During Veterans Day there are noble efforts to remember the valiant contributions of long-neglected groups such as African Americans, Latino-Americans, women, and others. It is also a good idea to acknowledge the important role of non-believers in the military. Pat Tillman, the former NFL player that died while serving the U.S. after the attacks of September 11, 2001, is just one of many shining examples. As a former member of the US Air Force, I suggest we remember that non-believers in the military are no less important than their religious counterparts. 

Happy Veterans Day.

On the morning of July 29,2009, Igwe was heading a conference on witchcraft and the rights of children. However, the conference was interrupted by a mob of about 150-200 members of the Liberty Gospel Church, headed by the infamous witch hunter, Helen Ukpabio.

The mob attacked Igwe, broke his glasses and stole his bag, camera, digital phone and other items. But amazingly, the conference was not cancelled.

Igwe was not seriously injured, and he has vowed to carry on. He says the answer to this kind of violence is "seminars, seminars, and more seminars." Similarly, George Ongere of the Center for Inquiry/Kenya says the violence will not deter humanists in Kenya. If anything, it will only make them more committed to eradicating superstition on the African continent.

Humanists throughout Africa and from all over the world have sent Igwe messages of thanks and encouragement. The anti-superstition campaign is an idea whose time has come, and its leaders will not be stopped. 

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Leo Igwe, the chairman of the Center for Inquiry/Nigeria,   spoke on BBC Radio . Recently, he met in Nigeria with a delegation from Norway about the validity of the claims of Nigerian asylum seekers. According to Igwe, some Nigerians claim that they are fleeing Nigeria to escape death threats from members of secret cults. Others make asylum claims based on ritual killing and human sacrifice.

Witches have been persecuted, and in some cases killed, in Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, and other countries. Not long ago, a Senegalese crew tossed Ghanaian passengers into the sea after accusing them of using witchcraft to stall the boat.

Many Nigerian women travel to Europe to work as prositutes. Igwe says that some of them obtain "special charms" from juju priests and other purveyors of the paranormal in the hope that they will attract many customers.

Mark Harris is a documentary filmmaker and a member of the Center for Inquiry/Harlem Discussion Group. He is making a documentary about immigration. (The documentary will not focus mainly on the paranormal, and it is not a part of the Center for Inquiry/Transnational’s campaign.)

The film will show that some Africans take part in superstitious rituals to obtain documents to work in Spain. Some believe that sea gods will determine whether a group of ships will sail safely across the Mediterranean Sea. The documentary will also have a story about a man that was pressured by his family to return to Africa. They threatened to call upon paranormal forces to abort the fetus of his sister if he refused to do so.

In Kenya, a group of men has accused alleged witches of making them impotent or marrying women not to their liking. Others have accused them of driving them insane or breaking up their marriages. George Ongere, the chairman of the Center for Inquiry/Kenya, will lead a group of humanists to investigate claims against alleged witches in Kenya. He has attracted great interest from a woman from the Associated Press.

In Tanzania and Burundi, the killing of albinos is an especially disturbing phenomenon. There are about 17,000 albinos in Tanzania, and many people believe their body parts have magical powers that can bring riches and abundance. In recent months, people have been on trials in Burundi and Tanzania for killing albinos and selling their body parts.

These are just some the challenges that Africans face. However, the Center for Inquiry is not afraid to jump into the fray. On the contrary, Igwe, Ongere, and other leaders of organized humanism in Africa are leading the way. They will continue to hold seminars, lead protest marches, meet with politiicans, etc.

An anti-superstition campaign is an idea whose time has come, and the Center for Inquiry/Transnational is proud and more than happy to lead the way.  

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Not all superstitions in Africa are so dangerous. Marrabouts, or so-called witch doctors, profess to have the power to bring people health, wealth, power, etc. Some Africans believe it is bad luck for girls to eat eggs. Many believe that wooded areas or wells for water are haunted by evil spirits.

In order to combat superstition and to uncompromisingly defend rationality and good science, the Center for Inquiry is spearheading an anti-superstition campaign. To kick off the campaign, Leo Igwe of the Center for Inquiry in Nigeria will help lead a seminar in Accra, Ghana on May 28, 2009. The theme will be "Witchcraft and its impact on Development." It will be held at the office of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) at 12 Wawa Road.  For more information, contact Leo Igwe at   nskepticleo@yahoo.com or Norm Allen at   nallen@centerforinquiry.net , or (716) 636-7571 (ext. 426).

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I readily admit that missionaries have done some great work in Africa—building roads, clinics, schools, etc. However, missionaries in recent years have also enriched themselves while exploiting the masses, discouraged millions of Africans from using condoms, thereby increasing unwanted pregnancies and the spread of Aids, promoted sexism, contributed greatly to the persecution and deaths of alleged witches, etc. Indeed, Africa provides the perfect example of what Robert Ingersoll said about the historic role of the Catholic Church: “In one hand she carried the alms dish, in the other, the dagger.” The same could be said of organized religion in general.

In Rwanda, Christians were complicit in the genocide that occurred there in the 1990s. Many people were brutally murdered in churches. In Nigeria, Christians and Muslims have been killing each other by the thousands. Throughout Uganda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and many other African nations, Bible-based homophobia plays a major role in the persecution, and in some cases, murders, of LGBTs.

What Africa needs is what Ingersoll called “a caring rationalism.” The Bible simply contains too many ultra-reactionary and inhumane messages to be blindly embraced by believers. Christian ideas of tolerance are inconsistent with the biblical notion that acceptance of Christ is the only way to reach heaven. The Prince of Peace said he came to bring not peace, but a sword. It is no wonder that there are so many different conceptions of Christianity, not all of them benign.

A humanistic life-stance is the best way to approach the many divisive religious and ethnic conflicts that plague Africa. Human-centered thought and action offer much more for African uplift than piety and prayers ever could. Christian charity is, indeed, commendable. However our appreciation of the missionaries’ alms dish must never blind us to the dagger that so often accompanies it.

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