Some of the people from the congregation bow and kiss Prophet Elvis Mbonye’s shoes. COURTESY PHOTO
The Prophet Mbonye wave has been spreading like a wildfire and unfortunately we cannot simply ignore it. Such is his influence that all the so-called “remnants” are plastered everywhere like agents, professing their adoration for the man and combative when you disagree with all his doing. There is always a WhatsApp profile picture of Prophet Elvis Mbonye waiting for your attention. You cannot run away from him, his teachings and his obsessive following. They are forming up in clusters, hoisting his name like some sort of super power and for the first time, I am concerned.
Last week, gospel musician Edwin Ruyonga came out in his Facebook post to somewhat liken Prophet Mbonye to Jesus and I shook. First, because I hold Ruyonga in very high regard. From listening to his music, you can tell he is a reasonably level-headed man who understands his religion really well and loves his God.
Gospel rapper Ruyonga
I have always respected him for that but for him to low-key insinuate that his beloved prophet is like Jesus was wrong. Of course I know he would defend himself by saying the real meaning of the post was lost in translation but there was a subtle message in there.
When his followers kissed his feet in adoration, his followers tried to justify this and somehow our forgetful crowd brushed it aside. The comparison with God by an artiste with a following mainly of young people is bound to make you reflect seriously. I am not a deeply spiritual person but the little I know is that God is incomparable.
A supreme being. No man comes close. It does not matter how many Oscars he has predicted to make you believe so, but many of you are deluded. These thoughts you people are planting in your little heads during Sunday service will put you in trouble. These small things build up. Before you know it, something will totally be beyond our control.
My efforts to ask his followers about this seeming obsession have been rejected at every attempt. I am banished with things like, “You cannot understand these things”. What is there to understand? What is your “Jesus” doing in a gym lifting weights? Gimme a break.My Jesus is Lord, your brightly-suited Jesuses do not come close!