Opinions of Sunday, 19 October 2014

Columnist: Antwi-Boasiako, Kwaku

Ebola and Prayer by African Pastors

I find any prayer against or spiritual explanation to Ebola very unacceptable and even offensive and unhelpful. First, Duncan Williams and TB Jushua aren't more righteous than everyone of those who have contracted Ebola and/or have died of the disease. Any suggestion that Ebola is a demonic attack on the affected countries is outrageously stupid. 

The people of Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria are not more sinful than any other people in the world. Even ISIS militants are still alive beheading people in their custody. But if prayer can stop Ebola from entering a country or can lead to the healing of infected persons, what kind of stupid 'God' will let 4,500 die while waiting for Duncan Williams to pray before stoping the disease? By the way, Ebola has killed many Africans since the 1970s. 

The only difference this time is that it's affected urban areas making it difficult to control and manage. But my greatest anger has to do with the danger that Duncan Williams is exposing ignorant followers and many others to. 

Once people believe that Ebola is demonic and can be stopped or healed by prayers, they will stay at home or mix up with other church members praying when they should be reporting any symptoms for immediate medical attention.

 So instead of getting isolated and treated, so-called believers would be praying and infecting many more people and yet would eventually die, because they won't be healed by prayer. This prayer nonsense is dangerous and will only help spread Ebola rather than stop it. 

You can believe whatever you want to believe, but don't give me the bullshit that none of the 4,500 who have been killed by Ebola was a Christian, probably a better Christian than Duncan Williams. And don't tell me they all died because they didn't pray or nobody else prayed. 

Let's use the wisdom God had given us to manage the Ebola situation by doing the basic scientific stuff that Nigeria and Senegal have done to stop the disease spreading in their respective countries. None of those countries used prayer to stop the spread of Ebola. PERIOD!