Motivational
Has this woman committed sin?
..By becoming pregnant without sexual intercourse?
A fervent and committed Christian sister had been waiting and hoping, like any other normal girl, for a man to seek her hand in marriage but years after years no man was forthcoming.
She became desperate when it dawned on her that she was approaching the age of menopause when she would not be able to get pregnant even if she got married.
She then decided to help herself by going for artificial insemination in order to have a baby she could call her own. However, the Church was shocked and was considering disciplining her for getting pregnant without being married.
When the elders of the Church met and interviewed her, she told them that she had stayed and remained in the Church for several years and no man was ready to marry her and she was approaching the age of menopause. So, after reading some Christian medical journals on the issue, she decided on artificial insemination since she too wanted a child. She tendered both the medical journals and the medical documents to show that she had done the artificial insemination from a reputable hospital. She is therefore pregnant without committing fornication. This story gained grounds in the social media few weeks ago. We sought opinions of experts and the clergy.
By submitting to artificial insemination, and getting pregnant without being married to a man, has the sister committed sin and does she deserve to be punished? Shouldn’t she have had faith and trusted in the will of God by waiting for Mr Right so that nature could take its course according to the dictates of holy matrimony? Did she run foul of the law and break any of God’s commandments? Or did she err on the side of caution? These questions are more subjective than objective, and opinions differ.
In the first place, what is sin? Sin is a yardstick for believers who are called to change and live a righteous life. It is when the braking of the laws of God. The Scriptures teach that sin is transgression of the law. Sin has to do with breaking God’s law, according to Apostle John in I John 3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Morally, sin is not doing what is good, that is, behaving badly. Spiritually, sin is not having faith (“… for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).
It is common knowledge that the origin of human life has context in marriage and in the family where it is initiated through an act that expresses reciprocal love between a man and a woman. Traditionally, the position of the Church is that procreation is sacred and every child must be conceived and born as fruit of marriage.
This is well taken, however, God’s capability of shutting up or opening the wombs of women as He wishes is not in doubt according to Exodus 23:26 and Deuteronomy 7:14. From Sarah, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac to Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, who conceived John the Baptist, Scripture is replete with women who longed for the fruit of the womb. Several of these women who though initially childless were eventually fruitful when God visited them. However, unlike the instant case, they were all married women who prayed consistently until they conceived naturally.
Rebecca prayed and conceived after 20 years of fruitlessness and was blessed with twins – Jacob and Esau. Rachael also prayed and was rewarded with Joseph and Benjamin. Hannah, the second wife of Elkanah the Ephraimite prayed so fervently for a child and made a covenant with God to heal her womb, God answered her prayers, she gave birth to Samuel, and she kept her promise to give the child back to the Lord.
There have been issues with all forms of assisted reproductive techniques since the birth of Louise Brown – the first child conceived through In Vitro Fertilisation, IVF, in 1978 in the United Kingdom. For better or worse, the intention behind artificial insemination, clinically known as Intrauterine Insemination or IUI, is noble.
Practised all over the world, IUI (like IVF) has never been readily or fully accepted within certain religious circles because it is perceived as separating the act of marital union from the production of children. The common argument is that artificial insemination involves an element of “manufacture” or “artificial” that is unnatural and has thus been consistently criticised in certain religious circles.
When it comes to getting pregnant, women are often in the spotlight. Luckily for those struggling with getting pregnant naturally today, science has stepped up and there are many ways to get a boost in the process. Artificial insemination, which is also called intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a life saver for some women.
Insemination is of two types – natural and artificial. Natural insemination comes about through having sex, whereas artificial insemination is inserting sperm inside the cervix, either at home or in a clinic.
The basic principle behind artificial insemination is that it “helps” the sperm in reaching the egg. A woman may use her own eggs or donor eggs as well as donor sperm. In natural conception, the semen is ejaculated into the vagina and the sperm, which are contained in the semen, swim through the uterus and then into the fallopian tubes where they meet the egg. There are several reasons that, even if everything seems to be in the right place, it still may yield unsuccessful results.
The sister obviously realised in good time she was close to the end of her fertility life. Whether out of desperation or frustration, she opted for artificial insemination and probably didn’t even know if she was fertile or not, she only just took a chance and it paid off. That was faith.
