In an exclusive report from the Niger Delta, in the deep south of west Africa, Tracy McVeigh hears the extraordinary stories of children who have been ostracised by their families and communities, and visits the parents who have abandoned and abused their own children because they believe they are witches.
See the Video: Child ‘witches’ in Africa
Evangelical pastors are helping to create a terrible new campaign of violence against young Nigerians. Children and babies branded as evil are being abused, abandoned and even murdered while the preachers make money out of the fear of their parents and their communities.
Read the Story: Children are targets of Nigerian witch hunt
Related Link: Ex-Christian.net
While most Western Christians would perceive this the same way atheists do – as a tragedy, there’s nothing un-Biblical about it. The Bible promotes belief in witches, demons, demon-possession, and magic. But since the Christian God doesn’t exist, He can’t warn Christians of when they’re picking innocent targets. A few Bible verses that promote primitive beliefs:
That magic is real:
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. (Exodus 7:10-12)
That demons are real:
Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. (Matthew 12:22)
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. (Matthew 8:16)
(Interestingly, demons don’t really appear in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, they’re all over the place and have to constantly be “cast-out”.)
How to deal with witches:
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Exodus 22:18)
When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:9-11)
Further, there’s also an evangelical impetus to promote belief in witchcraft: nothing makes people cling to religion like fear of an imaginary threat. John Wesley (1703-1791), famous evangelist: “Giving up witchcraft is, in effect, giving up the Bible”
Witchcraft is a religion and self-defined Witches are neither evil nor criminals.
Damon Leff, I couldn’t agree more. A close family member of mine is a witch and a great person. However, I believe that the preachers in Africa are just trying to make their congregates feel more “Christian” and are using their children to do that. What they are doing is deplorable and disgusting. I almost wish there was a hell for them to go to.
Thank you for your post.
I have been researching this for a while and have created three petitions that let our voices be
heard. Please sign them for the children.
They are in my blog and my website.
Blog: http://childwitches.blogspot.com/
Website: http://childrenofnigeria.bravehost.com/
Thank you,
Kelli