False prophets: lies and illusions

Ferdinand Berkhof | Tuesday February 18, 2014 12:47

Finally, foreign 'pastors' and 'prophets' will be treated like any other visitor: ninety days and that's it. And so it should be. After all, what qualifies these people to call themselves 'men of God'? Many, if not most of them are money-hungry predators, preying on desperate and unfortunately very gullible Batswana, more than willing to part with their last pula's and thebe's in exchange for a religious miracle.

People pay more than ten times the normal price for tap water and cooking oil once it has been 'anointed' by these charlatans. Only days ago, a Nigerian 'prophet' by the name of Peter Bollaward was deported from the country. There was P40 million in his ministry's account. P40 million, harvested from ordinary Batswana. P40 million, harvested from people in return for 'things he does for them in the name of God'. People want to be cheated. Every weekend, many thousands of Batswana visit the 'fire churches'. When it is time to make contributions, they are told that 'Modimo ga a batle disilvera'. God only wants paper money. If I would ever visit one of these services, I would solemnly donate a sealed envelope, with at least five neatly folded sheets of toilet paper inside. 

Unfortunately, people are not just cheated out of their money but out of their health as well. Many worshippers are told that the 'medication' the church provides is stronger, better and more effective than the drugs provided by their physicians. A lot of serious damage is done in that area. An example: the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) is immensely popular in Botswana, as it is in other places in Africa and overseas. Few people know the name SCOAN but everyone knows its 'prophet', T.B. Joshua, the man who wears shiny suits, flies a private jet and performs miracles wherever he goes. Crutches are flying, wheelchairs abandoned, evil spirits are exorcised in large numbers, people speak in tongues and the miracles are endless. It is only some years back that the London branch of SCOAN told some HIV-positive followers that they had been cured and should stop taking their ARV medication. Six people died because of this. Cheating people out of their money is unforgivingly despicable but cheating them out of their health and their lives is criminal. 

So now it's going to be more difficult for foreign 'pastors' and 'prophets' to establish themselves in Botswana; this is a good thing. People need to be protected from ruthless, unscrupulous predators who claim to operate in the name of God. But what to do with all the churches that have already established themselves? Not all churches are predatory. Some actually do good work. Many do the opposite. So what to do? I believe it's time for a thorough and ruthless inventory of all established churches and societies claiming to be churches. Check their practices and their books. As long as a single church can have P40 million in its account, I believe it is time to look at the issue of tax. Churches are exempt from tax but is every church a church? I honestly believe many are pure business enterprises and should be taxed as such. Many people will react to this piece by asking me 'who I am to judge'. Unfortunately, when I see vulnerable people being cheated out of their money and health by money-hungry charlatans and fraudsters, I find it difficult to remain quiet. 'Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.' Let's please attempt to separate the chaff from the grain.