Although sexual intercourse is very simple, straightforward and almost foolproof in getting the semen inside the woman exactly where it needs to be, artificial insemination places sperm into a woman’s uterus, cervix or fallopian tubes. The concept of artificial insemination was originally used for livestock and since then it has been adapted to assist in human reproduction. It is one of several types of fertility options and is the cheapest and less-invasive of the methods.
Regardless of whether donor sperm is used or the sperm comes from a partner, the artificial insemination process is the same. Intrauterine insemination is one of the most popular forms of artificial insemination processes offered by fertility clinics and reproductive specialists. It also has the highest success rate. The procedure is non-invasive and painless. It is also very close to the natural method of reproduction.
A child conceived in the bedroom is the same as the one conceived anywhere else, only the processes differ. The former is conceived through sexual intercourse, while the latter is conceived without any form of sexual relations. The sister opted for the most morally and ethically correct option -artificial insemination – which if done correctly, can be just as effective but without the inconveniences of sexual intercourse.
However, pastors who spoke on the issue have different views. Some did not see anything wrong with what the sister did while others believed she lacked faith and did not trust her God till the end.
The lady should sue the church —Rev. Daramola
A parish priest with Methodist Church Nigeria, Rev. Dapo Daramola said: “She has not committed any sin. What she did is what a normal couple would do. What if the husband is not functional and the wife’s egg is good and they agreed on the choice of artificial insemination? Would you say the couple sinned?
What I am saying is if a couple got married and are finding it difficult to make babies and go to the hospital where they discover that the man’s sperm is weak, or infertile and they agree to opt for artificial insemination and the baby is incubated in the woman’s body with the motherly affection but the man has no contribution beyond paying for the process.
So, are you saying that the couple has sinned? No! No sin has been committed.
The lady under reference who has not yielded her body to fornication or adultery cannot be condemned here…it’s not her fault that a suitor has not come her way. If she has not done anything to push men away, deliberately or otherwise, then she should not be condemned. What if she had gone to adopt a baby, would that be regarded as a sin? What is the difference?
It’s unfortunate, because Christianity has been taken to a judgemental level. I have preached it several times that a lot of prejudices, sentiments have crept into the church that many now run on the whims and caprices of the founders or general overseers who do what they do today. It’s not in line with the Word of God, but it’s in line with what the pastor says.
In this case, all the lady needs to do to set a precedence is to take the elders of the church to court. In fact that’s what I will advise: take the pastorate to court. Sue them and ask why they should excommunicate or reprimand her when she has not committed any sin. She should demand why they wanted to push her out of the church where she found her faith just because of what she did. Those kind of things should be tested in the law court even if she would eventually leave the church except they can produce a church document that suggest that what she has done is sin or quote a portion in the scriptures upon which their opinion was based. And then, how was Jesus born? Many of the writers who wrote the New Testament were not even married, only a few of them were married.
Again, we are unlucky because unlike the laws of the land which are subject to the interpretations of legal minds such as lawyers and judges, our own is subject to the Holy Spirit or divine interpretation. But, seriously the best thing for this lady is to test it in court but the fundamental basis for this argument is that Jesus was born in like manner. So what will any pastor now say that this woman has done to warrant reprimand?
The Orthodox Church are closing their doors against sinners because of many prejudices. The church of God is not a place of judgement or condemnation but a place of welcome to all sinners because it was established for sinners and when we push sinners from the church who will inhabit the place? That was the argument of the Catholic pontiff when he said the Church of God is home to sinners and not a place of saints. So if you are pushing those who have committed an abomination out, who did Christ die for?
It’s a sin—Rev. Dziggau
Immediate past president of the HEKAN Church and former chairman of TEKAN/ECWA Bloc of CAN, Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau is of the opinion that it’s not compulsory for every woman to have children. “She didn’t marry and if that is how she will end it, that will not stop her from going to heaven. If from the beginning of her life, no man ever came to ask for her hand in marriage, maybe the problem of not getting married was from her and if this is a technical way of having children, I don’t think it’s proper. The church is right by telling her no. In fact I will support that church to reprimand her.
