Featured

Jos Archbishop appeals to Christians against reprisal killing of Fulani herdsmen

Published

8 years ago

February 11, 2017

Spread The News

The Archbishop of Jos Diocese and President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, His Grace Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has called on Christian community in the country to restrain from temptation of retaliatory action against their attackers.

According to him, killing of human beings is not the vocabulary of Jesus.

Kaigama was reacting to alleged orders by some Christian pastors that their members should defend themselves against attacks by killing their attackers in retaliation,

Kaigama who said this at the 50th Anniversary of the National Council of the Association of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, held last weekend at the St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos, entitled ‘Spiritual Uplift for All’, noted that “Jesus has a different way of approaching this issue.”

He said that the Christian doctrine does not preach tit-for-tat but pointed that “we are not saying that criminals who kill and destroy should be let off like that. But we are not advocating for tit- for- tat,” Kaigama said.

“Jesus did not teach us to kill; he did not teach us to discriminate and do bad things to others. If others kill in the name of religion, our religion does not allow that,” he added.

However, he pointed out that the killings and the violence being recorded in the country were the fallout of a heart filled with evil, calling for a change of heart for normalcy to return in the country.

Explaining the significance of the association to the Catholic family, Kaigama said both Jesus and his mother, Mary shared the same loving, forgiving, all-embracing heart which are to be imitated by the members.

“Therefore, if you are a member of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary you have a high moral responsibility. You are also involved in social responsibility by expanding your horizon to embrace everyone you meet as a human being created in the image and likeness of God,” he added.