Idylls of childhood
Meanwhile Nigeria has a different child abuse problem. Small children are accused of being witches and if they’re lucky turn up at the CRARN center scarred and emaciated. Nwanakwo, age 9, had acid poured down his throat by his father after a pastor at a prayer meeting told him he was a witch. Sam Ikpe-Itauma, president of the Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) in Akwa Ibom State bids him a sad and angry good-bye.
The Humanists are to be enormously congratulated for the wonderful work they are doing in trying to help protect and alleviate the suffering of Nigerian children. The latter are so unfortunate to have been branded witches and subsequently abandoned by the very people who should be caring for them until they are able to fend for themselves. I think atheists should take a leaf from their books.
The religious go out to help the poorest of the poor, as they see a gargantuan need there – and in so doing, proselytizing invariably, becomes (mostly) the end result. The poor have nobody else to turn to for survival – so they then join the faith of their respective rescuers in order to stay alive.