The Writer’s Itch

When the itch grows it irritably glows. He tends to find a way out. Within a twitch he’s out. That’s right! The sensory powers cannot tame him. And not even the Thames River with its amazing might swallowing all the slinkiest and dirtiest from London’s sewage on a daily basis can outdo him.

Are you really looking for him?
In the writer’s mind dwell many. The architect, the priest, the teacher, the chef, the comedian the nurse, the king, the queen you name it. Today I bring you the police. Yes, the police. The police has an advice for the Doomsday Prophets in Ghana. He sits at the depths of the mind. Restless. Twitchy. He struggles. He flexes his muscles and then sharpens his knuckles. They’re like talons—the Eagle’s.

He revs his engine like an airplane, readying to take off. Where’s my mighty pen? His little fingers with piercing eyes comb the writing desk for him. Soon he finds himself sandwiched in their bosom. Clutched and fingered!

A-4 white sheet is required. He’s pregnant with good stuff, fingers twitching-ready to give birth to the unborn. The itch has crescendoed --to a pitch level and it must burst forth a fetus lest he drifts into a ditch. Play me some soothing song, preferably Bob Marley’s ‘Talking Blues’ or Peter Tosh’s ‘I AM That I AM.’

Last week after the murder of one their own—an officer, Ghana Police Service literally told Ghanaian Doomsday prophets to shut up if they’ve no good prophecies to make about them. Enough is enough!

Why do you prophets always give bad prophecies about us? Where did we go wrong to deserve damnation all the time? Am I the only one in Ghana that takes bribes? Have you removed the beam from your eyes? If you care to know not all of us are bribe takers. Not all of us are corrupt. Some of us detest the act unfortunately there are bad apples among us. And I am sure they dwell amongst you too.

No doubt the security service has had a lot of bad prophecies from these prophets lately. They speak about an impending or foreboding danger that will befall on them. I suspect they’ve had their ears full. So now they’re asking the pastors to pray to God for their protection and not damnation.

An American syndicated columnist Cal Thomas said: ‘One mark of deteriorating society is when people cannot discern between truths and lies. Another is that they don’t care and will believe whatever their ears want to hear.”

Mr. Thomas is right. We’ve become gullible. And I think Christians are more at risk than anyone on this planet. Remember David Koresh (born Vernon Wayne Howell)? He was the leader of a spiritual group that later took the name the Branch Davidians in Waco Texas US.

In February 28 1993 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms raided Mount Camel Centre. The raid resulted in the deaths of four agents and six Branch Davidians. After the first raid FBI took control trying to persuade Koresh and his member to come out. But it would result a 51-day stand-off, leader and group members barricaded in a building. In the end 80 Branch Davidians including David Koresh perished in an inferno. 22 of the victims were children under the age of 17.

How about Jones town massacre? In November 1978 cult leader Jim Jones led more than 900 men, women and children to their deaths in a mass suicide through cyanide –laced punch.

Not long ago, courtesy of Whatsapp a social media I saw an appalling video that had human beings literally eat green grasses as though they were munching a Burger King sandwich. A pastor had asked his flock to step out from the church and graze the green grass. No kidding, these church folks believed to be possessed by demons ate the grasses like sheep. It was understood the church is in southern Africa.

Once upon a time in Ghana a pastor also asked his church members to bring all their used underwear (clothes) to the church. They were also asked to include bras. What was it for? They were told all their problems and troubles would go away after the used clothes were burnt. Hundreds perhaps thousands followed the pastor’s instruction and tons of clothes were set ablaze amid shouts of Hallelujah!

Only God knows if these congregants have since seen millions in their wallets and purses. Are they without problems or trouble-free after ‘sacrifice’?

Some pastors have even claimed they could turn or change into some kind of animals like the protean chameleon. Maybe it’s yet to happen.