Rundu activist bemoans ‘thugs masquerading as pastors’
Congregants are ‘brainwashed’
Urging government to do more to regulate churches, Patrick Kasera said mostly women fall victim to these so-called pastors.
A Rundu activist who investigated claims of ‘fake’ churches has labelled some pastors “thugs masquerading as men and women of God”.
Patrick Kashera said these pastors aim to make a living by ripping off “brainwashed” congregants, and called on government to regulate churches.
According to him, there has been sudden increase of these churches in Rundu, and the majority of their congregants are women.
“I am of the opinion that our government must do more to regulate these churches. Seriously, groups of thugs are out there doing all they can do to collect money from the people. Mostly, 95% of women in those churches are brainwashed,” he said.
“We need professional people to run churches, not thugs.”
Kashera said he visited three churches in Rundu’s Tumweneni, Tuhingireni Cuma and Ndama Sewage areas.
“People are just walking around the churches as if they are sowing seed in the field [during prayer]. One might think that maybe they are insane, while these are normal people,” he said.
He also pointed out that some of the churches have daily programmes, and questioned when the congregants are given time off to rest.
Rude pastors
The activist also shed light on a recent experience when a pastor asked people to run to the altar to give offering and, in the process, a woman was trampled.
“People are asked to run towards the altar to give their offering as if they are competing for a 100-metre race. I was saddened to see one woman who happened to fall, yet still managed to stand and continue running in order to offer her thanksgiving.
“My fear is that one day this exercise might cause a very serious stampede,” he said.
Cursing 'snitches'
Kashera said he also learnt that pastors are threatening people not to report what happens in their churches to outsiders, or risked being cursed.
“The pastor forever threatening people not to spy on them otherwise he will curse anyone doing so... Why should you curse someone if you are a man of God and you know that what you are doing is for God?” he asked.
He further questioned the qualifications held by pastors in the country, and urged those who claim to be true men and women of God to at least be in possession of a theology diploma or degree.
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Patrick Kashera said these pastors aim to make a living by ripping off “brainwashed” congregants, and called on government to regulate churches.
According to him, there has been sudden increase of these churches in Rundu, and the majority of their congregants are women.
“I am of the opinion that our government must do more to regulate these churches. Seriously, groups of thugs are out there doing all they can do to collect money from the people. Mostly, 95% of women in those churches are brainwashed,” he said.
“We need professional people to run churches, not thugs.”
Kashera said he visited three churches in Rundu’s Tumweneni, Tuhingireni Cuma and Ndama Sewage areas.
“People are just walking around the churches as if they are sowing seed in the field [during prayer]. One might think that maybe they are insane, while these are normal people,” he said.
He also pointed out that some of the churches have daily programmes, and questioned when the congregants are given time off to rest.
Rude pastors
The activist also shed light on a recent experience when a pastor asked people to run to the altar to give offering and, in the process, a woman was trampled.
“People are asked to run towards the altar to give their offering as if they are competing for a 100-metre race. I was saddened to see one woman who happened to fall, yet still managed to stand and continue running in order to offer her thanksgiving.
“My fear is that one day this exercise might cause a very serious stampede,” he said.
Cursing 'snitches'
Kashera said he also learnt that pastors are threatening people not to report what happens in their churches to outsiders, or risked being cursed.
“The pastor forever threatening people not to spy on them otherwise he will curse anyone doing so... Why should you curse someone if you are a man of God and you know that what you are doing is for God?” he asked.
He further questioned the qualifications held by pastors in the country, and urged those who claim to be true men and women of God to at least be in possession of a theology diploma or degree.
[email protected]
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