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Opinions of Sunday, 7 September 2014

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Ghanaians Fooled By Pastors Relishing In Quackery

In Africa, and most especially in Ghana, a sizeable portion of our modern day pastors can be said to be involved in quackery, in regard to the dissemination of the word of God. Their foremost priority is to make money rather than to seek the salvation of their congregants. They entice their church members, victims I may call them, with completely false prophecies in most instances. Their churches have they turned into mints; their members subserviently brainwashed to churn out money at the crack of the pastor’s fingers. What a pity!

The above statements are all facts, whether we will acknowledge them as such or not. In my view, the pastors can be held to account to a certain degree, although minute may it be, when the gradual but persistent socio-economic retrogression of Africa or Ghana comes into discussion or scrutiny. They preach the message of fear, but abundance of tithing; money-grabbing beneficial to themselves.

Anyway, I have already got too much on my plate, issues relating to politics and chieftaincy. Do I need to bring on board religion as relates to the despicable attitudes by some of our pastors and prophets? No, I mustn’t, for too many ingredients spoil the broth.

However, let me inform the world that a completely false prophet by all standards, real or imaginable, has reared his ugly head in Europe. This man of God, so he claims to be, has uttered innumerable prophesies. He has prophesied over the lives of many, thereby bringing about enmity between parents and children, hatred among siblings, animosity and divorce between husband and wife.

Furthermore, he is living as a couple with a young girl with whom he is not conventionally married to. Additionally, he has terminated pregnancies with her. Are these the qualities of a man of God? No, they are rather the signs of a fake prophet, the devil incarnate, so to speak. Yet, he has a large following, the seekers of miracles looking for the signs of times, material wealth and other nonsenses.

“For lack of knowledge, my people perish”, so says God in the bible. By their fruits, ye shall know them. I shall mention the prophet, which country he lives in, and the name of his church should the occasion demand. As we speak, he has caused a husband to abandon his wife and children, here in Europe where single parenting gives rise to the truancies and all reprehensible behavioural attitudes and failures in the lives of children.

“It is not gold all that glitters”, so our current Ghanaian pastors and prophets must be careful. Money is not the end of everything, although it helps the cheats to lord themselves over the poor and the needy in society.

The bible says by their fruits, ye shall know them. Is the prophet I have described in one or two sentences a man of God? Presumably yes, but factually not. Would you frequent his church to offer him the free licence to wedge your family apart with his prophesies oozing from his fountain of lies? “Asem sebe”

I dedicate this publication to all Ghanaians in Europe who are desperately seeking the face of God, looking for salvation. As “Honesty is an essential ingredient of a successful marriage”, so should truthful preaching of salvation be the pivot on which pastors and prophets revolve.

Rockson Adofo