Rated US Pastor and Televangelist, Creflo Dollar, court controversy earlier in the week when he made a u-turn on one of his core teachings in a message to his 30,000-member church and followers all over the world when he declared his previous stance and preaching on tithing wrong. The law stating that Christian adherents were to give ten per cent of one’s income to God was obsolete. In the new dispensation of grace, they were not compelled to give a specific percentage, instead, they were to part with funds as the spirit of God led them. He admitted that the preponderance of his teachings on tithing which spelt doom and gloom for defaulters was premised on guilt-tripping and fearmongering, and not on love.

Motive is the driving force behind all we do as humans. Aside from involuntary activities and compulsories such as eating, the bulk of our actions is borne out of intent.

For many, the motivation to do stuff is fear. The raw, primal fear that they will be perceived in a negative way if they do not conform to the populist narrative. It’s why we hardly ask questions. Once everyone is doing it then it must be right.

I have always been wary of taking decisions that originate from the Fear Of Missing Out or FOMO as it is called in marketing. As the phrase suggests, they are a product of a bandwagon effect and not premised on personal conviction, We do it because everyone else is doing it.

And so I give because I do not want to be perceived as stingy even when I genuinely cannot afford to. I respect my elders because it’s what I have always been told to do and not because I believe they deserve special courtesy due to their age and life experience, and I pay tithe because I have been harangued and guilt-tripped into doing so. My motivation is fear, or at worst, the desire to not be tagged rebellious.

It’s how you feel out of place if you are not “BATified,” “ATIkulated,” or “OBIdient.” The social media space is saturated with a cacophony of voices who claim to be supporters of the three major presidential candidates. It’s the new cool to be a part of the crowd even when you do not understand what the hype is about or why there’s premature excitement about a candidate when history tells us politicians hardly ever fulfil their promises.

You must ask yourself if you are convinced your preferred candidate is the best for Nigeria at this moment in time, based on pedigree, and not because mouthing a slogan is a new fad, and you’d be uncool if you stayed out of the frenzy.

Is your motivation propelled by love for your country or…

Creflo’s self-professed gaffe once again underscores the importance of an independent mind and the need to do due diligence. It is one thing to listen, and another to consider and sieve.

The discerning one knows to not idolise anyone no matter how revered they are by others for the simple reason that they are human and, therefore, fallible.