Africa is the richest continents in the world in terms of natural resources yet it is ranked among the poorest and highly religious countries in the world. The African continent has 15% of the world's population. It is the most valuable region in the world in terms of under and aboveground resources. It has 8% of world's natural gas reserves: 45 countries on the continent have oil reserves. It is also true that poverty correlates with religiosity, however, the United States is one of the rich countries that bucks the trend , understandably the US religiosity is materialistic.
Poverty, unemployment and diseases are some of the reasons many Africans turned to religion as their only source of hope, and as a result they have become victims of religious abuse in the hands of bogus preachers who capitalised on people’s desperation.
Africa pastors are fond of displaying their “GOD GIFTED TALENTS” on TV and you tubes , resurrecting the dead and "healing" all sorts of medically unproven illnesses. Some have even sold holy water to their church members with the hope of using the water to cure all diseases.
Pastor Alph Lukau - his “resurrection” of a man made world news. Alph Lukau/Facebook
Recently , a South African preacher called Pastor Alph Lukau of Alleluia Ministries in Johannesburg(See above) caused a furore around the world after a video emerged online showing him allegedly resurrecting a dead person. It was shocking that such a fraud could happen in South Africa and go uninvestigated by the authority when it was a very clear example of fraud and preying on the vulnerable.
Mrs. Bose Olasukanmi who was used by several ‘fraudulent’ pastors to perform the same fake miracles in their churches
There is another case of a 44-year-old Nigeria woman, Mrs. Bose Olasukanmi who was used by several ‘fraudulent’ pastors to perform the same fake miracles in their churches . Mrs. Bose Olasukanmi would pretend that she has a broken right arm which has been hanging for a long time and that all medical treatments have failed until one of her friends advised her to visit the church. The pastors of the church will “speak in Tongue”, perform all sorts of religious rites and after a while ask the woman to stretch her hand. The same miracles were performed on this woman over and over by different pastors until she was caught and confessed.
prophet Lethebo Rabalago of the Mount Zion General Assembly in Limpopo Province sprayed the insecticide directly into the eyes and on the body of church members,
A South African self-proclaimed prophet Lethebo Rabalago of the Mount Zion General Assembly in Limpopo Province sprayed the insecticide directly into the eyes and on the body of church members, claiming that it will heal them. The list goes on and on.
Nigeria Pastor jailed for 34yrs for raping his church members
Churches are not regulated in Africa and there is often widespread of Rape and fraud scandals involving Pastors. Recently, a Nigeria Pastor was jailed for 34yrs for raping his church members, an abused he perpetuated for decades.
Now is the best time for Africa Pastors and prayer contractors to use their alleged “God callings” and talents to resolve one of the greatest problems facing mankind in Africa- the coronavirus. If Africa pastors can raise the dead, heal the deaf, cure leprosy why can’t they cure simple illnesses like flu ,after all it is often quoted that Jesus Christ healed people with all sorts of diseases.
In Rome, Europe, one would also expect the Pope and catholic church to lead the miracle camp , to pray and heal people as they face the greatest fears in centuries - the coronavirus .Unfortunately Rome closed ALL its Catholic churches and scraps compulsory Sunday Mass in Italy's latest drastic step to stop coronavirus
Diseases and poverty continues to ravage Africa despite the "high presence of God" and religious groups in Africa. The aim of Prayer and religion appears defeated in Africa as the continent continues to ravage in poverty and diseases. Some notable people in Africa have suggested that “Belief systems” is killing developments in that continent. Some have suggested proper educational systems where critical thinking is encouraged to solve real problems instead of applying imaginary solution to real problems. Practical solution is needed to solve real-life problems.
The topic of religion is based on faith and beliefs, and not facts. Belief is believing something without evidence. Faith and facts are incompatible, and according to Coyne ,faith generates certainty but not knowledge, and that can be a dangerous thing. People kill each other over religious certainties. Those in the grip of faith may oppose the teaching of evolution in schools, deny global warming, refuse vital medical treatments for their children, and oppose stem cell research– all in the name of beliefs which are fundamentally immune to evidence.
If Africa must survive and compete effectively with other emerging world they must as a matter of urgency get rid of poverty , regulate religious activities , develop their educational systems to empower people by encouraging critical thinking and independent thoughts
You must be logged in to post a comment.