Denounced as witches, African children suffer mightily

AP writer Katharine Houreld finds further evidence that children in Africa are being made to atone for the "sins" of their community, and that they are bearing it in their bodies, all the name of religion. They are being denounced as witches, often with torture as a consequence.

Some of the churches involved are renegade local branches of international franchises. Their parishioners take literally the Biblical exhortation, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

....

The idea of witchcraft is hardly new, but it has taken on new life recently partly because of a rapid growth in evangelical Christianity. Campaigners against the practice say around 15,000 children have been accused in two of Nigeria's 36 states over the past decade and around 1,000 have been murdered. In the past month alone, three Nigerian children accused of witchcraft were killed and another three were set on fire.

Nigeria is one of the heartlands of abuse, but hardly the only one: the United Nations Children's Fund says tens of thousands of children have been targeted throughout Africa.

Posted by Torey Lightcap on October 19, 2009 5:55 AM | |
Comments (2)

Lord, have mercy! This is disturbing beyond all bounds. If anyone is bewitched here, it is those who abuse children or cheer it on with a religious seal of approval -- for that is truly demonic. Jesus the Christ said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14) -- not burn them with fire, douse them with acid and kill them, all while "Christians" look on and encourage it! And when he performed exorcisms, he did not resort to violence or inflict injury -- prayer was sufficient. Why aren't these "Christians" speaking out against superstition and protecting the innocent, as the Church has done everywhere in ages past? Why aren't they teaching and practicing the fundamental ethic of the Gospel: "Treat others the way you want to be treated" (Matthew 7:12)? And we wonder why atheism exists? God, deliver these children from evil so wrongly committed in your name!

Posted by Gregory [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 19, 2009 11:48 AM

But of course there is no money to be made in this cause of protecting innocent children, hence not a word from the Lion of Nigeria, or his elected successor.

Posted by David Allen |dah • veed| [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 19, 2009 12:05 PM

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