Drawing inspiration from an article on the Catholic News Agency about Nigerian youth reverting to the religions of their ancestors, I discuss this concerning trend and its implications for the church at large. We explore what drives these youth back to traditional pagan practices and how this phenomenon mirrors broader global shifts away from Christianity and into pagan or paganistic religions and religious ideologie

[00:00:17] The Rise of Paganism Among Nigerian Youth[00:00:17] The Rise of Paganism Among Nigerian Youth

[00:00:23] Facing it. On, uh, or, or I guess springboarding from an article on Catholic News Agency about Nigerians, Nigerian youth returning to the religions of their forebearers, the pagan religions of their forebearers. Kind of troubling, but it, it is a trend we're seeing really everywhere in the church. Gonna talk to you a little bit about that today, as I fade that music to zero.

[00:00:50] I'll tell you, I don't get a lot of time to do these. And I'm thankful that I get any time at all to do them, because I enjoy doing these podcasts. I wish I could put more time and effort into them to make them a little bit more showy, I guess. You know, different segments, kind of diversity of things.

[00:01:28] The Catholic Experience and Its Mission

[00:01:48] Amen. some wisdom, knowledge based on my experience and therefore the podcast, the Catholic experience. You see how that works. I hope you find it helpful. and I've said this before, there are a lot of podcasts, Catholic podcasts you could be listening to. And I don't take it lightly the fact that you choose to listen to this one.

[00:02:31] Or, hmm, that's really helpful. Something that brings you closer to holiness, closer to prayerfulness. That would really, really make me happy. So let's get right into it.

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[00:03:57] Catholic News Agency Article on Nigerian Youth

[00:04:16] They're dealing with particular issues. They have particular needs that they feel the Catholic Church doesn't meet, or the Catholic experience doesn't meet. And so, they're going back to [00:04:30] the pagan religions that are classical and traditional. In, in that, those regions of Nigeria. Okay. Put that in your pocket, we're going back to that.

[00:05:03] In rural parts of West African country, the number of young people participating in Sunday Mass has plummeted and continues to fall, as many of them turn to paganism.

[00:05:19] Now, let me pause for a second and reference this, about the influence of Pentecostalism. A problem that the Catholic Church in Africa has, and I do mean Africa in general, not just in Nigeria in particular, A problem that they face there is, I guess, the traditional, traditional pagan spirituality is very, let's say, boisterous, okay?

[00:06:10] So a lot of the traditional, classical African spirituality is that, okay? And Catholicism, the way Catholicism is, how worship is done in Catholicism, it's not only It's not only different from their norm, it's different from their culture. It's not only different from the norms of people coming from traditional African religions.

[00:07:27] There's a lot of freewheeling that can [00:07:30] be done in Protestant religions, Protestant traditions, specifically in this case, Pentecostalism. So the church has a lot to compete with in the African,, nations.

[00:08:07] Father Vitalis serves in the, in the region and said that most of the young people he has spoken to are Are grieved by difficulties in life such as poverty, unemployment, and the failure by the church. This is a quote and the failure by the church to protect them as attacks against Christians. Continue in the country where religious-based persecution is one of the highest in the world.

[00:08:54] The greater fear, listen to this, the greater fear we have, especially in [00:09:00] Southeast Nigeria, where I am based, is the fact that young people are going back to traditional religion. Now. He'll mention this later on in the article, but they're not seeing the problem as much in, in, in cities. They're seeing it more specifically in rural, areas of Nigeria.

[00:09:41] This emerging trend is nowhere on social media, but for us here, this is our greatest worry. Very young boys and girls are going back to these practices, and quote, Father Vitalis, who is the Secretary General of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa, said that at the heart of the worrying trend is the increasing insecurity in the region.

[00:10:33] When you go to the churches in our villages, you will not find young people there. They are out practicing traditional religion. Apparently because of poverty and lack of employment, the young people there, uh, it says, especially in the rural parts of the country, as I, as I noted earlier, the young people are avoiding the church where they are told to go ahead and give, they're avoiding the church that says, quote, go ahead and give the little that you have to get the blessings.

[00:11:22] Okay? Sound familiar? At the moment, this trend can only be observed in rural villages. Quote, we are not, we are not worried about the cities because there, the church is full of young people. What we worry about the most is our villages. Well, let me tell you, my friends, it always starts small. It always starts small.

