The nine-year-old boy lay on a bloodstained hospital sheet crawling with ants, staring blindly at the wall.
His family pastor had accused him of being a witch, and his father then tried to force acid down his throat as an exorcism. It spilled as he struggled, burning away his face and eyes. The emaciated boy barely had strength left to whisper the name of the church that had denounced him – Mount Zion Lighthouse.
A month later, he died.
Nwanaokwo Edet was one of an increasing number of children in Africa accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by family members. Pastors were involved in half of 200 cases of “witch children” reviewed by the AP, and 13 churches were named in the case files.
Some of the churches involved are renegade local branches of international franchises. Their parishioners take literally the Biblical exhortation, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”
Oct 18 2009
October 18th, 2009 7:00 am
And that’s not even the worst part of the story …
Families are relieved to have one less mouth to feed.
“Pray your way to riches.”
We know from His life how Jesus feels about those who misuse the faith of their flocks … He treated them as beneath the prostitutes, adulterers, and tax collectors.
Part of me prays for lightning bolts …
October 18th, 2009 8:24 am
When Jesus drove out demons it was instant. There was no long drawn out process. No blood or acid. Had the pastor thought of following what Jesus said I wonder.
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well”. Mark 16:17-18 (NIV)
October 18th, 2009 11:26 am
You know, that’s a brilliant point …
These reprobates who are peddling torment in the guise of love have to make up this exorcism ritual from … what? .. paganism? their own imaginations? Maybe a “Dungeons and Dragons” manual? I don’t really know where they get this stuff.
But it sure isn’t Biblical. Jesus casts out a thousand demons from one man in a moment. He didn’t leave the man in bed with his body decaying in a pool of blood with insects crawling on him.
By what kind of perverse imagination could that be considered love?
I very rarely swear … I want to right now.
October 18th, 2009 11:55 am
I hate to tell you all this, but Thomas Muthee is associated with crowds like this.
October 18th, 2009 9:38 am
I have read about these facts before and truly cannot bear it. It is only knowing that these innocent children will pass on and ‘wake up’ to a wonderful world and eternal life with Jesus,
that gives me any comfort and peace of mind.
LORD PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON THESE CHILDREN.
October 18th, 2009 10:16 am
Amen to that
October 18th, 2009 10:13 am
Oh good heavens! This is heartbreaking.
October 18th, 2009 11:19 am
Indeed.
October 18th, 2009 9:24 pm
This sadly can be one of the ills of overt Fundamentalism. The American Salem witch trials comes to mind here also.
Newtaste, I am not sure that verse from the end of Mark can be used in any theological sense, as it is questionable in the MSS.
Fr. R.