Bickering among religious organizations

“EXTREMISM in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue – Barry Goldwater

I have kept an eye on speeches of Miyetti Allah and JNI every time there is heart rending crisis with a religious flavor in Nigeria. Far removed is the herdsmen attack on helpless people in Benue State. There are too many to call to mind in this medium. I am shocked at the brazen disrespect to the dead and the half-truths bandied by their members every time they respond to CAN over unjustified deaths. Answer back you must, the same way you would have attacked CAN, if cases of deathly raids were linked to a Christian militia group. And CAN, then, must reply, respectfully.

Many plain folks have accused foot soldiers with leanings to you for starting many distresses in Nigeria leading other groups to defend themselves; unfortunately. Many of your members seem to be guided by emotions. If a Christian militia attacked Sokoto, Kano and Katsina villages and killed Muslims, wouldn’t Nigeria be a boiling cauldron?

Your members seem to be so full of themselves when they make ill-mannered statements about CAN. Aren’t your members aware that the north without the working together with all Nigerians irrespective of religious leanings cannot provide services for its people all by itself? So the north however hard you try to disguise it, needs the rest of Nigeria as much as the rest of Nigeria needs the north.

Christians and Muslims have influenced world civilization for the common good but members in Nigeria love to bicker to pull the wool over the eyes of followers.

Even in warring Lebanon, Christians and Muslims are able to go out to eat together, go to opposite religious festivals and share stories of both to their children. They even inter marry.

Your own idea of building Nigeria is by out-cursing one another saying whatever you want without fear of consequences. The ugly moments between Muslims and Christians is no thanks to the subscription of religiosity and not spiritual. Most people pretending to be Muslims and Christians are nonbelievers. They don’t know and fear God.

Why do you find it hard to trust other Nigerians and are forever-and-a-day wary about other people who are not like you, and why do you always assume that people of other faith are always after you?  Is the whole of life not premised on interdependency?

The shackle of the Muslim world is caused by the power struggle in Islam (Shia versus Sunni). Can you try to not rub off that squabbling on CAN and all Nigerians for the growth of Nigeria? After all, Boko Haram, Herdsmen raids and Shiite commotion were not caused by CAN?

• Simon Abah, Abuja.