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PressRoom
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We now live in different times with religion and clerics in Nigeria. Time was when Church titles like Pastor, Reverend, Bishop, and others were reserved for reverend gentlemen who are real God’s servants. In every way, they lived up to their titles and were hardly found engaged in anything that could question their integrity.
Image: Vanguard
Then, before you could be ordained for spiritual leadership, it was a very tough process. Unlike now, where in everyone who loves the title can just tag himself as one, garner few members of the congregation and start preaching whatever his soul desires.
The media has recently been awashed with stories of terrible crimes committed by some supposed clerics in the country. It is either they are involved in one fraudulent case or the other, or they are charged for sexual assaults against their members. Instead of ministering to the needs of members who come seeking solution to one challenge or the other, some ‘Pastors’ take advantage of them.
They twist the scriptures to exploit their members with all kinds of false theology. They sleep with women under the disguise of anointing and deliverance. They pronounce false prophesies to draw attention to themselves.
It is now a worse situation that we find ourselves that it is quite difficult to identify fake Pastors who have perfected their act and taken advantage of the freedom for anyone to establish worship places.
This article chronicles the act of these supposed God's servants and the dangers they pose on people, church and religion in the society.
1. Fake Miracles, Deceit and Destruction: Faking miracles is now common in many churches. And human beings, especially Nigerians, are very gullible in religious matters. And since people now pray more for miracles and riches, the fake pastors are increasing with many thriving in their business.
2. Rape: Rape has easily been associated with pastors lately who blame the indulgence on the handiwork of the Devil. There are many of such pastors today.
3. Extortion and Dubiousness: Miracle-seekers will always fall prey of extortionist pastors and dupes who patronize them for spiritual assistance.
4. Juju for miracles: There are sad tales of clerics who use diabolical means to perform miracles and healing. They acquire powers through fetish means and never performed any God-ordained miracle.
5. The church is becoming less valuable: The ripple effect of fake prophecies is the less valuable the church becomes. The church is no longer seen as a sacred place of sanctity and worship, but a coven of deceit and unrealities.
6. Religion now the opium of the masses: In all these, fake prophecies and their harbingers now define religion as a consolation for the poor – the vulnerable who cannot help themselves but accept whatever is being sold to them as the truth.
7. The widespread of more 'fake' churches: Because people are easily deceived with fake prophecies, this has led to the establishment of more churches whose foundation is questionable. It is now the fastest-growing business for those involved in it. Why do pastors who take offerings from the poorest of the poor in Nigeria ride limousines? The church that accepts offerings from wretched people buy Bentleys for pastors. Pastors who live in lavish opulence in the midst of general poverty are not heavenly minded. Before you raise an eyebrow they will claim “God said”. The Bible makes it clear, “Feed my flock”- body and soul!
8. Above all, Nigerians should wise up: The fake prophets have done enough damage and should not be allowed to continue to have a field day at the expense of unsuspecting members of the public. But it is all in our hands if we are going to allow this. We should stop crying at the mercy of these clerics who ride on our mentality, and make circumstantial predictions.
Image: Vanguard
Then, before you could be ordained for spiritual leadership, it was a very tough process. Unlike now, where in everyone who loves the title can just tag himself as one, garner few members of the congregation and start preaching whatever his soul desires.
The media has recently been awashed with stories of terrible crimes committed by some supposed clerics in the country. It is either they are involved in one fraudulent case or the other, or they are charged for sexual assaults against their members. Instead of ministering to the needs of members who come seeking solution to one challenge or the other, some ‘Pastors’ take advantage of them.
They twist the scriptures to exploit their members with all kinds of false theology. They sleep with women under the disguise of anointing and deliverance. They pronounce false prophesies to draw attention to themselves.
It is now a worse situation that we find ourselves that it is quite difficult to identify fake Pastors who have perfected their act and taken advantage of the freedom for anyone to establish worship places.
This article chronicles the act of these supposed God's servants and the dangers they pose on people, church and religion in the society.
1. Fake Miracles, Deceit and Destruction: Faking miracles is now common in many churches. And human beings, especially Nigerians, are very gullible in religious matters. And since people now pray more for miracles and riches, the fake pastors are increasing with many thriving in their business.
2. Rape: Rape has easily been associated with pastors lately who blame the indulgence on the handiwork of the Devil. There are many of such pastors today.
3. Extortion and Dubiousness: Miracle-seekers will always fall prey of extortionist pastors and dupes who patronize them for spiritual assistance.
4. Juju for miracles: There are sad tales of clerics who use diabolical means to perform miracles and healing. They acquire powers through fetish means and never performed any God-ordained miracle.
5. The church is becoming less valuable: The ripple effect of fake prophecies is the less valuable the church becomes. The church is no longer seen as a sacred place of sanctity and worship, but a coven of deceit and unrealities.
6. Religion now the opium of the masses: In all these, fake prophecies and their harbingers now define religion as a consolation for the poor – the vulnerable who cannot help themselves but accept whatever is being sold to them as the truth.
7. The widespread of more 'fake' churches: Because people are easily deceived with fake prophecies, this has led to the establishment of more churches whose foundation is questionable. It is now the fastest-growing business for those involved in it. Why do pastors who take offerings from the poorest of the poor in Nigeria ride limousines? The church that accepts offerings from wretched people buy Bentleys for pastors. Pastors who live in lavish opulence in the midst of general poverty are not heavenly minded. Before you raise an eyebrow they will claim “God said”. The Bible makes it clear, “Feed my flock”- body and soul!
8. Above all, Nigerians should wise up: The fake prophets have done enough damage and should not be allowed to continue to have a field day at the expense of unsuspecting members of the public. But it is all in our hands if we are going to allow this. We should stop crying at the mercy of these clerics who ride on our mentality, and make circumstantial predictions.