John R. Houk
© March 31, 2016
In a recent email from Yurki1000, this question was asked:
Shalom John. Would you like to
write about the Voodoo and Chrislam (and TB Joshua and the SCOAN)?
So exactly what is
voodoo?
There are different types of voodoo depending on the
influence of a region of origin. Rather than detailing the different types of
voodoo I’ll use Wikipedia as a
reference. Whether or not there are more forms of voodoo listed by Wikipedia or if the details are
deficient, I don’t know or really care since I am a Christian.
Louisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans
Voodoo
… describes a set of spiritual
folkways that developed from the traditions of the African diaspora. It is a
cultural form of the Afro-American
religions developed by enslaved West Africans and the French, Spanish, and Creole populations
of the U.S. state
of Louisiana. Voodoo is one of many
incarnations of African-based
spiritual folkways rooted in West African Dahomeyan Vodun.
Its liturgical
language is Louisiana
Creole French, the language of the Louisiana
Creole people.
Voodoo became syncretized with the Catholic and Francophone culture of
south Louisiana as a result of creolization in the region resulting from
the Atlantic
slave trade. Louisiana Voodoo is often confused with—but is not
completely separable from—Haitian Vodou and southern
American Hoodoo.
It differs from Vodou in its emphasis upon gris-gris,
Voodoo queens, use of Hoodoo paraphernalia, and Li Grand Zombi. It was through Louisiana Voodoo that such
terms as gris-gris (a Wolof term) and "Voodoo
dolls"' were introduced into the American lexicon.
Haitian Vodou
Haitian Vodou[1][2][3] (/ˈvoʊ.duː/, French: [vodu],
also written as Vaudou;[4][5]/ˈvoʊ.duː/ Vodun[6][7] or Vodoun[6][8] /ˈvoʊ.duːn/;
and Voodoo /ˈvuː.duː/)
is a syncretic[9] religion practiced chiefly
in Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. Practitioners
are called "vodouists" (French: vodouisants [voduisɑ̃])
or "servants of the spirits" (Haitian
Creole: sèvitè).[10]
Vodouists believe in a distant and
unknowable Supreme Creator, Bondye (derived
from the French term
Bon Dieu, meaning "good God"). According to Vodouists, Bondye does
not intercede in human affairs, and thus direct their worship toward spirits
subservient to Bondye, called loa.[11] Every loa is
responsible for a particular aspect of life, with the dynamic and changing
personalities of each loa reflecting the many possibilities inherent to the
aspects of life over which they preside.[12] In order to
navigate daily life, vodouists cultivate personal relationships with the loa
through the presentation of offerings, the creation of personal altars and
devotional objects, and participation in elaborate ceremonies of music, dance,
and spirit
possession.[13]
Vodou originated in the Caribbean and developed in
the French
Empire in the 18th century among West African slaves when
African religious practice was actively suppressed, and enslaved Africans were
forced to convert to Christianity.[14][15] Religious practices
of contemporary Vodou are descended from, and closely related to, West African
Vodun as practiced by the Fon and Ewe. Vodou also incorporates
elements and symbolism from other African peoples including the Yoruba and Kongo; as well as Taíno religious beliefs, Roman Catholicism, and European
spirituality including mysticism, Freemasonry, and other
influences.[16]
Dominican Vudú
Dominican Vudú, also known
as Las 21 Divisiones (21 Divisions), is
a syncretic religion of Caribbean origin which
developed in the Spanish Empire.
Beliefs
Dominican Vudú is composed of three
divisions: the Indigenous American Division, whose spirits are of
American origin (usually refers to Taíno spirits); the African Division, whose spirits
are of African origin (usually Fon and Ewe spirits); and
the European Division, whose spirits are of European origin
(usually Spaniard and French spirits). The
Indigenous American Division is one of the main features that distinguishes
Dominican Vudú from other forms of Vodou.
Some major deities venerated in
Dominican Vudú include:
…
… Dominican Vudú is practiced
through a Tcha Tcha (“maraca” – which means rattle) lineage.[1] In Haiti, Vodou has
come about and become more popular through another lineage known as the Asson.
However, before the Asson, the Tcha Tcha lineage was the prominent lineage in
Haiti. Thus the Tcha Tcha lineage is one of the oldest lineages within the
Vodou tradition.[1]
Dominican Vudú practitioners are
often called “Caballos”, but they are also known as Papa Bokos and Papa
Loa(masculine); and Mama Mambos and Mama Loa (feminine). One who has
obtained this title has gone through the last and highest level of initiation
that can take anywhere between 3 to 9 days and nights as well as have spent a
time working for … READ ENTIRETY
West African Vodun
This article is about the West
African religion. For other uses, see Voodoo (disambiguation).
See also: Dahomey mythology
Vodun (meaning spirit in
the Fon and Ewe languages, pronounced [vodṹ] with
a nasal high-tone u;
also spelled Vodon, Vodoun, Vodou, Voudou, Voodoo,
etc.) is practiced by the Ewe people of eastern and
southern Ghana, and southern and
central Togo; and the Kabye people, Mina people, and Fon people of southern and
central Togo, southern and
central Benin. It is also practiced by
some Gun people
of Lagos and Ogun in southwest Nigeria. All the aforementioned peoples belong to Gbe speaking ethnic groups
of West Africa.
