Pastor Kayanja Sodomy Case, Arrested Ugandan Pastors and Homosexuals
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/381-pastor-kayanja-sodomy-case-arrested-ugandan-pastors-and-homosexuals.html
Kato Mivule | October 28, 2009
In what seems to be another typical African Leadership Elite case of fraud, bribery, corruption, walking above the law, mafia-ism, cover-ups, and using state resources to protect the rich and powerful, Uganda’s Government went ahead yesterday and charged local Pastors with “criminal trespass” for allegedly causing injury to the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
Early this year a group of Pastors with concrete evidence went to Uganda’s Police headquarters in Kampala and reported that there was rampant sodomy going on tin Uganda’s Evangelical Church. The Pastors reported to Uganda’s Police that some Pastors in the Ugandan Evangelical fraternity were heavily involved in sodomizing young boys.
The Pastors presented concrete evidence that led to one prominent Pastor, Grace Kitaka, at Kansanga Miracle Center, a Branch of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s church to step down and resign. Another Pastor at the same Church in Kansanga Miracle Center did not resign but instead utilized State security instruments to cover-up and had the sodomy victim arrested and thrown in jail.
Later on a Catholic Priest by the names of Father Musaala was accused of sodomy but rather than use state police to throw the accusers in jail, the Catholic Church in Uganda investigated the case and had Father Musaala step down – the Catholic Church took the allegations with great seriousness. In the USA where Pastor Robert Kayanja frequents, Sodomy and Sexual abuse allegations were taken seriously in the Boston Catholic Parish and the Catholic Church had to pay a heavy price for years of cover-up and injustice to the victims.
Surprisingly, Ugandan Pastors who brought up the sodomy case before Uganda’s Police acted in good faith and as law abiding citizens who would not allow crime to go on in the church under the guise of preaching the gospel. These pastors only sought medical recompense for the sodomized boys who doctors proved that they were sexually abused physically.
The same pastors sought for Pastor Robert Kayanja to step down and seek healing and recourse. Rather Pastor Robert Kayanja engaged in mafia style behavior by engaging with Uganda’s State Secret Police to kidnap pastors who exposed him and then turned around and had the victims of sexual abuse arrested and taken to unknown places.
Now Pastor Robert Kayanja has used Museveni’s Government to ‘white wash’ himself by having God fearing and law abiding local Pastors charged with criminal trespass in as injuring his reputation. Right now the Evangelical Church in Uganda is divided between the Robert Kayanja followers and those who seek truth and justice for sodomy victims in Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
It is well known that Pastor Robert Kayanja is a spiritual adviser (political spiritual adviser) to Uganda’s corrupt regime head – President Yoweri Museveni. President Museveni has used Pastor Kayanja as a tool to ‘white wash’ Uganda’s image abroad, especially in the West to unsuspecting and undiscerning politically connected evangelicals. It is Pastor Robert Kayanja that has spearhead the ‘white washing’ of Uganda’s image on TBN TV by running fabricated documentaries that Uganda is this “Christian Nation” and worthy of western capital investment.
Robert Kayanja also has a large following in Uganda, not mentioning his 10,000 member Church, Christian TV and Radio outreach, which President Museveni employs in election times to gather Christians to the polls to vote for him. This is the same Pastor Robert Kayanja who stated in Charisma Magazine that Uganda is 75 percent Legitimate Born Again Christian. (I wrote about this in my previous article “When African Preachers Lie and the Western Church Believes them”).
Therefore the implications of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s Sodomy Case in Uganda will be far reaching and further cause a great and greater schism in Uganda’s young Evangelical Movement.
For those who are praying remember Uganda’s local Pastors – Pastor Michael Kyazze, Pastor Kaira, Pastor Solomon Male, Pastor Martin Ssempa, among others who risk being thrown into jail, losing their property, and even lives because they decided to be law abiding and reported the gross sodomy acts in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. There are many young boys who have been sexually abused, and sodomized by big name pastors in Kampala Uganda but walk daily in fear of their lives least they be ‘taken out’ by the likes of Pastor Robert Kayanja.
It is a shame that groups like TBN TV and Churches across America still welcome Pastors accused of Sodomy and Sexual abuse in Uganda to minister in the USA and Great Britain. We now not only have to be worried about the safety our young relatives who attend local evangelical Churches in Uganda but also we must be worried about attending local Churches in America and Europe that host African Preachers if at all our children could be victims of sodomy in the west.
Yet still the Robert Kayanja case has increased resentment towards homosexuals in Uganda. While there is a growing community of consenting Homosexuals adults in Kampala Uganda, many of them have automatically been placed in the same basket as one and the same with Sodomy criminals inside Uganda’s Evangelical Church.
Many Gays in Kampala, Uganda claim to be law abiding and only engage in homosexual lifestyle with fellow consenting adults and not young boys according to Ugandan Homosexual and Gay blogs on the internet. However, such claims are not listened to in Uganda as locals see the last front of moralism in Uganda – the Evangelical Church attacked and hijacked by sodomy pastors who are then protected by the corrupt regime of President Museveni.
It is this reason that Uganda’s parliamentary representatives got hysterical and wanted to pass a bill that would have all Homosexuals put to death…in other words being Gay in Uganda would cause one to be put to death. Yet any Conservative Christian (which I am, and very conservative but not stupid either) would know that killing people because of sin not and has never been a spiritual remedy. Jesus Christ never came preaching a gospel of putting to death those who sinned but rather he preached love and repentance and died on the cross for those who sinned instead.
So, agitating for the death of those who engage in homosexuality would be counterproductive to the preaching of the Gospel in Uganda. Yet what Uganda’s Conservative Christians need to do is seek for a strong law to protect our people, especially children, and young boys from Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation. So, this is the fine line that Uganda’s Evangelical Church has to walk in supporting Laws against Sodomy, Rape, Sexual Abuse, and Child Molestation while at the same time not legislation of morality.
However, the hysteria and yes, many times, “homophobia” surrounding homosexuals in Uganda has largely been increased by Pseudo Pastors in Kampala who engage in sodomy and child molestation activities and get protected by an increasingly seen corrupt regime in Kampala, Uganda. The backlash against homosexual in Kampala, Uganda is largely because locals associate the criminal acts of sodomy and child molestation in Uganda’s Evangelical Church with the general “Adult Consenting” Gay Community in Kampala.
What needs to happen is for the “Law Abiding” Homosexuals in Kampala to come out and expose the criminals who hide among them. Rather than write apologies on Ugandan Gay blogs and cry out to the International Community that Pastor Martin Ssempa is persecuting them, it would be better to stand out and point out that Gays in Uganda have nothing to do with Sodomizing young boys and child molestation.
Secondly, Uganda’s Evangelical Community ought to come up with well defined New Testament Biblical guiding principles to reach out to the gay community in Kampala rather than joining those who seek to pass paranoiac and homophobic draconian laws to execute and put to death folks simply because they are homosexuals or even accused of being homosexuals. I do not see any such correlation with the New Testament Teachings that clearly define Homosexuality as a sin; which means that Uganda’s Parliament would have to pass laws to kill all adulterers and other sinners…etc including laws to kill all corrupt government officials, starting from President Museveni’s corrupt regime…
Some Ugandan Gay blogs have gone at length in trying to defend Pastor Robert Kayanja and other Pastors accused of Sodomy and Child Molestation in Uganda. The Gay Community in Uganda sadly sees the exposing of Sodomy Pastors in Evangelical Churches as an attack and persecution of Homosexuals in Uganda. Uganda’s Gay community had better borrow a leaf from USA Gays who spoke out against Sexual Abuse in the US Catholic Sexual Abuse Debacle and also played a role in exposing Pastors like Pastor Ted Haggard of Colorado USA, who had sex with gay men and boys yet stood on evangelical pulpits to speak out against homosexuality in the USA.
Therefore Uganda’s Gay community ought to disown well known Pastors who engage in Sodomy activities and sexual molestation of young boys. It is well known in Uganda’s Gay community that some Pastors even go at length to solicit for Gay sex with some known gay members of Uganda’s Gay community as reported on Ugandan Gay Blogs, and that these same pastors are among those accused of sodomy during the current Sodomy Crisis in Uganda’s Evangelical Church. Why not expose such Pastors who hide under Evangelical Christianity to commit crimes or Sodomy, Rape, and Child Molestation while at the same time causing anti gay sentiments to rise in Kampala Uganda?
Pastor Robert Kayanja should step down and not allow himself and his ego to be a driving force in causing and pushing for a schism in Uganda’s young and growing Evangelical Church, using Uganda's government to cover-up his acts.
Kato Mivule
=============================================
=============================================
NOTES AND SOURCES
Pastors charged with trespass
NEWS | October 28, 2009
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Pastors_charged_with_trespass_93696.shtml
EPHRAIM KASOZI & ANTHONY WESAKA
Mengo
Two Pentecostal pastors who allegedly entered Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral with intent to insult and or injure its leader, Pastor Robert Kayanja, were yesterday arraigned before Mwanga II Magistrates Court amid drama.
Pastors Bob Robert Kayiira of Omega Healing Centre and Michael David Kyazze of Omega International Ministry pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour before Grade One Magistrate Janeve Natukunda.
Ms Natukunda released the two pastors on court bond of Shs500,000 (not cash) and adjourned the case to December 3.
Prosecution alleges that on April 17, Pastor Kayiira at Rubaga Miracle Centre, entered into or upon a worship place with intent to intimidate, insult or annoy Pastor Kayanja.
The State also alleges that in March and April, pastors Kyazze and Kayiira conspired together to commit a misdemeanour with intent to cause injury to the reputation of Pastor Kayanja.
Pastor Kayanja came under the spotlight early this year when his fellow pastors accused him of hiring youth members of his church for homosexuality; allegations he denied. A Police investigation also found no evidence against the pastor.
Drama at court
Meanwhile, Mwanga II Court was treated to drama when a group of youths carried placards demonstrating against the court move. The group held placards reading “This battle is against homosexuality” and “Uganda will know the truth!”
The suspects first appeared before Grade Two Magistrate Wilson Wandera who disqualified himself from the case saying he did not have powers to hear their plea on the count of conspiracy.
He referred the file to the station in charge, Ms Natukunda who ordered journalists to step out of her chambers before hearing the plea at 5pm.
Ms Natukunda’s decision prompted arguments between court orderlies and the pastors’ sympathisers led by Pastors Martin Ssempa and Solomon Male.
The latter said journalists who were disregarding the court directive were “from Rubaga Miracle Centre”.
Two pastors charged over Kayanja
http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699255
Tuesday, 27th October, 2009
TWO senior pastors of Omega Healing Centre were yesterday charged with conspiracy to cause injury to Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre.
Robert Kayiira and Michael Kyazze were charged at Mwanga II Court in Lubaga before Grade One Magistrate Jeneva Natukunda
Kaira was also charged with criminal trespass into the premises of Rubaga Miracle Centre.
The pastors denied the charges and were granted non-cash bail of sh500,000. Their sureties, who included Pastor Martin Sempa, Pastor Joshua Lwere, David Odyee and Bernard Kugonza executed a bond of sh1m.
Prosecution said the two pastors on April 17, 2009 illegally entered Pastor Kayanja’s premises with intention to annoy him and injure his reputation.
It further alleges that the pastors went with a laptop purporting that they were going to download sodomy and pornographic material that was being used by Pastor Kayanja.
Under the Penal Code, the offence of conspiracy attracts five years imprisonment on conviction, while criminal trespass attracts a one-year jail term.
The accused pastors first appeared before Grade II Magistrate Wilson Wandera, who declined to handle their case, saying he had no jurisdiction to hear a criminal case of that magnitude.
Wandera referred them to Natukunda.
The magistrate sent away journalists and about 30 Christians, saying she did not want anyone else around except the accused, their lawyers and the prosecutor.
She gave no reason for barring journalists from covering the proceedings, prompting them to eavesdrop through open widows and the door.
Prosecutor Andrew Walube said investigations were ongoing and asked court for time to enable the Police complete inquiries.
The case was adjourned to December 3.
Initially, the Police interrogated four pastors implicated in the allegation of sodomy against Kayanja. But only Kyazze and Kayiira were charged.
A source said the Director of Public Prosecution recommended that pastors Sempa and Solomon Male be further investigated before they could be charged.
After court granted the two pastors bail, their followers burst out singing hymns and shouting “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, God is great.”
Homosexuals Face Death Penalty
The New Vision
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910150015.html
Mary Karugaba and Catherine Bekunda
14 October 2009
________________________________________
Kampala — Aggravated homosexuality will be punished by death, according to a new bill tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The private member's bill was tabled by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati (NRM).
A person commits aggravated homosexuality when the victim is a person with disability or below the age of 18, or when the offender is HIV-positive.
The bill thus equates aggravated homosexuality to aggravated defilement among people of different sexes, which also carries the death sentence.
The Bill, entitled the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, also states that anyone who commits the offence of homosexuality will be liable to life imprisonment.
This was already the case under the current Penal Code Act.
However, it gives a broader definition of the offence of homosexuality.
A person charged with the offence will have to undergo a mandatory medical examination to ascertain his or her HIV status.
The bill further states that anybody who "attempts to commit the offence" is liable to imprisonment for seven years.
"The same applies to anybody who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality" or anybody who keeps a house or room for the purpose of homosexuality.
The bill also proposes stiff sentences for people promoting homosexuality.
They risk a fine of sh100m or prison sentences of five to seven years.
This applies to people who produce, publish or distribute pornographic material for purposes of promoting homosexuality, fund or sponsor homosexuality.
Where the offender is a business or NGO, its certificate of registration will be cancelled and the director will be liable to seven years in prison.
Failure to disclose the offence within 24 hours of knowledge makes somebody liable to a maximum sh5m fine or imprisonment of up to three years.
The provisions, according to the bill, are meant to "protect the traditional family by prohibiting any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex."
They are also meant to prohibit the "promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any government entity or NGO."
The bill further aims at protecting children and youth who are "made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption or foster care."
Bahati said the legislation is intended to complement the provisions of the Constitution and the Penal Code Act.
Pastors Petition Parliament over Gays
http://allafrica.com/stories/200910220050.html
The Monitor
Mercy Nalugo
22 October 2009
________________________________________
Pastors led by the Executive Director of Arising for Christ, Solomon Male, yesterday petitioned Parliament accusing their fellow pastors of sodomising young boys.
The pastors under their umbrella organisation, the National Coalition against Homosexuality and Sexual Abuses in Uganda, in a petition handed over to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, said the issue of homosexuality has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. "The homosexuals are taking us for a ride. They keep telling us that we must leave them to stay. We call on Parliament to institute an inquiry into homosexuality and all other forms of sexual abuses," Pastor Male said.
Mr Male in the company of pastors Michael Kyazze of the Omega Healing Centre and Bob Kayiira alleged that a number of their colleagues who have sodomised minors are walking scot-free.
He accused the Police of harassing them for exposing homosexuality among senior pastors. Mr Ssekandi said Parliament shall handle the matter to its logical conclusion.
"It's good you have come at a time when there is a Bill on homosexuality," Mr Ssekandi said. "Your input will help the responsible committee and when they start public hearings, they shall invite you to help them in their work."
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Friday, 23 October 2009
DPP: Pastors framed Kayanja on sodomy????
DPP: Pastors framed Kayanja on sodomy
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/DPP_Pastors_framed_Kayanja_on_sodomy_93417.shtml
Alfred Nyongesa Wandera
Kampala
The Directorate of Public Prosecution has noted credible evidence implicating both pastors Robert Kayiira and David Michael Kyazze in a conspiracy to falsely accuse Pastor Robert Kayanja of involvement in criminal acts relating to homosexuality, Daily Monitor has learnt.
In a letter dated October 7 by the Principal State Attorney, Mr David Ndamurani Ateenyi, to the Director of the CID, Mr Edward Ochom, the DPP advises the investigators to record the statements of the accused pastors.
“We advise that you record their charge and caution statements with the view to preferring criminal charges of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor against both suspects contrary to the Penal Code Act; to wit a conspiracy to cause injury to the person and reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.” the letter reads.
The letter, that was received in the CID registry on October 13, also asks the investigators to resubmit the case papers soon thereafter for perusal and further necessary action.
Pastor Kayanja came under spotlight early this year when his fellow Pentecostal pastors accused him of indulging youth members of his church in homosexuality acts, allegations that left his image dented. Investigators into the allegations also faced a flurry of criticism that they acted softly on Pastor Kayanja after it emerged that he had helped renovate a number of police stations.
Pastor Kayiira said yesterday that he is not afraid of any charges being labelled against him. “I have nothing against Pastor Kayanja and I am ready to take on the charges as they come,” Pastor Kayiira told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview.
Pastor Kyazze could not be reached for a comment as his mobile telephone remained switched off.
But Pastor Solomon Male said the DPP’s findings are far-fetched and that Pastor Kayanja’s sodomy allegations have been going on for many years.
The DPP’s findings come on the backdrop of a move by a group of pastors presenting a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, demanding investigation into sodomy allegations in the churches.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/DPP_Pastors_framed_Kayanja_on_sodomy_93417.shtml
Alfred Nyongesa Wandera
Kampala
The Directorate of Public Prosecution has noted credible evidence implicating both pastors Robert Kayiira and David Michael Kyazze in a conspiracy to falsely accuse Pastor Robert Kayanja of involvement in criminal acts relating to homosexuality, Daily Monitor has learnt.
In a letter dated October 7 by the Principal State Attorney, Mr David Ndamurani Ateenyi, to the Director of the CID, Mr Edward Ochom, the DPP advises the investigators to record the statements of the accused pastors.
“We advise that you record their charge and caution statements with the view to preferring criminal charges of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor against both suspects contrary to the Penal Code Act; to wit a conspiracy to cause injury to the person and reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja.” the letter reads.
The letter, that was received in the CID registry on October 13, also asks the investigators to resubmit the case papers soon thereafter for perusal and further necessary action.
Pastor Kayanja came under spotlight early this year when his fellow Pentecostal pastors accused him of indulging youth members of his church in homosexuality acts, allegations that left his image dented. Investigators into the allegations also faced a flurry of criticism that they acted softly on Pastor Kayanja after it emerged that he had helped renovate a number of police stations.
Pastor Kayiira said yesterday that he is not afraid of any charges being labelled against him. “I have nothing against Pastor Kayanja and I am ready to take on the charges as they come,” Pastor Kayiira told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview.
Pastor Kyazze could not be reached for a comment as his mobile telephone remained switched off.
But Pastor Solomon Male said the DPP’s findings are far-fetched and that Pastor Kayanja’s sodomy allegations have been going on for many years.
The DPP’s findings come on the backdrop of a move by a group of pastors presenting a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Ssekandi, demanding investigation into sodomy allegations in the churches.
Monday, 19 October 2009
UNVEILING THE GREATEST LIES IN CHRISTENDOM: CHRISTMAS AND EASTER ARE SIMPLY BOGUS PAGAN HOLIDAYS
FIRST WATCH: UGANDA AMERICAN HERETICS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjuHxEMjOA
BORN IN DECEMBER ?
"In Pagan Rome, December 25th was celebrated as the birthday of Mithras, a prophet of the sun worshipers. Perhaps these Roman holidays had their influence in the selection of December 25th as Christ's birthday. Justification for the choice was given by St. Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth century. In a discourse he said, 'On this day also the Birthday of Christ was lately fixed at Rome in order that while the heathen were busy with their profane ceremonies, the Christians might perform their sacred rites undisturbed. They call this (December 25th), the Birthday of the Invincible One (Mithras); but who is so invincible as the Lord? They call it the Birthday of the Solar Disk, but Christ is the Son of Righteousness.' About 336 AD, the Church of Rome definitely fixed the 25th day of December as the birthday of the Lord. Since the fifth century most of the Christian world has celebrated that day as Christ's Birthday."
So it has nothing to do with when Christ really was born. Therefore, it's not true.
"Gradually, as certain pagan customs of holiday celebrations were assimilated into the Christmas festival, the activities took on gaiety and often frivolity.....In time there was reaction to the more frivolous until in certain countries, England for example, the observance of festivals was entirely prohibited."
When the United States was settled, the celebration of Christmas was an illegal activity. I don't believe that it was just because of the frivolity that was involved. I believe that, as a result of the reformation, many people realized that the source was pagan and Roman Catholic, and thought, "We've left Roman Catholicism in protest and we are not going to bring their practices with us, such as Christmas and Easter and things of that nature."
