According to several online reports, a South African pastor-Daniel Lesego, the General Overseer of Rabboni Centre Ministries encourages and pushes his congregation to chew grass, just like animals do—- to prove they can be controlled by the spirit of God.
Apart from manipulating these innocent souls looking for the path to Heaven, the pastor also allegedly assaults his church members via kicking and stepping on them, as they feed on the grass….
Religion is and remains unattractive to me for such absurd reasons—-and the extensive false claims it makes without any iota of evidence to support these claims.
For me, getting rid of religion and replacing it with ‘humanism’ will be the best thing that will ever happen to mankind. But considering the false hope of heaven, the delusion of a creator/God and the everlasting after life it bestows on millions of people who have suspended their thinking faculty, a religion free era may never come to pass…
Even if for whatever reason some people want to be religious, must they neglect their sense of reasoning? Why on earth will you refuse blood transfusion because of a religious doctrine?
According to PeaceFm;
A 21-year-old woman (name withheld) who had severe anemia has died at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital following her refusal to have blood transfusion because of her religious beliefs.
The deceased, a member of the Jehovah’s Witness Sect, was brought to the Hospital by her parents and twin sister after falling unconscious and died on January 3.
Dr. Henry Ata-Wurah, Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, said it was unethical to dispense haemoglobin to an adult against his/her religious belief or wish.
The issue of Christmas being a celebration for pagans or Christians is nothing new. One argument against Christmas is that the traditions surrounding the holiday have origins in paganism.
This is something not to tell a Christian because it is heresy to mention paganism. The General overseer of the Deeper Life Church has admonished all Christians to avoid celebration because it is idolatrous and unscriptural. According to him:
We don’t celebrate Christmas. It actually came from idolatrous background. That is why you don’t hear us sing what they call Christmas carol. Never! We always say it is the December retreat. We are only gathering together because it is the holiday period and love the Lord more, and rededicate ourselves more.
“When you find anybody coming in, or any leader, trying to introduce the idolatry of mystery Babylon, that they call Christmas and you want to bring all the Christmas carol saying that is the day that Jesus was born, and you don’t find that in the Acts of the Apostles or in the early church, then you don’t find that in the church either. If you don’t know that before, now you know.”
He warned that any of the church’s leaders that tried to introduce the “idolatry of Christmas” into any section of the church would be sanctioned, while also encouraging other believers in Christ to jettison the celebration as part of their sacrifice to perfection.
Kumuyi said the duty of the church was to make people more like Jesus Christ and not join in worldly celebrations.
“We are not trying to make the church turn like the world. We want it to be like Jesus Christ, and more like the Apostles. If you don’t have that mind with us, then you have permission to go to other places,”
Bells, candles, holly, and yuletide decorations are mentioned in the history of pagan worship and we use the same to decorate our trees. Christians who choose to ignore Christmas point to the fact that the Bible doesn’t give us the date of Christ’s birth, which is certainly true. December 25 may not be even close to the time Jesus was born. Those Christians who do celebrate Christmas often see the occasion as an opportunity to proclaim Christ as “the reason for the season” among the nations.
Ghanaian gospel musician of international repute, Sonni Badu, opined in 2009 that most Ghanaian gospel songs do not make sense. “They lament too much instead of praising, exhorting or thanking God” said Sonnie.
About two years on, one of Ghana’s entertainment newspapers called ‘News One,’ published Sonnie’s own words which were captured on tape when he made those remarks. When the story was reviewed, Sonnie came public to apologize, simply because some people think his words were not proper.
Sonnie Badu was even charitable with his words. In my opinion, ‘most Ghanaian gospel songs are meant for the trash bin.’ As gospel artistes keep popping up each passing day, the lyrics of their songs which must make their songs gospel are far from that.
Most of the lyrics in their songs cannot be described as gospel. One listens to the so called gospel songs and all that you hear are; unnecessary shouting, well rehearsed “tongues,” wailing, preaching for material sense gratifications, illusion of hopes and invocation of holy ghost which never shows up.
The themes of gospel songs in Ghana are only two. One, they tell a story of how they were neglected by their family, which many a time is false because in this day and age, the living is so tough that everyone is minding his/her own business. Nobody can carry his cross (problems) as well as that of his/her fellow; even Jesus Christ has stopped doing that.
The phrase they use to that effect is “adedenfikyire.” That phrase has become so hackneyed in Ghanaian gospel songs that each time I hear it, I fell like retching. They glorify luxury as though it is the ultimate goal of life. You will travel…yeah! You will marry…that is my portion! You will get riches…I receive it!
Most of them don’t have any sensible message to churn out through music. As Christians, the ultimate message we should be preaching about is eternity. If you marry and you don’t go to heaven, what have you done? If you travel to “abrokyire” and go to struggle for few dollars, is that blessings?
If you make riches and fail to make heaven, what have you done? Who even told these gospel musicians that rich men are the happiest people on earth? ‘Spiritual science’ will teach you that riches, is nothing but slavery in disguise.
