Filed under: FeaturedLaw & GovernmentPersecutionWorld | By:
Garrett Haley
CAMEROON – The
government of Cameroon is severely cracking down this month on Pentecostal
churches, vowing to shut down nearly 100 congregations.
Paul Biya, the president of the
western African nation, says the closures are an attempt to prevent Pentecostal
pastors from conducting “criminal practices” that allegedly threaten Cameroon’s
national security. Thus far, at least 50 churches have been shuttered by
government officials, but more forced closures are on the way.
Cameroonian officials claim these
Pentecostal churches are a menace to their country’s well-being because of fake
healing attempts and other controversial spiritual activities. For instance,
the government is citing the death of a 9-year-old girl during a prayer session
last Sunday, when a Pentecostal pastor was attempting to cast out demons from
her body.
Mbu Anthony Lang, an official with
the Cameroonian government, told CNN that only 50 of the 500 Pentecostal
churches in his country are technically legal.
“We will get
rid of all the so-called Christian Pentecostal pastors who misuse the name of
Jesus Christ to fake miracles and kill citizens in their churches,” he vowed.
“They have outstretched their liberty.”
According to
Operation World, 54% of Cameroon’s 20 million residents describe
themselves as Christians. 800,000 Cameroonian Christians are Pentecostals, but
that number is growing at an annual rate of approximately 7%.
Though the
country is technically a secular nation, Cameroon’s constitution provides for religious freedom, and
says “freedom of religion and worship shall be guaranteed.”
Connect with
Christian News
“Everyone
has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” the constitution
states. “This right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and
freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to
manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Boniface
Tum, a bishop at a Cameroonian Church of God, told CNN that the
government’s crackdown on Christian churches violates basic human rights.
“Authorizing
only the Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim, and a few other churches, is
a strict violation of the right to religion,” Tum said.
After his
church was shut down last week, Pastor Elie Pierre encouraged churchgoers over
a loudspeaker.
“We have the
right to defend ourselves!” he exclaimed.
Following
the reports of church shut-downs, some were pleased. One commenter called the
development “good news,” and said “I hope the rest of African countries do the
same. Well done Cameroon.” Another posited, “All countries should get rid of all
churches and ban those vile books called [the] Bible, Koran, etc. Religion has
no place in a civilized world.”
However,
Theres Nchanji, leader of another Cameroonian church that the government
recently shut down, explained that all countries need Christian churches.
“No state
can do without a Church and the Bible says whosoever calls the name of the Lord
Jesus will be saved,” she said, according to Voice of America. “The Bible says
that our weapons are not carnal—they are spiritual. When the devil attacked
Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus said it is written, he never picked a stone to
face the devil.”
more news click here
No comments:
Post a Comment