Plan to probe dodgy churches

An investigation is set to look into the commercialisation of religion and the abuse of people's belief systems.

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Johannesburg - The apparent growing trend of devious religious leaders preying on their unwitting congregants by collecting cash from them in the name of worship could soon be a thing of the past.

This is if the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) has its way to enforce sweeping regulations to root out some of the charlatan practices.

On Thursday, the commission announced that it had launched an “investigation project” aimed at clamping down on these illicit practices. The scope of the probe would see the affairs – especially the finances – of churches, mosques, synagogues and other houses of religion and spirituality

coming under scrutiny.

The investigation project follows dangers arisingin some churches – notably the widely reported grotesque practice by a Pretoria church that makes its congregants eat grass and snakes and drink petrol.

The investigation would look into the commercialisation of religion and the abuse and exploitation of people’s belief systems, among others.

“We’re not saying the commercialisation of religion is a bad thing, but we want to understand how and what it is,” CRL Rights Commission chairwoman Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said.

 

“When churches start selling pap, T-shirts and water after services… or when people stop taking their HIV or blood pressure medicine because traditional healers say ‘drink my water, it will heal you’, and charge people for it, it becomes problematic.”

She added: “We need to look at these various miracle claims and see what form of legal structure is in place.”

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva was at pains to explain that the investigation project would be conducted in accordance with the South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedom. And they weren’t doing this to infringe on the constitutional right to freedom of religion, she emphasised.

“This investigation is not to regulate religion itself.

“The objective here is to promote and protect the rights of religion… but at the same time we need to stop the exploitation of people under the banner of religion.”

“We want to find the underlying causes that lead our nation to the point of desperation where they think it’s okay to eat snakes and drink petrol… we want to know what is the psyche behind this?”

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said these issues were urgent and that South Africans needed answers as soon as possible.

“Millions of South Africans are wondering why our country is becoming a circus. We’ve been made aware of the (charismatic church) situation, not only by the media, but also by pastors and complaints received by those observing this on the ground.”

She said the CRL Rights Commission would appeal to religious and spiritual structures to get access to the information needed.

“We ask that they co-operate with us.

“We will subpoena those (religious structures) who do not co-operate, and if they still do not co-operate, they will be subjected to the force of law… We have enough powers to do that.”

She then explained the scope of the investigation.

“We want to know who is running what and where… we want to see documents and books and we want to find out the whats and whys of how religious organisations are being funded and structures are being built…

“We need to take this all back to what the law says.”

Mkhwanazi-Xaluva added: “If they (religious leaders) want to challenge it in court, they can, but if their books are clean they shouldn’t be worried, because it’s public money.”

 

The investigation project would be done in conjunction with the University of South Africa (Unisa), who will be focusing on the research side of it.

“We are including economic, sociology, psychology and law faculties to help us with this research,” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said, adding that the investigative project had the backing of church and community leaders.

“We have 275 community councils registered and we will work with them. We are here to understand the nitty-gritty, but it’s not going to be an easy discourse.”

 

The project would first be rolled out in Gauteng and then to the rest of the country. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said they planned to have the report and recommendations ready by April.

Some religious leaders have welcomed the CRL Rights Commission’s decision.

Professor Pieter Coertzen of the Dutch Reformed Church said he supported the project because there had been so many misuses of religion in South Africa.

“This investigation is not about religion, but it’s about the misuse of religion and what we can do to put this right,” he said.

Giet Khosa, spokesman for Pastor Ray McCauley of the Rhema Bible Church, said they were in favour of the investigation project.

“We know that it’s not being done to regulate religion itself, but it’s to look at its structures. We have no problem with it. We support it,” he said.

Also backing the project were members of the Gospel Music Association, who attended Thursday’s media briefing to announce the launch of the probe.

“We are here to show our support and solidarity…

“Abuses in the name of Jesus Christ are not acceptable,” said one member.

Repeated attempts to get comment from the chief rabbi of the South African Jewish community and the Muslim Judicial Council were not successful.

ilanit.chernick@inl.co.za

The Star