"CAROLS AND CAROLING. Some carols, evidently of pagan origin, were adopted by Christians and given new words. Many of the carols were danced as well as sung which kept them from being approved by the church for centuries. The word carol was associated with dancing until the 14th century. It is said that St. Francis and his brethren sang simple carols at the first presentation of a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene."
In the nativity scene, what do you find? Don't you find three wise men, and you find them in a manger with the babe and sometimes the shepherds, too, I guess. Is that true? Where do we find the accounts of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? In what books? Luke and Matthew. Mark and John don't have any record of that part of Christ's life. Luke and Matthew. But when you compare those two accounts, it's obvious that the shepherds were told, by the angels, of the birth of Christ, when he was at Bethlehem, at the time that he was born. And they found him where? In a manger. In contrast, by the time the wise men came, some time had lapsed. And when they found the Lord Jesus Christ, they found him where? In a house.
How many wise men were there? Nobody knows. Why do people assume there were three? Because they brought three types of gifts, which in no way would indicate that there were just three men. It could have been a hundred men for that matter. It could have been 25. It could have been three. But there is no reason to believe that it was three men. I don't think that three men normally made it a practice to travel in that country, in that way together, especially carrying gold, frankincense and myrrh. They had as much trouble with robbers and that kind of people as we do, in fact, maybe more.
"THE CRECHE. To inspire greater religious feeling, and help in the interpretation of the story of the birth of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi conceived the idea of building a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene. The Pope gave him permission to do so, and in 1223 he built a full-sized stable next to his church in Graecia, a village near Assisi, in Italy. In it he created the Nativity scene with living people and animals. The people who came were much impressed. From this beginning the idea spread all over Europe. The creche was used in homes as well as in the churches and through the ages it has been built in all forms, large and small from the crudest to the most elaborate."
"THE THREE WISE MEN. The Three Wise men (also referred to as the Three Kings and as the Magi) are always a part of the Nativity scene. The story of their visit to the Christ Child is told in St. Matthew, and they are in themselves familiar symbols of Christmas. According to medieval legend, they were Melchoir, King of Arabia, who brought a gift of gold; Gaspar, King of Tarsus, who brought myrrh; and Balthasar, King of Ethiopia, who brought frankincense."
That is according to legend, not the word of God.
"Some authorities believe that gift giving at this time of the year was a carryover from the pagans. The Romans gave presents during the celebrations of Saturnalia and of Kalends.
"CHARITY. Our present day custom of providing for the less fortunate at Christmas is undoubtedly an outgrowth of an old legend. This legend says that every Christmas Eve, the Christ Child wanders all over the world asking for food, shelter, and help."
Again, is that true?
"One of the possible origins of the idea that Santa Claus descends the chimney to bring gifts has already been given." One story was of this Roman Catholic who became St. Nicholas. The story was that Nicholas heard of a man with three daughters and the father didn't have enough money to make a dowry for them so he was going to sell them. And so Nicholas dropped three gold bags at three different times down a chimney so that they could each have a dowry. And so they thought this story may be one possible origin.
The other story (there are at least two others) associates this custom with the early German Goddess Hertha, goddess of domesticity. "She was believed to descend the chimney through the smoke and guide the tellers of fortunes. At one time the Germans baked cakes in the form of a slipper which was supposed to be that of Hertha; these were filled with gifts for the children. In later times, it was the custom to clean the chimney at the beginning of the New Year so that good luck could enter the household. It is quite likely children were told that if they were good, Santa Claus would come down the chimney and bring them gifts.
"CHRISTMAS TREE. Of all Christmas symbols none is more familiar than the Christmas tree. The decorating of the Christmas tree is one of the most beloved Christmas customs and prevails wherever trees are available in either living or artificial form. From earliest times the ancients held nature in great reverence."
What does the scripture say about that? In Romans 1 we read, that they "worshipped and served the creature more than the creator."
"All things had their gods, among them water, the meadows, and the trees. Evergreen, therefore was not only for decorative purposes but because it was possible to thus bring a part of nature indoors. For the feast of Bacchus in Roman times trees were decorated with trinkets.
Among the trinkets were masks of Bacchus. Those trees toward which the wind turned the masks were supposed to be endowed with great fertility. In the celebration of the pagan Yule season, the ancient sun-worshiping Teutons are said to have decorated fir trees, for they likened the sun to the spreading and blossoming of a great tree. Some tell us that our own Christmas tree decoration is symbolic of this celestial sun tree of the ancient pagans; the lights represent the lightning, the decorations the sun, the moon, and the stars, while the little animals hung in the branches represent the sacrifice of animals made to the sun god.
"THE MISTLETOE. Mistletoe was often hung over the entrances to homes of the pagans in Scandinavian countries to keep out evil spirits. An old Scandinavian myth tells of the seemingly invulnerable god, Balder, who was struck down by a dart made of mistletoe, and it was decreed that the plant must never again be used as a weapon. Frigga, who was the Goddess of love, henceforth, gave a kiss to anyone who passed under the mistletoe. The Druids who were members of a pagan religious order in ancient Gaul, Briton and Ireland held the mistletoe in such reverence that if enemies met under it in the forest, a truce was declared for the day. Later, among Christians, it came to symbolize the healing power of Christ.
"THE YULE LOG. The Druids' custom was to light fires during the Yule season to burn out the sins and evils of the past year.
"BELLS. For centuries bells of churches of every land have pealed forth the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. In medieval times, the bells tolled for an hour before midnight on Christmas Eve, and then on the hour their voices changed to a joyous ringing. The tolling was to warn the powers of Darkness of the approaching of the birth of the Savior. It was believed 'the Devil died when Christ was born.'"
I wish that were true. But sad to say, it's not true. The devil is alive and well today.
"And in England, the tolling was known as 'Tolling the Devil's knell.' As a result, bells have become a part of our Christmas decorations, mostly in imitation form. They are also prominent in Christmas card designs."
, I think we need to back off and just look at it and say, "Well, is it true?" How much of the Christmas story is true? Again, just to go back and reflect a little bit on the three wise men. If you go to Matthew chapter 2 you will find that there were wise men, and you will find that they brought gifts. They didn't come to the manger. And it's interesting. Let's look at Matthew chapter 2. It's an interesting thing that while the shepherds were told of peace on earth, good will towards men, it's also true that for those mothers of Israel who had children two years old and younger—males two years old and younger— that was a sad day. Let's start with verse 1:
Matthew 2:1-7. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared."
What was he (Herod) trying to establish? At least he is trying to establish the age of the child.
Matthew 2:8-11 "And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house (not into the stable but into the house) they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
How many of them were there? We don't know. To imply that there were three doesn't seem to be reasonable and logical.
Matthew 2:12-14. "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child, and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt."
It's interesting how many times that the words "young child" are used here.
Matthew 2:15-16. "And was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquire of the wise men."
There is no doubt, this wasn't a happy day for them. And they would reflect back at that period of time and it wouldn't be with joy and rejoicing. I think we generally forget that. But the important thing was that it was “two years old” and under, and I am sure he spanned more time than was necessary. In other words, let's say, based on his calculations, that the child was possibly a year old. By going two years, he picked up that much extra tolerance, and going down to all of them under, he figured he could sweep it clean—two years old and under.
So again, it is not an accurate representation of the biblical account. Obviously, Santa Claus is a lie. And again, when you think of the next most prominent celebration, it's very similar because its origin is the same. That celebration, in the so-called Christian religion, is the celebration of Easter, allegedly celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What about Easter? Most of the activities that are surrounding that celebration are also from pagan origin, far predating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we cap it by telling kids that rabbits lay eggs.
WHY? It's ridiculous! But that's what we tell them! And so we take something that did happen—the Lord Jesus Christ did suffer and did die and was raised the third day for our justification. That's true! Then we mix with it a lot of things that have their roots in paganism and idolatry that far predate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to say nothing of his resurrection. Again, mixing a lie with truth. And then we add the little dimension of the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs laid by rabbits, and then we present that to children.
You think the god of this world is so blind, so stupid, that he didn't know what he was doing when he did that? No, I believe the opposite. He knew exactly what he was doing. And anytime you take something that is true and pure and holy and you mix that with a lie, something that is not true, you do not bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because truth came by him. He came to bear witness to the truth. He was the truth. And therefore, to try to serve him, to please him, we must say and do what is true. Religion today (sectarian, denominational religion) takes truth and mixes it with a lie, which they say is to promote truth. All they do is discredit the truth.
And that's why we as Christians, as we come to realize what is truth, need to hate that kind of sin, that kind of mixture. One of the things that God did not want, never has wanted for his people, was mixture. When you go back into the old scriptures, as well as into the writing of the apostle Paul, separation of truth from error is what God wanted. Over and over again, and in many ways, he taught that. The nation Israel was not to sow its fields with diverse kinds of seeds. Why? God wanted distinction. They were not to wear clothes of diverse kinds of material. God wanted separation and distinction. They [Israel] weren't to inter-marry with the nations of other lands.
Why? God didn't want the descendants of Jacob to be corrupted with heathen practices. God didn't want his people Israel to take on the practices that were authored by the Devil, the worship of pagan deities.
It's exactly what God didn't want. And that is exactly what the devil has been able to do, with nominal Christianity today. To mix truth with error. And it makes both a lie. It makes it a dirty, vile thing.
Turn to Ephesians 4:25:
"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another."
Put away lying! Speak truth. Look at Colossians chapter 3. We as Christians have no basis, no rhyme nor reason, that could possibly justify participating in anything with the magnitude of dishonesty in it that the celebration of Christmas and Easter have.
Colossians 3:9-10. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
There is no doubt that at this time of year, there is much beautiful music written. The thought of giving to the poor certainly would appeal to anyone. The joyful times of families together, good food (too much food in many cases), times to visit and times for mothers and wives to prepare and cook and look forward to having all the family together in the family atmosphere and all that. Certainly none could speak against those things. But when they are mixed with a lie about really The most important One that ever moved on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, then you and I need to find another time to have those activities. Certainly times of the family being together don't have to depend on everybody in the world doing the same thing at the same time.
We can have those times among our own families—times for wives and mothers and daughters and daughters-in-law to get together and cook, to have time of fellowship and maybe even eating too much. Those times don't have to be the times that the world dictates. The god of this world, the devil, dictates, as he has created through the Roman Catholic; a mixture of paganism and idolatry and mixed it up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—to say nothing of mixing it with the mass, the resurrection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There is no place for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and who want to please Him to have any part in that. And yet, the vast majority of people in the world are like robots, lock- stepping down the road at this time of the year to celebrate Christ's birthday.
UNKNOWN AUTHOR
WHY TABERNACLES?
We see in Luke chapter three, that Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. Luke also points out that it is ANOTHER important day in the life of Messiah--------let’s take a look.
Luke 3:22-24
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
KJV
Luke tells us that Jesus became ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD at his baptism in Jordan. Scholars all over the world agree that the ministry of Jesus on earth was THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LONG, beginning at his baptism in Jordan, and concluding at his crucifixion at Passover------THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LATER. It is a child’s effort to understand that if you count backward THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS from the crucifixion [the ministry of Christ], you come exactly to TABERNACLES ! Luke tells us that Jesus BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD on that very day. Allow me to remind you that we are AGENTS OF TRUTH-------because Jesus has said “the day will come AND NOW IS, that they who worship the Father shall worship him in spirit AND IN TRUTH. What is THE TRUTH about the birth of Jesus, and why should we celebrate a lie?
Shall we participate in the abundance of lies that have crept into the Church? Luke tells us that “NO OTHER THING IS CELEBRATED IN ALL THE CHURCHES” of the first century than that which he [Luke] has reported. Does the passage of TIME transform a LIE into the TRUTH? Does century after century of the celebration of “CHRISTMAS” somehow validate this ancient farce? It does not. Shall the Lord NOT BE PLEASED if you forsake a lie? Will he be disappointed in you if you proclaim THE TRUTH about the birth of his Son? I think not regarding BOTH of these questions.
Danny McDowell
WHAT DO ABOUT EASTER?
http://propheticoutreach.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-to-do-about-easter_6222.html
Danny McDowell
Most Christians either DO NOT KNOW--------or DO NOT CARE, about the history of EASTER and the meanings of it’s varied celebrations world-wide. The history of Easter is decoded in it’s very NAME.
This yearly celebration is named for the ancient Babylonian goddess “ISHTAR” of the very same pronunciation [eester]. The celebration, like most ancient holy days, begins in Babylonian religious myth. In the days of ancient Babylonia, there was a renowned King by the name of Nimrod. You may remember Nimrod from the Old Testament.
Nimrod was married to Ishtar. After Nimrod’s death; in order to consolidate power, and to keep power in the hands of Ishtar and her son. Ishtar married her own son who’s name was Tammuz. One day as Tammuz was hunting for wild boar [for he was a great hunter as was his father Nimrod], he [Tammuz] was gored by a wild pig. He became very ill from this injury and later died of his wounds.
In torment, and grief,. Ishtar prayed to the gods of the underworld to release her son from the bondage of the underworld. In the mythology; the god’s of the underworld agreed to release Tammuz from his captivity for one day per year.
This DAY came to be known as ISHTAR , and the day of the week was that ancient, weekly pagan holy day of SUN-DAY. Each year at SUNRISE of ISHTAR SUN-DAY------all of the empire was compelled to celebrate the yearly freedom of Tammuz-------but NOT WITHOUT TRAVAIL AND WEEPING.
It was required that the WOMEN of the empire should WEEP IN TRAVAIL for FOURTY DAYS prior to Ishtar Sun-day morning. With GREIF satisfactory to the gods----Tammuz was released. This became known as the “WEEPING FOR TAMMUZ” It is recorded in Ezekiel:
Ezek 8:14-18
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
In this same vein----it was required of the ELDERS to stand with their BACKS TO THE TEMPLE and to worship the RISING OF THE SON [Tammuz]. This abominable practice made it’s way into apostate Israel, as well as the entirety of the Mediterranean world under varied local names for this goddess to be-----ISHTAR.
Later in time, as the Bishops of Rome [popes] contrived to unify Roman religions, and give unchallenged POWER to the Pontiff; many pagan practices were introduced to the NOW APOSTATE church. EASTER was one of MANY to find it’s way into Christendom In order to “Christianize” these clearly PAGAN traditions , the church was compelled to create acceptable fable in order to placate the contemporary believer. Hence, we have the “LENTEN SEASON [fourty days of weeping for Tammuz], and EASTER SUNDAY [the resurrection of Tammuz].
Time has been the enemy of orthodoxy in many things. Given enough TIME and ANYTHING can be fostered on an already apostate church.
Tim 4:1-3
4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
KJV
So now we have, NOT ONLY THE HOAX-------but the hoax has become an an ENTRENCHED TRADITION to the very sad realization that the entire PASSION STORY is abundantly presented in the New Testament. There is no need for fable.
Cor 5:7-9
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV
The New Testament is so CLEAR about this matter that the DENIAL of these Biblical witnesses borders on that very proclamation of the Apostle Paul:
2 Thess 2:10-12
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
KJV
Christ is our ETERNAL PASSOVER ! There is NO EXCUSE for this abominable exchange that has been celebrated in the church for CENTURIES-----NONE!!
In the fourteenth day of AVIV----in the year THIRTY AD------a man hung on a STAUROS, and in the NINTH HOUR of the day he cried out ----“IT IS FINISHED”. That man was the Messiah of Israel, the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD-----THE VERY SON OF GOD----------CHRIST-----------OUR PASSOVER !! He gave up the Ghost at the VERY MOMENT that the Temple HIGH PRIEST killed the yearly Passover Lamb. It was at that critical point in time that the GATES OF HELL TREMBLED. It was at that very moment that MY SINS were open to VAST ATONEMENT! It was at that very moment that the ENMITY OF THE LAW was abolished! It was at that moment that EVERY NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE BECAME SEALED!
What shame-------shame, shame, shame! That we should sacrifice the TRUTH for such a lame fable as EASTER. EASTER IS NOT PASSOVER-------and PASSOVER IS NOT EASTER. Passover falls on the FULL MOON nearest the SPRING EQUINOX [March/April]. It shall NEVER CHANGE.
For two hundred years the church followed the tradition of the Apostles and celebrated the ONLY AUTHORIZED CELEBRATION of the DEATH----BURIAL----AND RESURRECTION of the Savior. Jesus said “do this in rememberance of me”. They celebrated this event ONCE PER YEAR------AT PASSOVER. It was THE LORD’S TABLE !--------THEN CAME THE BISHOPS OF ROME !
Cor 11:24-31
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let’s get this straight-----WE WERE NEVER AUTHORIZED TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION, CERTAINLY NOT EASTER !! We are COMMANDED to celebrate the Savior’s DEATH------TILL HE COMES. This sacrament has been lost to PAGAN TRADITION.------IT’S NOT TOO LATE. WE CAN FIX IT. GOD IS MERCIFUL. JUST REPENT AND FOLLOW THE NEW TESTAMENT!
Just look at I Cor.11:27-----it says “whoever celebrates this sacrament UNWORTHILY is GUILTY OF CHRIST’S BLOOD. That’s how important this matter is to Y-O-U !
Each year at Passover, we at the New Testament Fellowship of Winston/Salem North Carolina, celebrate the LORD’S TABLE under a predictable FULL MOON in the evening of 14 AVIV. Why not do the same. It’s wonderful to know that you are following a GREAT CROWD of New Testament Saints as we celebrate “CHRIST----OUR PASSOVER”. Danny McDowell---------ps don’t waste your time with all that hoey about law and grace. It has NOTHING TO DO with this lesson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbjuHxEMjOA
BORN IN DECEMBER ?
"In Pagan Rome, December 25th was celebrated as the birthday of Mithras, a prophet of the sun worshipers. Perhaps these Roman holidays had their influence in the selection of December 25th as Christ's birthday. Justification for the choice was given by St. Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople at the end of the fourth century. In a discourse he said, 'On this day also the Birthday of Christ was lately fixed at Rome in order that while the heathen were busy with their profane ceremonies, the Christians might perform their sacred rites undisturbed. They call this (December 25th), the Birthday of the Invincible One (Mithras); but who is so invincible as the Lord? They call it the Birthday of the Solar Disk, but Christ is the Son of Righteousness.' About 336 AD, the Church of Rome definitely fixed the 25th day of December as the birthday of the Lord. Since the fifth century most of the Christian world has celebrated that day as Christ's Birthday."
So it has nothing to do with when Christ really was born. Therefore, it's not true.
"Gradually, as certain pagan customs of holiday celebrations were assimilated into the Christmas festival, the activities took on gaiety and often frivolity.....In time there was reaction to the more frivolous until in certain countries, England for example, the observance of festivals was entirely prohibited."
When the United States was settled, the celebration of Christmas was an illegal activity. I don't believe that it was just because of the frivolity that was involved. I believe that, as a result of the reformation, many people realized that the source was pagan and Roman Catholic, and thought, "We've left Roman Catholicism in protest and we are not going to bring their practices with us, such as Christmas and Easter and things of that nature."
"CAROLS AND CAROLING. Some carols, evidently of pagan origin, were adopted by Christians and given new words. Many of the carols were danced as well as sung which kept them from being approved by the church for centuries. The word carol was associated with dancing until the 14th century. It is said that St. Francis and his brethren sang simple carols at the first presentation of a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene."
In the nativity scene, what do you find? Don't you find three wise men, and you find them in a manger with the babe and sometimes the shepherds, too, I guess. Is that true? Where do we find the accounts of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ? In what books? Luke and Matthew. Mark and John don't have any record of that part of Christ's life. Luke and Matthew. But when you compare those two accounts, it's obvious that the shepherds were told, by the angels, of the birth of Christ, when he was at Bethlehem, at the time that he was born. And they found him where? In a manger. In contrast, by the time the wise men came, some time had lapsed. And when they found the Lord Jesus Christ, they found him where? In a house.
How many wise men were there? Nobody knows. Why do people assume there were three? Because they brought three types of gifts, which in no way would indicate that there were just three men. It could have been a hundred men for that matter. It could have been 25. It could have been three. But there is no reason to believe that it was three men. I don't think that three men normally made it a practice to travel in that country, in that way together, especially carrying gold, frankincense and myrrh. They had as much trouble with robbers and that kind of people as we do, in fact, maybe more.
"THE CRECHE. To inspire greater religious feeling, and help in the interpretation of the story of the birth of Jesus, St. Francis of Assisi conceived the idea of building a life-sized representation of the Nativity scene. The Pope gave him permission to do so, and in 1223 he built a full-sized stable next to his church in Graecia, a village near Assisi, in Italy. In it he created the Nativity scene with living people and animals. The people who came were much impressed. From this beginning the idea spread all over Europe. The creche was used in homes as well as in the churches and through the ages it has been built in all forms, large and small from the crudest to the most elaborate."
