As I spent the day yesterday with some brilliant people I had an epiphany! Not just an AHA moment but one of those OMG moments. I finally got to see myself for who I had become. So let me introduce myself in the way I had become, hopefully I am not that person anymore.
My name is Carol and I am polarized! I know everyone already knows Zimbabweans are seriously polarized but yesterday I realised that this went beyond politics. After I analysed myself I realised that this culture has been embedded in me for such a long time that it had almost become normal.
Someone mentioned to me that in Zimbabwe we create followers not citizens. We are partisan and not patriots. So we have to analyse who is saying what before we can agree with it. Let me start at the common level, Politics. Many of us are either Zanu Pf nor MDC-T, I acknowledge that they are many who are not either. However we have been put into two camps if you are not with us then you are obviously with them. This makes me so angry can’t I just be a citizen of Zimbabwe and not be labelled as a political party loyalist? If I point out the wrong in Zanu PF then I am MDC if I point out the wrong in MDC I have to be Zanu PF. Why do we have to be this or that?
We are loyal to parties and not to our country. We have blind faith. We belief our chosen positions are infallible and we will support them unto death. Can MDC ever have a great plan that the whole nation can say this will benefit us and it would be good if we implement it including Zanu PF? Why is it that we look at the messenger and not the word that one is speaking? Can Zanu PF ever say something that even MDC people will say yes, we will support this idea because it benefits the nation? Why have we become political members first and not Zimbabweans?
Why is our political party’s word ultimate law? Where is the God given gift of analysis and constructive criticism never used and accepted within our own circles? With respect Mr Mugabe, Mr Tsvangira, Mr Makoni and Mr Ncube are all human! (News flash to some). They will not always be right so to have blind faith is to be of disservice to your nation. Likewise sirs, to think you are always right and not listen to those who elected you is doing the nation and yourselves a disservice.
However our level of polarization does not end in politics. It filters down to everything in Zimbabwe. One of the biggest political battlefields is the church! I grew up in the Methodist church, my whole family is Methodist. When I was 16 I started attending another church, the so called Pentecostal churches. It didn’t go down too well with my mother. I had betrayed the family heritage. I didn’t see anything wrong with my actions at that time, but to her I had left the family church, almost betrayed it. As I grew older, I then started to understand the loyalty of the people to a church.
A church is more than just a place of fellowship, it is a family. Hence once one has been a part of that you are expected to be loyal and stay there. They are only a few acceptable ways to leave your church, relocation or marriage for women. It becomes very hard for me as a Pentecostal to say I am leaving A for B. Very few churches have the maturity to accept that and wish you well. It is as if I have said I am abandoning Christ and moving away. Why are we so holier than thou to think our church is the only place where God resides? Is He not omniscient and omnipresent? I fail to understand this.
God forbid you criticise the men of god from my church! Blind faith comes into play! People will come out guns blazing ready to kill you for seeking wisdom and understanding on a matter. Why are people who have been called to live by the highest standard suddenly untouchable when they fail to abide by the same book they preach! Touch not my anointed they say! How do you even know they are anointed? Where is the common sense that is supposed to be inherent in human beings?
We are so prejudiced to other people’s faith and believes such that we belief ours is the only way and any other way is a misleading way.
We have become a nation that is so intolerant to that which is different to me such that we cannot live together in harmony. Maybe it’s the politics that started, or it’s the small things that led to the politics. I am not sure but here we are divided along every possible line we can find. Political parties, churches, football teams, community clubs, and sendirainis! You name it can find it!
So yesterday I decided to take a stand against my own prejudices! From today I predge to listen first before I judge. I pledge to understand everything before I speak. I will close my eyes first before I hear anything and scrutinise the message before I shoot it down because of the messenger. I will give ear to anyone from any political party, I attend any church which I like if they are doing something I have an interest it. I will listen first to anyone who has something important to say. I will watch Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid when they are playing good football and not shoot them down because they are not Man United or Barcelona!
In the words of Michael Jackson,
I’m Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It’s Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right
I’m Starting with the Man In
The Mirror
I’m Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
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