[00:11:42] I can tell you in my experience as an evangelizer, you know, it's, it's really not, I don't want to say if it's common or uncommon, but But if I run into someone who says, Oh yeah, I'm, you know, a neo pagan. Whatever neo pagan is for them. [00:12:00] Wicca, for instance, is growing in popularity. Let's say they, so let's say they introduce themselves as Wiccan.

[00:12:43] Now, if you find ten people in a room, and one or two of them say that they are neo pagan, whatever pagan religion they adhere to, that's not entirely shocking anymore. It doesn't shock me at all. At all, at all, at all, at all. There are people abandoning their Christian roots, and identifying as Buddhists.

[00:13:42] And right there, there was one house that I'm thinking of actually too, that on one side of their front yard is a Buddhist statue, on the other side is a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. How vulgar is that? Yeah. But it's not just Buddhism, of course, there's a rise of, of classical classical European pagan religions everywhere.

[00:14:30] There are things that you do and don't do. There are objects of our affection or objects of our devotion. Right? It's a religion. Everybody is religious. I don't even care if it's an atheist. Atheists are religious too. The only question is, who or what are they worshipping? So a pagan religion, any pagan religion, it's a religion.

[00:15:12] They believe in the spirits. Okay? So,

[00:15:41] It might be the deity of the self. It might be the deity of humanism. There is something at the center of their worship. Some object of their devotion.

[00:16:17] So who do they worship? Often they worship the God of the self.

[00:16:42] What are some of the markers? Well, some things that we see in the culture today are things that were very, very common and popular in, under paganism. We see a return to a glorification of violence. We see a return of the glorification, and almost the ceremonial utilization of sex and sexuality. See? We see the slaughter of, of, of, of innocents.

[00:17:45] They were worshipping demons, whether or not they knew that. And some of those, some of the ancient pagan religions knew they were worshipping demons. They just thought these demons aren't quite that bad. Or they are that bad, but you know what, if you can't beat them, join [00:18:00] them. A return to a glorification of violence.

[00:18:31] We see a return of the worship of the self. And boy, oh boy, do we see it in the church, all over the church. So many individual people with a sense of self importance. So many people who swear to God, I am the church. I am the magisterium. I am the defender of the faith. I'm not calling that a return to paganism.

[00:19:38] And many of them have very popular YouTube channels. And many of them get paid big bucks to spew their nonsense.

[00:20:05] Again, I find it interesting that in Africa this is starting in rural villages. It also start, I mean, and now I'm talking, talking again about actual pagan religions, a return to actual pagan religions. It started in rural villages and it also started in rural areas in America. If it is not checked, it will bleed into suburbs and cities in Africa.

[00:20:57] I also find it interesting that in Africa they're [00:21:00] returning these pagan religions because they feel like Christianity isn't good enough. It doesn't meet their needs. And some of these needs are legitimate. I'm poor. I'm hungry. I'm vulnerable. I get all that. I get all that.

[00:21:35] Now, before people get insulted, Yes, I'm talking about the Latin Mass versus the Novus Ordo Mass, but before people get insulted, let me say this. If you really need the Mass to be a certain way, If you really need that to nourish your, your, your catholicity, that's, that's not illegitimate. I get that. I get that.

[00:22:23] They say with their mouths that both Masses are valid, but really, when you talk to them, it's very [00:22:30] clear that many traditionalists believe that the Latin Mass is either the valid Mass or it is the superior Mass. very much. Now, I'm not trying to make this a crusade against traditionalists. Believe me. I'm just making a point.

[00:23:04] I'm In fact, that is not even a human attitude. Not the way God envisioned humans. That's not how God envisioned humanity when he created us. When we put us at the center, that is not a Catholic attitude. That really is a pagan attitude. Where do you think paganism comes from? Paganism doesn't come from putting a deity at the center.

[00:23:58] But I want to really [00:24:00] focus on the faith of the Jews in the time of Jesus. Those Jews, for those Jews, it had been thousands of years, I think. At least many hundreds. Since they had seen a miracle. Since they had observed the manifestation of the power of God before their very eyes. Hundreds and hundreds of years.

