February 26

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Inside February 26, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 2/23/18 8:01 PM Page 5 06 View DAILY HERITAGE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH African Pentecostalism encourages laziness BY NANA BRAM OKAE II T here is this perception in Ghana that religion or spirituality, (let me put it that way), has taken the centre stage of our lives and for this reason many things that happen are ascribed to spirituality and not explained in real physical terms. Spiritual reason A 79-year old person dies and there is a spiritual reason given for it; one would have thought that the death of a 79 year old person would rather call for celebration as the person has passed the 70-year mark believed to be ordained by God. So also is there a spiritual reason for a 30 year old who dies; never mind whether he is a sickle cells anaemia patient or not. There is always a spiritual reason given for motor accidents in this country but we don’t question the excessive speed at which most of our drivers go so they lose control when an obstacle crosses their path. Mental illness Somebody has a mental illness and instead of taking the person to a medical facility for proper diagnosis and medication, the person is taken to a prayer camp where the illness grows from bad to worse. This is because the pastor of the prayer camp has no medical idea of what is afflicting the person and believes saying prayers only will bring about healing of the mentally challenged person. This will not work. Another person is observed losing weight by the day. His or her relations tell him/her that it’s the devil at work for which reason he or she must seek spiritual intervention immediately. So, he or she is taken to a ‘powerful’ pastor and the condition doesn’t get better. In fact, it gets worse. Diabetes A member of the family suggests that the person should be taken to the hospital for the doctor to examine him. And lo and behold, when tests are run, it is discovered that the person has diabetes and hypertension, a condition that has nothing to do with the devil. The expression: ‘Your life will never be the same if you come for prayers’ as heard from the mouth of bishops, founding overseers, apostles, pastors and what-haveyou, is mistakenly believed by gullible Ghanaians to mean that hard work is not the answer to problems. Lazy Many Ghanaians have been made to believe that going to church premises twice or more a day and saying prayers at the top of one’s voice will bring about miraculous answers to problems. They therefore become lazy and rely only on prayers for solution to their problems. People throng to churches and prayer centres in anticipation of a quick fix to their financial problems, their marital problems, their work place problems and many other problems, including social. To their dismay and disappointment however, nothing significantly happens to their lives and because the pastor keeps on urging •Congregants in prayer mood them, they keep hope alive that they may have their break-through sooner or later through prayers. Miracle This miracle will not happen. You will only get impoverished if you visit the pastor everyday. You part with money any time you call on the pastor and any time you attend church service. This should tell you that you are adding to the swelling of the wallet of the pastor any time you do this while reducing the size of your own wallet. You may have realized that the church you attend founded by a single individual has a very magnificent edifice and up-to-date musical instruments and well decorated interior. Several cars You may also have realized long ago that your pastor/founder has several cars, some of which were bought brand new. His wife also has cars and each of his children who have attained their majority also has their personal cars. Have you stopped to ask for one moment where the pastor got money to buy all those things? You see, it’s the collective contribution of all the members of the church that has made it possible for the pastor to do all these things. The church building is even registered in his name and so when he dies it devolves on his children. Therefore, never take it literarily if a pastor says ‘if you come to me, your life will never be the same.’ It’s an attempt to woo you to the I’m afraid African Pentecostalism is not encouraging followers to work hard as espoused by Jesus, our Lord. Rather, it’s encouraging followers to look up to the pastors for miracles which never materialize while at the same time fleecing the congregants for their unacceptable personal life styles and opulence. church to part with your money and make him richer and richer while you get depleted. Salvation You must rather look for salvation and that is what the Bible says. And that is what Christianity is all about and not riches. Christianity Christianity is about the teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. That is to say, a Christian must mandatorily be a scrupulous adherent or follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ and such a person must subscribe to everything Jesus said or taught. Anything short of this is unchristian. Many people have formed their own churches and are doing exactly the opposite of the teachings of Christ. Jesus Christ abhorred the use of the church for commercial purposes but in our day and age, the church is the commercial house where the name of Christ is used to fleece money from gullible and unsuspecting church members. Advise yourself, dear reader; salvation lies in your own hands and not in the hands of any pastor who will lure you to sow seed or part with money to make life better for himself and his family. Hard work Jesus Christ likes hard work as illustrated in the Parable of the Talents. The person who had 5 talents turned things around and had them doubled. The one who had 3 talents also traded with them and doubled the stakes. But the one who had the least talent dug the earth and hid it there and reproduced it when the master returned from his trip, without working with it. He is a lazy person whose attitude to work Jesus Christ used to admonish us. Jesus Christ says if you are a lazy person and you do work to earn money for yourself and family the little that you have will be taken away from you and those who have more by dint of hard work will have more added to theirs. I’m afraid African Pentecostalism is not encouraging followers to work hard as espoused by Jesus, our Lord. Rather, it’s encouraging followers to look up to the pastors for miracles which never materialize while at the same time fleecing the congregants for their unacceptable personal life styles and opulence. Achimota Forest Take a stroll to the Achimota Forest at noon everyday and you will see crowds of people coming out of the Forest after prayers—working hours. Why have they put their petty trading and other jobs aside on working days to pray for miracles? I live in a place where several churches abound. On several occasions members go on prayers-spree morning, noon and night neglecting anything they can do to bring bread and butter to the table for their families. Prayers without hard work will bring disaster to anybody who indulges in that. And African Pentecostalists should know this and stop fleecing the flock.