"THE THREE WISE MEN. The Three Wise men (also referred to as the Three Kings and as the Magi) are always a part of the Nativity scene. The story of their visit to the Christ Child is told in St. Matthew, and they are in themselves familiar symbols of Christmas. According to medieval legend, they were Melchoir, King of Arabia, who brought a gift of gold; Gaspar, King of Tarsus, who brought myrrh; and Balthasar, King of Ethiopia, who brought frankincense."
That is according to legend, not the word of God.
"Some authorities believe that gift giving at this time of the year was a carryover from the pagans. The Romans gave presents during the celebrations of Saturnalia and of Kalends.
"CHARITY. Our present day custom of providing for the less fortunate at Christmas is undoubtedly an outgrowth of an old legend. This legend says that every Christmas Eve, the Christ Child wanders all over the world asking for food, shelter, and help."
Again, is that true?
"One of the possible origins of the idea that Santa Claus descends the chimney to bring gifts has already been given." One story was of this Roman Catholic who became St. Nicholas. The story was that Nicholas heard of a man with three daughters and the father didn't have enough money to make a dowry for them so he was going to sell them. And so Nicholas dropped three gold bags at three different times down a chimney so that they could each have a dowry. And so they thought this story may be one possible origin.
The other story (there are at least two others) associates this custom with the early German Goddess Hertha, goddess of domesticity. "She was believed to descend the chimney through the smoke and guide the tellers of fortunes. At one time the Germans baked cakes in the form of a slipper which was supposed to be that of Hertha; these were filled with gifts for the children. In later times, it was the custom to clean the chimney at the beginning of the New Year so that good luck could enter the household. It is quite likely children were told that if they were good, Santa Claus would come down the chimney and bring them gifts.
"CHRISTMAS TREE. Of all Christmas symbols none is more familiar than the Christmas tree. The decorating of the Christmas tree is one of the most beloved Christmas customs and prevails wherever trees are available in either living or artificial form. From earliest times the ancients held nature in great reverence."
What does the scripture say about that? In Romans 1 we read, that they "worshipped and served the creature more than the creator."
"All things had their gods, among them water, the meadows, and the trees. Evergreen, therefore was not only for decorative purposes but because it was possible to thus bring a part of nature indoors. For the feast of Bacchus in Roman times trees were decorated with trinkets.
Among the trinkets were masks of Bacchus. Those trees toward which the wind turned the masks were supposed to be endowed with great fertility. In the celebration of the pagan Yule season, the ancient sun-worshiping Teutons are said to have decorated fir trees, for they likened the sun to the spreading and blossoming of a great tree. Some tell us that our own Christmas tree decoration is symbolic of this celestial sun tree of the ancient pagans; the lights represent the lightning, the decorations the sun, the moon, and the stars, while the little animals hung in the branches represent the sacrifice of animals made to the sun god.
"THE MISTLETOE. Mistletoe was often hung over the entrances to homes of the pagans in Scandinavian countries to keep out evil spirits. An old Scandinavian myth tells of the seemingly invulnerable god, Balder, who was struck down by a dart made of mistletoe, and it was decreed that the plant must never again be used as a weapon. Frigga, who was the Goddess of love, henceforth, gave a kiss to anyone who passed under the mistletoe. The Druids who were members of a pagan religious order in ancient Gaul, Briton and Ireland held the mistletoe in such reverence that if enemies met under it in the forest, a truce was declared for the day. Later, among Christians, it came to symbolize the healing power of Christ.
"THE YULE LOG. The Druids' custom was to light fires during the Yule season to burn out the sins and evils of the past year.
"BELLS. For centuries bells of churches of every land have pealed forth the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. In medieval times, the bells tolled for an hour before midnight on Christmas Eve, and then on the hour their voices changed to a joyous ringing. The tolling was to warn the powers of Darkness of the approaching of the birth of the Savior. It was believed 'the Devil died when Christ was born.'"
I wish that were true. But sad to say, it's not true. The devil is alive and well today.
"And in England, the tolling was known as 'Tolling the Devil's knell.' As a result, bells have become a part of our Christmas decorations, mostly in imitation form. They are also prominent in Christmas card designs."
, I think we need to back off and just look at it and say, "Well, is it true?" How much of the Christmas story is true? Again, just to go back and reflect a little bit on the three wise men. If you go to Matthew chapter 2 you will find that there were wise men, and you will find that they brought gifts. They didn't come to the manger. And it's interesting. Let's look at Matthew chapter 2. It's an interesting thing that while the shepherds were told of peace on earth, good will towards men, it's also true that for those mothers of Israel who had children two years old and younger—males two years old and younger— that was a sad day. Let's start with verse 1:
Matthew 2:1-7. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him in Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared."
What was he (Herod) trying to establish? At least he is trying to establish the age of the child.
Matthew 2:8-11 "And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house (not into the stable but into the house) they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
How many of them were there? We don't know. To imply that there were three doesn't seem to be reasonable and logical.
Matthew 2:12-14. "And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child, and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt."
It's interesting how many times that the words "young child" are used here.
Matthew 2:15-16. "And was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquire of the wise men."
There is no doubt, this wasn't a happy day for them. And they would reflect back at that period of time and it wouldn't be with joy and rejoicing. I think we generally forget that. But the important thing was that it was “two years old” and under, and I am sure he spanned more time than was necessary. In other words, let's say, based on his calculations, that the child was possibly a year old. By going two years, he picked up that much extra tolerance, and going down to all of them under, he figured he could sweep it clean—two years old and under.
So again, it is not an accurate representation of the biblical account. Obviously, Santa Claus is a lie. And again, when you think of the next most prominent celebration, it's very similar because its origin is the same. That celebration, in the so-called Christian religion, is the celebration of Easter, allegedly celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What about Easter? Most of the activities that are surrounding that celebration are also from pagan origin, far predating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then we cap it by telling kids that rabbits lay eggs.
WHY? It's ridiculous! But that's what we tell them! And so we take something that did happen—the Lord Jesus Christ did suffer and did die and was raised the third day for our justification. That's true! Then we mix with it a lot of things that have their roots in paganism and idolatry that far predate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to say nothing of his resurrection. Again, mixing a lie with truth. And then we add the little dimension of the Easter bunny and the Easter eggs laid by rabbits, and then we present that to children.
You think the god of this world is so blind, so stupid, that he didn't know what he was doing when he did that? No, I believe the opposite. He knew exactly what he was doing. And anytime you take something that is true and pure and holy and you mix that with a lie, something that is not true, you do not bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because truth came by him. He came to bear witness to the truth. He was the truth. And therefore, to try to serve him, to please him, we must say and do what is true. Religion today (sectarian, denominational religion) takes truth and mixes it with a lie, which they say is to promote truth. All they do is discredit the truth.
And that's why we as Christians, as we come to realize what is truth, need to hate that kind of sin, that kind of mixture. One of the things that God did not want, never has wanted for his people, was mixture. When you go back into the old scriptures, as well as into the writing of the apostle Paul, separation of truth from error is what God wanted. Over and over again, and in many ways, he taught that. The nation Israel was not to sow its fields with diverse kinds of seeds. Why? God wanted distinction. They were not to wear clothes of diverse kinds of material. God wanted separation and distinction. They [Israel] weren't to inter-marry with the nations of other lands.
Why? God didn't want the descendants of Jacob to be corrupted with heathen practices. God didn't want his people Israel to take on the practices that were authored by the Devil, the worship of pagan deities.
It's exactly what God didn't want. And that is exactly what the devil has been able to do, with nominal Christianity today. To mix truth with error. And it makes both a lie. It makes it a dirty, vile thing.
Turn to Ephesians 4:25:
"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another."
Put away lying! Speak truth. Look at Colossians chapter 3. We as Christians have no basis, no rhyme nor reason, that could possibly justify participating in anything with the magnitude of dishonesty in it that the celebration of Christmas and Easter have.
Colossians 3:9-10. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:"
There is no doubt that at this time of year, there is much beautiful music written. The thought of giving to the poor certainly would appeal to anyone. The joyful times of families together, good food (too much food in many cases), times to visit and times for mothers and wives to prepare and cook and look forward to having all the family together in the family atmosphere and all that. Certainly none could speak against those things. But when they are mixed with a lie about really The most important One that ever moved on this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, then you and I need to find another time to have those activities. Certainly times of the family being together don't have to depend on everybody in the world doing the same thing at the same time.
We can have those times among our own families—times for wives and mothers and daughters and daughters-in-law to get together and cook, to have time of fellowship and maybe even eating too much. Those times don't have to be the times that the world dictates. The god of this world, the devil, dictates, as he has created through the Roman Catholic; a mixture of paganism and idolatry and mixed it up in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—to say nothing of mixing it with the mass, the resurrection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There is no place for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and who want to please Him to have any part in that. And yet, the vast majority of people in the world are like robots, lock- stepping down the road at this time of the year to celebrate Christ's birthday.
UNKNOWN AUTHOR
WHY TABERNACLES?
We see in Luke chapter three, that Jesus is baptized in the River Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove. Luke also points out that it is ANOTHER important day in the life of Messiah--------let’s take a look.
Luke 3:22-24
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
KJV
Luke tells us that Jesus became ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD at his baptism in Jordan. Scholars all over the world agree that the ministry of Jesus on earth was THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LONG, beginning at his baptism in Jordan, and concluding at his crucifixion at Passover------THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS LATER. It is a child’s effort to understand that if you count backward THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS from the crucifixion [the ministry of Christ], you come exactly to TABERNACLES ! Luke tells us that Jesus BEGAN TO BE ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD on that very day. Allow me to remind you that we are AGENTS OF TRUTH-------because Jesus has said “the day will come AND NOW IS, that they who worship the Father shall worship him in spirit AND IN TRUTH. What is THE TRUTH about the birth of Jesus, and why should we celebrate a lie?
Shall we participate in the abundance of lies that have crept into the Church? Luke tells us that “NO OTHER THING IS CELEBRATED IN ALL THE CHURCHES” of the first century than that which he [Luke] has reported. Does the passage of TIME transform a LIE into the TRUTH? Does century after century of the celebration of “CHRISTMAS” somehow validate this ancient farce? It does not. Shall the Lord NOT BE PLEASED if you forsake a lie? Will he be disappointed in you if you proclaim THE TRUTH about the birth of his Son? I think not regarding BOTH of these questions.
Danny McDowell
WHAT DO ABOUT EASTER?
http://propheticoutreach.blogspot.com/2008/02/what-to-do-about-easter_6222.html
Danny McDowell
Most Christians either DO NOT KNOW--------or DO NOT CARE, about the history of EASTER and the meanings of it’s varied celebrations world-wide. The history of Easter is decoded in it’s very NAME.
This yearly celebration is named for the ancient Babylonian goddess “ISHTAR” of the very same pronunciation [eester]. The celebration, like most ancient holy days, begins in Babylonian religious myth. In the days of ancient Babylonia, there was a renowned King by the name of Nimrod. You may remember Nimrod from the Old Testament.
Nimrod was married to Ishtar. After Nimrod’s death; in order to consolidate power, and to keep power in the hands of Ishtar and her son. Ishtar married her own son who’s name was Tammuz. One day as Tammuz was hunting for wild boar [for he was a great hunter as was his father Nimrod], he [Tammuz] was gored by a wild pig. He became very ill from this injury and later died of his wounds.
In torment, and grief,. Ishtar prayed to the gods of the underworld to release her son from the bondage of the underworld. In the mythology; the god’s of the underworld agreed to release Tammuz from his captivity for one day per year.
This DAY came to be known as ISHTAR , and the day of the week was that ancient, weekly pagan holy day of SUN-DAY. Each year at SUNRISE of ISHTAR SUN-DAY------all of the empire was compelled to celebrate the yearly freedom of Tammuz-------but NOT WITHOUT TRAVAIL AND WEEPING.
It was required that the WOMEN of the empire should WEEP IN TRAVAIL for FOURTY DAYS prior to Ishtar Sun-day morning. With GREIF satisfactory to the gods----Tammuz was released. This became known as the “WEEPING FOR TAMMUZ” It is recorded in Ezekiel:
Ezek 8:14-18
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.
In this same vein----it was required of the ELDERS to stand with their BACKS TO THE TEMPLE and to worship the RISING OF THE SON [Tammuz]. This abominable practice made it’s way into apostate Israel, as well as the entirety of the Mediterranean world under varied local names for this goddess to be-----ISHTAR.
Later in time, as the Bishops of Rome [popes] contrived to unify Roman religions, and give unchallenged POWER to the Pontiff; many pagan practices were introduced to the NOW APOSTATE church. EASTER was one of MANY to find it’s way into Christendom In order to “Christianize” these clearly PAGAN traditions , the church was compelled to create acceptable fable in order to placate the contemporary believer. Hence, we have the “LENTEN SEASON [fourty days of weeping for Tammuz], and EASTER SUNDAY [the resurrection of Tammuz].
Time has been the enemy of orthodoxy in many things. Given enough TIME and ANYTHING can be fostered on an already apostate church.
Tim 4:1-3
4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
KJV
So now we have, NOT ONLY THE HOAX-------but the hoax has become an an ENTRENCHED TRADITION to the very sad realization that the entire PASSION STORY is abundantly presented in the New Testament. There is no need for fable.
Cor 5:7-9
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
KJV
The New Testament is so CLEAR about this matter that the DENIAL of these Biblical witnesses borders on that very proclamation of the Apostle Paul:
2 Thess 2:10-12
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
KJV
Christ is our ETERNAL PASSOVER ! There is NO EXCUSE for this abominable exchange that has been celebrated in the church for CENTURIES-----NONE!!
In the fourteenth day of AVIV----in the year THIRTY AD------a man hung on a STAUROS, and in the NINTH HOUR of the day he cried out ----“IT IS FINISHED”. That man was the Messiah of Israel, the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD-----THE VERY SON OF GOD----------CHRIST-----------OUR PASSOVER !! He gave up the Ghost at the VERY MOMENT that the Temple HIGH PRIEST killed the yearly Passover Lamb. It was at that critical point in time that the GATES OF HELL TREMBLED. It was at that very moment that MY SINS were open to VAST ATONEMENT! It was at that very moment that the ENMITY OF THE LAW was abolished! It was at that moment that EVERY NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE BECAME SEALED!
What shame-------shame, shame, shame! That we should sacrifice the TRUTH for such a lame fable as EASTER. EASTER IS NOT PASSOVER-------and PASSOVER IS NOT EASTER. Passover falls on the FULL MOON nearest the SPRING EQUINOX [March/April]. It shall NEVER CHANGE.
For two hundred years the church followed the tradition of the Apostles and celebrated the ONLY AUTHORIZED CELEBRATION of the DEATH----BURIAL----AND RESURRECTION of the Savior. Jesus said “do this in rememberance of me”. They celebrated this event ONCE PER YEAR------AT PASSOVER. It was THE LORD’S TABLE !--------THEN CAME THE BISHOPS OF ROME !
Cor 11:24-31
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Let’s get this straight-----WE WERE NEVER AUTHORIZED TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION, CERTAINLY NOT EASTER !! We are COMMANDED to celebrate the Savior’s DEATH------TILL HE COMES. This sacrament has been lost to PAGAN TRADITION.------IT’S NOT TOO LATE. WE CAN FIX IT. GOD IS MERCIFUL. JUST REPENT AND FOLLOW THE NEW TESTAMENT!
Just look at I Cor.11:27-----it says “whoever celebrates this sacrament UNWORTHILY is GUILTY OF CHRIST’S BLOOD. That’s how important this matter is to Y-O-U !
Each year at Passover, we at the New Testament Fellowship of Winston/Salem North Carolina, celebrate the LORD’S TABLE under a predictable FULL MOON in the evening of 14 AVIV. Why not do the same. It’s wonderful to know that you are following a GREAT CROWD of New Testament Saints as we celebrate “CHRIST----OUR PASSOVER”. Danny McDowell---------ps don’t waste your time with all that hoey about law and grace. It has NOTHING TO DO with this lesson.
The single eye: The Material prosperity mammon gospel and the Great darkness
The Single Eye
Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways. What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath. Mike Desario
http://www.matthew548.com/The%20Single%20Eye.html
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matt6:22-23
Simplicity and purity are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven. Simplicity, which is in the intention and purity, which is in the affections. The earnest and devoted life in Christ is expressed singularly in these traits and is manifest by the fruit of godliness and self-control. Thus the Grace of God is made known unto man as WORTHY to be received because it adorns ones life in righteousness and true holiness.
But the present day church has distorted these glorious truths. Many appear to believe that the soul can blend darkness with light and light with darkness and remain ‘FULL’ of light in the Lord. In consequence the Shepherds who have been entrusted with the ‘souls’ of men, cannot tell the difference between good and evil and one who serves God and one who does not. However fixed the meaning of scripture may be, they have found a way around it and insist that God will take them to heaven despite their double-minded opinions. Yet the truth is expressed in Simplicity and purity.
The Lord places simplicity of intention DIRECTLY between your worldly desires and cares, either you have your eye FIXED singly upon God and thereby your whole body is full of light, or the root of your intention is to please yourself and those around you, and your whole body is full of darkness. Devotion to God cannot be divided. Holiness and happiness follow those WALKING in the Light. But darkness and despair pursue those who attempt to serve God and mammon. Although they imagine themselves ‘in the light’ they are blind to the great darkness in them. Thus the passage states, ‘If the light in you is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness!’ Nothing could be worse than this brand of SELF-DECEPTION.
Who then is ‘full of light’, and conformed in heart and life to the will of God? None but those who are truly Born of God and guided by His Holy Spirit! The Bible is unattainable to those who pretend to follow Christ and that’s the reason they can’t understand its meaning. To most professing Christians the weekly sermon is a scheme of doctrines and practices far above what anyone could actually accomplish. They feel that by ‘hearing,’ their faith is increased and God will accept them nonetheless because of Grace. After all, the preachers make no demands as to their manner of life and if they do it’s ALWAYS tempered with the ‘suggestion’ that God is merciful and forgiving and no one is perfect.
What does it mean to have a ‘Single Eye?’ It means simply that GOD is the guiding principle of all your thoughts, words and actions. From within flows the intention that in all things either small or great, in word or deed, the heart is focused on pleasing God and doing His will. He is the center of ALL your desires, the end of all your plans and aspirations. Your goals in life are to His Glory alone, not your success, comfort and ease. ‘Thy WHOLE body is FULL of Light!’
The soul is filled with the light of heaven and glory of the Lord. The conscience is void of offense toward God and man, love is sincere from a pure heart. The Spirit is bearing witness that you are acceptable unto Him. You rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, because your mind is constantly fixed upon God. In everything you give thanks, knowing that THIS is the will of God concerning you and all things will work together for good if you love and cleave to Him forever.
You know your salvation experience is genuine IF you are walking in this Light. He abides with you, teaches you and chastens you as a beloved son. You are continually being renewed in the spirit of your mind into the image of Jesus Christ and walking in newness of life with Him through the Power of His Grace. You are fighting the good fight and laying hold on eternal life to which you were called by His glory. And you are holding forth His Word of life to the world, blameless and harmless, bearing witness to a wicked and perverse generation that Christ can make you whole.
But what of those ‘full of darkness’ who know it not? The eye is not single, but evil, roving about seeking the pleasures of life and lust of the flesh. They pretend to know God and admire His Son, but their guiding principle is the ‘love’ of the world. While they indulge the pleasures of the imagination, seek the praises of men and desire wealth and prosperity, they embrace a form of godliness and remain in utter darkness. They are ignorant of their present estate and surrounded with impenetrable clouds of delusion impossible to penetrate. As long as their soul rests on the false assumption that darkness can be mixed with light and truth with error, they will continue in this snare until they stand naked at the Judgment and are sent away in sorrow.
How many today in the church who are respectable and a decent sort of people have fallen into this awful trap and know nothing of the nature of true religion. From the pastors right on down to the pew-sitter, they are defective in this natural understanding. Although many have an excellent education and consider themselves intelligent, they remain totally ignorant of the Simplicity that is in Christ. They do not Strive to please God, nor is He in many of their thoughts, unless they need something from Him. The guiding principle of their lives is career, family and self indulgence, not God.
