Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has ordered the closure of nearly 100 Christian churches in key cities, citing criminal practices organized by Pentecostal pastors that threaten the security of the West African nation.
But Pentecostal pastors said the move is evidence of Biya’s insecurity about the churches’ criticism of the government.
Biya is using the military to permanently shut down all Pentecostal church denominations in the nation’s capital, Yaounde, and the North West Regional capital, Bamenda, which have the largest Christian populations in Cameroon.
More than 50 churches have now been closed, with the government targeting nearly 100 in eight other regions.
“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. They have outstretched their liberty,” Mbu Anthony Lang, a government official in Bamenda, told CNN Wednesday.
Nearly 500 Pentecostal churches operate in Cameroon, but fewer than 50 are legal, he added.
On Sunday, a 9-year-old Christian girl collapsed and died during a prayer session in Winners’ Chapel, a Pentecostal church in Bamenda. The girl’s mother, Mih Theresa, told CNN Wednesday that the pastor intended to cast out the numerous demons that were in control of her daughter’s life.
“I want the government to stop these pastors who use mysterious powers to pull Christians and kill then for more powers. All my children have ran away from the Catholic Church in search for miracles, signs and wonders,” she told CNN while holding back tears.
Another Christian, Mveng Thomas, said his marriage ended abruptly when a Pentecostal pastor ordered his wife to dissolve their union. He said the pastor described him as “an unrepentant devil.”
Pastors marched against the government’s decision Wednesday in Bamenda and Douala. Pastors said the Biya government sees the mass proliferation of churches as a threat.
Boniface Tum, a bishop of the Christian Church of God in Yaounde, said that Biya, who has been president since 1982, is becoming insecure about the freedom of speech within these churches.
“Authorizing only the Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim, and a few other churches, is a strict violation of the right to religion,” Tum added.
Targeted Pentecostal Christians in Bamenda are transforming their private homes into churches.
North West Regional governor Adolphe Lele L’Afrique said Wednesday that police had discovered the abduction of 30 children under age 18 by a pastor in Bamenda. The pastor said he wanted to remove the children from a bad society, Lele added.
Government officials also say that some pastors convince congregants that they do not need professional medical treatment for their ailments.
“How can a pastor say the sick needs no medical doctor? We need sanity in our Christian lives,” Nyang Blaise, a youth leader for Biya’s ruling party, CPDM, told CNN.
One woman said her mother was refusing cancer treatments because of her pastor.
“My mother’s condition is worsening after doctors confirmed she had cancer. She is dying silently, and yet we cannot persuade her to see a doctor for proper treatment, against her pastor’s wish,” Deborah Tanyi said.culled
*Is this a good reason to close churches and prevent people from worshipping God?These are really the end times...wetin person no go hear?
Worefa
ReplyDeleteThere are enough fake churches in Naija too.
Not a good reason at all, not justifying the death of an innocent child but the girl could have collapsed anywhere nd die it just happened at that time. I think it boils down to individuals really nd how much they read d bible nd understand it rather than making their pastors their mini god. Why will my pastor tell me to divorce my husband on such grounds? My people religion has been misunderstood nd we have to retrace our steps. Remember the bible passage looking up to Jesus d author and finisher of our faith. May God help us.
ReplyDeleteThere's more to the closure of those churches. End time. Noni.
ReplyDeleteI heard this story like more than a month now. Some say the president is afraid because the main prayer point in all the Pentecostal churches is that God should dethrone this man who has been in power for over two decades.
ReplyDeleteAll this fake pastors n their incarnate are means d devil is using to bring down d faith of d little ones that still believe in God, never be suprised cos this is end time my dear, d devil v no time again so he has entered d churches were u won't suspect him to cause havoc there, be strong in the lord even if it means worshing from home, listening to religious preachings n doing the things that pleases God. Beware the world will soon end wether u believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is their are too many fake churches! I tire self! Too many fake churches and pastors!
ReplyDeleteIf this was an issue regarding islam or muslims, some ignorant ones will start blaspheming. Oya deal with this! #toungeout#. If ya'll like, cuss all u want!! Psst
ReplyDeleteWhat do u think blasphemy is? U have shown urself to be one of the "ignorant" people u mentioned. Olodo. #toungueout# ko, #toungleout# ni. If this was news involving an islamic sect,one violent act or the other would have been included.#fact. Not saying all muslims are violent but pls to whom brain is given, sense is expected.
DeleteStella, but the guy is not preventing people from worshiping God. He is only after these pentecostal using the name of God and church to brainwash people by stealing people's wealths, putting people's lives into danger by not allowing them to go for medical treatment, rapping children and women, exploiting people all in the name of miracles. We the same thing happening in Nigeria today and you know that. How many children of living faith church members can attend Covenant University? Yet it is their offering money that is used to build this university. How many people attending Redeemers' ministry can afford daily meals? Yet the millions their pastors make do not reach the poor ones. How many more victims of rape and sexual manipulations are we ready to hear their stories? All in the name of church going and pastors. The President has not done anything wrong. Why are other churches like the Catholic, Baptists, etc not closed down? Lets be logical and use our intellects for ones. We cannot continue to see these fake so-called men of God destroy people's lives all in the name of God and churches. Their crimes are not less than the crimes of boko haram
ReplyDeleteI wish i can like this comment..u re sooo right
DeleteMoreover going 2 church is nt d only way of worshipping ones God.
