Speaking of an atheist who loves religion would be like speaking of a mouse who loves cats. Apart from some theological tomes that see atheism as theological, it is difficult to find atheists who think well of religion, let alone defending it. That is however what Okot p'Bitek, the Ugandan and African nationalist of the last century, did. Declaring himself one who neither beliefs in gods nor spirits, he defended the place of African indigenous religions in the life of the people and urged that they must be studied on their own terms rather than within the framework Christianity as had hitherto been the case. Perhaps p'Bitek held this stance because he wanted to defend indigenous religions which had been maligned by missionaries and colonialists. Perhaps he simply understood the value of religions in the life of people more than other atheists. Perhaps he was just naïve about the nature of religion, specifically African indigenous religions.
A couple in Kenya who spent $1 to conduct their wedding has been granted a wedding that costs $35,000 because "everyone needs that dream wedding," as one Events Planner puts it. Holding a wedding for $1 was an affront to a capitalist system that has made many young people around the world to think that a wedding is only worth the name if it is done in a particular way. A $1 wedding is an affront to a system were people go into massive debt in order to be married. In order to make sure that such an affront does not stand, and so serve as a bad example to other would-be couples, some "well-wishers" came together to augment the cost of the wedding. The capitalist formation would not be taunted. Henceforth it will be remembered that it is unacceptable to spend just $1 to conduct a wedding. Weddings, even in African countries where most young people do not make much, has to cost thousands of dollars. Classic!
First ($1) Wedding photo (from the BBC) Second ($35,000) Wedding photo (From the BBC)
Speaking of an atheist who loves religion would be like speaking of a mouse who loves cats. Apart from some theological tomes that see atheism as theological, it is difficult to find atheists who think well of religion, let alone defending it. That is however what Okot p'Bitek, the Ugandan and African nationalist of the last century, did. Declaring himself one who neither beliefs in gods nor spirits, he defended the place of African indigenous religions in the life of the people and urged that they must be studied on their own terms rather than within the framework Christianity as had hitherto been the case. Perhaps p'Bitek held this stance because he wanted to defend indigenous religions which had been maligned by missionaries and colonialists. Perhaps he simply understood the value of religions in the life of people more than other atheists. Perhaps he was just naïve about the nature of religion, specifically African indigenous religions.