For this reason true holiness is lost to the modern church as is Christ Himself. They worship Him in word and song, but they WILL NOT present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him and be transformed by the renewing of their mind! The vast majority of them including the pastors have NEVER seen a true conversion to Christ. They know nothing of scriptural holiness or the Power of a true and living faith. To them such things are ‘fanatical’ and over the edge, their concept of salvation is repeating a prayer and joining the church. All their efforts fall flat on the ground because they are building on the WRONG foundation. The heart must FIRST be transformed before you can pour in the New Wine of Truth. (Matt9:17) Religion avails nothing that is NOT based on the righteousness, joy and peace that comes from a heart FILLED with the Living Spirit of God. The church can seek happiness in prosperity, activities and worldly enjoyments but until the eye is FIXED solely on Christ all their efforts will be in vain.
Consider then, is the light in you really darkness? How important is this to know? Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Are you puffed up with knowledge and much learning in the scriptures, but lacking in true piety and self-control? Is your profession utterly inconsistent with the revelation of plain Bible truth? The Simplicity is this, IF the guiding principle inside you is NOT directing your understanding, passions, affections and desires (all your thoughts words and deeds) to God and His glory and you are not striving to please Him in all your ways, the ‘Light’ that you suppose to be in you is really DARKNESS altogether. And how terrible are its effects!
Test and examine yourself in view of these precious truths. If your eye is not single what will be your aim in life? To please yourself and others and to seek worldly achievement? What of your children? Do you desire that they go to the best schools, get the finest education that money can buy and find employment that will grant them the most comfort and success according to the standards of the world? Would you prefer that your son be a fine lawyer, a brilliant engineer or a rich doctor, rather than a Saint of God, filled with the Holy Spirit and broken hearted over the lost souls of humanity? What are the common pursuits of MOST professing Christians today if NOT these very things? How unspeakably darkened is the understanding of those who judge a palace on earth to be preferred over a throne in heaven!
Consider also those who would account it joy for their daughters to marry a rich man, yet count themselves good Christians. They would rather sell her soul to the devil than insure her eternal happiness in Christ. Not that the rich cannot be saved! But it is exceedingly difficult in the BEST of times for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mark10:17-22) How near impossible is it in such darkened times as these when every preacher in the pulpit is willing compromise the truth to please the ears of men? But many are seeking to ‘marry well’ within the walls of the church. They do not have a single eye on Christ or His eternal riches but on the things of this world and how much of them they can gain. The gods of wealth and success have become to the professing church like the fires of Moloch. Yet he only required that they pass ‘through’ his fire, while you pass your children into a FIRE that shall NEVER be quenched!
Even the young person who has a deep and abiding desire to serve God and bring souls out of darkness into His marvelous light must beware of not having this SINGLE EYE. How easily can one be plunged into darkness and begin to seek the folly of worldly gain. They are surrounded on every side by money and refinement, by greed and covetousness. The pulpits are filled with preachers seeking praise and recognition, vile wretches who lead unknowing souls into the pits of hell around the clock. Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways.
What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath.
Find contentment in the Lord and serve Him with all your heart. Better to marry a godly person who possesses nothing in this world but Jesus Christ than a person of wealth who ignores God and thinks nothing of Him. But the choice is yours to make, be it a rich child of the devil or a poor son of God, your EYE will decide. You may prefer a little of both and think it ‘acceptable’ to join with one who mixes only slightly darkness with light. But give heed to His warnings, NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS! In choosing a profession or a companion for life, FIX your eye firmly on HIM and do not become ensnared in the teaching of men. “Let your eye be Single and your whole body will be full of light!”
SEE MORE TRACKS HERE
http://www.matthew548.com
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas,Qrg
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways. What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath. Mike Desario
http://www.matthew548.com/The%20Single%20Eye.html
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matt6:22-23
Simplicity and purity are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven. Simplicity, which is in the intention and purity, which is in the affections. The earnest and devoted life in Christ is expressed singularly in these traits and is manifest by the fruit of godliness and self-control. Thus the Grace of God is made known unto man as WORTHY to be received because it adorns ones life in righteousness and true holiness.
But the present day church has distorted these glorious truths. Many appear to believe that the soul can blend darkness with light and light with darkness and remain ‘FULL’ of light in the Lord. In consequence the Shepherds who have been entrusted with the ‘souls’ of men, cannot tell the difference between good and evil and one who serves God and one who does not. However fixed the meaning of scripture may be, they have found a way around it and insist that God will take them to heaven despite their double-minded opinions. Yet the truth is expressed in Simplicity and purity.
The Lord places simplicity of intention DIRECTLY between your worldly desires and cares, either you have your eye FIXED singly upon God and thereby your whole body is full of light, or the root of your intention is to please yourself and those around you, and your whole body is full of darkness. Devotion to God cannot be divided. Holiness and happiness follow those WALKING in the Light. But darkness and despair pursue those who attempt to serve God and mammon. Although they imagine themselves ‘in the light’ they are blind to the great darkness in them. Thus the passage states, ‘If the light in you is darkness, how GREAT is that darkness!’ Nothing could be worse than this brand of SELF-DECEPTION.
Who then is ‘full of light’, and conformed in heart and life to the will of God? None but those who are truly Born of God and guided by His Holy Spirit! The Bible is unattainable to those who pretend to follow Christ and that’s the reason they can’t understand its meaning. To most professing Christians the weekly sermon is a scheme of doctrines and practices far above what anyone could actually accomplish. They feel that by ‘hearing,’ their faith is increased and God will accept them nonetheless because of Grace. After all, the preachers make no demands as to their manner of life and if they do it’s ALWAYS tempered with the ‘suggestion’ that God is merciful and forgiving and no one is perfect.
What does it mean to have a ‘Single Eye?’ It means simply that GOD is the guiding principle of all your thoughts, words and actions. From within flows the intention that in all things either small or great, in word or deed, the heart is focused on pleasing God and doing His will. He is the center of ALL your desires, the end of all your plans and aspirations. Your goals in life are to His Glory alone, not your success, comfort and ease. ‘Thy WHOLE body is FULL of Light!’
The soul is filled with the light of heaven and glory of the Lord. The conscience is void of offense toward God and man, love is sincere from a pure heart. The Spirit is bearing witness that you are acceptable unto Him. You rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, because your mind is constantly fixed upon God. In everything you give thanks, knowing that THIS is the will of God concerning you and all things will work together for good if you love and cleave to Him forever.
You know your salvation experience is genuine IF you are walking in this Light. He abides with you, teaches you and chastens you as a beloved son. You are continually being renewed in the spirit of your mind into the image of Jesus Christ and walking in newness of life with Him through the Power of His Grace. You are fighting the good fight and laying hold on eternal life to which you were called by His glory. And you are holding forth His Word of life to the world, blameless and harmless, bearing witness to a wicked and perverse generation that Christ can make you whole.
But what of those ‘full of darkness’ who know it not? The eye is not single, but evil, roving about seeking the pleasures of life and lust of the flesh. They pretend to know God and admire His Son, but their guiding principle is the ‘love’ of the world. While they indulge the pleasures of the imagination, seek the praises of men and desire wealth and prosperity, they embrace a form of godliness and remain in utter darkness. They are ignorant of their present estate and surrounded with impenetrable clouds of delusion impossible to penetrate. As long as their soul rests on the false assumption that darkness can be mixed with light and truth with error, they will continue in this snare until they stand naked at the Judgment and are sent away in sorrow.
How many today in the church who are respectable and a decent sort of people have fallen into this awful trap and know nothing of the nature of true religion. From the pastors right on down to the pew-sitter, they are defective in this natural understanding. Although many have an excellent education and consider themselves intelligent, they remain totally ignorant of the Simplicity that is in Christ. They do not Strive to please God, nor is He in many of their thoughts, unless they need something from Him. The guiding principle of their lives is career, family and self indulgence, not God.
For this reason true holiness is lost to the modern church as is Christ Himself. They worship Him in word and song, but they WILL NOT present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him and be transformed by the renewing of their mind! The vast majority of them including the pastors have NEVER seen a true conversion to Christ. They know nothing of scriptural holiness or the Power of a true and living faith. To them such things are ‘fanatical’ and over the edge, their concept of salvation is repeating a prayer and joining the church. All their efforts fall flat on the ground because they are building on the WRONG foundation. The heart must FIRST be transformed before you can pour in the New Wine of Truth. (Matt9:17) Religion avails nothing that is NOT based on the righteousness, joy and peace that comes from a heart FILLED with the Living Spirit of God. The church can seek happiness in prosperity, activities and worldly enjoyments but until the eye is FIXED solely on Christ all their efforts will be in vain.
Consider then, is the light in you really darkness? How important is this to know? Your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Are you puffed up with knowledge and much learning in the scriptures, but lacking in true piety and self-control? Is your profession utterly inconsistent with the revelation of plain Bible truth? The Simplicity is this, IF the guiding principle inside you is NOT directing your understanding, passions, affections and desires (all your thoughts words and deeds) to God and His glory and you are not striving to please Him in all your ways, the ‘Light’ that you suppose to be in you is really DARKNESS altogether. And how terrible are its effects!
Test and examine yourself in view of these precious truths. If your eye is not single what will be your aim in life? To please yourself and others and to seek worldly achievement? What of your children? Do you desire that they go to the best schools, get the finest education that money can buy and find employment that will grant them the most comfort and success according to the standards of the world? Would you prefer that your son be a fine lawyer, a brilliant engineer or a rich doctor, rather than a Saint of God, filled with the Holy Spirit and broken hearted over the lost souls of humanity? What are the common pursuits of MOST professing Christians today if NOT these very things? How unspeakably darkened is the understanding of those who judge a palace on earth to be preferred over a throne in heaven!
Consider also those who would account it joy for their daughters to marry a rich man, yet count themselves good Christians. They would rather sell her soul to the devil than insure her eternal happiness in Christ. Not that the rich cannot be saved! But it is exceedingly difficult in the BEST of times for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mark10:17-22) How near impossible is it in such darkened times as these when every preacher in the pulpit is willing compromise the truth to please the ears of men? But many are seeking to ‘marry well’ within the walls of the church. They do not have a single eye on Christ or His eternal riches but on the things of this world and how much of them they can gain. The gods of wealth and success have become to the professing church like the fires of Moloch. Yet he only required that they pass ‘through’ his fire, while you pass your children into a FIRE that shall NEVER be quenched!
Even the young person who has a deep and abiding desire to serve God and bring souls out of darkness into His marvelous light must beware of not having this SINGLE EYE. How easily can one be plunged into darkness and begin to seek the folly of worldly gain. They are surrounded on every side by money and refinement, by greed and covetousness. The pulpits are filled with preachers seeking praise and recognition, vile wretches who lead unknowing souls into the pits of hell around the clock. Where will you not find money-loving preachers, pleasure taking preachers and those seeking to please men? The whole church is contaminated with them! They are a stink in the nostrils of God, pests of the Truth and a nuisance to all those seeking Christ. Rightly so that hell is paved with the souls of these kinds of preachers, but woe unto those who follow their ways.
What the world deems as success is contrary to what God has revealed in His Word. Making yourself a friend of the world is to automatically become an enemy of God. (James4:4) Beware of seeking after gold and silver for death and hell hide beneath.
Find contentment in the Lord and serve Him with all your heart. Better to marry a godly person who possesses nothing in this world but Jesus Christ than a person of wealth who ignores God and thinks nothing of Him. But the choice is yours to make, be it a rich child of the devil or a poor son of God, your EYE will decide. You may prefer a little of both and think it ‘acceptable’ to join with one who mixes only slightly darkness with light. But give heed to His warnings, NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS! In choosing a profession or a companion for life, FIX your eye firmly on HIM and do not become ensnared in the teaching of men. “Let your eye be Single and your whole body will be full of light!”
SEE MORE TRACKS HERE
http://www.matthew548.com
Contact: Mike DeSario, mike@antiosas,Qrg
2172 Marhofer Ave, Stow, Ohio 44224
330-945-6700
Friday, 16 October 2009
Miracle baby fracas exposes Catholic Church: The case of Rev.Father Peter Bakka and his miracle baby deception
My comments
Masaka district is one of the greatest strongholds of Catholicism in Uganda. This district is a home to so many catholic sub-cults. It is a place where a series of Mary apparitions have taken place. The most recent fracas in this district involves a catholic priest and the so called miracle baby. The culprits in this saga failed to produce the so-called miracle baby. They argue that she was taken by the Holy Spirit to heaven. They say that those who cant see the child do not have faith, because the child can only be seen by a person who is full of faith. Other catholic theatrics involve a catholic apostle called Kazibwe, still of Masaka district who claims to have supernatural healing powers (see, article below).The Catholic Church is getting more and more irrelevant especially to the youth and so Satan is trying to change tactics aimed at keeping people trapped in the Catholic Church. Despite the lies of the likes of Pastor Kayanja that Uganda’s Christian population is 92%,(see, Charisma magazine, 2002) many Ugandans continue to be trapped in the counterfeit roman Catholic Christian sect. Despite the so called city based Pentecostal revivals, Uganda is still largely engrossed in Catholicism and witchcraft.
First see: CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
‘Miracle’ baby divides Masaka
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Miracle_baby_divides_Masaka_93023.shtml
REGIONAL SPECIAL | October 16, 2009
MICHAEL J SSALI & ISSA ALIGA
Masaka
Public attention has been drawn to a home near Masaka Town where a child is said to have been born with a Bible, a palm tree leaf and tunic similar to the one worn by Jesus.
The two - month old baby is said to be talking, making some section of the public say she could be a messiah sent by God.
Fr. Peter Bakka, from Nsambya in Kampala, has been holding prayers at the baby’s home since Sunday.
Ms Sylvia Nassimbwa, a resident of Kijajja Village in Rakai District, claims that when she went for antenatal care at a dispensary near her home, the health officer told her that she is pregnant with quadruplets.
She also claims that on August 12, she had a miscarriage when she was four months pregnant and three of the babies came out dead, save for the one living now.
Ms Nassimbwa added that when the baby was examined, it looked mature.
Her close relatives and husband, Mr Joseph Muyanja, are the only ones who have reportedly seen and heard the baby talk.
Fr. Bakka says only those who have faith in God can see the child or hear her talk adding that he baptised the baby and named her Margaret Nabiddo.
“This child has a message for repentance, forgiveness and examining our duties as people who fear God,” he said.
However, the Bishop of Masaka Diocese John Baptist Kaggwa, had asked everybody including Fr. Bakka to vacate the place to give the church a chance to make its own investigations.
Bishop Kaggwa told Daily Monitor: “As a church, we don’t believe what people are saying about the existence of such a child. We have to investigate first.”
The baby was taken to the home of Mr Peter Walusimbi of Kayijja Village near Masaka Town on Sunday. A step-daughter to Mr Walusimbi, Ms Margaret Kyakuwa, a lecturer in the US, said she had a dream that a child had been born and that it should be brought to Mr Walusimbi’s home.
Hundreds of people have streamed their home to see the baby without success. They shouted at Fr. Bakka to stop conducting prayers and allow them see the child but he ignored their requests.
The Police intervened and arrested Fr. Bakka and the alleged parents of the child and took them to Masaka Police Station.
There was also no baby found in the house after a thorough search by the Police.
The Officer in charge of Mobile Police in Southern Region, Mr Henry Kintu, said, Fr. Bakka will help with investigations.
“He has been hoodwinking the public and has drawn public attention to a nonexistent mysterious event,” he said.
Police disperse rowdy Masaka congregation
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/697999
Thursday, 15th October, 2009
THE anti-riot Police dispersed hundreds of people on Wednesday who had turned up at Bujja village in Masaka diocese to see a two-month-old baby said to have delivered a message from God.
The Police also arrested Fr. Peter Bakka, who was presiding over the ceremony and the parents of the baby, Slyvia Nasimbwa and Joseph Muyanja.
The Police searched the house where the baby was reportedly kept and found nothing.
The ‘parents’ of the baby claimed that angels took the baby to heaven because people had turned rowdy.
Some residents had braved the scotching sun from 9:00am to 4:00pm to see the baby identified as Margaret Nabiddo, in vain.
The southern regional Police commander, Olivia Waweri, said Bakka had prevented her from seeing the baby when she arrived at the scene at 9:00am, saying it was only possible after the unveiling that was to take place at 10:00am after mass.
However, the congregation started getting suspicious when the mass took long to end.
Bakka claimed the baby had performed several miracles since last Friday when he baptised her at Nabigasa in Rakai district.
He added that the baby was born with a Bible and a palm tree leaf in her hand.
At about 12:30pm after the mass, the gathering turned rowdy demanding that the baby be brought out, which prompted the Police to act.
In a statement, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa of Masaka diocese condemned the act and advised Catholics to desist from getting involved in the matter, saying it was against the Church principles.
Omwana ‘ayogera’ abakwasizza
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13390:omwana-ayogera-abakwasizza&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
Bya SSENABULYA BAAGALAYINA NE ALI MABULE
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 17:06
POLIISI e Masaka ezinze ekifo e Masaka awaakung’aanidde abantu abangi okulaba omwana omuwere agambibwa nti ayogera era aliko amaanyi ga‘Mwoyo Mutukuvu’.
Abaserikale baasanze Faaza Peter Bakka ow’e Nsambya asoma mmisa n’egiyimiriza n’emukwata. N’eddako abazadde n’omwana n’ebalagira bagirage omwana oyo, kyokka nnyina bwe yatutte abaserikale omwana w’ayogerera nga taliiwo.Olwo nnyina kwe kutegeeza nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu yabadde amututte mu Ggulu.
Okuva ku Mmande abantu beekulumulula okweyiwa mu maka ga Peter Walusimbi neTeo Nabukenya e Bujja mu muluka gw’e Kalagala mu Ggombolola Mukungwe okulaba omwana agambibwa okuzaalibwa ng’ayogera (kyokka tewali akakasa kulaba ku mwana ono okuggyako nnyina atuusa ku bantu ebigambo by’assa ku mwana nti y’abyogera).
Bujja kiriraanye ekigo ky’e Kitovu. Walusimbi musomesa mu ttendekero ly’abasomesa erya Kabulasoke PTC e Gomba era bino we bibeereddewo nga tali waka.Abazadde b’omwana (kibuusibwabuusibwa oba ddala omwana gy’ali) ye Sylivia Nassimbwa ne Joseph Mayanja.
Mu maka ga Walusimbi baagenzeeyo bugenzi nga bagamba nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu y’abalagidde era Muky.Walusimbi n’abaaniriza.Abantu abajja okulaba omwana babadde bategeezebwa nti ali munda mu nnyumba kyokka tayinza kwogera mu Nassimbwa nga bamuwalaawala. Poliisi ng’etwala Mayanja.lujjudde okuggyako nga waliwo Mmisa esomeddwa mu maka gano.
Ekirala ebyogerwa omwana bigambo bya Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’olwekyo teyetaaga kumupapya ayogera w’ayagalidde ng’aliko obubaka Katonda bw’amutumye Mmisa eyasomeddwa Fr Bakka yaddiridde endala eyasomebwa Bwannamukulu w’e Kitovu Fr.Henry Kasule eyategeezezza Bukedde nti yalagirwa mukama omusumba John Baptist Kaggwa eyamusindika azuule ekituufu.Fr. Kasule yagambye nti naye tebaamukkiriza kulaba ku mwana.
Mmisa ya Fr. Bakka bwe yawedde abantu ne balindirira okulaba omwana kyokka ng’atavaayo mu nju.Ku ssaawa 8, waliwo ekibinja ky’abavubuka abaavudde mu mbeera ne babanja okulaba omwana nga bwe balekaana nga bwe bakooye okubalimba.
Oluvannyuma poliisi yazze n’egumbulula abantu n’esaba okulaba omwana. NNyina w’omwana yategeezezza nti yabadde atwaliddwa Mwoyo Mutukuvu mu Ggulu. Fr Bakka n’abazadde b’omwana poliisi yabakutte. Ddala omwana ayogerwako gy’ali? Kirabika kiwaani.
Priest suspended over mystery baby
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699065
Sunday, 25th October, 2009
By Dismus Buregyeya
Fr. Peter Bakka of Masaka diocese has been suspended after he apologised to the Catholic Church for his involvement in the fake miracle baby.
“Fr Bakka shall not conduct any mass or give out any sacraments. We have banned the books where he has been the author because they contain misleading information,” said bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, the Masaka diocese bishop.
Bishop Kaggwa told the people to refrain from the team that has been working closely with Fr Bakka.
Earlier, the priest apologised for baptising the mystery baby and cerebrating holy mass without the permission of local church leaders.
