Governance activist Brebner Changala says President Edgar Lungu should stop playing with people’s faith by claiming that he is a bonafide Christian when he does not even lead a Christ-like lifestyle.
Commenting on President Lungu’s remarks when he attended a Church Service at Healing Word Ministries International in Lusaka, Sunday, that some politicians attended church services with sinister motives, Changala said the Head of State was himself such a politician.
He charged that President Lungu could pontificate himself as a Christian in whatever way he wanted, but that it would not change the fact that he remained a perpetual sinner, who continued to lie and oppress innocent Zambians.
“It’s very difficult to judge one’s faith. But it’s very easy to see one’s faith through his works and deeds. The message from the President is correct and well understood. But the challenge with this is, does he lead a Christian life? Does he have bad feelings or hurt for some people? Does he live the life of Christ? He should be one of those many Christians who prophesy they’re Christians by day and unbelievers by night or in the dark! It’s what we do that makes us Christians. How we relate to other people, to our friends, those in need and that’s the life of Christ. The President could have been a Christian, but has he conducted himself in a manner that befits a Christian? It’s for President Lungu to pontificate on his own that he’s a bonafide Christian. We can all pretend to be Christians, as he put it, there are other politicians who pretend to be Christians when they go to church and, indeed, I must confess here, President Lungu could be one of those politicians who have been using the Church for personal benefits! But does President Lungu lead a Christian life? Has he got the heart of Christ so that other people can copy the way he is?” Changala asked.
He also wondered if President Lungu belonged to any denomination where he drew his holy communion, and insisted that the Head of State should not force Zambians to accept his Christian beliefs.
“I cannot judge President Lungu by his faith, but I can judge him by his actions, his behaviour and his conduct. So, my message to President Lungu is that he must live a Christian life. He cannot beg for other people to agree with him that he has a been a Christian his whole life.We all have been Christians in the manner we were born and brought up because of our parents who are Christians. Some of us were baptised at childhood, but are we living the life of Christ? So, President Lungu can say whatever he wants about Christ, but if he’s living a life of sin, lying and oppression, then he’s not living a life of Christ. He’s a perpetual sinner like myself. He’s a sinner just like me, even me I can go to any radio station or any TV and tell everybody that I have been a Christian since childhood, but has Brebner Changala lived a life of Christ? The answer is no!” said Changala.
“I think there was something the President wanted from that Church where he wanted to look holier than thou. Which Church does he even go to? Is President Lungu a Catholic, is he a Baptist or UCZ? Where does he draw his communion from? All these are questions he must answer, so let him not play to the gallery! What he’s doing is very dangerous and Zambians must know that we have a President who has been playing with our lives and now he wants to play with our faith. Let him stay away from our faith, it’s enough that he’s already playing with our lives and our freedoms in a very dangerous way!”