It is distinct from the
various African
traditional religions in the interiors of these countries and
is the main source of religions with similar names found among the African Diaspora in
the New World such as Haitian Vodou; Puerto Rican Vodú; Cuban Vodú; Dominican Vudú; Brazilian Vodum;
and Louisiana Voodoo.
All of these closely related faiths are syncretized with Christianity to various
degrees and with the traditional beliefs of the Kongo people and
Indigenous American traditions.[1][2][3]
Contents
Remember I am examining “voodoo” because of reputed West
African TB Joshua. One of the criticisms toward Joshua is he is mixing voodoo
with Christianity. I included the table of contents West African Vodun because if the accusation is
true then Joshua most likely as a West African from Nigeria is dabbling into
that lineage of voodoo.
Also Joshua is
accused of mixing Islam with his theological practices as well hence the term
“Chrislam”. So how do we describe Chrislam?
Wikipedia on Chrislam
Chrislam /ˈkrɪslɑːm/,
is a pejorative term, defined by William Lane
Craig as "neither Christianity nor Islam",[1]referring to certain interfaith branches of
Christianity and Islam. "Chrislamic" Christian sects would be those
which reject the position of John of Damascus on Muhammad viewing him
instead as an inspired Christian graced with the spiritual gift of prophecy.
"Chrislamic" sects of Islam would be those which reject any
interpretation of the Quran causing contradiction with the Christian Bible
faith. The views are very similar to those expressed by the Nestorian
Catholicos-Patriarch Timothy I of Baghdad in his famous "Apology for
Christianity".[2] Nevertheless, critics describe these sects as a
new syncretic religion
which mixes elements of Christianity and Islam.
…
Yoruba "Chrislams"
The most famous branches of
Chrislam in recent years inspired by more agreeable elements of the Ansar
movement of the Nation of Islam are two different religious movements in Nigeria, one called Ifeoluwa founded by Tela
Tella in the 1970s and 80s[7] and another called Oke-Tude founded
by Samson Saka in 1999. They are also known as The Will of God Mission or The
True Message of God Mission respectively[8]
Ifeoluwa
Ifeoluwa comprises about 1,500
adherents[citation
needed] predominantly in Lagos. As in other Chrislamic movements, its followers
recognise both the Bible and
the Qur'an as holy texts, and also practice
"running deliverance," a distinctive practice of spiritual running
likened to Joshua's [Blog Editor: Biblical Joshua son
of Nun and not TB Joshua] army circling Jericho, or the practice of
Pilgrims circumambulating a
Church for Palm Sunday or the Kaaba, and Jews around the Synagogue during Sukkot. In
ancient Nestorian tradition, Ifeoluwa is still Sabbatarian with formal worship
sessions being held three times a day on Sabat (Arabic for Saturday). This is
seen as a suitable mid-way solution to avoid favouritism between mainstream
Christians who worship on Sundays and mainstream Muslims who worship on
Fridays.
However, in contrast to other
Chrislamic sects, Tela Tella, while claiming to believe in both the Qur'an and
the Bible, says they are incomplete, and is writing his own book called the
“Ifeoluwa Book”.[5]
Tela Tella claims that an angel of
God came to him and told him that he gave him the mission and the name
"Ifeoluwa: The Will of God Mission".[5]
In Ifeoluwa there is an
annual pilgrimage to
The Mount of Authority, where the people pray for three days, and other annual
festivals put on by Tela Tella. Tella also leads the singing of hymns during
the Saturday service. Tella claims that these hymns were revealed to him by the
angels Gabriel and Michael.[5]
Ifeoluwa has very strict
regulations that Tella calls commandments. These commandments deal with
behavior, morality, discipline, how to dress, what not to eat and how to eat
it, and hygiene and purity. Tella says that these commandments were given to
him when he was on the Mount of Authority.[5]
Oke Tude
Oke Tude is slightly less
recognisable to mainstream Christianity, resembling more interfaith worship with
three different sessions or services that take place on Sunday. The first is a
Muslim session, then a Christian session, and finally there is a joint session
that Saka leads. During this he stresses the similarities between Christianity
and Islamic beliefs.[5]
gotQuestions.org on Chrislam
Question: "What is
Chrislam?"
Answer: Chrislam is an attempt to syncretize Christianity with Islam. While it began in Nigeria in the 1980s, Chrislamic ideas have spread throughout much of the world. The essential concept of Chrislam is that Christianity and Islam are compatible, that one can be a Christian and a Muslim at the same time. Chrislam is not an actual religion of its own, but a blurring of the differences and distinctions between Christianity and Islam.
