Robert Chiwamba’s ‘atheists are fools’ poem raps humanists
Celebrated poet Robert Chiwamba has courted controversy and backlash for producing a poem in which he is calling atheists as fools.
In the poem, Chiwamba quotes Psalms 14:1 (KJV), which says, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
But this has not gone down well with Humanists Malawi, a local non-governmental organization (NGO) that fights for the rights of secular humanists, which believes the poem has potential to fan homophobia against non-believers.
Humanists Malawi Executive Director Wonderful Mkhutche, in a statement issued on Wednesday, argues that there are other better ways Chiwamba could have used to talk about his God or Bible other than attacking others.
“Robert Chiwamba is no stranger to such remarks. Recently, he was also caught up in homophobic attacks when he used the Bible to declare God’s judgement on homosexuals. This reveals a kind of man who uses the Bible as a weapon against people whose views or practices are different from his,” reads the statement in part.
Mkhutche emphasizes that as a learned man, the poet is supposed to know better that ‘we live in a world of diverse views and among them is Atheism’.
He says there is nothing abnormal for people to disagree on some views; hence, the way Chiwamba has done it is uncivilized in a place such as Malawi where common values of liberal democracy upholds diversity.
“We remind Robert Chiwamba that there are other better ways to talk about his God or Bible, and one of them is through his own character. It can be assumed that when he goes about calling or declaring others as “fools” or God’s judgment upon them, he is righteous himself because the Bible he uses says all sins are the same before God (Romans 3:23; and James 4:17). It will be a pity if he forgets his own life, only to end up in the same hell he is promising to others,” says the Mkhutche in the letter.
“This country has come too far with its cherished democratic values, and it still has a long way to go. As youths, we are custodians of this future, which will be secured only if we uphold such values. Robert Chiwamba is a young man who needs to envision a Malawi in which all are free to believe or not to believe in God or the Bible. These are the values he must uphold in his art, as someone who is prudent enough to prepare this country’s future,” he adds.
However, Mkhutche emphasizes that his communication is not based on warnings or threats as they believe that Chiwamba is reasonable enough to use both his academic and societal knowledge to understand that there is nothing wrong in religious diversity.
The humanist has further schooled the poet believer that the greatest measure of faith in God is not by how much believers reject, judge or castigate those different from them, but how they embrace or accommodate others.
“This is also the life we see in Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, who did not call Tax collectors or prostitutes ‘fools’. He associated with them, and as the Christian faith says, Jesus Christ died for them as well,” he concludes.
Nyasa Times will endeavor to get Chiwamba’s reaction at a later stage he could not be immediately reached for a comment when we were compiling the story.
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Both Nkutche and the writer of this article need serious counselling. They are hired folks to propagate a certain kind of belief by attacking innocent people expressing their faith. Robert is just one of the billions believers of the Bible and has just quoted one of the verses that has been quoted by so many preachers so many times. Cheap propaganda.
The poet has quoted the Bible and if someone doesn’t like the way he has done it,hard luck, if you wanted him to decorate the quoted words and you think he has failed read the Bible to cross check if the author of the holy book minced words. Which I doubt.
This humanist or atheist called Mkhutche is contradicting himself. How can he quote Jesus Christ to substantiate his belief in humanism. Mkhutche should know that as human beings, we are creatures of both intellect and senses. These are the tools God has given us therefore, if we fail to use these tools to prove that God exists, then we are branded to be fools! JESUS IS GOD HIMSELF.
It’s a shame that people waste so much time over what other beleive. Whether you’re muslim, christian, atheist etc should not matter. We need to focus on real issues here.
tiyeni tilolerane basi
What evidence does Chiwamba have of God’s existence? There is no concrete evidence whatsoever of his existence. All Chiwamba has is his belief and a book written a thousand years ago that has a lot of doubtful statements. Chiwamba should not mock others because of their beliefs because his beliefs are also doubtful
To think that there is no God is to think like an imbecile. The very gadget you used to write what you are trying to propagate was made by someone but yet you fail to believe you yourself are God’s creation.
Let’s be logical.. can we really say atheists are fools and corrupt?
What about religious people? Are they not the ones who are corrupt and foolish, hiding behind the Bible? Look at Chisale stealing public resources and building a church with it. Look at all those cashagters. Look around the world man. Countries such as Sweden and Denmark have the highest percentage of atheists and yet they are also the least corrupt. Can we say they are fools?
What about us? Are we not fools for abandoning the Gods of our forefathers, the Chisumphis and Mbonas?
If you look at the facts, all other countries worship their own gods except us Africans and Latin Americans who were brainwashed. Indians worship their Hindu gods and they are more successful than us. Japanese believe in Buddha and Confuscious and they live longer healthier lives than us. Emirates, Saudis, Qataris worship their Allah and he blesses them with riches, beautiful women and good health, better than us.
