News / National
'Politicians should not come to Masowe shrines and conduct rallies'
24 Feb 2013 at 17:12hrs | Views
SOME members of the Johane Masowe Church have appealed to Zanu PF and other political parties to stop politicising the religious group saying this was tantamount to humiliating them.
Wilfred Kushure, a senior member of the Johane Masowe weChishanu (JMC) church last week said politicians should not come to Masowe shrines and conduct rallies as this was taboo.
"We do understand that many times these [rallies] are solicited by bribed members of our church 'leadership'," he said. "We bring it to everyone's attention that a Masowe shrine is a sacred place and that is why everyone is asked to take off their shoes and all modern items/gadgets."
Kushure said some of the "overzealous" members who were bestowing upon themselves leadership roles were either gullible and easily bought over or were cowards who could easily be pushed.
He said political parties should also stop coercing JMC members to join them as they were not allowed to participate in politics.
Kushure said while individual members were free to choose to be party card holders, they were not allowed to be active in politics or be elected into positions of authority or leadership.
"We may vote but that is not expected of us, for ours is the Kingdom of God (Hwedu humambo huri mudenga)," he said.
"If you demand that of us or if you coerce us to be that active, then you are forcing us to do things against the teachings of our church and therefore against the dictates of our God. That is sacrilegious."
Kushure said JMC members should shun "tokens with some ties," as most of them were meant to "hoodwink" vulnerable and poor members.
"We are observing a more accelerated presence of senior members of our society and a more accelerated drive to award, reward and benefit some of them in various ways by some honourable members of our society," he said.
"We hope this is genuine and not meant to hoodwink vulnerable poor members of our religion who in turn will be forcibly expected to reciprocate in ways that betray the ethics and value standards of our beliefs. That's spiritual murder!"
Wilfred Kushure, a senior member of the Johane Masowe weChishanu (JMC) church last week said politicians should not come to Masowe shrines and conduct rallies as this was taboo.
"We do understand that many times these [rallies] are solicited by bribed members of our church 'leadership'," he said. "We bring it to everyone's attention that a Masowe shrine is a sacred place and that is why everyone is asked to take off their shoes and all modern items/gadgets."
Kushure said some of the "overzealous" members who were bestowing upon themselves leadership roles were either gullible and easily bought over or were cowards who could easily be pushed.
He said political parties should also stop coercing JMC members to join them as they were not allowed to participate in politics.
Kushure said while individual members were free to choose to be party card holders, they were not allowed to be active in politics or be elected into positions of authority or leadership.
"We may vote but that is not expected of us, for ours is the Kingdom of God (Hwedu humambo huri mudenga)," he said.
"If you demand that of us or if you coerce us to be that active, then you are forcing us to do things against the teachings of our church and therefore against the dictates of our God. That is sacrilegious."
Kushure said JMC members should shun "tokens with some ties," as most of them were meant to "hoodwink" vulnerable and poor members.
"We are observing a more accelerated presence of senior members of our society and a more accelerated drive to award, reward and benefit some of them in various ways by some honourable members of our society," he said.
"We hope this is genuine and not meant to hoodwink vulnerable poor members of our religion who in turn will be forcibly expected to reciprocate in ways that betray the ethics and value standards of our beliefs. That's spiritual murder!"
Source - standard