Christians love to belong to a church pastored by a powerful man of God – that is a fact. Either a very good ‘miracle worker’, ‘teacher’ or an extremely good seer in the name of a prophet and we love the supernatural so we are being fed with anything supernatural. Most of these pastors also love to show us their power G(g)od has gifted to them but to those who have not been gifted with those powers, everything and anything from gymnastics down to hypnosis is used to convince their followers that they also have the power.
I had the ‘privilege’ of receiving the ‘anointing’ through an invitation to another church and it was not pleasant at all. The anointing I received was that of physical abuse. The pastor hits the forehead hard and pushes with the aim of falling. It seems the harder I resisted the falling, the more pressure was exerted. There I knew that, all the falling (what else can I say?) I have witnessed from afar was an act without the involvement of the ‘Holy Spirit’. What demons at all do people possess?
After the service, my overly excited ‘Holy spirit filled’ friend asked how the service was if I noticed how the power of God was moving? I just smiled because knowing how we get all defensive and emotional when it comes to religious issues – that was the best answer at that point in time. People ‘falling’ under the spirit when touched by a pastor is not alien to me – had never experienced it but seen it on TV where people fall when a pastor either waves his hand, his expensive looking jacket or touching people and they fall over themselves.
When did God become an abuser of persons? I cannot dispute it when people say/claim they fall under the anointing (as I got to know it is called slain in the spirit) but not the way this fine man of God was doing, because it seems the man was assisting the ‘Holy Spirit’ to show its power by pushing with the sole purpose of falling down. At least, they’re a bit caring because there were ‘macho men’ on hand to assist in the falling without getting hurt.
Before I start with my article, don’t let the title get you confused. It’s just a play on the title of Kwaw Ansah’s latest movie, “Praising the Lord plus one”. I chose this title because this article, just like Kwaw Ansah’s movie revolves around one theme; hypocrisy in the Christian society.
A few weeks ago, I came across a friend’s status update on Facebook. What really caught my attention about the status update was the number of comments it had. The person had posed a question on whether or not Ghana’s first global dance, “Azonto” should be allowed in churches. And you should have seen the comments.
While some were of the view that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Azonto featuring in church, of course, Jesus’ personal assistants were there to inform us of how evil the dance was. Backing their claim with scripture and on the conclusion that Azonto in all its varieties (Amanda and Akaida), were actually a confirmation that the end and the second coming of Christ was at hand.
After scrolling down from comment to comment, all I could do was to shake my head in total disappointment. I think that there are better and rather more serious issues that need to checked and dealt with within the church, and not some silly and harmless dance called Azonto.
Look, I grew up in a church that made me a bitter person throughout my childhood until I became an adult and had the courage to leave my parents with two options: either I was permitted to change to a church where I was more accepted or I totally quit church to become an atheist!
Why? Because I couldn’t stand how the lessons I received in Sunday school class contradicted with the way I was treated. The Bible spoke about loving one another yet, here I was in a church where I was constantly been mocked and teased because I wasn’t among the lot whose parents drove in big cars, because I didn’t go to a well known school or an international school like the majority of the kids in the church.
I was looked down upon because I didn’t spend my holidays abroad and because I couldn’t afford a simple meat pie after church service and even though I was very good at dancing, acting and poetry recitals, my place at the front row was always given to the children of church leaders.
If you’ve not already read Prophet Owusu Ansah’s recent piece which stated that if you are not paying tithes like me, then you are cursed (CLICK HERE TO READ).
Surely I am cursed because I got up feeling happy and has some little money to pay off some bills—all because I failed to go and give it to the Pastor or Church yesterday…
What a bunch of absurdity. Anyway, read a reply to Prophet’s Owusu Ansah’s article, written by Philip Kobina Baidoo Jnr. I guess the Prophet will say if you do not pay you are cursed because he stands to benefit if you pay…And you get NOTHING in return!
The issue of tithe is a taboo to a lot of charismatic Christians. It is shrouded in fear and Ignorance; and in a country like Ghana, and for that matter Africa, where superstition reigns supreme, uncontested, it has an added frisson.
The idea is one ridiculous mammoth scam foisted on unsuspecting believers by the so called men of God to extort money from the poor and the vulnerable. It is just a reminiscent of the medieval Catholic authorities who devised the notion of Indulgence to suck European Christendom dry like an insatiable vampire. The blatant abuse of the latter climaxed in the 16th century.
It led to the Reformation, which shook the foundation of Western Europe. Currently, the irony about this tithing deception is that even those who are being fleeced like school children at the mercy of bully boys will undoubtedly perceive me as writing heresy, perhaps even committing blasphemy when I am just opening their eyes to the obvious.
Just over two weeks ago, a religious article, which engendered this rejoinder, was posted at this website loaded with threats and curses. When I read the piece I felt a strong need to expose this institutionalised 419. However, after careful analysis I concluded that it was not worth the time, because those who are already at the mercy of these swindlers will not be convinced regardless of the sophistication and clarity with which I argue my point.
