This story will make your blood run cold.

[pennylane100]

There seems to be no limit to the evil humans can do, in the name of god.
It shows christianity can be depraved as all the rest of the religions.


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2224553,00.html

[Union Thug]

1. Welcome to the new middle ages! n/t

[muntrv]

2. But...but...it's still not as bad as islamofacism!!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[kimmylavin]

16. Or atheism!

Don't forget that the Pope is trying to warn the world about the evil done by atheists...
:sarcasm:

[kurth]

3. Fucking preachers should be hanged

Pastor Joe Ita is the preacher at Liberty Gospel Church in nearby Eket. 'We base our faith on the Bible, we are led by the holy spirit and we have a programme of exposing false religion and sorcery.' Soft of voice and in his smart suit and tie, his church is being painted and he apologises for having to sit outside near his shiny new Audi to talk. There are nearly 60 branches of Liberty Gospel across the Niger Delta. It was started by a local woman, mother-of-two Helen Ukpabio, whose luxurious house and expensive white Humvee are much admired in the city of Calabar where she now lives. Many people in this area credit the popular evangelical DVDs she produces and stars in with helping to spread the child witch belief.

Ita denies charging for exorcisms but acknowledges his congregation is poor and has to work hard to scrape up the donations the church expects. 'To give more than you can afford is blessed. We are the only ones who really know the secrets of witches. Parents don't come here with the intention of abandoning their children, but when a child is a witch then you have to say "what is that there? Not your child." The parents come to us when they see manifestations. But the secret is that, even if you abandon your child, the curse is still upon you, even if you kill your child the curse stays. So you have to come here to be delivered afterwards as well,' he explains patiently.

[pennylane100]

7. Thanks for filling in the background.

I hope these people die soon and in terrible pain.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. They're not basing their faith on the part of the Bible where Jesus says,

in Matthew 18:

4] Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
<5> And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
<6> But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

This idea of "child witches" is not anything I remember from any other variety of Christianity, either worldwide or historically. (Witches yes, but not specifically "child witches.")

It's closest to Colin Turnbull's account of the Ik tribe of Uganda, which began abandoning small children after the area suffered a devastating famine. It's also reminiscent of immediate post-Communist Russia, in which a nation widely reported by all travelers during the Soviet era as doting on children, began abandoning children in orphanages.

I wonder what other kinds of stresses that part of Nigeria is under that parents are so susceptible to these charlatans and, contrary to normal human instincts, reject their children.

[chemmom]

14. I think you hit the proverbial nail on the head. itches are just the excuse being used by parents

and communities who have been stressed by famine and drought. They need an excuse to "drop" there children off and let them die. If they are perceived to be evil then it makes it easier to do so. To have a "man of God" trying to make a buck out of the tragedy is of now great surprise. A great disgust, but no surprise. Anyone can SAY they SPEAK for GOD or WORK for GOD. BUSH thinks they're best Buds. So go figure.

The real question is,what can we do about it? Do the groups who are trying to help have an organization behind them? They are Evangelicals who are harming them, That would make the Catholic church a good place to go to get some help for these kids. Say what you will about Catholics, and I do, they do not believe in witches, or beating a child to get the "witch" out of it. And they love showing up and cleaning up the messes the evangelicals cause. They need new recruits too. How can we help get them in contact? It would be in the best interest of the kids to get them a considerable force to fight this battle.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. The trouble with the evangelicals is that anyone can declare himself a "minister"

and found his own church, no matter what his qualifications.

I don't know how to get someone involved. The Guardian is quite widely read, so perhaps some Catholic or Anglican organization will become worked up about this issue and do something for these children.

In Uganda, the Anglicans have done a tremendous amount of work taking care of AIDS orphans.

[liberalmuse]

4. It's more depraved. than most religions..

but that could be because its been around for a long time and a lot of humans subscribe to it. I guess it's really convenient to target victims incapable of defending themselves. What a horrible story. I hate religion. It's the worst thing to ever happen to the decent portion of humanity, the best thing to ever happen to the worst.

[madmom]

5. another feather in the cap of organized religion......

[Briar]

6. To really make your blood run cold

check out this Independent comment:

"I asked Richard Chartres if he was offended by Richard Dawkins's book The God Delusion, and he replied that, on the contrary, he welcomed it. It is a recognition of the might of faith. Chartres used a bold metaphor to describe our times. He said: "The tide on Dover Beach which Matthew Arnold viewed as a symbol of the 'sea of faith' has gone out unnaturally far." This was a sign of "an approaching tsunami".

"The new spiritual tide will come from the youth of Africa, South America and the immigrants pouring into our London churches. The Christian faith we preached and lost returns to reproach us. Those poor old BBC liberals may have won a blasphemy case but they still have to fight the great war of religion."


http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/sarah_sands/article3236070.ece

That made my blood run cold. Because exercising reason is hard work, and most poeple would rather fall back into the blood-hot tide of knee-jerk superstition. 'We base our faith on the Bible, we are led by the holy spirit and we have a programme of exposing false religion and sorcery.' Those could be the very words Chartres and Sarah Sands are celebrating. Though the "witches" they want taken away are secularists and atheists.

[MasonJar]

9. He is not basing his religion on the New Testament; it is time for the

Christian community worldwide to put a stop to these atrocities, committed in Christ's name.

[Cheap_Trick]

10. if god was truly up there

you'd think he'd put a stop to these people doing such atrocities in his name.

[pingzing58]

11. Sounds like the Opus Dei cult to me. They take complete control of your life and sin!!!

[Fovea]

12. This story makes me so angry i cannot see straight.

And a lot of folks need a serious bitch slapping.

[Tellurian]

13. The Pastors are using Religion as an extortion racket

If the parents can pay the preacher to exorcise(?) the witch, they are saved...

The Nigerians are a poor and indigent people. They willingly turn their children over because they cannot save them.

[Baby Snooks]

15. "To give more than you can afford is blessed."

You have to wonder why the Nigerian government doesn't do something but of course the "preachers" are probably padding their pockets as well as the pockets of the local authorities.

Scary to realize that our politicians pander to these same "evangelicals" who feed off the vulnerable as well.

I avoid "Christians" in general. This is another example why.