This and that with Mal'phosa - Amen and Ei-men!

Am I the only one who has been getting messages from Jesus or his father - via face book of via Whatsapp? Am talking about those dreary threatening gory pictures of suffering humans with limbs cut off or bowels lolling out or heads flattened in accidents or pics of people with defects from birth – a twisted neck, two heads facing opposite directions, twisted arms or legs, fifty six years olds going up 56 cm high, pretty faces on a leg facing backwards, a baby with three eyes or with one cyborg-tic eye? Or a situation whereby a red dog is carrying a newly born? Or a ten year old that has been brutalised and raped and cut into pieces and stashed into a Shangane bag?  And the sender or poster will tell you; seven years of bad luck if you don't type amen.

There are some more messages again, like this one with a picture of someone who looks like CM Punk of WWE, with the message, 'Do you need me?' written on a piece of card board. Or this one I got today, 'Good morning this is God.' But I know this is just one of my contacts. The message continues - 'I will be handling all of your problems today; I will not need your help - so, relax and have a great day'! Sounds more an air hostess bent on impressing her nervous and doubting clients under impossible circumstances. And I am supposed to write or reply 'Amen', to all these gory situations. Really? When I thought amen-ing was such serious business?

But, is this the appropriate use of amen, if I may ask? 'Amen' is said to be a word from the Hebrew vocab, and stems from 'Aman', meaning 'so be it', or to be faithful or 'truly', or 'confirm', or affirmation of what has just been spoken or written. It is a word used in strong asseverations, fixing or sealing, the stamp of truth upon whatever assertion it accompanies, making it binding as an oath. The pastor or preacher would go, 'Jesus is lord!' and the congregation responds 'Amen', which means truly. Hence, amen is used to conclude prayers or any statement that is true. A pastor might also shout, 'The bible is the inspired word of God!' and his sheep will shout 'Amen!' - that is, those that agree.

The Greek also have their version of the word amen - which also means 'so it is', 'truly', and even 'true' or 'yes'. Even today when amen is spoken, it is like saying yes, true, or that is true. In other words, we should never say amen if we do not think what is being said is true or just because others are saying it. Instead, we should only say amen if we are in personal agreement with what is said or written.

Jesus frequently used the word amen but mostly in the beginning of his sentence, like 'Verily verily (truly truly) I say unto thee - - -.' What he was emphasising was most certainly, or truthfully. Saying it twice assured his audience that what he was about to say was the absolute truth and also the authority with which he spoke.

Amen was also used as an affirmation, asserting comprehension of or in agreement with, certain laws imposed by Jehovah on the Jews, and whoever pronounced amen to those laws acknowledged awareness of the punishment or censure for going against those laws. So the use of amen in conjunction with a prayer or sermon, means that one who utters this word puts himself into the statement with all earnestness of faith and intensity of desire. It will be like signing under the terms and conditions, meaning that one understands and accepts the terms under which he will do business with the seller.

And we have our own version - the black Zimbabwean version of amen. Like most things learnt and not fully understood, we have variations according to our denominations or moods or level of desperation. I once went to a church where amen would be 'Wom!" 'Ukuthula ebandleni', and the mdikonis would shout a sharp and short 'Wom!' This they would do almost throughout the sermon when they thought the preacher had a point. And others would also sign off with 'Wooomani', which is the long version of 'wom', after each chorus sung or after each verse read. Most members of the congregation would stand up and just shout amen to nothing and no-one in particular, before sitting down hastily. Is this not equivalent to putting your signature on a blank piece of paper?

 There was this old mfundisi at the church I used to attend as a boy. His tremulous voice repeatedly crooned 'Mncwamen, mncwamen mncwamen' after every prayer. His eyes would remain closed in concentration even after everyone had opened their eyes. I'd look up at his contorted face and try in vain to imagine what he felt as he prayed. Yes, we used to kneel down, close our eyes, and put our hands together like the praying mantis does, and let the mfundisi pray on behalf of all of us..

What I learn from all this, therefore, is that we should never say 'amen' to anything that we are not certain about, or are not in complete agreement with because to do so is to be speaking with hypocrisy, and we all know how Jesus hated hypocrisy.

If, for instance I type amen under these pictures of human suffering and misery, it means I agree with these situations and endorse them fully. The term amen is now flippantly used or used in haphazard fashion and most just 'Amen!' points they don't even understand or agree with but do so simply from habit or just shout to impress the pastor.

Last Sunday a mzalwane of mine was almost assaulted by some vagabond. 'Futsek!' the urchin blurted. 'Amen!' was my mzalwane's peace seeking response. What are u sealing or agreeing with there?  'Uyinja!' 'Amen!' What is it that you are asserting there? What is 'true' about you being called a dog? So, I don't feel guilty if I don't 'Amen' under that horrible picture of agony that these holier than thou friends post on face book. Sorry yes but amen no. and, afterall, amen will not change their sorry situations, or will it? Ei-men and Mncwamen! Ngiyabonga mina!