Answer: Chrislam is an attempt to syncretize Christianity with Islam. While it began in Nigeria in the 1980s, Chrislamic ideas have spread throughout much of the world. The essential concept of Chrislam is that Christianity and Islam are compatible, that one can be a Christian and a Muslim at the same time. Chrislam is not an actual religion of its own, but a blurring of the differences and distinctions between Christianity and Islam.
…
While it is undeniable that there
are many similarities between Christianity and Islam (and Judaism, for that
matter), Chrislam ultimately fails because Christianity and Islam are
diametrically opposed on the most important of issues – the identity of Jesus
Christ. True Christianity declares Jesus to be God incarnate. For Christians,
the deity of Christ is a non-negotiable, for without His deity, Jesus’ death on
the cross would not have been sufficient to be the atoning sacrifice for the
sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2).
Islam adamantly rejects the deity of Christ. The Qur’an declares the idea that Jesus is God to be blasphemy (5:17). Belief in the deity of Christ is considered shirk (“filth”) to Muslims. Further, Islam denies the death of Christ on the cross (4:157-158). The most crucial doctrine of the Christian faith is rejected in Islam. As a result, the two religions are absolutely not compatible, making Chrislam a concept both Christians and Muslims should reject. -READ ENTIRETY
Islam adamantly rejects the deity of Christ. The Qur’an declares the idea that Jesus is God to be blasphemy (5:17). Belief in the deity of Christ is considered shirk (“filth”) to Muslims. Further, Islam denies the death of Christ on the cross (4:157-158). The most crucial doctrine of the Christian faith is rejected in Islam. As a result, the two religions are absolutely not compatible, making Chrislam a concept both Christians and Muslims should reject. -READ ENTIRETY
CompellingTruth.org on Chrislam
Chrislam is a modern-day attempt to
blend the teachings and practices of Christianity and Islam. Historically,
Chrislam began under a Nigerian leader named Tela Tella in the 1970s. It
recognizes both the Bible and Qur'an as holy books and reads from both sources
during its gatherings. Likewise, both Christian and Muslim holidays are
celebrated as equal. God and Allah are considered the same god.
…
Both biblical Christianity and
traditional Islam reject modern attempts of Chrislam. The Bible teaches there
is one God (Genesis 1:1) and that Jesus
Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Islam rejects the
idea of Jesus as divine, rejects the Christian view of God as Triune, and
rejects the Christian belief in salvation by faith alone. These two religions logically
contradict one another in numerous ways. The only way in which these two belief
systems can be blended into one is to choose only those beliefs that fit one's
preconceived notions or to reinterpret both the Bible and Qur'an to fit a
particular agenda.
…
Some have begun calling interfaith
gatherings in the U.S. that involve combined worship services with Muslim and
Christian elements Chrislam. Theologically, this label is accurate, though
these participants are not connected with the movement in Nigeria and would
likely reject the label.
Ultimately, however, Christians must be aware that the blending of Islamic worship elements with Christian worship is to be rejected (Jude 3). Instead, Muslims need a clear example of Christians who stand firm in their faith, present the biblical view of Jesus Christ, and live the teachings of the Bible. Only then will the biblical gospel message be clear to Muslims who seek salvation. -READ ENTIRETY
Ultimately, however, Christians must be aware that the blending of Islamic worship elements with Christian worship is to be rejected (Jude 3). Instead, Muslims need a clear example of Christians who stand firm in their faith, present the biblical view of Jesus Christ, and live the teachings of the Bible. Only then will the biblical gospel message be clear to Muslims who seek salvation. -READ ENTIRETY
If TB Joshua is mixing Islam with Christianity, he is in
danger from Muslims demanding Quranic purity or else. I wonder how Joshua would
fair in the hands of the Nigerian Islamic terrorists Boko Haram?
Frankly I have had a bit of difficulty locating any of the
actual practices of TB Joshua mixing Voodoo and Islam with Christianity EXCEPT
from those who have been disaffected from Joshua’s ministry. Joshua can easily
claim the sour grapes argument to criticize these detractors. NEVERTHELESS,
that does not mean Joshua’s detractors are actually misrepresenting or lying
about Joshua’s practices. It does mean a bit of a Joshua’s word vs. detractors’ word has to be weighed.
Also Joshua’s detractors have complained about cult-like
practices which I might note, have similarities to other Christian cult
spin-offs such as the Jim Jones cult (simple, clinical and historical), the Branch Davidian cult or various Mormon polygamous cults.
Here is an example of a former Synagogue Church of All
Nations (SCOAN) minister sharing his experiences in private out of fear for his
life from TB Joshua which reminds me of the scenarios of the cults in the above
links:
Malawian staff of SCOAN accuses TB Joshua of faking prophecies
Respected Nigerian prophet, TB
Joshua, has come under heavy bombardment from staff members of his
church in Malawi who have accused him of making fake
prophecies as well as stealing medical records of their former
President, Bingu Mutharika and converting them into his death
prophecy, making fame for himself along the way, reports My Zimbabwe.
The report that is making waves on
social media in the East African country, adds that Joshua asked his trusted
staff to get him the late
president's medical records in 2011 when Muthurika was
suffering from a serious a terminal disease and with it, came out with his 60
Day Death Prophecy.
