Religion is very important in Kenya. The majority of people I have met would describe themselves as both Christian and religious. Most of the preferred denominations are evangelistic in their approach and there is a strong focus on fear, punishment, hellfire and damnation. It is part of everyday life, everyday conversation and most people say that they go to church.
However, there is more to it than that. While I don’t doubt the genuine faith of many people, it is much more important to be seen to believe rather than to actually believe. It would be a brave person indeed who declared themselves to be agnostic or even atheist. It is not socially acceptable for Kenyans to hold such views although it is tolerated in visitors, on the basis of who can understand the strange ways of the muzungus?
Dig a little deeper and you discover that unless you wear your Christian “badge” or at least go through the motions/say the right things, you would quickly become unemployable – particularly in the field of education. In short, you would not get a job as a teacher, or indeed a Head Teacher because of your perceived lack of morality. So this widespread approach makes it rather difficult to distinguish between real Christians and social Christians. In addition, many more people talk about attending church rather than actually attending. Both churches that I have attended during my time here, have very small congregations. In saying that, I have always been given a very warm welcome and have been fully included in the service.
It is worthwhile noting that in either case, religion does not impact on behaviour. So corruption, infidelity, promiscuity, dishonesty and opportunism are not as shocking as declaring a lack of faith.
As one friend told me, “there is not necessarily a connection in Kenya between what people say and what people do.”
Another friend put it even more eloquently, “Kenyans preach water but drink wine.” It is just how it is.
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