Firstly, I am one of the Christians who do not subscribe to speaking in tongues anytime anyhow.
No I do not believe it when a man of God or a prayer warrior opens his mouth and says; “Let’s speak in tongues”
And immediately the whole congregation breaks into it. I will stand there and shake my head in disbelief!
I was watching metro TV recently when a man of God was on the TGIF show saying, he is a longstanding man of God but he gets uncomfortable when people speak tongues into a speaker and there is nobody to translate.
For him, it must be translated by somebody otherwise it is controversial. Well, that’s his special opinion too which many people will argue and counter.
Now let’s talk about my own experience with churches who literally force you to speak in tongues or feel like a devil. I call it the great deception.
One fine Sunday I followed a Nigerian friend to his church that he had been inviting me to for awhile. I will leave out the name of the church but believe me, it is a very popular church. My experience with many charismatic churches has been varied but this particularly pertains to speaking in tongues.
I loved their praise and worship, sermon and everything else was just really good. So good I made a mental note to go back. Then came the end of the service when they asked new members to stand up. I did…
Then after some formalities, they asked us to meet a team in the back of the church. I again followed. They registered us for several classes during the week, spoke to us about being faithful to the church, and then explained why we need to speak in tongues.
They said sometimes, we may need to pray about specific situations which we are physically unaware of so God permits our spirit to pray. And our spirit prays about these things in tongues. So our spirit directly speaks to God on our behalf and for unseen things which we do need but we do not know. Hmmph! Lovely explanation.
It is past 12 noon on Sunday and I just woke up which means, I am not going to church and I am not going to pay any tithes to a pastor or an institution called CHURCH. This means, I am cursed and will probably see no peace in my life so says prophet Prophet Owusu Ansa (quoting from the Bible) who wrote the piece below…
In fact, my cousin needs that money better since she wants to start her own little trade to be able to take care of her two fatherless children.
I find it very hypocritical and insulting that even those who claim to be Christians and believe in the tithe doctrine do not actually pay the right amount—when it becomes even tough, some postpone their tithe obligations. But as a strict commandment, you have no choice than to follow it—at least the wording depicts so.
This means, if your mother is sick and all your salary cannot take care of her, you will still have to pay tithes from the little you have which is not even enough to carter for your mother. It sounds like those who will follow this commandment have suspended their thinking faculty and are those cursed to be irrational, not those of us who will not pay out.
I have outstanding credit card bills and fees to pay, who will pay those for me? I prefer to be cursed, after all, from birth the same Bible says we’ve all sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God— pretty much been cursed from birth.
Let me add that, the same Bible offers a salvation for the by-birth sinners and cursed at a cheaper rate of paying tithes and surrounding their thinking faculty to the church, which makes it easy to believe some non-connecting stories told by the Bible.
Anyway read the article below and let me know if you are cursed too, we may organize ‘cursed people party’ soon!
*”Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me.” (Malachi 3:8, 9)*
If you don’t pay tithe, the Bible says you are robbing God and you are under a curse. This curse cannot be removed by your good works or the fact that you are born again. You can only reverse this curse if you start paying tithe. Tithe is the only key to prosperity and God’s blessing. The Bible is very clear about this and there is no way around it. You have to choose between being under God’s curse and God’s blessings, so abundant and uncountable. Those who don’t pay tithe are robbing God because all income is from God. All God asks is 10%, not 50%, not 90%. God the giver of all just wants a little portion to take care of the men of God and help spread the gospel.
From TopVincent.Com
If you think your religion is supreme and only you and your religious group members are heading to heaven/paradise, whiles the others are definitely going to hell or nowhere, close this article…It is not for people like you. In fact, I dislike people like you who think a group they belong are inherently supreme to others and do not make real effort to understand the dealings of others…
Religion is a dicey subject and as such, many people avoid discussing it. Many of us are experts in our own Religions and are confident that we are on the right path. If our group is on the right path in a world where we have right or wrong, where are the other groups heading?
We have millions of books and holy writings to back our assumptions and claims of belonging to the right Religious group; I mean the one God says it is right for His children…
What most of us lack is the strength to consider and understand the Religious practices and preaching of others. We have the best and yet we do not even know about what lies behind our walls. I am not sure how we got to know we are in the best since we have not sufficiently and objectively compared or given that of the others the necessary attention.
God is practically, conceptually and imaginably difficult to understand. The mind of God can never be understood. And this is because, God does not directly deal with us, we deal with our selves. He deals with us through mankind.
To understand the mind of God, we must understand and appreciate the minds of others, especially those who do not belong to our Religious group. Instead of us embracing the principle of unity in diversity, when it comes to Religion, we seem to entrench diversity with trivial assumptions and proclamation.
What Religion do you belong to?
It is true that some will find God even if they are brought up in a remote part of the world. However, the Religious group we belong to is heavily influenced by geography-like it or not. If you are a Christian reading this, get this right…If you were born in Saudi Arabia, the probability that you would have been a Muslim is far higher than being what you are today.