[00:24:45] They still went to the temple at the designated times. They still were in the synagogue. They still observed Sabbath law. They still said their prayers and so on. And when you think about it, that's quite amazing. Because they had every reason to say, you know what, this God thing just ain't working for me.

[00:25:29] I'm [00:25:30] done. And yet many Jews did not say that they did not do that. They prayed, they observed the law, they followed the law. They went to temple when they were supposed to. And so on and so on. And, and, and it, you know, it's a lot of work to be a Jew, especially in Jesus time when they still had a temple.

[00:26:08] Prayers, prayers, prayers. Amen. When you think about it, that's quite remarkable. When today, when someone doesn't want to have to suffer the pain in the ass of getting up for mass on a Sunday, they decide, I'm spiritual, not religious. I can talk to God on my own. I can worship God on my own. This God thing just ain't working for me.

[00:27:01] I am, and I am not saying that, you know, people who are in need of protection, or food, or work, those are all legitimate needs. But when we are leaving Catholicism for anything that we think will satisfy our needs better, then we're not putting God at the center, we're putting ourselves at the center, even if our needs are valid.

[00:27:50] Sometimes we try to turn God or to make God into our own image, what we think a heavenly father should be.

[00:28:27] We try to turn Him into the Heavenly Father [00:28:30] that we think He's supposed to be. And we place these expectations on Him. I know I do. I know that I do. And I'm not too crazy. I'm a little crazy, but I'm not too crazy. If I do it, I have to believe many Catholics do that without realizing it, without realizing it.

[00:29:00] So a return to paganism in Africa, not very surprising to me. We've been seeing a return to actual pagan religions.

[00:29:08] And to, I would say, neo pagan religions, for instance, uh, I would say humanism is a new pagan religion. It's neo paganism. Well, how can it be paganism? There's no deity at the center. Yes, there is.

[00:29:49] Politics as a Modern Religion

[00:30:20] Wanted to know what was going on. And this made me interested and excited to watch the Republican shoot, what do you call it? Republican National, whatever it is. Anyway. I didn't watch the whole, uh, convention, Republican National Convention, that's it. I didn't watch the whole convention, I just watched the last one.

[00:31:00] I wanted to hear what Donald Trump had to say, you know. So, yeah. And this kind of spiraled back into my interest in politics. And when I do post about politics, I, sometimes it's just the politics. And, and I do try to say something about it through a Catholic lens. Not just here's a new story, but here's what I think as a Catholic about this news story or about this headline or about this thing that I'm reposting.

[00:32:01] Just how much politics has become the real religion of many a Christian, not just Catholics, not just Catholics, many a Christian, non Catholic Christians, where this has become their real religion. And occasionally I do find a well thought out post or story or whatever. Occasionally I find something. That I comment on, or, or I just read, and I don't share it, and then sometimes I'll repost it with my own thought.

[00:33:01] Incredibly, incredibly, incredibly, stupid. !

[00:33:25] I don't care to be that passionate or passionately against someone. I'm sorry. That's just too. I am not nearly as passionately against Kamala Harris, who I'm totally dead set against, but I am not. Nearly as passionately negative on Kamala Harris as some people are passionately negative on Donald Trump.

[00:33:56] Debunking Political Myths

[00:34:03] Debating Trump's Impact on America

[00:34:31] Kamala Harris is not going to destroy America any more than Donald Trump is going to save America. Donald Trump may prevent America, Donald Trump will prevent the damage that I firmly believe Kamala Harris will do to American life and American culture, but he's not going to save America. Are you kidding?

[00:35:05] Evaluating Trump and Harris

[00:35:12] I also think that he thinks the legalization of marijuana is no big deal. He has also flip flopped on abortion. He's the most pro life candidate by far, but he is not the pro life Republican that, that I think we should have. He has flip flopped on IVF. I mean, Donald Trump is, is far from the savior of this country.

[00:36:03] Because they just have to. And for them, that's how it's like, that's how it's going to be to vote for Donald Trump. For me, it's not like that. I'm probably voting for Donald Trump. I'm sure as hell not voting for Kamala Harris. Sure as hell not doing that. Forget it. I'm probably going to vote for Donald Trump.

[00:36:41] They're going to hate having to vote for him.

