Do you believe in God? (Part 1)

God is great

Do you believe in God? It’s a tricky question for me. I like the idea God exists and that there is a heaven etc but then the realist in me rears its ugly head and my belief in evolution takes over.

When I was little my friend and I would write a prayer to God asking for our parents to let us have a sleepover. We would put the prayers in our ‘magic’ jewellery box, turn the wind up key and cross all our fingers and toes. Since those days I have never really prayed to the big guy in the sky.

Religion is everywhere in Ghana, primarily Christianity; if it’s not a church on every street corner, it’s advertising for church on a billboard at every crossroad, if it’s not a preacher on the bus, it’s a van spreading the message with a megaphone. There is no hiding from it. Ghana has been rated one of the most religious countries in the world. 

It’s amazing just how much faith Ghanaians have. One day my boyfriend woke with severe head pains (which later turned out to be an ear infection). He told his mum about the pain and I was fully expecting her to tell him to go get it checked by the doctor, but no, she told him to pray to God and she would do the same.

One of a billion billboards

I thought this was very bizarre and honestly quite stupid but at the same time it really opened my eyes to just how much these people believe in the powers of God.

 For many Ghanaians faith and religion gives them something to hold on. When every day is a struggle the world can become a very lonely place and if God can help people overcome that then I don’t have a problem with it.

People over here constantly ask me if I believe in God. I tell them that, well, I have been christened but I don’t practice the religion and nor do any of my family. “You don’t go to church?!” is always the response I get, some in more accusing tones than others. 

One girl actually told me she thought it was “f***ing disgusting” (not a very Godly thing to say if you ask me.) I respect everyone’s right to believe in whatever religion they chose so surely I deserve respect for choosing not to practise one?

Offending article

On my first trip to Ghana I had packed a t-shirt that had a cross on one side and an upside down cross on the other with the world love written under it. It didn't even cross my mind I was buying a top that suggested I love the devil, nor that it might offend anyone, it just looked good.

So you can imagine my shock when I put it on and my roommate told me, again, it was "“f***ing disgusting and needs burning”. It’s safe to say I took it off immediately and buried it to the bottom of my case. After all I was in their country and the last thing I wanted to do was offend anyone or draw any more attention to myself.

I have recently moved accommodation and it would appear I have an extremely religious neighbour. I awoke one morning to hear a rather aggressive chant coming through the wall it went something along the lines of, “In the name of Jesus I give you fire”. Put it this way it didn't sound like a particularly pleasant prayer to me. 

Like it wasn’t bad enough that it was 6am, and half an hour BEFORE my alarm was due, I walk outside to see said neighbour spraying my living room with wine while chanting his prayer. I think this was meant to protect us from evil spirits but I couldn’t help thinking the opposite.

Being woken by prayers is nothing unusual for me. The all night prayer and song sessions often keep me awake at night and you can certainly forget a lie in on a Sunday. But if you watch the video below I think you will understand why I can let it slide.