This is how the popular online site
captured the story:
"More than 3 months before
TB Joshua ever opened his mouth, back in November 2011, Mutharika’s health and
his impending demise were public knowledge such that the President would
several times come out telling people, “I am not dead yet.”
Furthermore, in the days and
months running up to President Mutharika’s death on April 5th, 2012, the
Malawian president was regularly consulting the preacher on many things and
documented letters reveal this fact.
Mutharika’s deputy at the
time, Joyce Banda, who would soon afterwards replace him, also
frequented the preacher’s private residence where she would secretly engage TB
Joshua weeks before he made his prophetic claim as the church’s videos show.
Banda was at the time at war
with her boss, Mutharika, the latter who was also seeking to fire her from
government and so she would privately confide with Joshua."
What do you make of this
allegations? (Malawian staff of SCOAN accuses TB Joshua
of faking prophecies: The social media
in Malawi is agog after some staff of Prophet TB Joshua accused him of fake
prophecies; By Isaac
Dachen; pulse.ng; 11/20/15)
There is a reason Isaac Dachen placed an as positive spin as
possible to the bad news of TB Joshua being exposed. An example many critics of
Joshua are metaphorically face-slapped for their criticism. A couple of years
ago when one of Joshua’s ministry buildings collapsed from too much occupancy
killing over 80 individuals, many Joshua critics hollered for an investigation
especially when the structure was ruled in violation of construction protocols
for several floors that would not be able to bear the weight. Joshua did not
concur with the ruling but blamed a mysterious plane seen by no one flying by
and causing the building collapse. One of those critics was a respected
minister whose name is Rev. lsaac Owusu Bempah. Joshua’s attack machine
immediately began the attack machine of the reverend’s credibility by impugning
him with a how dare you attack:
T B Joshua’s Man Blasts Owusu-Bempah
THE credibility of Rev. lsaac Owusu
Bempah, General Overseer of the Glorious Way Chapel as a man of God has once
again been questioned by Pastor Alan Kwesi Nazantra, a senior pastor of the
Redemption Gospel Ministry, a Navrongo based church.
Rev. Owusu Bempah’s call on
Christians to be wary of the head pastor of the Synagogue Church of All Nations
(SCOAN) after the collapse of the latter’s church in Nigeria, seems to have
surprised and angered the Navrongo pastor.
“I was completely shocked and sad
when I read in the dailies that Isaac Owusu Bempah had cautioned Christians to
be wary of Prophet T. B. Joshua, founder and leader of SCOAN. I just could not
believe that Bempah would go to that extent. Is he a true man of God”? Pastor
Nazantra quizzed.
According to Pastor Nazantra, a
true man of God at this time would have prayed and sympathized with the
deceased persons’ family. He continued that it was wrong for Bempah to have
attacked the person of Prophet T. B. Joshua at a time when the church was faced
with the death of persons from different parts of the world, who had gone there
to seek the face of God.
He wondered why Rev Owusu Bempah is always quick to attack T. B. Joshua without any provocation from their Nigerian counterpart. “Is he Owusu Bempah telling us that he is the only man of God in this country? Why does he continue to attack T. B. Joshua when the man has not offended him in anyway? Pastor Nazantra quizzed.
Continuing, he condemned Rev. Owusu Bempah and others who attacked T. B. Joshua for not being able to prophesy about the collapse of his church hostel. He said true men of God understood that it was not always that God revealed everything to his prophets.
“Prophet Elisha as mentioned in the Bible in the book of 2Kings Chapter 4: 8-37, at one time prayed for a barren woman who went ahead to deliver a son. The said son later fell sick and died, which God did not reveal to Elisha.
He wondered why Rev Owusu Bempah is always quick to attack T. B. Joshua without any provocation from their Nigerian counterpart. “Is he Owusu Bempah telling us that he is the only man of God in this country? Why does he continue to attack T. B. Joshua when the man has not offended him in anyway? Pastor Nazantra quizzed.
Continuing, he condemned Rev. Owusu Bempah and others who attacked T. B. Joshua for not being able to prophesy about the collapse of his church hostel. He said true men of God understood that it was not always that God revealed everything to his prophets.
“Prophet Elisha as mentioned in the Bible in the book of 2Kings Chapter 4: 8-37, at one time prayed for a barren woman who went ahead to deliver a son. The said son later fell sick and died, which God did not reveal to Elisha.
The mother, upon the child’s death,
went back to Elisha to seek God’s face and actually declined to tell the
Prophet what had befell her as she approached him. It was when she got to him
that she announced the death of the son to him. What would have been said about Elisha’s prophecy today, if he were
with today’s generation? Pastor Nazantra asked.
He termed as a disgrace the claim by the Ghanaian reverend that the unfortunate incident, and the subsequent deaths of people at SCOAN Church Headquarters in Ikotun, Lagos State, was an act of human sacrifice.
He termed as a disgrace the claim by the Ghanaian reverend that the unfortunate incident, and the subsequent deaths of people at SCOAN Church Headquarters in Ikotun, Lagos State, was an act of human sacrifice.
