Islamic banking: Why I am not a Christian

CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi Lamido

Bertrand Russel, that exceptional writer had one of his classic outings he titled "Why I am not a Christian", I have decide to 'steal' that work to get to my destination - the unblemished truth.
Transliterate my headline it can mean, 'I'll become a "mallam" to enjoy Islamic banking services. I can and if I do, what sin have I committed? Let every religion do the same and see if I will not change.
Woe to principles in the face of hunger. Ask which religion did I bring when I was born? My father's uncle, Alhaji Busari, may Allah grant him aljannah, did more good to more Christians than pastors. Where were the pastors?

The problem of Nigeria is not the faiths but the faithless-ness of those professing the faiths! You will agree with me this is very profound. i hate when filling forms, mongrels ask me "religion". It hurts me deep. Does my hood make me a monk? The biggest thieves of this land used religion to steal us blind. How many christians did M K O Abiola helped when he was alive? Did he deal with his 'friends' based on his religion?

Hypocrisy:
There is too much hypocrisy and mass psychologic deception floating around over this "Islamic banking" issue. Begad, I swear, it is a PRINCIPLE of banking POPULARIZED by Muslims, consistent with the Holy Bible: namely non-interest-bearing, profit-sharing banking. Like Zakat (obligatory alms giving) and Sadaqa (voluntary alms giving), these are tenets that Christians too could elevate in their faith practice consistent with the Bible.

Haba! In our privacy, do we not loan money to a friend, family or relation and say, "Just give me back my money after you are done"? This is simple non-interest-bearing, zero-profit-sharing loan from your "personal bank!"

Islamic banking like Jega's parties:

Now, about "Islamic banking", what will NOT be acceptable - and will be in violation of the grund norm which is the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are two things:

1.       - if the name of the bank BEARS a religious nomenclature and/or insignia that might SUGGEST (even if it does not practice) discrimination.  This is the same test that a political party in Nigeria must pass in its name and symbol: no religious confusion. - if the bank actually PRACTISES discrimination in its service delivery to citizens (eg in account opening, in loan giving.)
Why must a born again christian not get loan from an Islamic bank. Was Bank PHB not meant to have been in this business with Abiola until the real enemies of this country used the media to kill the idea?

2.       You should for example not have to change your name, title or religion to be responded to.  Again, this is the same test that political party must pass, in its written constitution and practice.Once those two things pass muster, I see no problems at all. 

Our religion at birth:

Wait a minute! Did Nigerians not freely and fairly voted for a muslim-muslim ticket via MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe in 1983? Was it not a muslim, Ibrahim that squashed it? Assuming there were plans to Islamise Nigeria, has the Ibrahim not worked against Allah in this instance?

Seek the truth and let it set you free. More Alhajis and Pastors have worked together to steal us blind. Within the religions, there has been more enemies. Are there no men married to muslim women and whose lives have been more stable. Till tomorrow, my most reliable friends are Muslims. It is not about what religion you profess.

In this matter, Christians must understand that there are millions of Nigerian citizens who are Muslims, and who should be allowed to practice their faith freely so long as they do not stop others from practising their own faith - and I don't see how an "Islamic banking principle" (with the two caveats above) cannot operate.  The prophetic challenge is how to practice our faith consistently and faithfully without being syncretic and how to leave God to defend Himself against assault by the enemy.
The truth compiled:

Romans 14:14. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself.
1 Corinthians 10:25-27 (also 1 Corinthians 8:4-8): Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."

If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. Acts 15:29: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21...the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.

Revelation 2:20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. Paul's teaching, which he explains in Romans 14:14-23 and 1 Corinthians 8:4-13, is that eating food sacrificed to idols is not wrong in and of itself, but is better avoided for the sake of Christians who think it is wrong and would consequently be led into sin (Romans 14:23).
While eating food that has been sacrificed to idols is not wrong, participating in idol worship is. Part of the idol worship of the time may have involved sacrificing meat to an idol and then feasting on the meat in celebration of the idol. In this case, participating in the feast would be participating in the worship of the idol, just as partaking of Communion is an act of worshipping Christ - a parallel Paul draws in 1 Corinthians 10:15-18. Therefore v. 20-21 refer to eating sacrificed meat at an idol feast and thus practicing idolatry (as opposed to buying sacrificed meat in the market, or eating sacrificed meat at an ordinary meal in someone's home). The condemnation of eating sacrificed meat in Acts 15:29 and Revelation 2:20 probably refers to participation in an idol feast, but could also refer to the sin of leading others into sin by eating it (1 Cor 8:10-12).

Christian banking:

The Islamic principal banking system is the Biblical way of Banking as instructed by God. Does the above passages not speak the truth without blemish?

See below Bible passages from King James.

9 " You shall not charge interest to your brother -- interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.

20 "To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess. (Deuteronomy 23:19,20)

10 "I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!
11 "Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them." (Nehemiah 5:10,11)

5 He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)

8 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor. (Proverbs 28:8)

7 If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;
8 If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man
9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully -- He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18:7-9)

13 If he has exacted usury Or taken increase -- Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him. (Ezekiel 18:13)

17 Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes -- He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live! (Ezekiel 18:17)

12 "In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten me," says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 22:12)

Useless faith leaders:

And I'm amazed how Nigerian Christians quickly come to judgement when the Scriptures say "judge not". The Nigerian Church is so full of itself and falsely arrogates to itself the monopoly of righteousness which it is in dire need of.

Second coming of the church in Nigeria:

There is, no doubt, the second coming of the church in Nigeria. The present church has sold its soul to materialism. This was not the church Joseph Ayo Babalola and Moses Tunolase Orimolade left.
Why are they not championing Christian Banking to give non-interest loan to Christians?
If the Nigerian Church were alive, Nigeria would not be in the thick darkness it is today. We are certainly in the dark. The deception is akin in Islam. Why must the leaders of Islam in Nigeria not be  ashamed of themselves looking at the transformation Islam has carried out in Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar et al.
The problem of Nigeria is not the faiths but the faithless-ness of those professing the faiths!