If there’s a problem between a man and his wife and they have difficulty in having children, both of them can agree to go for artificial method. But in this case, the lady is single. That menopause is nothing, she will just reach it and remain like that and that would have been better instead of going for an artificial child.
The child will one day ask the mother, ‘who is my father?’ and she will continue lying that the father has died. So it’s not good, the church is right. I support that church completely. It’s a sin in the sense that God will not be pleased because this artificial method is unusual.
She should wait on the Lord —Rev. Akin-John
The founder of Church Growth International Ministries, Dr. Francis Bola Akin-John, in his response to the poser, said: “In the true sense of the word, if you rely on what the Bible teaches, she should have exercised her faith to wait for a husband. It’s there in the bible. Sarah had passed menopause. There’s even a lady now who just gave birth, she acts for Mount Zion movies, she acted in the movie “Ayanmatanga”. She married at 51 while husband was 52, I know her personally. In fact she had even lost hope. They were thinking of adopting children when God just answered her. So menopause is not an issue with God. In the instant case, the lady lost faith in waiting for God to do it. That was why she used her own human wisdom to do artificial insemination.
If she’s not a worker or leader in the church, the church should just keep quiet. If she’s a leader or a worker in the church, the church should address the issue squarely because she can serve as a bad example. But it’s her personal decision, there’s nothing we can do against that. The church should be firm.
We don’t support or encourage that. And if she’s an officer, she should go on discipline, not against the child, but against that practice. We won’t throw away the baby with the bath water but against that practice. That’s what I would do if I were a pastor of such a woman”.When asked if he could dedicate the baby as the lady’s pastor, he said,
“I have nothing against the baby. If she invites me, I will go there with one or two persons, in a low key, I will dedicate the baby. I have nothing against the baby, it’s her action. I will say that I condemn her action, I don’t support that action, I believe we should put our faith in God but at the same time I have nothing against the baby, I can dedicate the baby. It’s part of the failure of the church to teach about adoption, that couples who have been childless for years could adopt children. It’s biblical but our African culture puts so much emphasis on having our own children.
Let’s pray she delivers safely — Monsignor Osu
Director of Social Communications at Lagos Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Monsignor Gabriel Osu said: “The first thing to consider is for the baby to come down safely. Normally the church does not support artificial insemination because it’s assumed that a third party is involved in a process restricted for just two members of the union, though it could be an arrangement between the man and his wife. But at this stage now, we will advise and pray that the woman should put to bed safely before any other thing. But some of our priests or pastors should give consideration to anything that may jeopardise the lady’s life.
The woman should come first because a life is involved here. When you get to the bridge, you then cross. The church authority must not do anything that may truncate the dream of the lady becoming a mother. What is her sin? They should leave her to God.
Let’s be prayerful and leave the judgement to God. We should do everything not to encourage irresponsibility. If it’s a public sin, the church has a way of dealing with it. Is the church a church of saints? Let the baby come. The God we are serving is a merciful God. The lady should not be encouraged to go and commit any abominable sin as a result of pressure from people who are sinless.
I don’t condemn her—Femi Ogunleye, RCCG member
Chief Executive Officer of Dynamic Nifty International Research Agency, Mr. Femi Ogunleye, an unordained worker with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, had this to say: “The woman has not committed any sin as far as I am concerned. To me, she has not committed any infraction but to others what she has done may be counted as sin in accordance with her church doctrine. They cannot say she has sinned against God, but they can claim that the lady has fallen short of the church’s doctrine.
The church may move against her because they believe she has committed sin, but she could leave and go to another church where she will be welcomed with both arms because the Church of God is home to people who are broken and not holy persons.
Is it because we are in Nigeria, how many of the people in the Western world who engage in these things are regarded as sinners? For as long as she can take care of the baby or babies, there is no issue. I have never read in the Bible that what she did is against any statutes in the Holy Scripture except for the case of Mary who gave birth to Jesus without a physical contact with any man, but that is different because hers was divinely ordered.
But in this case, she knows what she did, the only thing is that nobody can stand up to say this is the man whose sperm was used for the artificial insemination.