As is typical of people who impugn the wrong person for
speaking the truth the good Pastor Nazantra failed to relate the rest of the
story about the dead son, the once barren woman and Elisha. Here it is:
20 When he
had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And
she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon
him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her
husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys,
that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
23 So he
said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New
Moon nor the Sabbath.”
And she said, “It is well.” 24 Then she
saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not
slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 And
so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
So it was, when the man of God saw
her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please
run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is
it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is
it well with the child?’”
And she answered, “It is well.” 27 Now when she came to
the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to
push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in
deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me,
and has not told me.”
28 So she
said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
29 Then he
said to Gehazi, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on
your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do
not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.”
30 And the
mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as your
soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Now
Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there
was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and
told him, saying, “The child has not
awakened.”
32 When Elisha came into the house, there was
the child, lying dead on his bed. 33 He went in
therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord. 34 And
he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on
his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the
child, and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 He
returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the
child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 And
he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And
when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 So
she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her
son and went out. (Bold text added by
Blog Editor - 2 Kings 4: 20-37 NKJV)
Pastor Nazantra tried to allude that not all prophets get
the full revelation of God on upcoming events thus trying to protect the
reputation of TB Joshua. However, Pastor Nazantra fail miserably that God
indeed honor the promise made through Elisha that she would have a son. And
even though every mother’s nightmare occurred losing a son in death before her
own did happen, the power of God flowed through Elisha and raised her son from
the dead fully alive and well.
The rest of the story that Pastor Nazantra failed to share
is actually one of the great revelations in the Bible of the power of faith.
Please notice the Shunammite woman never agreed with the appearance of death
even though her son did die. Instead, when her husband asked why she was
visiting Elisha so hastily she simply answered, “It is well”. When Gehazi went
to meet her before her arrival before Elisha, Gehazi obeyed Elisha and asked
her if everything well with her, her husband and her son. She answered, “It is
well”. When Gehazi went ahead of the Shunammite woman and Elisha then report
back to the soon arriving Prophet his report was, “The child has not awakened.”
Gehazi did not say, “Bad news boss, the child is dead.”
Then Elisha prayed and acted in an eccentric manner by
stretching himself twice on top of the boy who awakened from dead – WELL!
According Pastor Nazantra’s analogy TB Joshua should have
utilized the anointing of God as a Prophet and raise the 80 or so dead victims
of the faulty structure from the dead just as Elisha did in faith.
Now in full disclosure, I am one of those Charismatic-Pentecostal
Word of Faith guys that are so heavily criticized for faith that the Word works
just as much now as it ever has. But I have to tell you. There are people that
exist who take on some mantle of ministry and deceive people with false
prophecies, fake healings and twisting the Word of God for self-aggrandizement.
Then fool people to give to his ministry under false pretenses. If TB Joshua
does do this, God knows the truth. Again if that was the case, the Bible is
clear a judgment will be exacted upon those who knowingly misrepresent God
Almighty.
Honestly I know very little about TB Joshua so I do want to
be careful before I outright pronounce him a pretentious faker out to exploit
people of their finances and property.
With that said I suggest that one judge the fruit of TB
Joshua not to convict him Judgment, that is in God’s realm. Rather judge his
fruit to decide under the guidance of the Holy Spirit moving on your Redeemed
new creation inner man if you should associate with TB Joshua.
Below is the edited email sent by Jyrki as a starting point
to examine TB Joshua. I added a little of my thoughts as the Blog Editor.
JRH 3/31/16
*******************
Voodoo & Chrislam
(and TB Joshua and the SCOAN)
By Yurki1000 (aka
Jyrki Soini)
Sent: March 29, 2016 11:17
AM
A Cocktail of Christianity Voodoo and Chrislam
Joshua's critics, including prominent pastors in the country
who don’t deny that he heals people. But they say he draws his power from
indigenous African occultism, not from the Holy Spirit.
One person who has stayed silent about Joshua until now is Bayo Ajede, a 37-year-old man from Lagos who served as Joshua's assistant for four years. In 1996 Ajede ran away from The Synagogue--fearing for his life--and eventually became a Christian. He decided recently that he must warn others about the source of Joshua's power.
"People need to know that Satan can also perform miracles," Ajede said. "The Bible says that in the last days even the elect will be deceived."
Ajede claims Joshua never converted to Christianity and that he mixes Islam and African folk religion with Christian doctrines. Ajede also claims that when he worked at The Synagogue, Joshua used incense, candles, "magic writing" and demonic power to work miracles.
One person who has stayed silent about Joshua until now is Bayo Ajede, a 37-year-old man from Lagos who served as Joshua's assistant for four years. In 1996 Ajede ran away from The Synagogue--fearing for his life--and eventually became a Christian. He decided recently that he must warn others about the source of Joshua's power.
"People need to know that Satan can also perform miracles," Ajede said. "The Bible says that in the last days even the elect will be deceived."
