The Biblical Jesus spends his days with fishermen, teaching people, and holding babies on his lap.

He goes to weddings and “chafuas” the table. He is shockingly egalitarian. Scandalously loving. Controversial and non-traditional. He is so attractive!

Not so with the Colonial Jesus.

The Jesus that came strapped to the ships of empires is a hard man! A hard God to please!

He demands that we stop being Africans and be European or American, depending on the ship your particular brand of Jesus docked your shores on.

He demands that you call your children Mary, Jack, Jayden and Lillian. He demands that you don’t wear African earrings.

He demands that you don’t drink your Muratina or dance Mwomboko, but is okay with a glass of wine at a dance gala.

The Colonial Jesus says: “come unto me oh wretched African, and I will make you white”.

The Biblical Jesus set women free. He let women of questionable morals wash his feet. He forgave and covered the adulteress and shone a light on the sin of her accuser’s hearts. He chose to appear to women first when He rose from the dead. This Jesus is good for women.

The Colonial Jesus tells women to quietly take their husband’s beatings. He says they are not people. They can’t own property.

He says that black bodies are not worthy unless they are whitened, and all African-ness gone from them.

This Colonial Jesus is an in imposter. And we are unable to see the beauty of the Biblical Jesus because the colonizer colonized religion, and fashioned Jesus in his own image.

And the resulting creature cannot save, cannot redeem, cannot set free.

For you see, the Colonial Jesus, like his inventor, is an oppressor.

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I had nothing much more useful to add. This has been one of the biggest drawbacks in understanding Christianity, and the beautiful message of Christ.

The colonist used Christianity to subjugate the African and facilitate colonisation. I actually suspect the Bible itself may have been corrupted to skew it in favour of the colonizer.

Many people never reconciled how a people preaching a Gospel of love (the colonist) would be so atrocious in the manner in which they treated others (the colonised). Hence, you find most atheists are in Africa.

The beautiful message of Christ (love for God and for neighbour) has deep resonance with our own African religion: love and care for family, and for fellow wo/man.

Which Jesus do you follow?

Have an enlightened Sunday, and a great week ahead.

And happy belated Jamhuri day Kenyans!