Part (1): Pastor Reno Omokri – A Bridge Builder Between Muslims & Christians
By: Dr. Salihu Lukman
Introduction
As a preamble, Omokri does not know me from Adam, I started reading his posts accidentally on Twitter (now called X) almost 2 years ago after which I followed him on Facebook and Instagram. He posts several times daily on different topics spanning from politics, religion (especially Christianity), current affairs, and motivations to how to make money online. After following his social media engagements for this long, I can’t help but make him one of my outstanding role models. He is a pastor, a lawyer, a staunch PDP member, a Niger-Deltan, and a former Special Assistant to the former President Goodluck Jonathan. Pastor Omokri is a brilliant Christian scholar who has a deep understanding of religious, sociocultural, and political issues. Given his gifted keen intellect, he can see through the fog to cut to the heart of the matter. He is known for his fair and balanced analysis, as well as his commitment to truth and justice. He has a good head on his shoulders, but as a fallible human being, he is not immune to making mistakes. He is also passionate about reviving the Christian true practices according to the Bible, and he has dedicated a lot of his precious time to this cause. He is a true seeker of truth, and his work has had a profound impact on many people across the globe including my humble self.
A True Unifier Between Christians & Muslims
Omokri’s passion for reviving Christian true practices according to the Bible is like a flame that burns bright. His desire to see the church restored to its biblical foundations, free of innovations, saw him debunking with incontrovertible evidence, most of the present-day Christian practices and beliefs, while at the same time, hailing and appreciating Islamic practices and beliefs. His sincere commitment to truth and justice shielded him from becoming a religious bigot. Let me allow Omokri himself to buttress these points by directly quoting his posts culled from his social media handles. All his words have been italicized in quotation marks.
On the doctrine of the Christian Trinity vs. Islamic Tauhid (Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah), he has this to say.
“The pure teachings of Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ) have more in common with Islam than much of modern Christianity. You can now insult me. While I follow Yeshua, and I am NOT a Muslim, I believe wholeheartedly in the Islamic doctrine of Tawhid, which for those who do not know, simply means the Oneness of God, without any partner or equal. The Trinity is the most blasphemous, evil and satanic doctrine in existence and has nothing to do with either Moses or Yeshua. Both our Saviour, Yeshua, and Moses taught exactly what the Muslims teach as Tawhid.
European pagans invented the word Trinity, and its concepts. It did not emanate from Scripture. Scripture agrees COMPLETELY with Tawhid in Deuteronomy 6:4:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Men, like you and I, sat down in Nicaea, in modern-day Turkey, and invented this doctrine in May 325 AD. And over the next century, they systematically killed, banished, imprisoned, overtaxed, and even castrated people who refused to believe in the Trinity.
And it is not just the Trinity. Christmas, Easter, and Godliness as a means to financial gain are other additives that have contaminated the pure following of Yeshua. None of these doctrines emanated or are supported by Scripture. They are all European pagan additions. But sadly, my people are too used to adjusting Scripture to suit their doctrines instead of adjusting their doctrines to suit Scripture.
If you are annoyed, please kindly stop following me. Truth is bitter but better.
#TableShaker”
Source: From his official and verified Facebook Page called, Reno Omokri.
On Muslims practicing what is in the Bible better than the Christians, he has this to say.
“Of all major religions, Christians are the most likely to do exactly what their holy Book tells them not to do and justify it with logic or church dogma. Whether you like it or not, Muslims are the most likely to stick to the tenets of their religion, even in the pain of death. Admit it. It is true. You might not like the fact that it is true. But be honourable enough to accept that it is true. In fact, Muslims often do what is in the Bible better than Christians.
Jews are also good at sticking to the direction of their Scriptures, except when it involves something that I will not mention here.
As a follower of Yeshua Hamashiach, make up your mind to adjust your life to Scripture rather than adjusting Scripture to suit your life. If it is not permissible by Scripture, don’t let one smooth-talking pastor or Bishop use mass psychology to convince you otherwise. Ignore any politician prepared to win elections by propagating what is popular, even though they know it is wrong.
When you die, you will not give an account of your life to man. You will do so to God. And He gave you the Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, otherwise known as Bible. So, you are without excuse!
#RenosNuggets”
Source: From his official and verified Twitter account titled, Reno Omokri.
https://twitter.com/renoomokri/status/1686362016514977792?t=99RwXAP2BfPyb-OU623frA&s=19
On the Islamic way of greeting, ASSALAMU ALAIKUM, he has this to say.
“When a Muslim greets you, As-salamu alaykum, accept the greeting. It is a universal blessing. It means ‘Peace be upon you’. It is not just an Islamic greeting. It is an eternal Godly greeting that predates Islam. It was first used by Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ) in John 20:21. And Muslims accept that Yeshua (Isa) is from God. The word salam in Arabic has the exact meaning as the word shalom in Hebrew and Selam in Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia, which are all of Semitic origin. So, on this Jumu’ah, promote peaceful religious coexistence and greet a Muslim with as-salamu alaykum. And if they greet you with it, accept it in good faith with love and affection. There is only one religion in heaven or Jannah, and it is love. And there is only one way of life there, which is peace.
To all my Muslim followers, subscribers and fellow global citizens, I say as-salamu alaykum. Jumu’ah Mubarak!
#RenosNuggets #FreeLeahSharibu”
He went on to report exactly how Jesus Christ used, ASSALAMU ALAIKUM, in the Bible.