Ajede claims Joshua never converted to Christianity and that he mixes Islam and African folk religion with Christian doctrines. Ajede also claims that when he worked at The Synagogue, Joshua used incense, candles, "magic writing" and demonic power to work miracles.
Did He Prophesy about Brussels?
March 24, 2016
Global Watch Weekly
Temitope Balogun Joshua (born June
12, 1963), commonly referred to as T. B. Joshua, is a Nigerian prophet and
televangelist. He is the leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of
All Nations (SCOAN), a religious organisation that runs the Emmanuel TV
television station from Lagos, Nigeria.
He has been awarded various accolades, notably receiving the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the Nigerian government in 2008 and being voted the Yoruba man of the decade by Pan-Yoruba media outlet Irohin-Odua. He was recognised as one of Africa's 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines The Africa Report and New African Magazine and listed among the world's most famous people by the website thefamouspeople.com. He was recently ranked among the world's most famous prophets in history by American website Ranker.
Joshua is known for his popularity across Africa and his online presence, with 2,000,000 fans on Facebook and the most subscribed Christian ministry channel on YouTube which has amassed more than 120 million views. As of 2011, according to Forbes, Joshua was Nigeria’s third-richest pastor.
He has been awarded various accolades, notably receiving the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the Nigerian government in 2008 and being voted the Yoruba man of the decade by Pan-Yoruba media outlet Irohin-Odua. He was recognised as one of Africa's 50 most influential people by Pan-African magazines The Africa Report and New African Magazine and listed among the world's most famous people by the website thefamouspeople.com. He was recently ranked among the world's most famous prophets in history by American website Ranker.
Joshua is known for his popularity across Africa and his online presence, with 2,000,000 fans on Facebook and the most subscribed Christian ministry channel on YouTube which has amassed more than 120 million views. As of 2011, according to Forbes, Joshua was Nigeria’s third-richest pastor.
The Nigerian preacher has found
plentiful earthly rewards for his ministry. In June 2011, Forbes estimated
Joshua to be have a net worth of between $10-15 million. He has also developed
friends in high places, including the late former Ghanaian president John Atta
Mills and Julius Malema, the leader of South Africa’s left-wing opposition the
Economic Freedom Fighters. His church has given much to charity: Forbes
estimated that Joshua gave more than $20 million to causes including the
rehabilitation of former Niger Delta militants between 2008 and 2011, and
Joshua founded a Lagos football academy named My People FC, one of whose
graduates, Ogenyi Onazi, now plays for Italian club Lazio.
According to Manji Cheto, Nigeria analyst at political consultancy Teneo Intelligence, “pastor-preneurs” like Joshua have struck a chord among Nigeria’s lower classes, who long for the lifestyles that their preachers have. “A lot of people that he attracts are working-class Nigerians, some very poor, and middle-class Nigerians either aspiring to retain or increase their wealth,” says Cheto. “That sort of miracle-working pastor, who has gained notoriety and is a bit of a celebrity, those are the sort of people he would appeal to.”
According to Manji Cheto, Nigeria analyst at political consultancy Teneo Intelligence, “pastor-preneurs” like Joshua have struck a chord among Nigeria’s lower classes, who long for the lifestyles that their preachers have. “A lot of people that he attracts are working-class Nigerians, some very poor, and middle-class Nigerians either aspiring to retain or increase their wealth,” says Cheto. “That sort of miracle-working pastor, who has gained notoriety and is a bit of a celebrity, those are the sort of people he would appeal to.”
On Trial For Major Tragedy
The case relates to a tragic
incident on September 12, 2014. A Lagos guesthouse belonging to Joshua’s
church, the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), collapsed, killing at
least 115 people, including 84 South Africans who had traveled across the
continent for one of Joshua’s renowned healing services.
The South African government
reacted angrily to the event, calling on Nigeria to conduct a thorough
investigation. Eventually, in July 2015—10 months after the incident—a Nigerian
coroner ruled that SCOAN was culpable of criminal negligence, since the
structure had more floors than the foundation could hold, and that those who
built the guesthouse should be investigated. The Lagos state ministry of
justice indicated its intention in November 2015 to charge the SCOAN’s
trustees, of which Joshua is one.
For their part, Joshua and the SCOAN rejected the coroner’s findings as “unreasonable, one-sided and biased.” The Nigerian mega-preacher and his church maintained the collapse was connected to the presence of a mysterious aircraft, which they alleged had been circling the building prior to its collapse.
Even if Joshua is found guilty of criminal negligence, his reputation will not be damaged among his legions of devoted followers, according to Maria Frahm-Arp, an expert in Pentecostal Christianity at the University of Johannesburg. “Right from the beginning, he’s been spinning this story of this mysterious airplane and the idea that this was an attack by Satan,” says Frahm-Arp. “The court can find whatever the court finds, but it’s going to be seen [among Joshua’s followers] as an attack by Satan to try and undermine and discredit him.”
For their part, Joshua and the SCOAN rejected the coroner’s findings as “unreasonable, one-sided and biased.” The Nigerian mega-preacher and his church maintained the collapse was connected to the presence of a mysterious aircraft, which they alleged had been circling the building prior to its collapse.
