A blog regular sent this story to be shared with other blog readers. While religious extremists are not found only among the poor or the uneducated, the class particularly provides easy pickings for the get-rich/you-can-get-anything-from-God through-prayers “men of God” who populate the new-age churches in Nigeria.
In Nigeria today, a walk through government offices would present a sight of many workers who read their Bibles all day – most of the bosses are doing next to nothing, anyway; ditto shops, etcetera.
Many Nigerian Christians believe they can cover themselves, their families, their shops et cetera with “the blood of Jesus” and ebola would be scared off; they are a difficult group to sell prevention to.
How can these new recruits that the pastor is possibly imagining in his fold be educated about the non-efficacy of this wonder “drug”?
Millionaire Preacher Sends Holy Water and Money To Help Cure Ebola
By Editor NMM in Christian News · August 20, 2014
By Nigel Boys
Multi-million dollar preacher prophet and faith healer, T.B. Joshua, who has reportedly donated over $20 million dollars to charity, has reached out to the people of Sierra Leone, Liberia, who are suffering from the deadly Ebola virus.
Joshua, who claims that he predicted the crash of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, over five months before it was shot down, has sent $50,000 in humanitarian aid to Liberia along with 4,000 bottles of anointed water from his ministry.
The anointed water, which some claim has healed them from life-threatening illnesses, such as HIV/Aids, cancer, and paralysis, as well as less serious maladies such as removal of barrenness and even bulletproofing a car, is to be used in conjunction with faith, said Joshua.
The 51-year-old Nigerian prophet, who is pastor and founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCAON), went on to say that Christ will give those who use the anointed water special attention, because they have symbolically set themselves aside for His healing. He added that the water should be used in conjunction with faith and prayer, both on the part of the one who is receiving it and the one giving, otherwise it won’t work.
On his Emmanuel TV network, Joshua said “It is not the Anointing Water that heals the sick but Jesus Christ Himself. There must be faith both in the person praying and in the person being prayed for.” He continued, “Prayer must proceed from and be accompanied with a lively faith. It is this that brings about the healing, not the Anointing Water.”
The water was sent to the victims in a private jet to aid what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe as being the largest outbreak of Ebola in history. The jet cost Joshua’s ministry another $50,000 to charter, making a total of $100,000 donated.
The Nigerian prophet was worth around $10 – $15 million in 2011, according to a Forbes report.
According to the CDC, the Ebola outbreak, which started around March this year, has claimed at least three American victims, two of which were Christian missionaries working in Liberia to help those affected. They recommend avoidance of nonessential travel to the country, except for people who are going for humanitarian aid work who should protect themselves from contact with blood and body fluids.
Above story supports an earlier essay which I wrote that government needs to engage church leaders, especially the Pentecostal churches to stem the spread of ebola:
emotanafricana.com/2014/08/14/there-is-an-urgent-need-for-nigerian-government-to-engage-religious-leaders-in-the-fight-to-contain-ebola-tola-adenle/
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2014. 6:55 a.m. [GMT]
August 24, 2014 at 5:45 am
When I heal my patients, I give thanks to our Almighty Creator, Whose power I use.
He is the source of the only ONE POWER that streams through Creation.
I have experienced a few miracles. But, miracles are not two for one kobo.
A miracle occurs when the followings are simultaneously present:
a) Power of our God is captured and transmitted to the recipient sick;
b) The sick has unshakable faith in this power; and
c) His or her karma is due to close.
My advice to pastor T.B. Joshua, who threatened fire and brimstone if people don’t desist from smearing his good names, is that ‘his holy water’ should be used in conjunction with the protocol for managing EVD. Who knows, the dramatic response of Dr. Kent Brantly as compared to that of Mrs. Nancy Writebol after receiving the experimental Zmapp, may not be unrelated to faith despite all other measures and future scientific explanations.
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August 24, 2014 at 5:56 am
Dear Prof.,
Thank you very much for reminding everybody of the power of faith but I believe the ebola virus has to be attacked through medical science which you understand very well. Our people already believe much in the power of God but their minds must be directed to the power of medicine which He enabled the human race through knowledge/wisdom which are from the brains he gives all.
My regards,
TOLA.
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