False Prophets
iText: Shaka Sisulu. Article from February 2015 issue of Bona Magazine.
Are churches being misled by cunning characters who take advantage of theflock? Shaka Sisulu investigates.
A few months ago I stood in for a host on an evening radio talk show. We debated a topic that has since stuck with me: false prophets.
The conversation was sparked by incidents of prophets and pastors who don’t appear to care for their flock. It was hot on the heels of 85 South Africans who died after a building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria while on pilgrimage to self-proclaimed Prophet T.B Joshua’s temple. Around the same time an infamous pastor from Tshwane, Pastor Lesego Daniel encouraged his congregants to drink petrol, which he said would turn into pineapple juice, to demonstrate their faith. A few months earlier Pastor Daniel made headlines for getting his followers to eat grass, before walking on them as they lay on the ground like they were human carpets.
Church outrage
Unsurprisingly, most callers were outraged at what they called the exploitation of vulnerable people by scheming fraudsters who pretend to have the gift of prophecy. They quoted many examples of pastors who get followers to do ridiculous and sometimes even sexual acts. Some callers said this is because of the rise of Pentecostal churches that originate from West Africa.
Pentecostal churches there are booming, with some attracting as many as 50 000 people to their services. Prophet Joshua is one of the popular men who lead these new-age churches. Known for foreseeing natural disasters and performing miracle healing, Joshua is trusted by people from all over Africa who come to attend his services, including celebrities and politicians. He’s one of top five evangelical prophets in Nigeria who are estimated to have made over R2,5 billion.
But critics point to his inability to predict the many deaths that have occurred on his watch. Before one of his buildings – a hostel that housed pilgrims to his Synagogue Church of All Nations – collapsed and killed 114 people in 2014, four congregants were killed in a stampede in Ghana the year before. At the time thousands were rushing to be anointed with holy water, crushing dozens in the process. Joshua maintains he is the victim.
Blind faith?
As evidenced by packed services led by Pastor Joshua, his followers believe him. Back home, Pastor Daniel’s followers were also not deterred by his unusual methods of testing their faith. In an interview with eNCA, many people said they’d try the grass and petrol delicacies if they had the chance, saying that it meant that they were growing spiritually.
Some callers mirrored that sentiment. “Nothing would happen to them if they believed”, some said. If something does happen, like someone falling ill, then, “It’s a sign they never really believed.” Unbelievable!
One of my guests on the radio show that night, Dr Mathole Motshekga, explained that in times of economic and social challenges, people are much more prone to believing prophets because they are yearning for hope. Often evangelical pastors, especially the flamboyant type, are able to give them hope and make them believe things will get better.
True or false?
That might be true, but isn’t there obligation on government’s part to prevent pastors from making congregations do something harmful, like drinking petrol? On this issue, almost everyone who called in was unanimous; No! Churches must run themselves.
It was the first time I had ever heard so many people agree that government must not do something. Usually, people are quick to want the state to help them. But in this case, there was a sense that no-one should legislate religion. Except for God, of course.
So can a person know whether God has sanctioned a particular church or not? That is much more difficult to explain. The Bible does give some advice; Matthew 7:15 for instance warns readers to, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” It’s one of over 20 references in both the old and new testament that warns against people using faith to exploit others.
There are even scriptures that describe the workings of a “fake prophet”. The Ezekiel chapter mentions people who perform miracles and the love of money as signs that something is wrong. But seemingly it’s the miracles and the flashy lifestyles that are attracting such large followings.
In Kenya, a very popular pastor called Victor Kanyari was exposed on TV as a fraud a couple of times last year. Apparently he paid a number of people to pretend to have fits, disabilities, diseases and other troubles that miraculously disappeared when he touched them. The actors came out in their numbers to testify that their testimonies were fake. This hasn’t stopped people coming to his church, if anything, his services are as full today as they always were.
So when I asked what people can do to avoid liars, or fake prophets, all my guests and callers were less clear. Go to known or recognised churches, some said. Read the word yourself, others advised. And wait for a sign from God, He will show you the truly anointed ones. It’s a mine-field.
But one thing was clear, in as much as fake prophets and unorthodox actions of certain pastors concerns South Africans, having anyone else interfere concerns us more. Where our spirituality is concerned, we still have a lot of faith.
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