Even if Joshua is found guilty of criminal negligence, his reputation will not be damaged among his legions of devoted followers, according to Maria Frahm-Arp, an expert in Pentecostal Christianity at the University of Johannesburg. “Right from the beginning, he’s been spinning this story of this mysterious airplane and the idea that this was an attack by Satan,” says Frahm-Arp. “The court can find whatever the court finds, but it’s going to be seen [among Joshua’s followers] as an attack by Satan to try and undermine and discredit him.”
One wonders how a man who claims to
know so much about people and their misfortunes could not predict the collapse
of a building under his nose, killing the very people who came to him for hope.
Holes in His Claims of Prophetic
Revelation
Joshua also claims to have
prophesied in advance the occurrence of multiple world events, from the death
of Michael Jackson, to the shooting down of MH17 in Russian airspace, to the
November 2015 attacks in Paris. However it his claim about the recent
events in Belgium which have cast serious questions about his sincerity.
Go to his website at http://www.scoan.org/media/prophecy to see their
specific reference to Brussels.
The blog https://tbjoshuawatch.wordpress.com has been following
Joshua for years and provides the following insight.
The last 24 hours we’ve been
grieving for the people who are injured or bereaved as a result of the horrific
attacks in Brussels, however during this time TB Joshua’s media team were
hurriedly searching the archives to piece together a video (seen below) to
claim he predicted it. Well we were right, but what they came out with was
rather underwhelming, the gist of it was:
A French country should watch out, evil people are in town looking for an assembly to launch an attack, a lot of people will die.
A French country should watch out, evil people are in town looking for an assembly to launch an attack, a lot of people will die.
…
[Blog Editor: Next are two videos. The first
video is of TB Joshua giving a vague prophecy that more French people would die
after the Paris attacks. This video is unedited. The second video is an edited
version that provides the appearance that Joshua correctly prophesied that acts
of terrorism would occur in Belgium. The comparison is bad news for TB Joshua
because it shows a bit of exploitation to self-aggrandize himself when clearly he
was off the mark about the victimized nation. Then the succeeding paragraphs
analyze the two videos to prove this very point.
I’m skipping all that to get to the portion
that is scary. That part is explaining Joshua’s penchant for Chrislam and the
occult.]
A Cocktail of Christianity
Voodoo and Chrislam
Joshua's critics, including
prominent pastors in the country who don’t deny that he heals people. But they
say he draws his power from indigenous African occultism, not from the Holy
Spirit.
One person who has stayed silent about Joshua until now is Bayo Ajede, a 37-year-old man from Lagos who served as Joshua's assistant for four years. In 1996 Ajede ran away from The Synagogue--fearing for his life--and eventually became a Christian. He decided recently that he must warn others about the source of Joshua's power.
"People need to know that Satan can also perform miracles," Ajede said. "The Bible says that in the last days even the elect will be deceived."
Ajede claims Joshua never converted to Christianity and that he mixes Islam and African folk religion with Christian doctrines. Ajede also claims that when he worked at The Synagogue, Joshua used incense, candles, "magic writing" and demonic power to work miracles.
On an altar in Joshua's bedroom, Ajede said, the mysterious prophet kept a Bible, a Quran and an occultic book. Joshua also boasted that he could visit members of The Synagogue in their dreams.
"[Joshua] used to say he was the Jesus for the present age," Ajede said. "He would say that God had passed over the Jews and had raised up a black Christ."
When Christian magazine, Charisma, confronted Joshua with such claims, he denied knowing Ajede. When asked about magic writing, Joshua scribbled some marks on paper and said he possesses the gift of spiritual language. "This [writing] is purely divine. The human hand cannot write it," Joshua said.
Photographs obtained by Charisma prove that Ajede lived and worked at The Synagogue. Also, Ajede's current pastor, Ladi Thompson, of Living Waters Unlimited Church in Lagos, said he has indisputable evidence that Ajede worked for Joshua.
"It has been confirmed by people who saw [Ajede] regularly during those years," Thompson said. "T.B. Joshua is lying through his teeth."
Ajede said he lived in a cultlike environment while serving as one of Joshua's handpicked disciples. He slept in The Synagogue with 16 men in the same room, and they were told not to eat meat or fish, he said, "in order to have more spiritual power." They were also forbidden to leave the compound. "We were told that something terrible would happen to us if we ever left," he said.
Another man from Lagos who served Joshua as a disciple from 1991 to 1995 told Charisma that he constantly had nightmares while living at The Synagogue. He also confirmed that Joshua used soap and palm leaves to heal people and sometimes swatted away demons with loincloths.
"He did many things that were not biblical, but I thought he was of God because he used the name of Jesus,” said the man, who requested anonymity because he fears reprisals from Joshua.
"I was becoming a spiritual captive there," the man added. "I was becoming subservient to the spirits that ruled that place."