The bishop then welcomed the apology but said the Church had procedures to be followed in resolving such matters.
He regretted that the incident had caused damage and shame to the Catholic Church.
Kaggwa noted that the Church had finalised plans to set up a commission of inquiry into the matter and all those who were involved.
He also instructed Catholics to fast one day per week and to open up a monthly rosary praying session to restore their spiritual strength.
“We are very ashamed and sorry for such an incident to take place within our diocese. We pray to God to forgive us,” he said.
Kaggwa warned the public not to easily believe fake prophets, saying they should always consult church leaders when such strange incidents happen in their communities.
“We are aware that Fr Bakka is gifted with a talent of convincing people. He is brilliant and sometimes he goes to extremes when he believes in something,” he said.
Bishop Kaggwa barred believers from following Fr. Bakka on pilgrimages to Kibewo in Masaka, where miracles have reportedly been occurring.
Masaka district is one of the greatest strongholds of Catholicism in Uganda. This district is a home to so many catholic sub-cults. It is a place where a series of Mary apparitions have taken place. The most recent fracas in this district involves a catholic priest and the so called miracle baby. The culprits in this saga failed to produce the so-called miracle baby. They argue that she was taken by the Holy Spirit to heaven. They say that those who cant see the child do not have faith, because the child can only be seen by a person who is full of faith. Other catholic theatrics involve a catholic apostle called Kazibwe, still of Masaka district who claims to have supernatural healing powers (see, article below).The Catholic Church is getting more and more irrelevant especially to the youth and so Satan is trying to change tactics aimed at keeping people trapped in the Catholic Church. Despite the lies of the likes of Pastor Kayanja that Uganda’s Christian population is 92%,(see, Charisma magazine, 2002) many Ugandans continue to be trapped in the counterfeit roman Catholic Christian sect. Despite the so called city based Pentecostal revivals, Uganda is still largely engrossed in Catholicism and witchcraft.
First see: CULT WITH IN A CULT: THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CULT IN UGANDA PANICS AS SUB-CULTS INCREASE WITH IN IT
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2009/07/cult-with-in-cult-catholic-church-cult.html
‘Miracle’ baby divides Masaka
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/regional-special/Miracle_baby_divides_Masaka_93023.shtml
REGIONAL SPECIAL | October 16, 2009
MICHAEL J SSALI & ISSA ALIGA
Masaka
Public attention has been drawn to a home near Masaka Town where a child is said to have been born with a Bible, a palm tree leaf and tunic similar to the one worn by Jesus.
The two - month old baby is said to be talking, making some section of the public say she could be a messiah sent by God.
Fr. Peter Bakka, from Nsambya in Kampala, has been holding prayers at the baby’s home since Sunday.
Ms Sylvia Nassimbwa, a resident of Kijajja Village in Rakai District, claims that when she went for antenatal care at a dispensary near her home, the health officer told her that she is pregnant with quadruplets.
She also claims that on August 12, she had a miscarriage when she was four months pregnant and three of the babies came out dead, save for the one living now.
Ms Nassimbwa added that when the baby was examined, it looked mature.
Her close relatives and husband, Mr Joseph Muyanja, are the only ones who have reportedly seen and heard the baby talk.
Fr. Bakka says only those who have faith in God can see the child or hear her talk adding that he baptised the baby and named her Margaret Nabiddo.
“This child has a message for repentance, forgiveness and examining our duties as people who fear God,” he said.
However, the Bishop of Masaka Diocese John Baptist Kaggwa, had asked everybody including Fr. Bakka to vacate the place to give the church a chance to make its own investigations.
Bishop Kaggwa told Daily Monitor: “As a church, we don’t believe what people are saying about the existence of such a child. We have to investigate first.”
The baby was taken to the home of Mr Peter Walusimbi of Kayijja Village near Masaka Town on Sunday. A step-daughter to Mr Walusimbi, Ms Margaret Kyakuwa, a lecturer in the US, said she had a dream that a child had been born and that it should be brought to Mr Walusimbi’s home.
Hundreds of people have streamed their home to see the baby without success. They shouted at Fr. Bakka to stop conducting prayers and allow them see the child but he ignored their requests.
The Police intervened and arrested Fr. Bakka and the alleged parents of the child and took them to Masaka Police Station.
There was also no baby found in the house after a thorough search by the Police.
The Officer in charge of Mobile Police in Southern Region, Mr Henry Kintu, said, Fr. Bakka will help with investigations.
“He has been hoodwinking the public and has drawn public attention to a nonexistent mysterious event,” he said.
Police disperse rowdy Masaka congregation
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/19/697999
Thursday, 15th October, 2009
THE anti-riot Police dispersed hundreds of people on Wednesday who had turned up at Bujja village in Masaka diocese to see a two-month-old baby said to have delivered a message from God.
The Police also arrested Fr. Peter Bakka, who was presiding over the ceremony and the parents of the baby, Slyvia Nasimbwa and Joseph Muyanja.
The Police searched the house where the baby was reportedly kept and found nothing.
The ‘parents’ of the baby claimed that angels took the baby to heaven because people had turned rowdy.
Some residents had braved the scotching sun from 9:00am to 4:00pm to see the baby identified as Margaret Nabiddo, in vain.
The southern regional Police commander, Olivia Waweri, said Bakka had prevented her from seeing the baby when she arrived at the scene at 9:00am, saying it was only possible after the unveiling that was to take place at 10:00am after mass.
However, the congregation started getting suspicious when the mass took long to end.
Bakka claimed the baby had performed several miracles since last Friday when he baptised her at Nabigasa in Rakai district.
He added that the baby was born with a Bible and a palm tree leaf in her hand.
At about 12:30pm after the mass, the gathering turned rowdy demanding that the baby be brought out, which prompted the Police to act.
In a statement, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa of Masaka diocese condemned the act and advised Catholics to desist from getting involved in the matter, saying it was against the Church principles.
Omwana ‘ayogera’ abakwasizza
http://www.bukedde.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13390:omwana-ayogera-abakwasizza&catid=1:omuko-ogusooka&Itemid=591
Bya SSENABULYA BAAGALAYINA NE ALI MABULE
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 17:06
POLIISI e Masaka ezinze ekifo e Masaka awaakung’aanidde abantu abangi okulaba omwana omuwere agambibwa nti ayogera era aliko amaanyi ga‘Mwoyo Mutukuvu’.
Abaserikale baasanze Faaza Peter Bakka ow’e Nsambya asoma mmisa n’egiyimiriza n’emukwata. N’eddako abazadde n’omwana n’ebalagira bagirage omwana oyo, kyokka nnyina bwe yatutte abaserikale omwana w’ayogerera nga taliiwo.Olwo nnyina kwe kutegeeza nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu yabadde amututte mu Ggulu.
Okuva ku Mmande abantu beekulumulula okweyiwa mu maka ga Peter Walusimbi neTeo Nabukenya e Bujja mu muluka gw’e Kalagala mu Ggombolola Mukungwe okulaba omwana agambibwa okuzaalibwa ng’ayogera (kyokka tewali akakasa kulaba ku mwana ono okuggyako nnyina atuusa ku bantu ebigambo by’assa ku mwana nti y’abyogera).
Bujja kiriraanye ekigo ky’e Kitovu. Walusimbi musomesa mu ttendekero ly’abasomesa erya Kabulasoke PTC e Gomba era bino we bibeereddewo nga tali waka.Abazadde b’omwana (kibuusibwabuusibwa oba ddala omwana gy’ali) ye Sylivia Nassimbwa ne Joseph Mayanja.
Mu maka ga Walusimbi baagenzeeyo bugenzi nga bagamba nti Mwoyo Mutukuvu y’abalagidde era Muky.Walusimbi n’abaaniriza.Abantu abajja okulaba omwana babadde bategeezebwa nti ali munda mu nnyumba kyokka tayinza kwogera mu Nassimbwa nga bamuwalaawala. Poliisi ng’etwala Mayanja.lujjudde okuggyako nga waliwo Mmisa esomeddwa mu maka gano.
Ekirala ebyogerwa omwana bigambo bya Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’olwekyo teyetaaga kumupapya ayogera w’ayagalidde ng’aliko obubaka Katonda bw’amutumye Mmisa eyasomeddwa Fr Bakka yaddiridde endala eyasomebwa Bwannamukulu w’e Kitovu Fr.Henry Kasule eyategeezezza Bukedde nti yalagirwa mukama omusumba John Baptist Kaggwa eyamusindika azuule ekituufu.Fr. Kasule yagambye nti naye tebaamukkiriza kulaba ku mwana.
Mmisa ya Fr. Bakka bwe yawedde abantu ne balindirira okulaba omwana kyokka ng’atavaayo mu nju.Ku ssaawa 8, waliwo ekibinja ky’abavubuka abaavudde mu mbeera ne babanja okulaba omwana nga bwe balekaana nga bwe bakooye okubalimba.
Oluvannyuma poliisi yazze n’egumbulula abantu n’esaba okulaba omwana. NNyina w’omwana yategeezezza nti yabadde atwaliddwa Mwoyo Mutukuvu mu Ggulu. Fr Bakka n’abazadde b’omwana poliisi yabakutte. Ddala omwana ayogerwako gy’ali? Kirabika kiwaani.
Priest suspended over mystery baby
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/699065
Sunday, 25th October, 2009
By Dismus Buregyeya
Fr. Peter Bakka of Masaka diocese has been suspended after he apologised to the Catholic Church for his involvement in the fake miracle baby.
“Fr Bakka shall not conduct any mass or give out any sacraments. We have banned the books where he has been the author because they contain misleading information,” said bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, the Masaka diocese bishop.
Bishop Kaggwa told the people to refrain from the team that has been working closely with Fr Bakka.
Earlier, the priest apologised for baptising the mystery baby and cerebrating holy mass without the permission of local church leaders.
The bishop then welcomed the apology but said the Church had procedures to be followed in resolving such matters.
He regretted that the incident had caused damage and shame to the Catholic Church.
Kaggwa noted that the Church had finalised plans to set up a commission of inquiry into the matter and all those who were involved.
He also instructed Catholics to fast one day per week and to open up a monthly rosary praying session to restore their spiritual strength.
“We are very ashamed and sorry for such an incident to take place within our diocese. We pray to God to forgive us,” he said.
Kaggwa warned the public not to easily believe fake prophets, saying they should always consult church leaders when such strange incidents happen in their communities.
“We are aware that Fr Bakka is gifted with a talent of convincing people. He is brilliant and sometimes he goes to extremes when he believes in something,” he said.
Bishop Kaggwa barred believers from following Fr. Bakka on pilgrimages to Kibewo in Masaka, where miracles have reportedly been occurring.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Lee Grady, Charisma, Balokole-ism, and False African Revivals
Lee Grady, Charisma, Balokole-ism, and False African Revivals
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/376-lee-grady-charisma-balokole-ism-and-false-african-revivals.html
Kato Mivule | October 13, 2009
I was stunned and amazed at the recent article by Lee Grady in which he details his experiences in search (research) of a Revival in East Africa commonly known as the East African Revival. According to the article Lee Grady visited East Africa for two weeks especially Uganda and he witnesses 'remnant experiences' or what he refers to as an 80 year old East African Revival still going on in Uganda.
Lee Grady mentions the Balokole in Uganda and how they have been central to the 80 year old East African Revival in Uganda. Lee Grady goes on to even wish that the same Balokole-ism would spread over to the USA that is already dealing with fake and false revivals. I stand and wonder what Lee Grady went to see in Africa. This is the whole trouble with “Revival seeking”…always the danger lies in “seeking” the revival verses a genuine call for Christians to repent. The result is that a pseudo revival is always present.
For those of us who have grown up in Uganda, and preached the gospel in Uganda, Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine must be talking and writing about another Uganda on a different planet other than the earth. I do respect Lee Grandy’s efforts in exposing false teachers in many of his articles and his sincerity in search for a “genuine” revival around the world. This is understandable yet at the same time a very big and large loophole for the same thing Lee Grady is fighting…falsehood in the Church.
I happen to be from Uganda, the very place that Lee Grady and Charisma visited. There is no Revival in Uganda, not even a remnant revival! What is happening is a rapid acceleration towards apostasy in Uganda and unless something is done, Evangelicalism (Balokole-ism) as we know it in Uganda ended years ago and all is left is a dead religion but still with the Pentecostal effects like shakings, goose bumps, overnight prayers, large gatherings etc…these things are mistakably called Revival by unsuspecting two week visitors to East Africa.
The Balokole (Evangelical or Saved ones, as Lee Grady calls them) have largely been invaded by the very same ills and debacles that Lee Grady writes about in Charisma Magazine, from the Prosperity Gospel, Sexual Abuse, Divorce, Greed, Materialism, etc, to other weird doctrines of devils and demons.
On Christian TV and Radio Stations, messages of repentance are extinct, instead messages of materialism and wealth are proclaimed. The Church has become political and preachers have embraced politics similar to Right Wing Conservatives Evangelicals in America. This website(YesuMulungi.com), Ugandan Secular Newspapers, Secular TV and Radio Stations have documented countless gross corruption inside the Balokole Movement, yet Lee Grady fails to even simply use Google to find out the current state of Balokole-ism in Uganda.
I still wonder what Lee Grady and the Charisma Team went to document in Uganda… Lee Grady's Article in Charisma Magazine, a major Evangelical Publication in the USA totally paints an incorrect picture concerning the spiritual affairs of Uganda's Evangelical Church, let alone East Africa.
The Church in Uganda is not at anytime experiencing Revival and I CHALLENGE Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine to substantiate such spurious claims of a 80 Year Old East African Revival in Uganda.
The Church in Uganda is just increasingly becoming a photocopy of the Church in America, from preaching styles, doctrine, and mannerisms. What Lee Grady experienced, was Christians still locked up in the gone days of Pentecostalism in Africa, long unending prayer meetings, long sermons, screaming, shouting, goose bumps, proclamations of Faith etc…these things to a undiscerning two weeks visiting Western Missionary sound like ‘Revival’.
Where did Lee Grady witness messages of Repentance in Uganda? Where did he witness folks coming to renounce their sins? What did Lee Grady hear on Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio? Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio do have Internet Streams and witness is there that they preach an American version of the Prosperity Gospel. What Doctrines did Lee Grady hear being taught in Churches in Uganda for instance? For simplicity and ‘revival talk’, compare Charles Finny and Jonathan Edwards’s sermons, did that occur to Lee Grady that any similarity could be found…?
Yes, there is no doubt that there existed a historical East African Revival (Renewal) probably up to the late 1980’s, but from then on a fake revival is taking place in Uganda – one spearheaded by the Prosperity Gospel movement…an apostasy is happening in Uganda’s Balokole-ism movement and there is urgent need for Sound Bible Teachers to help Christians there be grounded on solid New Testament Bible Truth and not the flattering of revival seekers.
What Lee Grady needed to do in Uganda was not “seek” revivals but to preach a message of repentance and a call for the Evangelical Church to return back to Bible Truth and Sound Bible Doctrine. The insinuating proclamations in Charisma Magazine of a 'continual' 80 year old East African Revival are spurious and a danger to Christians in America and Europe who have a habit of traversing geographical territories in search for revivals. From the Toronto Revival to the Florida Revivals, Christians in America have been misled into searching for the wrong thing – a Revival.
I would not be surprised of Christians boarding planes to go to Kampala, Uganda in 'search' or 're-search' of the new Balokole-ism experience, since Lee Grady is in prayer that Americans would experience a similar Ugandan Balokole-ism experience.
The New Testament does not at any one time teach us to go traverse the globe in search of revivals. This is a danger that I see with the Revival seeking Christian crowd. Nowhere in the New Testament do we have Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, John and other apostles running to and fro seeking revivals, worst of all fake revivals like the one happening in Uganda, Africa. Brethren watch out!
===============================================
LEE GRADY'S ARTICLE IN CHARISMA
http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/23526-spiritual-awakening-the-only-thing-that-will-save-us#readmore
===============================================
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: The Only Thing That Will Save Us
-by J. Lee Grady.
We can learn an important lesson from the East African Revival, which transformed a region 80 years ago. The people of Uganda call it Balokole. In the Luganda language it means "the saved ones," but the word became synonymous with the East African Revival—one of the most significant Christian
movements in modern history.
This revival had humble beginnings in September 1929, just before America's Great Depression. Historians trace it to a prayer meeting on Namirembe Hill in Kampala, Uganda, where a missionary to Rwanda, Joe Church, prayed and read the Bible for two days with his friend Simeoni Nsibambi. They felt God had showed them that the African church was powerless because of a lack of personal holiness.
It is impossible to explain exactly what happened after this prayer meeting or how the resulting spiritual fervor spread. When God comes, unusual things happen. Within weeks after the Rev. Church returned to Gahini, Rwanda, Christians gathered to pray and confess their sins openly. A heavy spirit of conviction fell on the people. Whenever they repented for their sins and failures they would weep uncontrollably, ask others to forgive them and
pledge to make restitution.
The weeping spread to farmlands and open fields. Unbelievers who visited these gatherings were converted after they witnessed the sincerity of the Christians. Repentance went deep. Husbands publicly apologized for adultery and farmers repented for stealing cows from each other. Eventually, as the revival spread from Rwanda to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, even the centuries-old tradition of polygamy (which was still common among professing Christians) was unraveled in some areas.
Balokole changed African Christianity forever. In a 1986 article for Christian History, Michael Harper writes of the revival: "It's effects have been more lasting than almost any other revival in history, so that today there is hardly a single Protestant leader in East Africa who has not been touched by it in some way."
I spent the past two weeks ministering in Uganda and Kenya, and everywhere I went I met people who still talk about the East African Revival—80 years after it began. It breathed resurrection power into dead, traditional churches and triggered aggressive church-planting movements that affected a variety of denominations.
Whether sermons were delivered from pulpits or under trees, six important themes were emphasized in those days: 1) the blood of Jesus; 2) the name of Jesus; 3) the cross of Jesus; 4) the Word of God; 5) the testimony of the saints; and 6) the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders also stressed the message of 1 John 6-7: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin (NASB)." As was true in other spiritual awakenings in history (such as the Asbury Revival in Kentucky in 1970), people stood in front of
each other and admitted their sins, no matter how embarrassing. The honesty cut deep into human pride and dealt a fatal blow against entrenched sin and religious hypocrisy.
After hearing more details about the East African Revival while I was in Uganda last week, I was convinced that this type of movement is the only thing that will pull the United States out of its current despair.
We must have a spiritual awakening, or we die. Political engineering, economic policies, government bailouts and stimulus packages will not save us. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will reverse our course toward destruction.
Our only hope is that a backslidden American church—a church that is as smug, blind and lukewarm as the Laodiceans-—will "be zealous and repent" (see Rev. 3:19).
What encourages me is that God, not man, initiated all the spiritual awakenings of the past—including the First Great Awakening, which gave our country its historic Christian identity. Yes, we play our feeble part by praying, and we must storm heaven. Yes, awakenings come in response to our weak attempts to repent, and we must passionately seek a fresh baptism of holiness.
But we cannot manufacture revivals. Pentecostal fire comes from heaven alone. It is a sovereign blessing from a God who loves us and desires to rescue us from ourselves. We charismatics have generated a lot of our own sound and fury in the past 30 years, but much of what we have created is a shameful substitute for revival. We must become desperate for the real thing.
Today our movement is mired in the shallow waters of self-centered, carnal Christianity. May God mercifully send us our own version of Balokole. May gut-wrenching repentance and public confession of sin interrupt our trendy worship services. May this holy fire spread until the people of the United States see genuine Christians living the message we preach.
-J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
SOURCE - http://fireinmybones.com/
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/apostasy-watch/376-lee-grady-charisma-balokole-ism-and-false-african-revivals.html
Kato Mivule | October 13, 2009
I was stunned and amazed at the recent article by Lee Grady in which he details his experiences in search (research) of a Revival in East Africa commonly known as the East African Revival. According to the article Lee Grady visited East Africa for two weeks especially Uganda and he witnesses 'remnant experiences' or what he refers to as an 80 year old East African Revival still going on in Uganda.
Lee Grady mentions the Balokole in Uganda and how they have been central to the 80 year old East African Revival in Uganda. Lee Grady goes on to even wish that the same Balokole-ism would spread over to the USA that is already dealing with fake and false revivals. I stand and wonder what Lee Grady went to see in Africa. This is the whole trouble with “Revival seeking”…always the danger lies in “seeking” the revival verses a genuine call for Christians to repent. The result is that a pseudo revival is always present.
For those of us who have grown up in Uganda, and preached the gospel in Uganda, Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine must be talking and writing about another Uganda on a different planet other than the earth. I do respect Lee Grandy’s efforts in exposing false teachers in many of his articles and his sincerity in search for a “genuine” revival around the world. This is understandable yet at the same time a very big and large loophole for the same thing Lee Grady is fighting…falsehood in the Church.
I happen to be from Uganda, the very place that Lee Grady and Charisma visited. There is no Revival in Uganda, not even a remnant revival! What is happening is a rapid acceleration towards apostasy in Uganda and unless something is done, Evangelicalism (Balokole-ism) as we know it in Uganda ended years ago and all is left is a dead religion but still with the Pentecostal effects like shakings, goose bumps, overnight prayers, large gatherings etc…these things are mistakably called Revival by unsuspecting two week visitors to East Africa.
The Balokole (Evangelical or Saved ones, as Lee Grady calls them) have largely been invaded by the very same ills and debacles that Lee Grady writes about in Charisma Magazine, from the Prosperity Gospel, Sexual Abuse, Divorce, Greed, Materialism, etc, to other weird doctrines of devils and demons.
On Christian TV and Radio Stations, messages of repentance are extinct, instead messages of materialism and wealth are proclaimed. The Church has become political and preachers have embraced politics similar to Right Wing Conservatives Evangelicals in America. This website(YesuMulungi.com), Ugandan Secular Newspapers, Secular TV and Radio Stations have documented countless gross corruption inside the Balokole Movement, yet Lee Grady fails to even simply use Google to find out the current state of Balokole-ism in Uganda.
I still wonder what Lee Grady and the Charisma Team went to document in Uganda… Lee Grady's Article in Charisma Magazine, a major Evangelical Publication in the USA totally paints an incorrect picture concerning the spiritual affairs of Uganda's Evangelical Church, let alone East Africa.
The Church in Uganda is not at anytime experiencing Revival and I CHALLENGE Lee Grady and Charisma Magazine to substantiate such spurious claims of a 80 Year Old East African Revival in Uganda.
The Church in Uganda is just increasingly becoming a photocopy of the Church in America, from preaching styles, doctrine, and mannerisms. What Lee Grady experienced, was Christians still locked up in the gone days of Pentecostalism in Africa, long unending prayer meetings, long sermons, screaming, shouting, goose bumps, proclamations of Faith etc…these things to a undiscerning two weeks visiting Western Missionary sound like ‘Revival’.
Where did Lee Grady witness messages of Repentance in Uganda? Where did he witness folks coming to renounce their sins? What did Lee Grady hear on Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio? Uganda’s Christian TV and Radio do have Internet Streams and witness is there that they preach an American version of the Prosperity Gospel. What Doctrines did Lee Grady hear being taught in Churches in Uganda for instance? For simplicity and ‘revival talk’, compare Charles Finny and Jonathan Edwards’s sermons, did that occur to Lee Grady that any similarity could be found…?
Yes, there is no doubt that there existed a historical East African Revival (Renewal) probably up to the late 1980’s, but from then on a fake revival is taking place in Uganda – one spearheaded by the Prosperity Gospel movement…an apostasy is happening in Uganda’s Balokole-ism movement and there is urgent need for Sound Bible Teachers to help Christians there be grounded on solid New Testament Bible Truth and not the flattering of revival seekers.
What Lee Grady needed to do in Uganda was not “seek” revivals but to preach a message of repentance and a call for the Evangelical Church to return back to Bible Truth and Sound Bible Doctrine. The insinuating proclamations in Charisma Magazine of a 'continual' 80 year old East African Revival are spurious and a danger to Christians in America and Europe who have a habit of traversing geographical territories in search for revivals. From the Toronto Revival to the Florida Revivals, Christians in America have been misled into searching for the wrong thing – a Revival.
I would not be surprised of Christians boarding planes to go to Kampala, Uganda in 'search' or 're-search' of the new Balokole-ism experience, since Lee Grady is in prayer that Americans would experience a similar Ugandan Balokole-ism experience.
The New Testament does not at any one time teach us to go traverse the globe in search of revivals. This is a danger that I see with the Revival seeking Christian crowd. Nowhere in the New Testament do we have Jesus Christ, Paul, Peter, John and other apostles running to and fro seeking revivals, worst of all fake revivals like the one happening in Uganda, Africa. Brethren watch out!
===============================================
LEE GRADY'S ARTICLE IN CHARISMA
http://charismamag.com/index.php/fire-in-my-bones/23526-spiritual-awakening-the-only-thing-that-will-save-us#readmore
===============================================
SPIRITUAL AWAKENING: The Only Thing That Will Save Us
-by J. Lee Grady.
We can learn an important lesson from the East African Revival, which transformed a region 80 years ago. The people of Uganda call it Balokole. In the Luganda language it means "the saved ones," but the word became synonymous with the East African Revival—one of the most significant Christian
movements in modern history.
This revival had humble beginnings in September 1929, just before America's Great Depression. Historians trace it to a prayer meeting on Namirembe Hill in Kampala, Uganda, where a missionary to Rwanda, Joe Church, prayed and read the Bible for two days with his friend Simeoni Nsibambi. They felt God had showed them that the African church was powerless because of a lack of personal holiness.
It is impossible to explain exactly what happened after this prayer meeting or how the resulting spiritual fervor spread. When God comes, unusual things happen. Within weeks after the Rev. Church returned to Gahini, Rwanda, Christians gathered to pray and confess their sins openly. A heavy spirit of conviction fell on the people. Whenever they repented for their sins and failures they would weep uncontrollably, ask others to forgive them and
pledge to make restitution.
The weeping spread to farmlands and open fields. Unbelievers who visited these gatherings were converted after they witnessed the sincerity of the Christians. Repentance went deep. Husbands publicly apologized for adultery and farmers repented for stealing cows from each other. Eventually, as the revival spread from Rwanda to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, even the centuries-old tradition of polygamy (which was still common among professing Christians) was unraveled in some areas.
Balokole changed African Christianity forever. In a 1986 article for Christian History, Michael Harper writes of the revival: "It's effects have been more lasting than almost any other revival in history, so that today there is hardly a single Protestant leader in East Africa who has not been touched by it in some way."
I spent the past two weeks ministering in Uganda and Kenya, and everywhere I went I met people who still talk about the East African Revival—80 years after it began. It breathed resurrection power into dead, traditional churches and triggered aggressive church-planting movements that affected a variety of denominations.
Whether sermons were delivered from pulpits or under trees, six important themes were emphasized in those days: 1) the blood of Jesus; 2) the name of Jesus; 3) the cross of Jesus; 4) the Word of God; 5) the testimony of the saints; and 6) the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders also stressed the message of 1 John 6-7: "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanses us from all sin (NASB)." As was true in other spiritual awakenings in history (such as the Asbury Revival in Kentucky in 1970), people stood in front of
each other and admitted their sins, no matter how embarrassing. The honesty cut deep into human pride and dealt a fatal blow against entrenched sin and religious hypocrisy.
After hearing more details about the East African Revival while I was in Uganda last week, I was convinced that this type of movement is the only thing that will pull the United States out of its current despair.
We must have a spiritual awakening, or we die. Political engineering, economic policies, government bailouts and stimulus packages will not save us. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will reverse our course toward destruction.
Our only hope is that a backslidden American church—a church that is as smug, blind and lukewarm as the Laodiceans-—will "be zealous and repent" (see Rev. 3:19).
What encourages me is that God, not man, initiated all the spiritual awakenings of the past—including the First Great Awakening, which gave our country its historic Christian identity. Yes, we play our feeble part by praying, and we must storm heaven. Yes, awakenings come in response to our weak attempts to repent, and we must passionately seek a fresh baptism of holiness.
But we cannot manufacture revivals. Pentecostal fire comes from heaven alone. It is a sovereign blessing from a God who loves us and desires to rescue us from ourselves. We charismatics have generated a lot of our own sound and fury in the past 30 years, but much of what we have created is a shameful substitute for revival. We must become desperate for the real thing.
Today our movement is mired in the shallow waters of self-centered, carnal Christianity. May God mercifully send us our own version of Balokole. May gut-wrenching repentance and public confession of sin interrupt our trendy worship services. May this holy fire spread until the people of the United States see genuine Christians living the message we preach.
-J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
SOURCE - http://fireinmybones.com/
Monday, 12 October 2009
Is Pastor Sempa too Simplistic?Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
My analysis
My bother in Christ Dr. Martin Sempa gives good insights however, his analysis is quite simplistic. He does not define what he means by church. He seems to be in favour of ecumenism(unity of all faiths ie catholic, SDA, Anglican etc). The so called church or churches are as rotten as the political status quo. Many Ugandans have for example lost trust in the evangelical (balokole) church. They know that the church is in full support of the current oppressing regime. Some people think that the balokole are cronies of President Museveni. Remember, recently a pastor was burnt to death by locals in Mubende over a land row. Many pulpits of the balokole churches have been used as political platforms for President Museveni’s government. This is very sad. Virtually all balokole pastors are silent about the injustice in Uganda such as; land injustice, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, election rigging etc.
In the year 2000 about 2000 people in Madudu, Mubende district were evicted by the Uganda army(UPDF)and their land was given to German investor. In the process of evicting these people; churches, schools etc were destroyed. Up to today the poor people of Madudu have not received justice. The church is virtually silent about this injustice. The lord Jesus Christ stood for social justice for the poor. The current church has only demonstrated double standards and hypocrisy as far as good governance is concerned. The balokole church has participated in the exploitation of the poor. Be warned that Uganda is a genocide prone nation. If tribal violence erupts(God forbid) in Uganda the balokole and balokole churches are likely to be a target.The envengelical church in Uganda needs to re-position it self now.It should become pro-poor and pro-justice now or else the consequences will be fatal
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
“Family Rule In Uganda: How The Museveni ‘Clan’ Runs Government”
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/news/news-analysis/79-news-analysis/739-museveni-govts-family-tree
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/cover-story/cover-story/82-cover-story/690-family-rule-in-uganda-
PASTOR DR. MARTIN SEMPA'S ARTICLE
Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
Monday, 12th, October, 2009
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/insight/106-myblog/1923-tribal-politics-role-of-the-church-in-peace-building
Dr. Martin Ssempa
If Agnes, a Muganda university student did not beg for mercy of the rioters, she would be dead by now and Adwin Karuhanga, a Munyankole student from Bushenyi was going to have his nose cut off with a machete.
This scene took place in Nakulabye on September 11, 2009. Adwin and Agnes are members of our college church who ran into a group of rioters who were outraged that the Kabaka of Buganda had been refused passage to his sovereign province of Bugerere, Kayunga.
This largely cultural-political issue was initially a violent demonstration of Kabaka loyalists squaring off with the police, military and the army. Human right groups have accused the state of excessive force and violence evidenced by televised pictures.
Paradoxically, as the armed forces took control of the cities, the demonstration morphed into a covert tribal clash where individuals and groups were profiled into tribes and sometimes attacked with violence.
Adwin is a lucky survivor but I have since heard other harrowing accounts which have forced me to urgently inquire the holy book on the role of the church in averting tribal conflicts from escalating into widespread genocide.
The recent history of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the 2008 Kenyan post-election violence bloodbath shows that our tribal tensions lay underground like volcanoes which can erupt anytime cracks appear in our society.
What is the role of the church in ensuring that these tensions do not disintegrate into tribal violence?
The church must urgently declare God’s command of “love your neighbour as you love your self” (Matt 19:19). The military may be able to restrain the mob from burning tyres in the streets, but they cannot teach us to love one another. This is the role of the church, which must urgently urge the Banyoro to love the Bafuruki, the Baganda to love Banyankore, and the Banyara to love the Baganda.
We must not deny the existence of complicated issues that may cause enmity or disagreement. We must preach and demonstrate a love of all Ugandans regardless of tribe and opinion. Let the church thunder with “love your neighbour” regardless the shape of their nose or their tribal accents.
In Judges 12:6 we are told of an inter-tribal conflict pitting Jews against Gileadites and the Ephramites which descended into ethnic cleansing. The Ephramites could not properly pronounce the “she” in the Shiboleth. Like some Nilotic tribes, they could only say “siboleth”. Riotous riverside roadblocks were set up and travellers were subjected to oral tests where your accent would lead to your death. More than 42,000 were killed.
We must rebuke those who will use the Shiboleths as a reason to wreak death and violence on one another. We all live together in Uganda, and many Ugandans have set up farms and homes away from their tribal home villages. My village in Bombo has a majority of Baganda, but we also have Banyarwanda, Bahima, and Nubians. If tribal Shiboleths remain, there are not enough soldiers, teargas or Mambas to secure every goat, cow, sheep or garden in Uganda’s countryside.
On the contrary we have a lot of able bodied, unemployed youth who can be misguided into marauding and plundering their neighbours’ property. This must not be allowed. The traditional African spirit of communal culture must be strengthened and complemented by the teaching of the church. Love your neighbour (regardless of his nose or the number of cows he may have) as you love yourself.
The church must pray for the leaders to have infinite wisdom to handle complicated issues with justice and equity. Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28 needed to figure a complicated case of two new mothers who both claimed one baby. He had no access to modern DNA maternal test yet he had to solve this dispute. The complex issue of tribes, kingdoms and their relationship to a national government requires divine wisdom for our leaders. In the spate between Buganda and Central government, MPs who are from Buganda yet belong to the ruling political party may find themselves with torn loyalties as children are when Daddy and Mummy conflict. We must pray for wisdom and render to each what is due to them. Jesus says “render to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, to God what belongs to God”. We must render to the executive government (president) and the traditional cultural leaders (Kabaka) whatever loyalties belong to each of them. A way has to be figured out where we all win, and in the end Uganda wins.
At this critical time the church must urgently preach the aspirations of our founding fathers at the formation of our nation. “Oh Uganda may God uphold you”, it is our duty to pray for our motherland. “We lay our future in your hands” our collective destiny is in the wellbeing of Uganda. “United free for liberty” our freedom and liberty is only possible when we are cohesive. “Together we will always stand.” We can only stand when none of us is left behind. If we are to avert the trajectory of history, the prophets must preach a message of love regardless of the size and shape of my nose.
For God and our Country.
Dr. Ssempa is nationally syndicated writer, broadcaster and AIDS activist. He is the pastor of Makerere Community Church at Makerere University; ssempam@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 0772-641028
My bother in Christ Dr. Martin Sempa gives good insights however, his analysis is quite simplistic. He does not define what he means by church. He seems to be in favour of ecumenism(unity of all faiths ie catholic, SDA, Anglican etc). The so called church or churches are as rotten as the political status quo. Many Ugandans have for example lost trust in the evangelical (balokole) church. They know that the church is in full support of the current oppressing regime. Some people think that the balokole are cronies of President Museveni. Remember, recently a pastor was burnt to death by locals in Mubende over a land row. Many pulpits of the balokole churches have been used as political platforms for President Museveni’s government. This is very sad. Virtually all balokole pastors are silent about the injustice in Uganda such as; land injustice, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, election rigging etc.
In the year 2000 about 2000 people in Madudu, Mubende district were evicted by the Uganda army(UPDF)and their land was given to German investor. In the process of evicting these people; churches, schools etc were destroyed. Up to today the poor people of Madudu have not received justice. The church is virtually silent about this injustice. The lord Jesus Christ stood for social justice for the poor. The current church has only demonstrated double standards and hypocrisy as far as good governance is concerned. The balokole church has participated in the exploitation of the poor. Be warned that Uganda is a genocide prone nation. If tribal violence erupts(God forbid) in Uganda the balokole and balokole churches are likely to be a target.The envengelical church in Uganda needs to re-position it self now.It should become pro-poor and pro-justice now or else the consequences will be fatal
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
“Family Rule In Uganda: How The Museveni ‘Clan’ Runs Government”
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/news/news-analysis/79-news-analysis/739-museveni-govts-family-tree
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/cover-story/cover-story/82-cover-story/690-family-rule-in-uganda-
PASTOR DR. MARTIN SEMPA'S ARTICLE
Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
Monday, 12th, October, 2009
http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php/column/insight/106-myblog/1923-tribal-politics-role-of-the-church-in-peace-building
Dr. Martin Ssempa
If Agnes, a Muganda university student did not beg for mercy of the rioters, she would be dead by now and Adwin Karuhanga, a Munyankole student from Bushenyi was going to have his nose cut off with a machete.
This scene took place in Nakulabye on September 11, 2009. Adwin and Agnes are members of our college church who ran into a group of rioters who were outraged that the Kabaka of Buganda had been refused passage to his sovereign province of Bugerere, Kayunga.
This largely cultural-political issue was initially a violent demonstration of Kabaka loyalists squaring off with the police, military and the army. Human right groups have accused the state of excessive force and violence evidenced by televised pictures.
Paradoxically, as the armed forces took control of the cities, the demonstration morphed into a covert tribal clash where individuals and groups were profiled into tribes and sometimes attacked with violence.
Adwin is a lucky survivor but I have since heard other harrowing accounts which have forced me to urgently inquire the holy book on the role of the church in averting tribal conflicts from escalating into widespread genocide.
The recent history of the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the 2008 Kenyan post-election violence bloodbath shows that our tribal tensions lay underground like volcanoes which can erupt anytime cracks appear in our society.
What is the role of the church in ensuring that these tensions do not disintegrate into tribal violence?
The church must urgently declare God’s command of “love your neighbour as you love your self” (Matt 19:19). The military may be able to restrain the mob from burning tyres in the streets, but they cannot teach us to love one another. This is the role of the church, which must urgently urge the Banyoro to love the Bafuruki, the Baganda to love Banyankore, and the Banyara to love the Baganda.
We must not deny the existence of complicated issues that may cause enmity or disagreement. We must preach and demonstrate a love of all Ugandans regardless of tribe and opinion. Let the church thunder with “love your neighbour” regardless the shape of their nose or their tribal accents.
In Judges 12:6 we are told of an inter-tribal conflict pitting Jews against Gileadites and the Ephramites which descended into ethnic cleansing. The Ephramites could not properly pronounce the “she” in the Shiboleth. Like some Nilotic tribes, they could only say “siboleth”. Riotous riverside roadblocks were set up and travellers were subjected to oral tests where your accent would lead to your death. More than 42,000 were killed.
We must rebuke those who will use the Shiboleths as a reason to wreak death and violence on one another. We all live together in Uganda, and many Ugandans have set up farms and homes away from their tribal home villages. My village in Bombo has a majority of Baganda, but we also have Banyarwanda, Bahima, and Nubians. If tribal Shiboleths remain, there are not enough soldiers, teargas or Mambas to secure every goat, cow, sheep or garden in Uganda’s countryside.
On the contrary we have a lot of able bodied, unemployed youth who can be misguided into marauding and plundering their neighbours’ property. This must not be allowed. The traditional African spirit of communal culture must be strengthened and complemented by the teaching of the church. Love your neighbour (regardless of his nose or the number of cows he may have) as you love yourself.
The church must pray for the leaders to have infinite wisdom to handle complicated issues with justice and equity. Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28 needed to figure a complicated case of two new mothers who both claimed one baby. He had no access to modern DNA maternal test yet he had to solve this dispute. The complex issue of tribes, kingdoms and their relationship to a national government requires divine wisdom for our leaders. In the spate between Buganda and Central government, MPs who are from Buganda yet belong to the ruling political party may find themselves with torn loyalties as children are when Daddy and Mummy conflict. We must pray for wisdom and render to each what is due to them. Jesus says “render to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar, to God what belongs to God”. We must render to the executive government (president) and the traditional cultural leaders (Kabaka) whatever loyalties belong to each of them. A way has to be figured out where we all win, and in the end Uganda wins.
At this critical time the church must urgently preach the aspirations of our founding fathers at the formation of our nation. “Oh Uganda may God uphold you”, it is our duty to pray for our motherland. “We lay our future in your hands” our collective destiny is in the wellbeing of Uganda. “United free for liberty” our freedom and liberty is only possible when we are cohesive. “Together we will always stand.” We can only stand when none of us is left behind. If we are to avert the trajectory of history, the prophets must preach a message of love regardless of the size and shape of my nose.
For God and our Country.
Dr. Ssempa is nationally syndicated writer, broadcaster and AIDS activist. He is the pastor of Makerere Community Church at Makerere University; ssempam@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 0772-641028
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
Buganda Crisis, Ugandan Evangelicals, Ssabalokole, and the Future
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
Kato Mivule | October 6, 2009
For over 20 years, Uganda’s Evangelical Churches have enjoyed a rather flattery and illusionist relationship with the current Ugandan regime headed by President Museveni. The implications of the recent Buganda Crisis, for the Ugandan Evangelical Community will in no doubt be far reaching as Ugandans from all sections of life take a second look at the cozy and manipulative relationship between President Museveni’s regime and Ugandan Evangelicals.
September 10th 2009 will probably go down in history as one of Uganda’s worst and bloodiest days when demonstrators who for all reasons were basically fed up with the current regime of President Museveni took to the streets to demonstrate, only to be met with live gun fire from government security forces.
Buganda Riots in Kampala
Brief background…
The demonstrations were a result of the Museveni Government restricting the movements of the Kabaka (King of the Baganda tribe in Uganda – the largest tribe in Uganda). Museveni’s Regime basically denied the Kabaka from visiting one of his ‘counties or village in his kingdom due to objections by one ‘Clan chief’(Banyala Clan Chief – called the Ssabanyala – Ssa-banyala…meaning chief of the Banyala Clan) that resides in the ‘county’ declaring autonomy from the Buganda Kingdom.
The Museveni administration seemed to have taken sides and rather than foster reconciliation to stop the fracas, instead sent troops to protect the Ssabanyala and stopped the Kabaka visiting the area. The result was demonstrations and riots that erupted in Kampala and throughout Uganda’s central region.
The history of the Buganda and Central Government conflict has been long since 1962 and the central issue has been Land and Federal system of governance that Buganda Kingdom demands. The Museveni Government has sought to control most of the Land in Buganda and give it to foreign investors among others, an issue that Buganda and even other tribes strongly oppose. Recent discovery of Oil in Western Uganda and other high value minerals in Uganda has only exacerbated the already existing tensions.
Land grabbing conflicts…
Museveni’s regime is increasingly seen by Ugandan locals as one that grabs land from the poor and hands it over to foreign multinational corporations in the name of economic development. Therefore denying the Kabaka his right to visit one of the counties in his kingdom was interpreted as a move to divide the Buganda Kingdom and ‘steal’ land from the poor and hand it over to large multinational corporations and Museveni’s immediate family members who currently hold most of the senior government positions in Uganda.
The Kabaka of Buganda is the chief custodian of Buganda’s land and for years diverse ethnic groups have settled in Buganda – Uganda’s central region, welcomed by the Kabaka and Baganda peoples and in many cases given free land to settle. These diverse ethnic groups have then been absorbed into Buganda and often adopt the Buganda Culture and language. No violence or wars has resulted as a result of this ‘natural assimilation’ for quite some time; it is only during President Museveni’s Regime that such inter tribe clan ethnic skirmishes have begun to erupt.
Therefore the declaration of autonomy by one of the Clan Chiefs with support from the Museveni regime was read as a tactic to further disenfranchise and marginalize the already poor Baganda by ‘grabbing’ their land.
The resulting riots in the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital left about 26 people dead as a result of the Museveni government using live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators and killing the innocents, which seems to be common in Africa today when despotic regimes face public opposition, take the case of Guinea, where 150 Peaceful demonstrators were killed by government troops recently.
Corruption defining Museveni’s Administration…
Yet still corruption, injustice, nepotism, poverty, high unemployment, land grabbing, the war in Northern Uganda, hunger and drought in Eastern Uganda, the war of pillage in Congo, the war in Sudan, and a large young generation of unemployed youth have defined Museveni’s Government in Uganda. This negative social economic situation only added fuel to the already existing brawl between Buganda and the Central Government and the result was that people were demonstrating against the Museveni Regime that they viewed as corrupt rather than ‘simply’ venting anger over the restriction of the Kabaka’s movements.
It is in this light that Ugandan Evangelicals find themselves in a dilemma as the Ugandan political tide has begun changing against Museveni’s regime that has granted Ugandan Evangelicals a sort of ‘comfort zone’.
Influential Ugandan Evangelical Pastors Turned Political…
Some ‘influential’ Ugandan Evangelical Pastors have always turned their pulpits and gatherings as a podium for President Museveni’s re-election campaigns in exchange for promises of “more freedoms of worship”, money, land for church buildings, and armed protection from President Museveni.
President Museveni has always viewed his relationship with Uganda’s Evangelicals as a political opportunity; always using them to gain political ground and retain power especially during times of elections. Uganda’s Evangelicals command large followings, often filling up stadiums and auditoriums during prayer meetings across Uganda. Therefore a ‘good’ relationship with Uganda’s Evangelical leaders is a powerful asset in President Museveni’s hands.
Museveni at the National Prayers in Nambole Stadium National Prayers at Nambole Stadium
Influential Pastors Defended by Museveni’s Government…
It is President Museveni that has provided protection to popular and now infamous TBN preachers like Ugandan Pastor, Robert Kayanja who was strongly defended by Museveni’s Government when large quantities of smuggled European wine was found by Uganda’s Revenue Authority in his posh ‘million dollar’ home in Gaba, Kampala, one of Uganda’s upscale lakeside neighborhoods. The investigation was frustrated and a full page advertisement by the Ugandan Government was posted in Uganda’s State newspaper, the New Vision, clearing Pastor Kayanja of any wrong doing.
It is then President Museveni that sent out his minister of Ethics Dr. Nsaba Buturo, to vigorously defend Pastor Robert Kayanja on Ugandan Radio and TV Stations after the 2006 Presidential Elections that Ugandan Courts declared were flawed. Pastor Robert Kayanja had gone on national TV and declared a prophecy during those presidential campaigns that one of the Presidential Candidates from the opposition would die and that President Museveni, the incumbent would win by over 60 Per cent of the vote. The prophecy failed and was not true in that no presidential candidate from the opposition died and President Museveni did not win by 60 per cent. The public was outraged by the Robert Kayanja Prophecy that they saw as Pastor Kayanja voicing support for a ‘corrupt’ President Museveni. Ugandans during then realized that the Ugandan Evangelical Leadership was partisan and was a tool for the ‘corrupt’ Museveni regime to retain influence and power.
Those in the opposition cried foul during the 2006 presidential elections when it was discovered and reported by Uganda’s media that President Museveni had secretly met with some Ugandan Evangelical Pastors and ‘given them money’ which the President termed as “facilitation funds” so they could help send many of their parishioners to the polls to vote for Museveni. The incident was an embarrassment to the Evangelical Church that was supposed to be seen as neutral and non partisan yet for ‘thirty pieces of silver’, they sold out.
Evangelicalism viewed as Uganda’s ‘State Religion’…
A number of local evangelical pastors in Uganda have positioned Evangelicalism as the State Religion in Uganda, and with ideas they borrow from Western Political Right wing movements like the US Political Evangelicals, which they then employ in Uganda. For instance President Museveni has been invited on a number of times to officiate at the annual end of year prayer meetings in Nambole Stadium – Uganda’s largest spots stadium and asked to “dedicate” and “declare” Uganda a “Christian Nation”. In these ‘National Prayer’ events, a group of Pastors receive Uganda’s National Flag from Mr. Museveni which they then pray over and announce Uganda a “Christian Nation” – Christian in terms of Evangelical Christianity.
The National Prayers have largely been organized by Pastor Joseph Sserwada of Victory Christian Center in Kampala, who is found of flip flopping at between opposing Museveni’s policies at times and then supporting him at other occasions. For instance at one Prayer Convocation in 2005, Pastor Sserwada demanded that President Museveni release the political opposition leader Kizza Besigye from jail unconditionally but after Museveni granted the request, Pastor Sserwada joined the bandwagon calling on Born Again Christians to vote Museveni back into office.
Sexual Crime in Uganda’s Evangelical Church overlooked…
It is still the same President Museveni’s Government and State House Security agencies that defended Pastor Robert Kayanja when a number of young boys opened cases of sodomy against pastor Kayanja.
The State House defense of Pastor Robert Kayanja was highly dramatized when security agencies put on a spectacular display of theatrics by kidnapping and then releasing one of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s aides and then blamed the local Pastors who had reported the Sodomy case to Police. To this day no report has been released about those who kidnapped Pastor Kayanja’s aide.
Pastor Robert Kayanja on learning that he was about to be indicted, offered Uganda’s police money to renovate Uganda’s Police Staff quarters in Kampala. Uganda’s Police Chief Mr. Kayihura received the offer on the same day that local pastors were helping the sodomized boys report their cases to police to receive justice.
The sodomized boys were arrested and charged and the pastors were summoned at the Police Investigation Headquarters and threatened. Later Uganda’s Police released a report in the State Newspaper – the New Vision, clearing Pastor Robert Kayanja of any sodomy charges. The whereabouts of some of the sodomized boys is still unknown; Uganda’s Police claims that the boys are in “safe police custody”.
Sodomized Boys
Armed Protection for Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Preachers…
It is the same President Museveni who has provided armed security guards from his presidential protection unit to guard and protect a number of Prosperity Gospel Preachers who preach a gospel of money and basically rob the poor of the little they have and live a luxurious Western lifestyle in poor Uganda at the expense of poor and impoverished parishioners.
After the sodomy scandal, Pastor Robert Kayanja a major prosperity gospel preacher is among pastors who enjoy the privilege of armed security guards with links to the Presidential Protection Unit in Uganda.
First Family into the Evangelicalism Business…
As if that was not enough, President Museveni’s own daughter, Patience Museveni Rwabogo recently became an evangelical Pastor and started a Church in Buziga another upscale lakeside suburb of Kampala in Uganda. Among those who attend President Museveni’s Daugter’s Church are Generals in the army, high ranking government officials, and members of Museveni’s extended family.
It is the first time in Uganda’s history that a member of the first family is now Pastor of an Evangelical Church in Uganda and with great influence among local pastors who often seek audience with President Museveni courtesy of Pastor Patience Rwabogo.
Yet despite genuine motives and sincerity by Pastor Patience Rwabogo, her ministry is seen through the eyes of her father President Museveni and how he conducts business with Uganda’s Evangelicals.
Political Endorsing of Pastor Peter Ssematimba…
The latest move by President Museveni making inroads into Uganda’s Evangelical Church was his endorsing of a flamboyant Pastor and Businessman, Pastor Peter Ssematimba. Pastor Ssematimba claims that he became a Born Again Christian in one of Pastor Benny Hinn’s Healing Meetings while on a business trip in the USA.
Museveni at Ssematimba Ceremony Pastor Kayanja and Ssematimba
President Museveni at Swearing in Ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba (in middle) as Local Council Chief - Next Insert...Pastor Robert Kayanja at same ceremony to pray over Pastor Ssematimba...Pastor Kayanja looked thin and weak due to fasting over the Sodomy Scandal during the same period of time...
Pastor Peter Ssematimba is a long time buddy of Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Czar Pastor Robert Kayanja and the two have been the champions of the ‘get rich quick’ prosperity gospel in Uganda. At one time Pastor Ssematimba boasted on his FM Radio Station how it was easy to become a millionaire if one became a Pastor.
Pastor Ssematimba
However, Pastor Ssematimba joined politics and became Mayor of his Town after a failed bid at becoming the Mayor of Kampala, Uganda’s major city. Both Pastor Robert Kayanja and President Museveni fully endorsed Pastor Ssemantimba’s run for local council office and presided over the swearing in ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba in an election that was reported as flawed and fully rigged.
Pastor Peter Ssematimba, a fan of Micheal Jackson Performs the 'Obscene' Micheal Jackson Dance at a local pub in Memory of Michael Jackson...he repeatingly touches his 'private parts' as he dances to MJ tunes...
Divide and Rule Theo-Politics…
President Museveni has always viewed Uganda’s Evangelicals as his constituency and with many large churches being stationed in Buganda and many of the “powerful men of God” being from Buganda, President Museveni has made it is point to keep the Evangelicals as his political constituency. President Museveni has also used the ‘divide and rule’ technique to divide tribes into smaller rival clans and then take sides thus gaining advantage.
This was the case with the Buganda riots; President Museveni took sides with the Banyala Clan and thus the conflict and riots between the Banyala and Baganda tribes that have been in harmony for years. President Museveni makes it a point to appoint a head or chief of the newly formed faction clan. Titles like Ssabanyala, Ssabakoki, Ssabaruri, have become now familiar in Uganda’s Political discourse. Every newly formed clan faction supported by the central government gets a head with the title “Ssa”…
Ugandan Evangelical Leadership Vacuum…
Yet still Evangelicals in Uganda have of recent had squabbles among themselves over leadership. Pastor Sserwada has formed his own organization in Uganda to head Evangelicals which Pastor Robert Kayanja does not subscribe to. Pastor Robert Kayanja claims to be head of his own Ugandan Evangelical federation – the Miracle Center Churches.
Pastor Alex Mitala is also head of the original Uganda Evangelical Body which was set up voluntarily by local Pastors to help train pastors, call pastors to accountability, keep to New Testament Bible Doctrine, and discipline pastors who abuse their authority. Both Pastor Sserwada and Pastor Kayanja do not subscribe to this body and therefore the many conflicts among Uganda’s Evangelicals, not mentioning Evangelical missionaries who also have their own leadership, mostly foreign.
Will there be a Ssabalokole in Buganda?
Such vacuum of leadership has been taken advantage of by President Museveni and his political elites. It would not be surprising that soon President Museveni would appoint a ‘Ssabalokole’ to head the Balokole (Evangelicals) in Uganda before the coming 2011 Presidential Elections should some Evangelicals object his policies openly.
So, would Pastor Robert Kayanja be the next Ssabalokole of Uganda or would it be Pastor Peter Ssematimba? Of recent President Museveni has been providing armed bodyguards to newly formed tribal faction leaders like the Ssabanyala, the same detail that Pastor Robert Kayanja enjoys…so is he being groomed to be the next Ssabalokole? This issue is serious and not comical as it might sound.
Ugandan Evangelicals ought to re-examine their relationship with President Museveni and for the sake of the purity of the Gospel, it might be wise to heed the call of those who call for a separation of Church and State.
Ugandan Evangelicals and the identity of politics…
Such relationships between Uganda’s Evangelical Church and President Museveni’s regime have cast a dark shadow of doubt by the public when it comes to the integrity of Evangelicals in Uganda. Evangelicals are largely seen as being one and the same with the current Museveni Regime – they are seen as those who foster the Museveni Movement.
Therefore the recent political riots in Buganda were simply the public’s venting of anger towards what they are increasingly seeing as a corrupt and despotic regime, and this includes those who support it.
This means that the Evangelicals Churches that team up with the Museveni Regime are seen as one and the same and therefore by default become or will increasingly become a target for the opposition. Uganda’s next presidential elections are scheduled for 2011 and many analysts predict that they will largely be violent as President Museveni seeks to keep a hold on power.
The current posture of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is that it receives protection from the current Museveni Government and should there be a change of administration, there will certainly be consequences to the cozy Museveni Uganda Evangelical unholy marriage.
There is nothing wrong with praying for those in political leadership, as this the bible commands, yet Uganda’s Evangelicals have become political tools to keep Uganda’s corrupt political elite in power. The lack of a biblical based leadership among Evangelicals in Uganda has left the door wide open for political abuse and manipulation.
The future ramifications…
The ramifications are great and will be seen when political Pastors in Uganda return to their call of preaching the gospel and begin to take a stand for social justice, placing them on a collision course with Uganda’s corrupt political elite. It is then that President Museveni will react just as in the case with Buganda and vigorously and viciously enforce his own mandate and maybe a Ssabalokole in the Religious Affairs of the still young Evangelical Body in Uganda.
Future Criminal Probes…
But still the prospects of Evangelicalism in Uganda will face a backlash in event that the opposition politicians gain control of both Uganda’s Parliament and State House. Laws will be enacted to clearly spell the separation of Church and State. Investigations of major Evangelical Pastors will ensue assuming that the new government in power will be serious in fighting corruption. Pastors will have to declare their wealth and account for donations they receive in order to flash out dirty money. Sexual Abuse will be investigated and sodomy charges not dropped.
However, such would be a scenario in a new Uganda were corruption is fought with all instruments of the government. Yet this status quo of corruption with impunity among Uganda’s top Prosperity Gospel Pastors goes undeterred courtesy of President Museveni who winks at the evil (crimes) in Evangelicals Churches in Uganda in return for political support.
Harsh Laws of Church and State Separation…
For one there are no laws in Uganda dictating a separation of Church and State yet what I foresee are laws being quickly enacted by a new opposition administration in Uganda. The laws might not as much curtail mainstream religions like the Catholic Church and Episcopalian Church but rather such laws could be heavily skewed against Evangelicals in Uganda and very harsh.
Yet even such laws might help Evangelicals get more focused on preaching the gospel rather than engage in spending resources in getting a “Christian President” in office.
Violence against Evangelicals…
Further still Uganda’s Evangelical Churches might be at a security risk as large numbers of frustrated locals turn their anger and backlash at the Evangelicals who they see singing the praises not of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and justice but for a President Museveni who they view as an oppressor of the poor and land grabber. This might mean violence against innocent Balokole (Evangelicals) and destruction of their property.
State Persecution and Imprisonment…
Yet still Ugandan Pastors are faced with another dilemma of facing persecution, imprisonment, banishment, and closure of their Churches should they voice support for justice and the poor, and such interests conflict with President Museveni. As it is now, Evangelical Pastors are expected to follow the lead of impromptu ‘Ssabalokoles’ like Pastor Robert Kayanja and Pastor Peter Ssematimba – to sing and dance to the political tunes of President Museveni or else…
Future Exodus out of Evangelical Uganda to Agnostic Uganda…
However, further devastating consequences would be that the large numbers of parishioners would begin an exodus out of the Uganda Evangelical Faith. Many parishioners in Uganda’s Evangelical Churches came out of the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches that were seen as ‘dead’ and ‘lifeless’.
During the late 1980’s large numbers of young people made exodus from the Catholic and Anglican faith and joined the Evangelical Movement in Uganda. At that time many of the young folks sought for role models, they sought a place were they could get the Full Gospel and experience of the New Testament Christianity, they sought a place were they could help by participating, helping the poor, reaching out to other fellow youth etc… Yet the result has been disappointment as Evangelical leaders are only interested in money and an affluent lifestyle.
The circumstances have changed today in Uganda, there are more young educated youth, with access to wireless communication technology, high speed internet, and Satellite TV. Such a well informed generation of people is beginning to demand for accountability to the True Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it in the New Testament. Such a generation will not be hoodwinked by imposter pastors and preachers. The resulting exodus out of the Evangelical Churches will mean a vibrant agnostic society that is ‘burnt out’ with Balokole-ism (Evangelicalism) in Uganda.
Both the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches have been involved in Uganda’s Politics but much more discreetly and with decorum. Yet Evangelicals have instead always been radical and sometimes frenzied such as when prophecies are proclaimed in support of President Museveni. One circulating Prophecy around 1986 was that God spoke to some pastor in Kampala that President Museveni would be president until Jesus Christ came back – and many evangelicals deeply believed it…
Few helpful remedies and recommendations…
Yet Uganda’s Evangelical Church still have time to steer clear of being an object of resent and rejection by Uganda’s poor and disenfranchised public. Rather than joining hands with those who oppress the poor and deny justice, Uganda’s Evangelical church had better return to preaching the Gospel and forsake the Political Platform.
Rather than being instruments that promote the policies of President Museveni, the Ugandan Evangelical church could become a voice of peace, a voice of reason, a voice for the oppressed, a voice for the poor, the sick, prisoners, doing it peacefully from a non partisan stand, speaking truth and justice, and peace to Uganda’s warring factions; most importantly, the True Gospel being proclaimed; concentrate on preaching the gospel, feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and clothing the naked rather than joining those who pillage the poor…
The future of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is dark and unless there is a clear separation of Church and State, Evangelicalism as we knew it in Uganda ended sometime ago; what we have is a religious political cadaver…and it is stinking…certainly an aroma that the Church ought not to give off. The Body of Jesus Christ – The Church is called to be a fragrance of Christ’s Knowledge and Life to the world and not to give off choking and lifeless political fumes.
Yet Uganda’s Evangelicals can arise to the right side of history and do what the Church has done since the first century, Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, stand for justice, care for the poor, widows, orphans, be instruments of peace and reason, and perhaps help Uganda’s warring ethnic tribal factions resort to peaceful means of conflict resolution.
Kato Mivule
http://www.yesumulungi.com/index.php/commentaries/375-buganda-crisis-ugandan-evangelicals-ssabalokole-and-the-future.html
Kato Mivule | October 6, 2009
For over 20 years, Uganda’s Evangelical Churches have enjoyed a rather flattery and illusionist relationship with the current Ugandan regime headed by President Museveni. The implications of the recent Buganda Crisis, for the Ugandan Evangelical Community will in no doubt be far reaching as Ugandans from all sections of life take a second look at the cozy and manipulative relationship between President Museveni’s regime and Ugandan Evangelicals.
September 10th 2009 will probably go down in history as one of Uganda’s worst and bloodiest days when demonstrators who for all reasons were basically fed up with the current regime of President Museveni took to the streets to demonstrate, only to be met with live gun fire from government security forces.
Buganda Riots in Kampala
Brief background…
The demonstrations were a result of the Museveni Government restricting the movements of the Kabaka (King of the Baganda tribe in Uganda – the largest tribe in Uganda). Museveni’s Regime basically denied the Kabaka from visiting one of his ‘counties or village in his kingdom due to objections by one ‘Clan chief’(Banyala Clan Chief – called the Ssabanyala – Ssa-banyala…meaning chief of the Banyala Clan) that resides in the ‘county’ declaring autonomy from the Buganda Kingdom.
The Museveni administration seemed to have taken sides and rather than foster reconciliation to stop the fracas, instead sent troops to protect the Ssabanyala and stopped the Kabaka visiting the area. The result was demonstrations and riots that erupted in Kampala and throughout Uganda’s central region.
The history of the Buganda and Central Government conflict has been long since 1962 and the central issue has been Land and Federal system of governance that Buganda Kingdom demands. The Museveni Government has sought to control most of the Land in Buganda and give it to foreign investors among others, an issue that Buganda and even other tribes strongly oppose. Recent discovery of Oil in Western Uganda and other high value minerals in Uganda has only exacerbated the already existing tensions.
Land grabbing conflicts…
Museveni’s regime is increasingly seen by Ugandan locals as one that grabs land from the poor and hands it over to foreign multinational corporations in the name of economic development. Therefore denying the Kabaka his right to visit one of the counties in his kingdom was interpreted as a move to divide the Buganda Kingdom and ‘steal’ land from the poor and hand it over to large multinational corporations and Museveni’s immediate family members who currently hold most of the senior government positions in Uganda.
The Kabaka of Buganda is the chief custodian of Buganda’s land and for years diverse ethnic groups have settled in Buganda – Uganda’s central region, welcomed by the Kabaka and Baganda peoples and in many cases given free land to settle. These diverse ethnic groups have then been absorbed into Buganda and often adopt the Buganda Culture and language. No violence or wars has resulted as a result of this ‘natural assimilation’ for quite some time; it is only during President Museveni’s Regime that such inter tribe clan ethnic skirmishes have begun to erupt.
Therefore the declaration of autonomy by one of the Clan Chiefs with support from the Museveni regime was read as a tactic to further disenfranchise and marginalize the already poor Baganda by ‘grabbing’ their land.
The resulting riots in the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital left about 26 people dead as a result of the Museveni government using live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators and killing the innocents, which seems to be common in Africa today when despotic regimes face public opposition, take the case of Guinea, where 150 Peaceful demonstrators were killed by government troops recently.
Corruption defining Museveni’s Administration…
Yet still corruption, injustice, nepotism, poverty, high unemployment, land grabbing, the war in Northern Uganda, hunger and drought in Eastern Uganda, the war of pillage in Congo, the war in Sudan, and a large young generation of unemployed youth have defined Museveni’s Government in Uganda. This negative social economic situation only added fuel to the already existing brawl between Buganda and the Central Government and the result was that people were demonstrating against the Museveni Regime that they viewed as corrupt rather than ‘simply’ venting anger over the restriction of the Kabaka’s movements.
It is in this light that Ugandan Evangelicals find themselves in a dilemma as the Ugandan political tide has begun changing against Museveni’s regime that has granted Ugandan Evangelicals a sort of ‘comfort zone’.
Influential Ugandan Evangelical Pastors Turned Political…
Some ‘influential’ Ugandan Evangelical Pastors have always turned their pulpits and gatherings as a podium for President Museveni’s re-election campaigns in exchange for promises of “more freedoms of worship”, money, land for church buildings, and armed protection from President Museveni.
President Museveni has always viewed his relationship with Uganda’s Evangelicals as a political opportunity; always using them to gain political ground and retain power especially during times of elections. Uganda’s Evangelicals command large followings, often filling up stadiums and auditoriums during prayer meetings across Uganda. Therefore a ‘good’ relationship with Uganda’s Evangelical leaders is a powerful asset in President Museveni’s hands.
Museveni at the National Prayers in Nambole Stadium National Prayers at Nambole Stadium
Influential Pastors Defended by Museveni’s Government…
It is President Museveni that has provided protection to popular and now infamous TBN preachers like Ugandan Pastor, Robert Kayanja who was strongly defended by Museveni’s Government when large quantities of smuggled European wine was found by Uganda’s Revenue Authority in his posh ‘million dollar’ home in Gaba, Kampala, one of Uganda’s upscale lakeside neighborhoods. The investigation was frustrated and a full page advertisement by the Ugandan Government was posted in Uganda’s State newspaper, the New Vision, clearing Pastor Kayanja of any wrong doing.
It is then President Museveni that sent out his minister of Ethics Dr. Nsaba Buturo, to vigorously defend Pastor Robert Kayanja on Ugandan Radio and TV Stations after the 2006 Presidential Elections that Ugandan Courts declared were flawed. Pastor Robert Kayanja had gone on national TV and declared a prophecy during those presidential campaigns that one of the Presidential Candidates from the opposition would die and that President Museveni, the incumbent would win by over 60 Per cent of the vote. The prophecy failed and was not true in that no presidential candidate from the opposition died and President Museveni did not win by 60 per cent. The public was outraged by the Robert Kayanja Prophecy that they saw as Pastor Kayanja voicing support for a ‘corrupt’ President Museveni. Ugandans during then realized that the Ugandan Evangelical Leadership was partisan and was a tool for the ‘corrupt’ Museveni regime to retain influence and power.
Those in the opposition cried foul during the 2006 presidential elections when it was discovered and reported by Uganda’s media that President Museveni had secretly met with some Ugandan Evangelical Pastors and ‘given them money’ which the President termed as “facilitation funds” so they could help send many of their parishioners to the polls to vote for Museveni. The incident was an embarrassment to the Evangelical Church that was supposed to be seen as neutral and non partisan yet for ‘thirty pieces of silver’, they sold out.
Evangelicalism viewed as Uganda’s ‘State Religion’…
A number of local evangelical pastors in Uganda have positioned Evangelicalism as the State Religion in Uganda, and with ideas they borrow from Western Political Right wing movements like the US Political Evangelicals, which they then employ in Uganda. For instance President Museveni has been invited on a number of times to officiate at the annual end of year prayer meetings in Nambole Stadium – Uganda’s largest spots stadium and asked to “dedicate” and “declare” Uganda a “Christian Nation”. In these ‘National Prayer’ events, a group of Pastors receive Uganda’s National Flag from Mr. Museveni which they then pray over and announce Uganda a “Christian Nation” – Christian in terms of Evangelical Christianity.
The National Prayers have largely been organized by Pastor Joseph Sserwada of Victory Christian Center in Kampala, who is found of flip flopping at between opposing Museveni’s policies at times and then supporting him at other occasions. For instance at one Prayer Convocation in 2005, Pastor Sserwada demanded that President Museveni release the political opposition leader Kizza Besigye from jail unconditionally but after Museveni granted the request, Pastor Sserwada joined the bandwagon calling on Born Again Christians to vote Museveni back into office.
Sexual Crime in Uganda’s Evangelical Church overlooked…
It is still the same President Museveni’s Government and State House Security agencies that defended Pastor Robert Kayanja when a number of young boys opened cases of sodomy against pastor Kayanja.
The State House defense of Pastor Robert Kayanja was highly dramatized when security agencies put on a spectacular display of theatrics by kidnapping and then releasing one of Pastor Robert Kayanja’s aides and then blamed the local Pastors who had reported the Sodomy case to Police. To this day no report has been released about those who kidnapped Pastor Kayanja’s aide.
Pastor Robert Kayanja on learning that he was about to be indicted, offered Uganda’s police money to renovate Uganda’s Police Staff quarters in Kampala. Uganda’s Police Chief Mr. Kayihura received the offer on the same day that local pastors were helping the sodomized boys report their cases to police to receive justice.
The sodomized boys were arrested and charged and the pastors were summoned at the Police Investigation Headquarters and threatened. Later Uganda’s Police released a report in the State Newspaper – the New Vision, clearing Pastor Robert Kayanja of any sodomy charges. The whereabouts of some of the sodomized boys is still unknown; Uganda’s Police claims that the boys are in “safe police custody”.
Sodomized Boys
Armed Protection for Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Preachers…
It is the same President Museveni who has provided armed security guards from his presidential protection unit to guard and protect a number of Prosperity Gospel Preachers who preach a gospel of money and basically rob the poor of the little they have and live a luxurious Western lifestyle in poor Uganda at the expense of poor and impoverished parishioners.
After the sodomy scandal, Pastor Robert Kayanja a major prosperity gospel preacher is among pastors who enjoy the privilege of armed security guards with links to the Presidential Protection Unit in Uganda.
First Family into the Evangelicalism Business…
As if that was not enough, President Museveni’s own daughter, Patience Museveni Rwabogo recently became an evangelical Pastor and started a Church in Buziga another upscale lakeside suburb of Kampala in Uganda. Among those who attend President Museveni’s Daugter’s Church are Generals in the army, high ranking government officials, and members of Museveni’s extended family.
It is the first time in Uganda’s history that a member of the first family is now Pastor of an Evangelical Church in Uganda and with great influence among local pastors who often seek audience with President Museveni courtesy of Pastor Patience Rwabogo.
Yet despite genuine motives and sincerity by Pastor Patience Rwabogo, her ministry is seen through the eyes of her father President Museveni and how he conducts business with Uganda’s Evangelicals.
Political Endorsing of Pastor Peter Ssematimba…
The latest move by President Museveni making inroads into Uganda’s Evangelical Church was his endorsing of a flamboyant Pastor and Businessman, Pastor Peter Ssematimba. Pastor Ssematimba claims that he became a Born Again Christian in one of Pastor Benny Hinn’s Healing Meetings while on a business trip in the USA.
Museveni at Ssematimba Ceremony Pastor Kayanja and Ssematimba
President Museveni at Swearing in Ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba (in middle) as Local Council Chief - Next Insert...Pastor Robert Kayanja at same ceremony to pray over Pastor Ssematimba...Pastor Kayanja looked thin and weak due to fasting over the Sodomy Scandal during the same period of time...
Pastor Peter Ssematimba is a long time buddy of Uganda’s Prosperity Gospel Czar Pastor Robert Kayanja and the two have been the champions of the ‘get rich quick’ prosperity gospel in Uganda. At one time Pastor Ssematimba boasted on his FM Radio Station how it was easy to become a millionaire if one became a Pastor.
Pastor Ssematimba
However, Pastor Ssematimba joined politics and became Mayor of his Town after a failed bid at becoming the Mayor of Kampala, Uganda’s major city. Both Pastor Robert Kayanja and President Museveni fully endorsed Pastor Ssemantimba’s run for local council office and presided over the swearing in ceremony of Pastor Peter Ssematimba in an election that was reported as flawed and fully rigged.
Pastor Peter Ssematimba, a fan of Micheal Jackson Performs the 'Obscene' Micheal Jackson Dance at a local pub in Memory of Michael Jackson...he repeatingly touches his 'private parts' as he dances to MJ tunes...
Divide and Rule Theo-Politics…
President Museveni has always viewed Uganda’s Evangelicals as his constituency and with many large churches being stationed in Buganda and many of the “powerful men of God” being from Buganda, President Museveni has made it is point to keep the Evangelicals as his political constituency. President Museveni has also used the ‘divide and rule’ technique to divide tribes into smaller rival clans and then take sides thus gaining advantage.
This was the case with the Buganda riots; President Museveni took sides with the Banyala Clan and thus the conflict and riots between the Banyala and Baganda tribes that have been in harmony for years. President Museveni makes it a point to appoint a head or chief of the newly formed faction clan. Titles like Ssabanyala, Ssabakoki, Ssabaruri, have become now familiar in Uganda’s Political discourse. Every newly formed clan faction supported by the central government gets a head with the title “Ssa”…
Ugandan Evangelical Leadership Vacuum…
Yet still Evangelicals in Uganda have of recent had squabbles among themselves over leadership. Pastor Sserwada has formed his own organization in Uganda to head Evangelicals which Pastor Robert Kayanja does not subscribe to. Pastor Robert Kayanja claims to be head of his own Ugandan Evangelical federation – the Miracle Center Churches.
Pastor Alex Mitala is also head of the original Uganda Evangelical Body which was set up voluntarily by local Pastors to help train pastors, call pastors to accountability, keep to New Testament Bible Doctrine, and discipline pastors who abuse their authority. Both Pastor Sserwada and Pastor Kayanja do not subscribe to this body and therefore the many conflicts among Uganda’s Evangelicals, not mentioning Evangelical missionaries who also have their own leadership, mostly foreign.
Will there be a Ssabalokole in Buganda?
Such vacuum of leadership has been taken advantage of by President Museveni and his political elites. It would not be surprising that soon President Museveni would appoint a ‘Ssabalokole’ to head the Balokole (Evangelicals) in Uganda before the coming 2011 Presidential Elections should some Evangelicals object his policies openly.
So, would Pastor Robert Kayanja be the next Ssabalokole of Uganda or would it be Pastor Peter Ssematimba? Of recent President Museveni has been providing armed bodyguards to newly formed tribal faction leaders like the Ssabanyala, the same detail that Pastor Robert Kayanja enjoys…so is he being groomed to be the next Ssabalokole? This issue is serious and not comical as it might sound.
Ugandan Evangelicals ought to re-examine their relationship with President Museveni and for the sake of the purity of the Gospel, it might be wise to heed the call of those who call for a separation of Church and State.
Ugandan Evangelicals and the identity of politics…
Such relationships between Uganda’s Evangelical Church and President Museveni’s regime have cast a dark shadow of doubt by the public when it comes to the integrity of Evangelicals in Uganda. Evangelicals are largely seen as being one and the same with the current Museveni Regime – they are seen as those who foster the Museveni Movement.
Therefore the recent political riots in Buganda were simply the public’s venting of anger towards what they are increasingly seeing as a corrupt and despotic regime, and this includes those who support it.
This means that the Evangelicals Churches that team up with the Museveni Regime are seen as one and the same and therefore by default become or will increasingly become a target for the opposition. Uganda’s next presidential elections are scheduled for 2011 and many analysts predict that they will largely be violent as President Museveni seeks to keep a hold on power.
The current posture of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is that it receives protection from the current Museveni Government and should there be a change of administration, there will certainly be consequences to the cozy Museveni Uganda Evangelical unholy marriage.
There is nothing wrong with praying for those in political leadership, as this the bible commands, yet Uganda’s Evangelicals have become political tools to keep Uganda’s corrupt political elite in power. The lack of a biblical based leadership among Evangelicals in Uganda has left the door wide open for political abuse and manipulation.
The future ramifications…
The ramifications are great and will be seen when political Pastors in Uganda return to their call of preaching the gospel and begin to take a stand for social justice, placing them on a collision course with Uganda’s corrupt political elite. It is then that President Museveni will react just as in the case with Buganda and vigorously and viciously enforce his own mandate and maybe a Ssabalokole in the Religious Affairs of the still young Evangelical Body in Uganda.
Future Criminal Probes…
But still the prospects of Evangelicalism in Uganda will face a backlash in event that the opposition politicians gain control of both Uganda’s Parliament and State House. Laws will be enacted to clearly spell the separation of Church and State. Investigations of major Evangelical Pastors will ensue assuming that the new government in power will be serious in fighting corruption. Pastors will have to declare their wealth and account for donations they receive in order to flash out dirty money. Sexual Abuse will be investigated and sodomy charges not dropped.
However, such would be a scenario in a new Uganda were corruption is fought with all instruments of the government. Yet this status quo of corruption with impunity among Uganda’s top Prosperity Gospel Pastors goes undeterred courtesy of President Museveni who winks at the evil (crimes) in Evangelicals Churches in Uganda in return for political support.
Harsh Laws of Church and State Separation…
For one there are no laws in Uganda dictating a separation of Church and State yet what I foresee are laws being quickly enacted by a new opposition administration in Uganda. The laws might not as much curtail mainstream religions like the Catholic Church and Episcopalian Church but rather such laws could be heavily skewed against Evangelicals in Uganda and very harsh.
Yet even such laws might help Evangelicals get more focused on preaching the gospel rather than engage in spending resources in getting a “Christian President” in office.
Violence against Evangelicals…
Further still Uganda’s Evangelical Churches might be at a security risk as large numbers of frustrated locals turn their anger and backlash at the Evangelicals who they see singing the praises not of Jesus Christ who stood for the poor and justice but for a President Museveni who they view as an oppressor of the poor and land grabber. This might mean violence against innocent Balokole (Evangelicals) and destruction of their property.
State Persecution and Imprisonment…
Yet still Ugandan Pastors are faced with another dilemma of facing persecution, imprisonment, banishment, and closure of their Churches should they voice support for justice and the poor, and such interests conflict with President Museveni. As it is now, Evangelical Pastors are expected to follow the lead of impromptu ‘Ssabalokoles’ like Pastor Robert Kayanja and Pastor Peter Ssematimba – to sing and dance to the political tunes of President Museveni or else…
Future Exodus out of Evangelical Uganda to Agnostic Uganda…
However, further devastating consequences would be that the large numbers of parishioners would begin an exodus out of the Uganda Evangelical Faith. Many parishioners in Uganda’s Evangelical Churches came out of the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches that were seen as ‘dead’ and ‘lifeless’.
During the late 1980’s large numbers of young people made exodus from the Catholic and Anglican faith and joined the Evangelical Movement in Uganda. At that time many of the young folks sought for role models, they sought a place were they could get the Full Gospel and experience of the New Testament Christianity, they sought a place were they could help by participating, helping the poor, reaching out to other fellow youth etc… Yet the result has been disappointment as Evangelical leaders are only interested in money and an affluent lifestyle.
The circumstances have changed today in Uganda, there are more young educated youth, with access to wireless communication technology, high speed internet, and Satellite TV. Such a well informed generation of people is beginning to demand for accountability to the True Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have it in the New Testament. Such a generation will not be hoodwinked by imposter pastors and preachers. The resulting exodus out of the Evangelical Churches will mean a vibrant agnostic society that is ‘burnt out’ with Balokole-ism (Evangelicalism) in Uganda.
Both the Catholic and Episcopalian Churches have been involved in Uganda’s Politics but much more discreetly and with decorum. Yet Evangelicals have instead always been radical and sometimes frenzied such as when prophecies are proclaimed in support of President Museveni. One circulating Prophecy around 1986 was that God spoke to some pastor in Kampala that President Museveni would be president until Jesus Christ came back – and many evangelicals deeply believed it…
Few helpful remedies and recommendations…
Yet Uganda’s Evangelical Church still have time to steer clear of being an object of resent and rejection by Uganda’s poor and disenfranchised public. Rather than joining hands with those who oppress the poor and deny justice, Uganda’s Evangelical church had better return to preaching the Gospel and forsake the Political Platform.
Rather than being instruments that promote the policies of President Museveni, the Ugandan Evangelical church could become a voice of peace, a voice of reason, a voice for the oppressed, a voice for the poor, the sick, prisoners, doing it peacefully from a non partisan stand, speaking truth and justice, and peace to Uganda’s warring factions; most importantly, the True Gospel being proclaimed; concentrate on preaching the gospel, feeding the poor, visiting the sick, and clothing the naked rather than joining those who pillage the poor…
The future of Uganda’s Evangelical Church is dark and unless there is a clear separation of Church and State, Evangelicalism as we knew it in Uganda ended sometime ago; what we have is a religious political cadaver…and it is stinking…certainly an aroma that the Church ought not to give off. The Body of Jesus Christ – The Church is called to be a fragrance of Christ’s Knowledge and Life to the world and not to give off choking and lifeless political fumes.
Yet Uganda’s Evangelicals can arise to the right side of history and do what the Church has done since the first century, Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, stand for justice, care for the poor, widows, orphans, be instruments of peace and reason, and perhaps help Uganda’s warring ethnic tribal factions resort to peaceful means of conflict resolution.
Kato Mivule
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)