Even Americans have their own original version of religion led by the Mormoms with their own American prophet.
I don’t take sides on religious debates but I believe there’s a lot more we don’t know than what we know. I just strive to do good to fellow mankind and nature
A foolish and backward poem.
What God says, one can not retract. He said a fool says. No better qualification, if we quote. If God says He is a fool who believes there is no God, who is Chiwamba to say the guy is Wise!?
Kkkkkk iiiiiii really the Bible says chitsilu chimati mu mtima mwake Mulangu kulibe. I have enjoyed mkhutches Bible quotes and they are just telling me he believed God exists. Unfortunately it looks like a repeat of what the 😈 used tempting Jesus. Devils sons are just the same as 😈 itself
Anali mpesa Wonder koma ndalama eeeeeish!
Mkhutche, there are better ways of strolling into the Limelight.
You’ve forgotten too quickly the Potential of your miserable rating of some Malawian musicians based on their ‘outlook’ had. You rated Musicians based on their Hairdo’s and clothing and their Music. Do you remember the negativity of their trade you impacted on them? Now Artists are simply quoting verses from ‘Great Books’ which you’ve reading since graduating from your infancy and you are weeping? Get a Life.
Dzikhulupiliro izi siziyendera Fashion, mubona posachedwa inu!
School him
What Robert has done is just to quote the bible. I can see that you do read it and challenge what it says.
Useless mkhutche. Malawi ndi ziko la anthu opemphera. If you go public saying there’s no God don’t expect people to smile at you. Same as Iran, Iraq or Saudi Arabia, you you can’t go public there praising the sweetness of pork meat and expect smile from them
You are a slave all those countries you have mentioned they look like their God, only us Africans fight over foreign gods brought to us by our slave masters and evil colonial rulers. We all have the right to believe what we want, even our ancestors never worshipped these foreign gods that look like our slave masters and evil colonial rulers.
So you are a slave of your ancestors belief. Robert has just said what is written in a book. If the shoe fit you wear it. There is no fight here.
Which ‘gods’? There is only One Go, Jehovah!
You can say whatever you want but as long as you say our ancestors worshipped God, am fine with that. What I hate is this thing of saying there’s God. Its only fools who says there’s no God.
Inu nga mpingo wa?m’bona kapena mlauli?
My friend you so well put it. Foreign regions re a mess
AM BEHIND CHIWAMBA, SORRY FOR FEELING OFFENDED. BUT YOU ARE FOOLS INDEED IF YOU SAY THERE IS NO GOD, THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE.
YOU WILL NOT WIN THIS FIGHT, DONT DARE TO PROSECUTE CHIWAMBA, BECAUSE GOD WILL ACT ON YOU JUST TO MAKE YOU BEALIVE THERE IS GOD
A fool is someone who continues to walk the brainwashed path without analysing facts for himself/herself. The Book of Psalm quotation used here is example to that floolery…the guy truly believes that is the word of God as written by some authors anonymous.
The world existed for thousands of years before the Bible came into being; and it was doing just fine. Stories from the Middle East should not be forced on other people that live quite well, regardless. And in case you did not notice; Palestinians have been having it rough for quite sometime now and yet nobody makes any quotes about their plight.
Grow up and do the maths!
Robert Chiwamba has quoted The Holy Bible verse (Psalms 14 vs. 1), so no fuss about it. If you have issues with the verse then settle them with our Almighty God, the Creator of the Heavens & the Earth. Inuyo Mulape; mumudziwe ndikulola kuti Yesu Khristu akhale Mbuye ndi Mpulumutsi wa Moyo wanu. Nthawi yantha iyi…
I support u chiwamba. Shame the devil . Let everyone pick a take. This is just another calling . Devil will try to silence u. don’t bark down . Ur reward is in heaven . More fire Rober
Wait a minute! Has this humanist Mkhutche just quoted the Bible and used it as support for his argument (particularly believes in Rm 3:23 and Jas 4:17 and hence in God)? He is one of those (the many) who know one thing but profess another; they will all eventually seek to live what they know
People are still religious in the 21st Century? Musiyeni adzipanga zakezo Chiwamba and inunso a Mlhutche muzipanga zanu. Judge not.
But Robert just quoted what the Bible says… If humanists are bereaved with this, they can consult the author of the Bible who is God himself… Case dismissed ! Just prepare for eternal damnation if you don’t receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.
If he’s using is peom to get people to God nothing wrong that’s exactly what bible says To unbelievers
Bwana Mkuche kungolankhula kokhako kuti Chiwamba could have found better was to use to talk about his God uthokoze Mulungu
humanist, you quote the bible the bible and Jesus yet you don’t believe that God exists??
The bible is right, ‘fools say there is no God.’