Lusaka — What the Church is preaching is repudiation, rejection and hatred of the system - hatred of injustice. They are not preaching partisan hatred or hatred among political parties and their leaders, because in the final analysis men are the victims of the system.

But if they have to oppose or criticise politicians who represent the system they hate, they have every right to do so. Our interpretation - which we think is shared by all people of good will - of the Church's position on the political happenings in our country is that it is not a matter of partisan politics but of opposing and criticising an iniquitous system of corrupt political practices and policies; it's not partisan opposition or support.

We don't think there's any contradiction in what the Church has been saying and doing, especially over the last few months, with Christian teachings, because if a pastor, priest, nun or bishop says "I hate injustice, abuses and crime," we don't think that would be against Christian teachings. We don't think denouncing and opposing crime, injustice, abuses and inequalities among men goes against Christian teachings or is in contradiction with religion.

Standing up for rights wouldn't be against Christianity either. Within the religious way of thinking, as we understand it, there's no conflict between defending a just cause and religion.

Besides, we learnt in biblical history that there were struggles in heaven, among the angels - and if there were struggles in heaven, how can we fail to understand that there may be struggles on earth? Let's not forget that Jesus once made some very strong charges against the Pharisees and called Herod a fox. What's more, Jesus tells us that we should love our enemies - he doesn't say we mustn't have enemies - and there's no greater love for a person who is perpetrating injustice than to prevent him from continuing to do so.

Moreover, we were taught that there was a constant struggle between good and evil, and evil had to be punished. Well, we are not going to say we share that belief.

We were taught that those who committed crimes and were responsible for injustice, evil and all those other things that the Church is today opposing and criticising would be punished in hell. Could that be interpreted as an expression of hatred, partisanship? President Frederick Chiluba, if he is really uncomfortable with the position taken by the Church, the first thing he needs to do is to address the issues that have made them take such a stand.

And what is it that moves the Church? Objectively, it is man's exploitation, oppression, marginalisation and social injustice. It is not a call to partisan politics; rather, it is an explanation of the social reality, of what happens when people become aware that they are being unfairly and unjustly treated.

And let's not forget that Christ's entire doctrine was devoted to the humble, the poor; his doctrine was devoted to fighting against abuse, injustice and the degradation of human beings. If this is so, then what's wrong with the church - the Christian Church - doing the same as Jesus did and in the name of his Church? And with the Church trying very hard to revive the early Christianity, with its fairer, more human, more moral values, it is no surprise that we are today living at a time when politics has entered a near-religious sphere with regard to man and his behaviour.

We also believe that we have come to a time when religion can enter the political sphere with regard to man and his material needs. And looking at things in this way, it is very difficult to accept President Chiluba's request to the Church to stop taking a partisan stand when commenting on political issues.

President Chiluba says the Church should guide the nation spiritually. But a Church that places its patrimonial interests ahead of the demands of justice, life, and the people among whom it is inserted is certainly a Church that considers man less important than the Sabbath and, like the Pharisees, reverses evangelical priorities.

A religion that cares for the sacredness of its objects but turns its back on those who are the real temples of the Spirit is worthless. And is President Chiluba really concerned about the Church and partisan politics after all those abuses of pastors and reverends of all hues to support his defeated third term bid?