Inside February 26, 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 2/23/18 8:01 PM Page 6 Three common signs of nits infestation NITS are tiny brown insects that live in human hair. Signs of head lice infestation include itchy heads and finding tiny white eggs in your hair. Nits are blood-sucking parasites that live in human hair. They are easily spread, and can be difficult to remove. Itchy scalps Head lice feed on human blood to survive, and bite into the scalp. Their saliva and faeces make the scalp itch. Some people may not experience itchiness, but could still be infected, it warned. Finding live head lice on the scalp The best way to find out if you’re infected with head lice is to look directly into the scalp. Often, patients can physically see the lice in their hair. White eggs Female lice live for up to 40 days, during which time they can lay more than 100 eggs. They attach their eggs to hairs close to the scalp surface. The eggs are yellow or white, and the size of a pin head. They take seven to 10 days to hatch, and the new lice can then lay more eggs after about seven days. WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018 &Env. Does your child have head lice? HEAD LICE are a normal part of life and there is nothing to be embarrassed, worried or ashamed about. Head lice are very common in young children and are usually picked up from head-tohead contact. They can be difficult to spot, but when you do see them, they appear as grey-brown insects about the size of a sesame seed. Head lice eggs can also indicate an infestation - these appear yellow, brown or white and are often empty shells attached to the hair. So how can you spot head lice, what’s the right treatment and how can you make sure to get rid of them for good? Head lice expert Ian Burgess has revealed the nitty-gritties of why children may experience head lice for over a month. Itchy scalp It is important to remember that an itchy scalp is not always a sign of head lice. Make sure you check the hair thoroughly as specks of dandruff or dirt can sometimes be mistaken for an active infestation. Make sure you look closely at the hair to detect tiny eggs attached to individual hair strands. They may be dead or hatched eggs from an old infection and will remain attached to the hair unless physically removed. The creamy-yellowish eggs are laid close to the scalp and blend in, but after hatching they appear white making them more prominent as the hair grows out, so if a child has had head lice in the past the dead While you may think you have tried every trick in the book to get rid of the infestation, there are several reasons you and your child to will itch. Here’s how to get rid of them for good: eggs can be mistaken for a return of a head lice infestation. You should only use a head lice treatment once you have combed the hair from scalp to tip and found the six-legged, wingless insects. Some parents have been known to use mayonnaise, olive oil, raw eggs and vinegar to get rid of head lice, but there is no evidence to show that these remedies work to eradicate lice. There is a huge amount of incorrect head lice information online which gives worried parents misplaced confidence in ineffective methods. When they follow this advice, head lice are allowed to spread further and quicker. The key to killing lice and to truly eliminate an infestation is to use a clinically proven nonpesticide treatment or protection spray, carefully following the instructions and repeating a week later if instructed. It is then vital to check the hair every week for signs of re-infestations. Ensure you choose a nonpesticide treatment which will work by smothering the lice and either stripping them of their waxy coating, causing them to dehydrate, or disrupting their ability to manage water. Try a treatment containing dimeticone or octanediol as they work physically to kill lice that come into contact with them when the hair is saturated with product. Because they •Head lice are very common in children and are usually picked up from head-to-head contact don’t rely on poisoning to work this means that there is theoretically no chance for the head lice to build up a resistance. If you are unsure about treatment options, speak to your pharmacist. There are various head lice treatments on the market today, with different methods of use, which can become confusing if you are trying out a new treatment. Ensure you read the instructions carefully as each product is different. One of the common reasons why head lice survive after treatment is because the product has not been used and applied in a correct manner. Always remember to read the packaging and follow the instructions carefully. When you use treatment do you remember to: Apply it all over? It is important to apply the right amount of treatment straight onto hair, ensuring you cover the whole head and full length of hair. Work it in? A good tip is to use a comb or fingers to ensure the hair is covered from root to tip. The hair must be fully saturated with product to ensure every louse is smothered. Leave it? One of the most important and crucial tips to follow when using treatment is to leave it in the hair for the recommended amount of time. Wash out? Some treatments require you to wash hair as normal, but some require you to apply shampoo before wetting. Repeat? Some treatments require you to repeat the same process several days later, so even if you believe the infestation has gone after the first treatment, this step must be completed. A head lice infestation can spread rapidly, making it important for parents to work proactively with their child’s school to avoid re-infestations. Regular hair inspections and use of clinically proven preventive treatments is the best way to keep bugs at bay, remember once a week, take a peek. Impetigo is a highly contagious skin infection that causes red sores. Anyone can get it, but it can also be the result of a head lice infestation. Using this treatment method for nits can reduce the chance of an impetigo rash and banish head lice and eggs at the same time. Express.co.uk Impetigo is a highly contagious skin infection that causes red sores. Anyone can get it, but it can also be the result of a head lice infestation. Using this treatment method for nits can reduce the chance of an impetigo rash and banish head lice and eggs at the same time
Page 1 and 2: NO. 100656 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 201
Page 3 and 4: WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERI
Page 5: WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERI
Page 10 and 11: Inside February 26, 2018 .qxp_Layou
Page 12 and 13: Inside February 26, 2018 .qxp_Layou
Page 14 and 15: WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERI
Page 16: Sports WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH 26/

February 26

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?