DeleteYou are so right. If they have to obtain some sort of permit to establish churches and mandate them to pay tax, most of the fake pastors will close down. Poverty is the main issue. Everyone is looking for a miracle.
DeleteWell said!
DeleteAnd you stella, did he stop them from worshiping God or is he trying to stop abuse?
Disappointed in your reasoning.
president biya i admire you when you close all thi fake churches thank you ver much because most of them the are fake and bagbond and they use devilis things to take money from the poor and the rich by prophising them fake things
ReplyDeleteSo so sad,but the truth remains African have bastardised the place Church'!
ReplyDeleteInasmuch he's a dictator president,he has a point,some of those churches are worst than native doctor's house,they brainwash the pple,collect money from them,tell them it will be well without caring how they survive,sleep with their wives and daughters etc etc all in the name of church!
Pple believe the so called pastors more dan even the God they claim to seek!
If the churches were really leading pple to God,why is the society even more evil and corrupt than when they were few churches?church is already abused,infact its a family bizness now!
What d govt should do nyway is to screen the churches unbiased ly,and reopen those that are ok.
It's not d govt's fault dat one bad egg has spoilt the others.
Infact that move should be implemented in nigeria,its even worse here!#leave endtime talk outta dis,truth is bitter#
Btw I am a christian too.tank u.
Thank you..help me tell them
Deletepresident biya i admire you when you close all thi fake churches thank you ver much because most of them the are fake and bagbond and they use devilis things to take money from the poor and the rich by prophising them fake things
ReplyDeleteI support 100percent lost my 2 relatives because their pastor told them 2 fast instead of going to the hospital. Very sad so many fake pastors may God help us.
ReplyDeleteAccusations and counter accusations. If the Christians in Cameroun feel persecuted they should remember that it's a NORMAL thing, that GOD allows it for spiritual growth. If they close your churches, stay home and pray. If they persecute you for that, relocate and continue. Being a Christian is not a walk in the park as most Christians take it to be. If you can't stand the heat when it comes then you're unfit to be called a Christian. The earliest Christians faced these crises even up to the 4th Century AD, until the Roman Emperor, Constantine, became baptized and the Religion had an earthly protector. So, it has nothing to do with End Times, it's what has always happened, even when Christianity started.
ReplyDeleteNa siddon look I dey.
Delete@Eze Wanyi werrin be your wahala sef? LOL. Na everytin you de look from your sitting position abi? No good o.
DeleteWhoever cuss me I go cuss am back. So let me comment without prosecution.
ReplyDeleteI am in full support of the closure of these Pentecostal churches. Full support.
My Bini people say " if dirty too plenty for water, even blind man go see am".
All these churches should learn how to give back.
How to feed the hungry, clothe the needy and shelter the homeless.
In every corner you look at, you see Nigerian owned churches.. Even here in the States. I have attended a Nigerian church seperated by a wall by another Nigeria church. About 10 members in each. ( nothing is too small ministries).
When the other church choir is is singing, I see myself shaking my legs singing with them. I promise to find the pics.
Too many churches with too many pastors , why?
My Bini sister!!!!
DeleteMay God bless u for that little proverb there.. Ahh ahh!!! Wetin?
I think Nigerian president should take cue ....
My Bini sister!!!!
DeleteMay God bless u for that little proverb there.. Ahh ahh!!! Wetin?
I think Nigerian president should take cue ....
Stella I like u a lot. Ur comments r always so modest and stright 2 the point. Keep it up inugo. Am that Igbo gul~No homo oo. My regards 2 ur family. Kisses!!!!
DeleteSee dem, yeye Bini pipo. Una know God? No be Olokun and Ogboni una dey worship? How una no go happy say dem dey close churches? Ozuo, see as dem be sef, like 2 winshes. Just tota severally.
DeleteThe world is really at war with churches
ReplyDeleteFather let u kingdom come...MG speaking
ReplyDeleteHis reasons are valid. It is about time order should be brought into Christendom. I am a Pentecostal, but i must confess i am getting tired of the theatrics in the church, am tempted to go back to Anglican which my parents attend.
ReplyDeleteI always say that if there was no Tithe and offering involved in Churches, only free-will donations, would there be churches in every cranny?
The missionaries impacted positively in our lives when they brought Christianity, i am yet to see the impact all these present day churches have on the society. Rather they take more than they give!
Truly SDK you are a clown they ve stated reasons why they are closing those money making outlets they call church they're misleading members and brainwashing them at the same time read something like winners and I can remember when they placed embargo on TBJ activities in Cameroon 2 or 3 years ago Nigerian church owners are their to bastardise their society
ReplyDeleteWho fights the church of GOD and survives? Biya my dear let me tell you my bible states that" I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail" so you are too small 4 the church. If some churches have erred bring them 2 book but closing up all pentecostal churches. This will finally bring your death like saddam hussein. Go figure Mr dictator.