[00:36:44] Critique of Kamala Harris

[00:37:04] I like her human spirit. I really do. I think she's genuinely a joyful woman and I like that a lot,

[00:37:30] And there are people who are entertaining or who are considering voting for her. And that's fine. People with free minds and free wills, just think it through.vote with your mind, not with your emotions, as I keep saying. You know, I'm not trying to crucify Kamala Harris voters. Do you think what you want to think?

[00:38:11] And you are considering good reasons to vote for a communist to be the President of the United States. God bless you. I'm sorry, that is fantastically stupid, fantastically stupid. And I mean that with all due respect, I really do. This is how I talk to my siblings, this is how I talk to my friends, okay?

[00:38:35] And the stupidity continues. Donald Trump said X. No, he did not. Kamala Harris believes Y and Z. Uh, I'm not convinced of that one. I don't like her and I'm not voting for her, but What you just said is a little stupid Donald trump is going to be I just posted this on x the other day. Donald trump is going to be [00:39:00] a Dictator as soon as he's elected.

[00:39:22] Except now, he has already been president. And we know he does not, he did not start World War III. We know he built bridges with, with foreign leaders. We know this because he's done it. But there are still people saying he's going to start World War III. When last I checked, Russia was emboldened by years of the Obama administration.

[00:40:12] They might have good reasons, but You'd be hard pressed to make the argument to me. I'm sorry, we already know his record. We already know it. He's been president for four years.

[00:40:22] So there are pro Trump and anti Trump things that I find very stupid. There are pro and anti Kamala Harris things that I find very stupid.

[00:40:56] I am not saying that what I'm saying is there are many people for whom politics or their political party or political affiliation, that's their real religion. And I don't care if they're in church every single day, if their political party is their ideology, If these are the, the rules we live by, though they may not necessarily be good Christian guidelines, but this is what we believe as Democrats, or this is what we believe as Republicans.

[00:41:50] And again, I don't think any of my listeners really fit that bill. So when I say you, you, you, you, my friends don't think I'm talking about you because I'm really [00:42:00] not. I'm talking about people. Okay. And for some of you, some of you may fit the bill. I don't know. I don't, I don't think so. What I'm trying to say is I'm not attacking you.

[00:42:14] Returning to Spiritual Fundamentals

[00:42:25] I'm gonna tell you my response to it, okay? Because even, I even have to check myself with all of these things. All of these things. I even have to check myself and make sure my heart is in the right place. And my mind is in the right place. So I'm going to tell you what I, how I respond to this. How I respond to my own, I guess, erring attitude.

[00:43:00] Returning to Spiritual Fundamentals

[00:43:17] It's not a big ship. It's not a small boat. It's a medium sized boat. What I try to do is I point my bow in the right direction. Jesus. Not [00:43:30] God the Father and the communion of the saints in heaven and the Holy Spirit. Nope. No, no, no, no, no. Simple, right? Jesus. Jesus. The Father and the Holy Spirit are kind of in there, but Jesus.

[00:43:50] I set my rudder, right? And then I start rowing. I know I said it's not a small boat, but just go with me on this, okay? It's a medium sized boat. There are still oars and people rowing. Okay, so let's just say I crack the whip and I say, Okay, okay, fellas, start rowing. Okay, let's say there's six, six oars. Okay, start rowing.

[00:44:29] The Power of Simple Prayer

[00:44:44] If all you do is say, and I don't recommend you pray this little, but I'm just making an example. If all you do is pray one Our Father a day, pray it with devotion. Take 3 to 5 minutes to pray that Our Father. Say it slowly. Focus on every word. [00:45:00] If you're saying only one hour Father a day, making an example, not a prescription, okay?

[00:45:11] Read a little bit of the Scriptures, specifically the Gospels, because where's your bow pointed? Jesus. Read the Scriptures. Read what He has had to say. Be attentive at Mass to the readings. Just, just be consistent and steady. President Trump this, Kamala Harris that, that, that, that, that, Jesus.

[00:45:54] Or almost nothing, I'll say. Thank you. I don't get distracted by this headline, that headline, this sensationalism, that sensationalism, this stupid thing that I would really love to comment on, or that dumb thing that I would really love to comment on. I try not to get distracted. Jesus. Keep rowing. Be consistent.