“How do you say peace be upon you in Hebrew, the way Yeshua (Jesus) said it in John 20:21?
Shalom Aleichem.
How do you say peace be upon you in Arabic?
Salam alaykum.
What is the difference? Virtually nothing. And then when a Muslim greets you as-salamu alaykum, you reject it or get upset, or behave as if he has cursed you? Arabic and Hebrew are closer to each other, being Semitic, than the English you speak is closer to your own precolonial language. If an Arab speaks Arabic, a Hebrew can pick it, and vice versa. Whether in Hebrew, Arabic, or English, all we want is peace! Amin!
#RenosNuggets #FreeLeahSharibu”
On the use of the name Jesus Christ, Christian or Christianity, and the pseudo practice of idol worship and paganism under the guise of Christianity, he has this to say.
“Yeshua Hamashiach was not a Christian and did not establish any religion known as Christianity. He lived, died and was resurrected as a Jew, and His followers were seen as a sect of Judaism throughout His life. His Name is not even Jesus Christ.
Much of what is practiced today in the name of Christianity is just refined idol worship and repackaged paganism. Even the title, Christ, is of Koine Greek origin. The term ‘Christian’ is a label given to the genuine followers of the Jewish Rabbi known as Yeshua by the townspeople of Antioch-Acts 11:26.
Yeshua never claimed to be God. That is the making of men, like you and I, at the May 325 AD First Council of Nicaea. 1 John 5:7 was altered by Europeans, who did not hide it. That is why all other translations, except the King James Version, have abandoned it, because the original Scriptures do not support it. And in the KJV, there is a reference note to that verse explaining the Johannine Comma.
Much of modern-day Christianity is no different from a business like network marketing. These franchise businesses have turned people into regular addicts of religious products that have little bearing on Scripture. Ask them to justify what they are doing, and they will use philosophy, exegesis, wisdom and church doctrine. Never Scripture. And the most brazen of them will even say more outrageous things. A lot of their members quote them rather than Scripture.
Stop allowing men like me and Daddy GO, Bishop, Archbishop, and others to lead or mislead you. Get Scripture for yourself and read it. Be like the Berean Jews (notice they were called Jews, not Christians, though they believed Paul’s Gospel. Hebrew is a race. Judaism is a religion) of Acts 17:11:
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word eagerly, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Remember, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”-John 8:32.
#TableShaker”
Non-Muslims reading this article should know that all Muslims believe in the prophethood of Isa (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), i.e. Jesus Christ. We believe that he was one of the most distinguished prophets, and did many miracles during his time. A whole chapter (Surah) was dedicated to his mother Maryam (Mary) in the Qur’an, wherein his story was narrated.
He is mentioned in the Quran 25 times by name, and many more times by titles and attributes. He is one of the most mentioned prophets in the Quran, and his story is told in detail in several chapters.
The Quran teaches that Isa was a messenger of God, born to the Virgin Mary without a father. He was sent to guide the people of Israel back to the true path of worship. He performed many miracles, including healing the sick, raising the dead, etc. The Quran also teaches that Isa (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was not crucified, but was raised up to heaven by God. He will return to Earth at the end of time. The Quran’s portrayal of Isa is one of respect and admiration. He is seen as a great prophet who was sent by God to guide humanity. On this subject, this is what Omokri has to say.
“It is somewhat surprising that Nigerian Christians, and even a newspaper like @MobilePunch, are surprised that there is a mosque named after Mary, the mother of Christ, in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Those asking Nigerian Muslims to learn from Dubai, are actually the ones who should learn from Nigerian Muslims. They are relatively ignorant of Islam.
The most Islamic state in Nigeria is Sokoto. And one of the most common names in that seat of the Islamic Caliphate is actually the name of Christ. Isa is not a Hausa name. Isa, or Yisa, or Issa, is the Arabic version of Yeshua in Hebrew and Jesus in Greek.
So revered is the name in Sokoto that a Local Government Area is named after Him-Isa Local Government Area, Sokoto.
As a matter of fact, you cannot be a true Muslim if you do not believe that God sent Christ.
When prophet Muhammad, Salla Allahu alayhi Wasalaam, had his first revelation of the Quran, he went with his wife, Khadijah, to consult a man named Waraqah ibn Nawfal. Waraqah was a monotheistic Christian, who revered Maryam (Mary).
When the Quraysh wanted to kill prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the first Muslims, the Muslims escaped to the Christian nation of Ethiopia, where they were protected by the Negus, which was the first hijrah before the hijrah to Medina.
Christ is mentioned by name in the Quran more times than almost anybody except prophet Muhammad (SAW), and Moses, and His mother, Maryam, of whom the Dubai mosque is named, is the only woman mentioned BY NAME in the Quran. (Other women were mentioned but not by name).
So, if Al-Quran mentions Maryam, why is it surprising that a mosque is adorned with her name?
Christ Himself is described in the Quran as Al-Masihu Isa (Yeshua The Messiah) in Quran 4.157, 4.171.
So, it is only people unfamiliar with Islam in general, and with Islam as practiced in Nigeria, that will marvel at the Dubai mosque named after Maryam (Mary).
How can you ask Nigerian Muslims, who named a whole Local Government after Yeshua (Jesus), to learn from Dubai, because they named a mosque after Maryam (Mary). Who should learn tolerance from who?
#TableShaker”
https://twitter.com/renoomokri/status/1693671500304330845
This is the end of Part (1) of this 2-part series, watch out for Part (2).
Salihu Lukman is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia