A pastor seen giving petrol as a form of healing to one of his congregants. (Photo: ghanaweb.com)
Extreme Commands
Church leaders in Africa have been recorded in photos and videos wielding whips at church and as it were, caning the devil just as an angry teacher could flog his student, drinking bottles of olive oil or other forms of liquid for the assumed cure of diseases. Innocent persons been chained to trees and posts while others “pray the devil out of them.” Believers have been asked to eat grass or even swallow petrol as a test of their faith.
These acts may find cooperation in a society where failure is equated to the doing of the devil rather than the inefficiencies of a person’s own deeds. In Ghana, for instance, the average Christian does not believe as much in the call for repentance as they do in the works of Satan.
It is a well-known fact that Christianity has helped shape the face of civilization just like any other religion. It continues to support advancements in education, health care systems and social development, but the question still remains: how long can these cases of abuse and flaunting of wealth last and what toll will they take on the reputation of the faith, inside and outside the church?