I can not condemn such a woman because the odds were against her. She is entitled to live her normal life so long as she can single handedly raise the child or children when they arrive. Let no man condemn her. It’s only her conscience that will judge her for whatever she has done.
2023 ELECTION, TIME FOR NIGERIANS TO REJECT THE APRIL-FOOL POLITICIANS
By Comrade Adegbeyeni Oluwafemi (BARRYFEM)
The popular annual custom which jokesters make a fool out of their recipient is called April Fool.
It’s without gainsaying that the same custom is being practiced by most of Nigeria Politicians to fool millions of Nigerians, especially during election period.
These desperate ones can promise heaven on Earth in their manifesto and plans during election. This act of deception is what always make our Politicians roast corn on the street, sell pure water, eat with the poor masses, turn to barber or tailor mechanic, hawk groundnut on the street, go to market and other things to make the masses see them as their lovers! To make the masses support them by pretending they solidarise with the masses in their doings.
Nigeria Politicians can promise to make Nigeria better than America within 3 months if elected. They promise highest form of security of lives and property, best infrastructure in the world, topmost economy, sound Education, Electricity and many other fake promises to make the people vote for them during election.
But when they get to power, many of them perform woefully, and rule with arrogancy by treating the masses as nothing! All their promises would be cancelled or partly fulfilled. They go after their selfish interests and engage in corrupt activities to enrich themselves at the detriment of the people and the nation.
Good examples are the promises of President Muhamadu Buhari, Both in 2015 election and 2019 re-election. He promised to see to Security, Fuel Subsidy, Economy, Naira equal to Dollar, Unemployment, Ban on medical trip abroad, infrastructure and Education was not left behind.
It’s quite sardonic that most of the issues he promised to solve have gone worst! A regrettable one is the stagnant state of Education in Nigeria.
Citing the incessant ASUU strike as an example, for years, Nigeria Government and the Politicians have been unable to solve the issue of the lingering strike.
It’s not news that ASUU strike is currently on now and it’s over two months, with no good response or solution from the government.
The Students and the Poor masses are crying for the strike to be ended but with no Government to listen to them.
Yes! It’s Election time again, they are doing everything possible to win election again, neglecting the numerous problems facing NIGERIA.
It’s quite apt if we compare many Nigerian Politicians to a man asking a Lady out, just to get under her pant. When such person gets what he wants, he abandons the pants owner. Quite Lugubrious.
Nigeria leaders have constantly taken advantage of Nigerians, enriching themselves and families with little or no development in the country.
The masses face life difficulties, problems and other disastrous issues caused by the irresponsibility of the Government.
It’s pertinent for me to conclude by advising Nigerians to reject April-Fool Politicians and leaders!
The People of Nigeria must wake up now and choose better leaders who have truly being with them, with landmark impacts and good records.
It’s time to reject being mocked or fooled again. Reject stomach infrastructure during election, reject sweet manifesto! Follow the right paths!
Time 2023 is an ample time to cure the Leadership Pandemic ravaging the system of Nigeria.
©️COMR. ADEGBEYENI OLUWAFEMI (BARRYFEM)
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
Even after you have gone on a lot of interviews than you’ll be able to count, job interviewing ne’er appears to induce any easier. With every employment interview, you’re meeting new individuals, merchandising yourself and your skills, and sometimes obtaining the interrogation concerning what you recognize or do not know. And, you would like to remain upbeat and eager through it all. this may be a challenge, particularly once you are interviewing for employment you’d like to get employed for.
That said, there are ways in which to form employment interview feel abundant less trying. simply a bit preparation time will go an extended approach. The longer you’re taking beforehand to induce prepared, the lighter you will feel throughout the particular interview. Remember, though, that employment interview isn’t Associate in Nursing exam: you don’t ought to study for hours on finish. Rather, you only ought to do due diligence in researching the corporate, perceive specifically what they’re searching for during a new rent, and make sure that you’re ready to discuss your expertise and what causes you to a good fit the work.
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
It is a decent plan to specialize in your communication skills specifically, thus you’ll be able to speak clearly and in short concerning the assets you’ll be able to supply the leader.