[00:46:38] The bow is now pointed a little bit, a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right. Or a little bit port, a little bit starboard. Okay, now course correct. Get back to focus. Point your bow back to Jesus and focus. Now keep rowing.

[00:47:08] Go to Mass. Read the scripture. Pray plainly. Pray plainly and talk to God. Not just in Our Father, but talk to Him. Look through the Psalms. Find a couple that, that really speak to you, commit them to memory, and include them in your regular daily prayer life. Here's one that really, really, uh, here's one that I like to use.

[00:47:57] This one I think though, I say verbatim. [00:48:00] This has been going on for a while. I don't recall that I've changed it. But anyway, it goes like this. O Lord, you are my God. For you I long. For you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land where no water is. And so I gaze on you in the sanctuary.

[00:48:49] In the actual sanctuary, as you pray before the tabernacle. But the first part of that psalm, O Lord, you are my God, for you I long. Period. For you my soul is thirsting. Pause. My body pines for you, like a dry, weary land where no water is. That's one that I use. Lord, I'm too far from you. For whatever reason.

[00:49:36] Water, scripturally, whenever I see water, I think grace, I think something spiritual, I think life and vitality. Water isn't just water in the scripture. I'm very, very firmly convinced of this. Everywhere you see water in the scripture, especially in the Old Testament, you're not just listening, you're not just reading about water.

[00:50:23] Anyway, you do with that what you wish. Point is, that's one that I use a lot lately. Lord, I'm too far from you, and I hunger for you in ways that I can't even give voice to. Even my body pines for you like a dry weary land. Where no water is. Where no water is.

[00:50:52] Avoiding Distractions in Faith

[00:51:22] What I want you to do is I want you to work your spirituality with this mindset. The goal is to get to tomorrow. That's it. The goal is to get to tomorrow, to put in a good day today, to do these spiritual practices, to keep them basic, right, but steady, and get to tomorrow, and tomorrow to do it again. And you keep doing these tomorrows until you get to the next Mass, and then you start the cycle all over again.

[00:52:16] Because Jesus Christ is everything that matters. The cross is everything that matters. It's not lip service. I mean it. It is everything that matters. That Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross [00:52:30] To reconcile us to God the Father.

[00:53:03] Or Donald Trump?

[00:53:29] If that's everything that matters, then why does everything else so distract us?

[00:53:56] It's unbelievable. They could shoot the Pope in the face. It doesn't matter. [00:54:00] They're going to love these characters anyway. They could say, you know, I only worship Satan one day out of the year and the people will be like, oh, well, that's okay. Just make sure you go to confession. It's unbelievable to me. We get so distracted by Catholicism that we fall into these wells and we, and we, we hardly even care that we can't climb back out of them.

[00:54:44] And I do this, and this, and this, and this prayer. And I go to mass, you know, every day. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Remember, I'm not saying any of these are bad things, okay? And I go to mass every day. And I read the saints. And I do this. And I do that. Okay, and these may not be unhealthy for you. For instance, my prayer regimen would probably drive some people crazy.

[00:55:40] It's everywhere in our attention, it's everywhere in our actions, everywhere, not Christianity per se, but Catholicism, right? The church culture. Not always a bad thing, but it could be a bad thing. Because sometimes, we're so passionate about being Catholic that we forget to be Christian. The church becomes God.

[00:56:32] These are not in and of themselves bad things. But they can become distractions.

[00:57:01] You ever try to be silent before the tabernacle? Oh. We always want to pray when we're in front of the tabernacle, which is totally fine, but have you ever tried to just be silent for an hour before the tabernacle? You know how hard that is to do? Okay, sometimes keeping it simple in the practice of the faith is just as hard or even more difficult for some people.

[00:57:49] Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

[00:58:16] A return to actual paganism or a return to Practical paganism, right? So, like, if you're a humanist, or what I call a scientist, or a [00:58:30] scientist, someone who practically worships science, right? Or worships nature, or worships, you know, humanism. I'll call that practical paganism. Versus actual paganism, or as opposed to actual paganism, which is like Wicca.

[00:59:14] Don't let anything distract you. Point your bow toward Jesus Christ. And roll like your life depends on it. Amen. Because my friends, it actually does.

[00:59:44] com God bless you, my friends. Keep me in your prayers. God be with you all. Signing out of here. Bye bye.