Disillusion (Religion..............the opiate of the people)

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To protect,help the needy in society and aid in socialisation are some of the functions of religious institutions. One will expect that a society such as the Ghanaian society that is so involved in religious activities, with almost every citizen subscribing to one religion or the other will be a haven for peace, justice and equality.
A quick glance at the religious environment reminds me of German philosopher and economist Karl Max, he compared religion to opium by describing religion as the opium of the people.   The full quote from Karl Marx translates as: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people". Often quoted only in part, the interpretation of the metaphor in its context has received much less attention.(Wikipedia). Most people choose to criticise this statement but I'm of the view that even if it was not a good description then, it is now.
Pastors riding in expensive vehicles that just the tax they pay on them is equivalent to the annual income of at least twenty percent of their congregation . That's not even the part that worries me, because a man should be able to enjoy the "fruits of his labour" but when his labour is selling false hope to the oppressed, extorting money from the congregants, and encouraging people to accept their current poor state when they can actually achieve more then indeed he is no better than an opium dealer who temporarily reduces your pain and provides an illusion for you to carry on and at the same time takes away not just your senses but wealth as well.
It's no surprise that a lot of the richest Pastors in the world are Africans. We do need this "opium", with all the poverty, hunger and conflicts, something to take our mind of it and give us hope might just be what we need. Pastors sleeping with people's wives, selling of anointing oils and other items, congregants being abused to the extent of some being killed all in the name of miracles might just be a small price to pay.