Ultimately, the key to effective interviewing is to project confidence, keep positive, and be ready to share samples of your geographic point skills and your qualifications for the work. Take the time to figure on your interview skills so you’ll be able to develop effective interview methods to use altogether of your interviews.
With some advance preparation, you will be ready to nail the interview and showcase the expertise that produces you the best candidate for the company’s next new worker.
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
1. follow and Prepare
Review the standard employment interview queries employers raise and follow your answers. robust answers ar those who ar specific however pithy, drawing on concrete examples that highlight your skills and duplicate your resume. Your answers ought to additionally emphasize the talents that ar most vital to the leader and relevant to the position. make sure to review the work listing, create a listing of the wants, and match them to your expertise.
Also, have a listing of your own inquiries to raise the leader prepared. In nearly each interview, you’ll be asked if you have got any queries for the querier. it’s necessary to own a minimum of one or 2 queries ready so as to demonstrate your interest within the organization. Otherwise, you would possibly bump into as apathetic, that could be a major turnoff for hiring managers.
2. Develop a reference to the querier
In addition to indicating what you recognize concerning the corporate, you must additionally attempt to develop a reference to your querier. understand the interviewer’s name, and use it throughout the work interview. (If you are not certain of the name, decision and raise before the interview. And, listen terribly rigorously throughout introductions. If you’re vulnerable to forgetting names, jot it down somewhere discreet, like in little letters at rock bottom of your pad of paper.)
Ultimately, building rapport and creating a private reference to your querier will up your possibilities of obtaining employed. individuals tend to rent candidates they like and World Health Organization appears to be a decent fit the company’s culture.
3. analysis the corporate, and Show What you recognize
Do your schoolwork and analysis the leader and therefore the trade, thus you’re prepared for the interview question, “What does one fathom this company?” If this question isn’t asked, you must attempt to demonstrate what you recognize concerning the corporate on your own.
You can try this by attachment what you’ve learned concerning the corporate into your responses. for instance, you would possibly say, “I noticed that after you enforced a brand new package last year, your client satisfaction ratings improved dramatically. i’m well-versed within the latest technologies from my expertise with developing computer code at fundamentals, and appreciate a corporation World Health Organization strives to be a frontrunner in its trade.”
You should be ready to decide a great deal of data concerning the company’s history, mission and values, staff, culture, and up to date successes on its web site. If the corporate encompasses a web log and a social media presence, they will be helpful places to appear, too.
4. prepare prior Time
Don’t wait till the instant to select out Associate in Nursing interview outfit, print additional copies of your resume, or realize a pad of paper and pen. Have one smart interview outfit prepared, thus you’ll be able to interview on short notice while not having to stress concerning what to wear. after you have Associate in Nursing interview lined up, get everything prepared the night before.
Not solely can designing out everything (from what shoes you’ll wear, to however you’ll vogue your hair, to what time you’ll leave and the way you’ll get there) obtain you time within the morning, it will facilitate cut back job search anxiety, and it’ll additionally prevent from having to form choices, which suggests you’ll be able to use that brain power for your interview.
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
Make sure your interview apparel is neat, tidy, and acceptable for the sort of firm you’re interviewing with. Bring a pleasant portfolio with additional copies of your resume. embody a pen and paper for note-taking.
5. get on Time (That means that Early)
Be on time for the interview. On time means that 5 to 10 minutes early. If need be, drive to the interview location prior time thus you recognize specifically wherever you’re going and the way long it’ll go for get there. Take into consideration the time of your interview thus you’ll be able to alter for native traffic patterns at that point. provide yourself a couple of additional minutes to go to the privy, check your outfit, and calm your nerves.
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
6. try and keep Calm
During the duty interview, try and relax and keep as calm as potential. bear in mind that your visual communication says the maximum amount concerning you as your answers to the queries. correct preparation can enable you to exude confidence.
As you answer queries, maintain eye contact with the querier. make certain to concentrate to the question in order that you don’t forget it, and hear the whole question (using active listening) before you answer, therefore you recognize precisely what the querier is asking. Avoid separating the querier in the slightest degree prices, particularly once he or she is asking queries. If you wish to require an instant to place confidence in your answer, that’s completely fine, and could be a higher possibility than beginning out with multiple “ums” or “uhs.”