ReplyDeleteThe bible talk am that we are in the perilous times. Times is vely hards and people wills does anything to make money including uses the church has a money-making venture. It is hard to found genuine Pastors these days and gullible peoples wills kept got deceived. Close of Churches in Camelron wills goes a long way to curb the activities of these fakes Pastor, wish they could does that in 9ja too, started with those Mushroom churches esp the ones on my street.
ReplyDeleteSigned...High-HighQueue
Sdk. I dont no wot 2 say. A pentecostal pastor in our very own naija insted of help a young mariage dat was blesd wit 3 kidz, told d yong wife 2 leave her hubby bcos he inflicted her wit waist pain, den proceeded 2 collect 7 of her pubic hair. Nid i tel u wot hapnd afta dat? D mariage scaterd. D wife abandond her home n 7mnth old baby wit 2 oda kidz n movd in2 a house provided by d pastor. Wen he was thru wit her, he sent d gal n ha mother out of d house, den knelt n begd d hubby who threatnd 2 expose him. Said IT WAS D DEVIL HU PUSHD HIM TO SLEEP WIT ANODA MAN'S WIFE! Dat pastor's church is stil operating om shud such a church not b lockd in Biya style?
ReplyDeleteStella, I'm cameroonian and it is overdue. At the beginning of this year 40 kids were found in one of these churches in the city of Bamenda. When asked about the parents, the pastor said they were his, but 3 of them were identified as kids that went missing and were actively searched by their parents around chrismas in other cities.
ReplyDeleteTo open a church in Cameroon you need an authorization and most of these churches don't. We have had several cases of child and elderly abuse resulting in death or severe injury due to a pastor calling out the victims to be possessed. I am not even talking about people that were robbed of their money, family that were broken, or even just the noise pollution generated by those churches.
Last year the cameroonian embassy had to issue a warning to cameroonian citizens travelling to nigeria in quest of miracles because a lot of them coming to see TB Joshua or other miracle performers would fall prey to criminals and then land at the consulate door with no means to go back home or even survive after being robbed or extorted.
The president is the one who orchestrated the mess by letting them settle in a country where before 1990 you were either muslim, catholic or protestant; Even Jehova witnesses were not allowed. Now the he wants to clean up they are crying. it is overdue. These churches spring up every where and it is impossible for anyone to know what really goes on inside. We've been finding bodies of people victim of ritual sacrifices in towns and we don't know where they are from and who killed them. It is time for a change.
Thank you anonymous. Our house is circled by churches. at the right there is a catholic church, at the left front a jehova witnesses kingdom hall, in front of it there is a Born-again church that somebody started in his living room. and in our compound one of our tenant started a church of his own. Most of these churches have choir practices around 6-7PM that means that every evening we have to deal with nuisance in a residential area. The sad thing is that if I count a radius of 20m and I draw a circle every family has lost a child or a parent to one of these churches. And that includes 2 deaths because the church said in the first case blood transplant was against God's will and the other case was almost similar except that the dad could not watch his kid die and in a last minute scare he gave blood, too little too late. She survived but her brain was affected and as a result, the dad was expelled from the church and the mom asked to keep the now "devil child" in bondage inside the house, til the girl died in her late 20's almost 15 years later. This is the type of horror these churches do in cameroon.
ReplyDeleteA family friend donated all of her late husband to the church after the pastor told her god revealed her to be his wife. She left nothing for her kids education, it got so heated that her oldest son held her at gun point threatening to shoot her if she does not retreat from the church. She successfully made everybody believe her son was just turning into a delinquent and sent him off to leave with relative who did not know who to believe. It was only a matter of months til everything was done and the church had taken possession of everything her late husband and herself labored.
In june a Lady died in yaounde after salt and oil were being forcefully stuffed into her vagina to purify her against her will. Her daughter who had been told by the pastor that the mom was a sea creature that was responsible for her inability to find a husband, tricked her into coming to one of the churches locations were she was tied up and rid of her clothes. The lady screamed but nobody could hear her outside. They stuffed so much salt into her with her legs spread and tied that she died within hours. Everybody absconded except the daughter who does not even know the real name of the pastor and is now facing charges.
This is the type of stories we are now used to read in Cameroonian papers weekly.
From the aforementioned points, I am sure you have been able to convince us and not confuse us that indeed ALL churches in CAMEROON should be closed down forever.
DeleteThank You!!!
See? This stopped being about God a long time ago and the sooner people realise this the better. Its all about the new God-MONEY. That is why the Pastors make all the promises on earth just to get you into their church. So many of them are evil and diabolical and ignorant people like you and me put our innocent heads under their "annointed hands". What a pity.
ReplyDeleteEven the Bible says "my people perish because they lack knowledge". I totally support Biya. Wish our own "patience" here can grow some balls too.
Thank you Dlapikin.