Paul Biya, the president of the
western African nation, says the closures are an attempt to prevent Pentecostal
pastors from conducting “criminal practices” that allegedly threaten Cameroon’s
national security. Thus far, at least 50 churches have been shuttered by government
officials, but more forced closures are on the way.
Cameroonian officials claim these
Pentecostal churches are a menace to their country’s well-being because of fake
healing attempts and other controversial spiritual activities. For instance,
the government is citing the death of a 9-year-old girl during a prayer session
last Sunday, when a Pentecostal pastor was attempting to cast out demons from
her body.
Mbu Anthony Lang, an official
with the Cameroonian government, told CNN that only 50 of the 500 Pentecostal
churches in his country are technically legal.
“We will get rid of all the
so-called Christian Pentecostal pastors who misuse the name of Jesus Christ to
fake miracles and kill citizens in their churches,” he vowed. “They have
outstretched their liberty.”
According to Operation World, 54%
of Cameroon’s 20 million residents describe themselves as Christians. 800,000
Cameroonian Christians are Pentecostals, but that number is growing at an
annual rate of approximately 7%.Though the country is technically
a secular nation, Cameroon’s constitution provides for religious freedom, and
says “freedom of religion and worship shall be guaranteed.”
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“Everyone has the right to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion,” the constitution states. “This
right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his
religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Boniface Tum, a Bishop at a
Cameroonian Church of God, told CNN that the government’s crackdown on
Christian churches violates basic human rights.
“Authorizing only the Catholic,
Presbyterian, Baptist, Muslim, and a few other churches, is a strict violation
of the right to religion,” Tum said.
After his church was shut down
last week, Pastor Elie Pierre encouraged churchgoers over a loudspeaker.
“We have the right to defend
ourselves!” he exclaimed.
Following the reports of church
shut-downs, some were pleased. One commenter called the development “good
news,” and said “I hope the rest of African countries do the same. Well done
Cameroon.” Another posited, “All countries should get rid of all churches and
ban those vile books called [the] Bible, Koran, etc. Religion has no place in a
civilized world.”
However, Theres Nchanji, leader
of another Cameroonian church that the government recently shut down, explained
that all countries need Christian churches.
“No state can do without a Church
and the Bible says whosoever calls the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved,”
she said, according to Voice of America. “The Bible says that our weapons are
not carnal—they are spiritual. When the devil attacked Jesus in the wilderness,
Jesus said it is written, he never picked a stone to face the devil.”
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