Check out the following tips on avoiding interview stress to assist keep your nerves calm. If the thought of employment interview puts you in panic mode, reviewing these interview tips for introverts are an excellent place to start out.
7. Follow-Up when the Interview
Always follow up with a thank-you note reiterating your interest within the position. you’ll additionally embody any details you will have forgotten to say throughout your interview. If you interview with multiple folks from a similar company, send all a private note. Send your thank-you email at intervals twenty four hours of your interview.
Watch Now: however Honest do you have to Be in associate Interview?
Bonus Tips
Avoid These Common Interview Mistakes
What should not area unit doing} once interviewing? Here are the foremost common interview mistakes, blunders, and errors a willdidate searching for employment can create. Take the time to review these mistakes before your interview, therefore you do not ought to stress out concerning blunders when it.
Successfully Handle Any style of Interview
Review tips about a way to handle interviews that area unit completely different from a typical one-on-one meeting. These embody tips for phone interviews, second interviews, lunch and dinner interviews, activity interviews, interviewing publically, and additional recommendation for interview success. additionally review these signs that your interview went well, therefore you’ll see what skills you will have to be compelled to brush up for next time.
7 Interview Tips which will Assist you Get employed
No Mountain Is Insurmountable With God
A mountain by definition is a large mass of earth and rock above the common level of the earth and usually above 100feets in height. Figuratively speaking it means an exceedingly difficult task or challenge. This figurative meaning is what we are going to take a cursory look at today in relation to the topic at hand.
As a matter of fact, life is full of challenges, no one living is excluded from challenges as you begin to face challenges right from birth. A young child after some few years from birth soon becomes aware life is not a bed of roses or a cake walk as you have to struggle your way and wade through life encountering and surmounting challenges. The devil our arch enemy is very determined to make this world uncomfortable for us humans, he sees this as his major preoccupation because he hates man very passionately.
At first glance most mountains seem insurmountable, until you try tenaciously, consistently and very determinedly to surmount them. There are mountains that sheer determination, will power, fortitude, courage and tenacity is enough to surmount them while there are some mountains that it takes the very special grace and intervention of God to overcome.
This is why it is foolhardy to be far from God, because in your journey through life you will surely encounter some though and very challenging situations that only God alone can help you with, even the atheist cannot deny this fact. They claim God is inexistent but in their closets or hearts of hearts they pray to God when they encounter unpalatable situations beyond their control.
God sometimes answers the prayers or request of sinners so as to show them His loving nature, kindness and mercy and ultimately draw them close to Him. Some sinners, especially atheists in their acute foolery when God answers their prayers, they now look for a scientific and supposedly rational, conceivable, thinkable and humanly comprehensible analysis to water down, suppress or outrightly deny the obvious fact that it was God who helped them surmount the challenge. Instead of giving glory to God, they instead take the glory for themselves.
The truth is you cannot wade successfully through life without the intervention of God. I put it to you very emphatically that there is no mountain, problem, trouble, obstacle, crisis, turbulence, disturbance or unfavourable situation you cannot surmount with the help of GOD.
A lot of factors will determine God’s quick response to you in time of trouble, one major determinant is how you have been relating with God in time past or prior to the problem. Our God is very merciful but His mercy must never be taken for granted.
Many people unfortunately take God for granted, as they only run to God when they are in terrible situations when prior to the problems they were very distant from God in thought, words and deeds. The measure of attention you give to God is the same He will give to you when you are in need of His help.
If you don’t take worship, service, reverence and obedience to God very seriously He will also in like manner not take intervention to your problems seriously when you beckon on Him in time of need. Only with God is no mountain insurmountable.
You also have to have the will and determination to overcome and do all within your capability to surmount the challenge then God will pave a way to victory for you. Some people call on God in time of need but are not ready to do what is humanly expected of them because of laziness, fear or unwillingness.
They complain day and night about their predicament but, do nothing to help themselves. For instance a lazy student who fails to read for an exam but is very quick to pray to God for help will most likely fail the exam because he or she has failed to make an effort. When God wants to help you surmount a challenge He simply crowns your effort with success, but first you must make an effort.
God bless you my Readership. (more…)
