Religious fanaticism taking root
Mmegi Editor | Friday May 5, 2017 11:48
While religious organisations, the church in particular are supposed to bring about peace in the communities they serve, the proliferation of churches has however been blamed for family break-ups, job losses and even disputes between neighbours.
In fact the new type, known as the ‘fire’ churches and televangelists are causing so much havoc in African societies especially. Some of the pastors of these organisations are known to perform weird things on their willing followers. In neighbouring South Africa for instance, in recent times, people were shocked to see one pastor feeding his followers grass; another feeding them snakes, while another sprayed with an insecticide (Doom).
Others would walk on their congregates, insert fingers in their private parts, do all kinds of embarrassing and despicable things, all in the name of healing. It is not only in South Africa, as in many countries, there have been reports of even worse weird behaviours bordering on abuse and occult tendencies.
The world has borne witness to some of these so-called pastors leading congregants on suicide missions. While Batswana had witnessed these things from afar, the fire churches are here, and with there is emergence of idol worship of the pastor or prophets. Many are leaving their traditional churches and following the new movement, spending thousands of Pula to travel to South Africa and Nigeria in search of healing and prosperity.
Many are brainwashed to a point that they believe their pastors possess powers equivalent to God’s and would kill in defence of their pastors. Many refer to these young flashy dressers driving state of the art cars as “daddy” and their young wives, “mummy”.
Unless something is done, and fast, we are in danger of being a nation of zombies to a new occult. Of course Government has no business in dictating one’s beliefs and faith. Infact the Constitution does guarantee freedom of association. But this new movement is proving such a destruction of societal values.
The public needs to be protected from unscrupulous preachers and to ensure that people enjoy their constitutional right to worship. We need a national dialogue on this matter and strong public education lest we find ourselves living with religious extremists who are prepared to do anything to defend their church and pastor.
Religion has power to blind even a crime victim. Many have had their monies and property taken under the guise that they have to give in the house of the Lord. They would be told that as they give away their cars, money and other things to the pastors, the blessings would return multi-fold. But while the recipient, the pastor, gets richer, the giver and other church members get poorer, at times leading to break-up of marriages and families. Let's rise and take a stand against such activities.
Today’s thought
“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
– Lettres de M. de Voltaire