When I have read your TV program experience in your article, it reminds me on the other day what I have seen and heard on the local TV broadcasting. I have heard this similar view, “...Famine was a punishment meted out by God against the Ethiopians”. This time it was NOT from learned Ethiopian Orthodox Archbishop but it was from Ethiopian Protestant pastor. A “learned” Ethiopian pastor mentioned in his preaching “the September 11, attack by terrorist was also a punishment meted out by God”. Isn’t it surprising, Mr. Abiye!

Where does this Ethiopian protestant pastor fit in your article? Is that fair if I say, per your article, this protestant pastor’s church is labeling equally as the Ethiopian Orthodox Church for recurring to the famine?

I remember, during the “great revolution” or Marxism-Leninism era the entire Marxist-Leninist Cadres were telling us Marxism-Leninism is a remedy to the Ethiopian economy backwardness. They kept telling us in every mass media, Marxism-Leninism creates prosperous economy to the society....blah blah blah,. I was young and believed them at that moment. Many discussion, or “neqate Hlina”, was going on everywhere in urban and even remote rural areas. That happened in intending and changing the consciousness of the people. Thanks to them and I have read a lot about Marxism - Leninism theories of Economy, Politics, Religion, Nationalism etc. enthusiastically for nothing.

Almost for the last 30 years, the Marxism-Leninism remains the ideology of Ethiopian government. We have also experienced the most known famine in 1984-85 when up to 7.9 million people were affected and up to one million people died of starvation, under Marxism-Leninism administration. Indeed, the most famous quote from the work of Karl Marx is “religion is the opium of the people.” This quote was very effective in Ethiopia under this regime of Marxism - Leninism.

Let me ask you a question Mr. Abiye. Does this famine related to the Orthodox Church? Where is the church conspired against the effort to tackle the famine? Does the Marxist-Leninist ideology bring any developmental contribution to the Ethiopian Economy? Does this ideology provide enough food supply to the Ethiopian people? Why it could not bring development in the economy?

By saying that and asking questions, currently, I clearly see that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has surrounded by its own internal problem. In some aspect I would agree with Mr. Abiye, that there are some “canons” and “traditions” to be corrected and the way of teaching to be improved. I hope nobody is expecting overnight change of those old "canons". I also firmly believe that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church teaches the true Jesus Christ on the Holy Bible for the last 2000 years. However, I firmly don’t believe the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has any role in recurring or causing to the current famine.

Many materials are out there for the cause of the current famine. As far as I understand, none of them claim the Orthodox Church or the Protestant sect holds responsibility for the famine.

To the best of my understanding, it is better to draw a line between “religion” and “philosophical ideology”. I am not dealing with “Marxism Leninism philosophy and Max Weber ideology” because so much has been said on these issues.

I would like to shift my point to the other side and concentrate on specific issue, the “religion” by assuming the citrus paribus criteria to all religion. What are the shortcomings of the “modern” religion?

To begin with, it is very known that for any Christian religion group the scripture is the basic source. Each Christian religion designed its doctrine based on the Holy Bible. Does each “modern” religion group following and applying the “true word of God”? This question raises the relationship between religion and philosophy. What happen if the religion and philosophy is mixed up and philosophy added to the Doctrine?

A well-known professor Scott Hahn has an answer to this question. Professor Scott Hahn testified with his findings. He said “...if you get it wrong on this point, you get it wrong on everything else. If you say faith plus anything, you have polluted the simple truth of the Gospel.”

Mr. Abiye said “my essay echoes Max Weber's celebrated argument that the emergence of capitalist economies owed much to Protestantism which taught its followers to put a high value on worldly success.” Wow, what a “worldly success”! In this aspect I respectfully disagree with Mr. Abiye, In response let me use the proverb that goes like this “Poison is poison though it comes in a golden cup”. Suppose a barrel is full of water. If you put a tiny drop of poison in a barrel of water, it spreads out easily, poisons the water and kills anybody who drinks “unknowingly” out of the barrel. That is what is going on in the ‘modern’ philosophical theology.

For the better understanding and well awareness of what is going on under the cover of the Holy Bible, I would prefer to post below the professor Scott Hahn’s life history article as it is. That may tell us the answer. Read and judge it yourself in relating to the shortcomings of “modern” religion.

What is the problem with Protestantism doctrine? Isn’t that the act of Lucifer to alter the Word of God? Is the Protestantism preaches the "true" Jesus Christ? What do we learn from professor Scott Hahn’s life history?

To sum up: Let’s find out indigenous solution and / or learn the best ideas from developed nation to adopt in our society without influencing identity and beautiful culture. We have seen the negative result of copying the whole concept of Marxism-Leninism. Let’s involve in carefully selecting the best cure medicine to the current problem by understanding the problem of the indigenous people.

In avoiding redundancy on this topic, for the issue on “doctrine”, “canon” and “tradition”, please see my previous posting under “Re: Socio-Cultural and Economic Roles of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church”.

Thank you!

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