Many charismatic Christians side with Joshua. Since the mid-1990s they have flocked to The Synagogue from Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. They come in large tour groups and are offered housing on the expansive compound, which is equipped with a dining hall and bread factory.
When visitors arrive they are shown videotaped scenes of Joshua praying for the sick. The videos also include glowing endorsements of Joshua's ministry from international church leaders.
One person who has stayed silent about Joshua until now is Bayo Ajede, a 37-year-old man from Lagos who served as Joshua's assistant for four years. In 1996 Ajede ran away from The Synagogue--fearing for his life--and eventually became a Christian. He decided recently that he must warn others about the source of Joshua's power.
"People need to know that Satan can also perform miracles," Ajede said. "The Bible says that in the last days even the elect will be deceived."
Ajede claims Joshua never converted to Christianity and that he mixes Islam and African folk religion with Christian doctrines. Ajede also claims that when he worked at The Synagogue, Joshua used incense, candles, "magic writing" and demonic power to work miracles.
On an altar in Joshua's bedroom, Ajede said, the mysterious prophet kept a Bible, a Quran and an occultic book. Joshua also boasted that he could visit members of The Synagogue in their dreams.
"[Joshua] used to say he was the Jesus for the present age," Ajede said. "He would say that God had passed over the Jews and had raised up a black Christ."
When Christian magazine, Charisma, confronted Joshua with such claims, he denied knowing Ajede. When asked about magic writing, Joshua scribbled some marks on paper and said he possesses the gift of spiritual language. "This [writing] is purely divine. The human hand cannot write it," Joshua said.
Photographs obtained by Charisma prove that Ajede lived and worked at The Synagogue. Also, Ajede's current pastor, Ladi Thompson, of Living Waters Unlimited Church in Lagos, said he has indisputable evidence that Ajede worked for Joshua.
"It has been confirmed by people who saw [Ajede] regularly during those years," Thompson said. "T.B. Joshua is lying through his teeth."
Ajede said he lived in a cultlike environment while serving as one of Joshua's handpicked disciples. He slept in The Synagogue with 16 men in the same room, and they were told not to eat meat or fish, he said, "in order to have more spiritual power." They were also forbidden to leave the compound. "We were told that something terrible would happen to us if we ever left," he said.
Another man from Lagos who served Joshua as a disciple from 1991 to 1995 told Charisma that he constantly had nightmares while living at The Synagogue. He also confirmed that Joshua used soap and palm leaves to heal people and sometimes swatted away demons with loincloths.
"He did many things that were not biblical, but I thought he was of God because he used the name of Jesus,” said the man, who requested anonymity because he fears reprisals from Joshua.
"I was becoming a spiritual captive there," the man added. "I was becoming subservient to the spirits that ruled that place."
Many charismatic Christians side with Joshua. Since the mid-1990s they have flocked to The Synagogue from Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. They come in large tour groups and are offered housing on the expansive compound, which is equipped with a dining hall and bread factory.
When visitors arrive they are shown videotaped scenes of Joshua praying for the sick. The videos also include glowing endorsements of Joshua's ministry from international church leaders.
SCOAN
[Blog Editor: “SCOAN”
are the letter representing the Synagogue
Church of All Nations. I’m not sure for the reason Jyrki provides the exact
same link as just above unless it was to point to the article’s explains what “SCOAN”
is.]
Emmanuel TV
[Blog Editor: The
Emmanuel TV link below is a Christian television network from Nigeria promoting
the ministry of TB Joshua.]
[Blog Editor: The
About Page to Emmanuel TV provides what appears to be the mission of a
legitimate Charismatic-Pentecostal ministry, yet from what I have read about TB
Johnson the legitimate sounding mission does not match his practices. Here is
an About Page excerpt:]
About Us
Who we are
Emmanuel TV is a television station
with one way and one job. The way is Jesus and the job is to talk about Him to
others through words and deeds. Our motto is: Changing lives, changing nations
and changing the world. God’s Word is the most effective instrument for change.
The people hear and change. Nations hear and change. The world hears and
changes.
Emmanuel means God is with us!
(Matthew 1:23) Watch Emmanuel TV and witness the power of God in action. God
keeps giving us plenty of evidence to believe in Him. (About Us [i.e. Emmanuel TV])
[Blog Editor: The
below link is to Emmanuel TV’s YouTube Channel.]
[Blog Editor: The
above link will take you numerous parallel versions of Mark 13:22. I will
excerpt the first three versions as an excerpt:]
Mark 13:22
Parallel Verses
New International Version
For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. New Living Translation For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. English Standard Version For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. |
Blessings
Jyrki
______________________
Is TB Joshua Mixing Voodoo & Chrislam?
John R. Houk
© March 31, 2016
Of potential interest:
____________________
Voodoo & Chrislam (and TB Joshua and
the SCOAN)
Edited by John R. Houk
Any text or links enclosed by brackets are by the Editor.
© Yurki1000
![Whoever succeeded in killing [Jews], this is a big thing](http://www.palwatch.org/STORAGE/Bulletins/2016/Danish%20report/Zaki_1.png){kind=link}
