A lot of cultures observe totems and practice ancestral worship as well.

From what I learned in Shona lessons at school and also from friends and acquaintances; a totem is an animal that is held sacred by a certain group of people. That it serves as an emblem of a family, clan, lineage or tribe. And that if you share the same totem, it would mean you are related and therefore cannot marry.

That the only way to sever a relationship if you have the same totem and you wish to be married, is with a cow, or with money the value of a cow. Although this may vary from country to country and from people to people. In some parts of the sub-Saharan Africa for an example, it is the bride’s family who will receive the severance payment. (This makes me realise that marriage in these parts is a complex economic process of gifting and payments that can take years! That’s another topic.)

Because I didn’t have a totem, my friends would ask me where I came from. They found it hard to understand that I did not have a totem. “How can you not have a totem. It is the same as not having a Surname?” they would say in disbelief!

My teacher would then ask me to go and ask my father what my totem was.

My father would explain that as long as you hold anything sacred, other than God, it is idolatry. That God has made Himself known to each and every one and that no one has an excuse!

I was born and grew up in Zimbabwe in a family of seven children. My father accepted the Lord Jesus as his Lord and Saviour in November 1959. He never forgot the date, the month, the day and the time, that he came to know the Lord. He would narrate at church (because he became a preacher) about his conversion. He would testify how he woke up the morning after, and remembered that he had been to a crusade led by Nicholas Bhengu, the previous day; and had given his life to Jesus. That as soon as he remembered that he had done this, how he saw what appeared to be like a candle, light up in him! And how he realised that he had been walking in darkness!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Bhengu

 9 months later, on the 1st of August, I also came into the world. 

This would sum up why I was not brought up culturally.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 1:18-25

So my father did not neglect to instruct us in the way of holiness and because of that I accepted the Lord as well, at an early age. Although in many ways it can be said I was privileged to have had him as a father; and saw the love of God in him. The joy that he had was contagious.

It is only those who come from outside who can see that the people inside are sitting in the dark. If you tell them they are sitting in the dark, they cannot see it because they have gotten accustomed to the darkness.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3:19-20

NB: Ensure you do not become ensnared by a love of the world and it’s attractions!

I have copied this link: A must to watch as it shows how God dealt with sin in times past.

If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 2Peter 2:6

Will you accept the Lord Jesus today as your Lord and Saviour? It is never too late to accept Him. Do not harden your heart.