Child Witches in Nigeria

joelnwil · 10-18-2009, 08:21 AM

Or, "Evangelical Christianity Strikes Again":

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/...n5392572.shtml

"Nwanaokwo Edet was one of an increasing number of children in Africa accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by family members. Pastors were involved in half of 200 cases of "witch children" reviewed by the AP, and 13 churches were named in the case files.

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."

"It is an outrage what they are allowing to take place in the name of Christianity," said Gary Foxcroft, head of nonprofit Stepping Stones Nigeria.

For their part, the families are often extremely poor, and sometimes even relieved to have one less mouth to feed. Poverty, conflict and poor education lay the foundation for accusations, which are then triggered by the death of a relative, the loss of a job or the denunciation of a pastor on the make, said Martin Dawes, a spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund.

"When communities come under pressure, they look for scapegoats," he said. "It plays into traditional beliefs that someone is responsible for a negative change ... and children are defenseless.""

"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. "

Why don't they just stick to the Nigerian E-mail Scam?

Griff · 10-18-2009, 08:38 AM

"So what are your missionary dollars doing to improve the third world?"

"Nigeria will be witch free soon."

"That is a relief. Bad witch problem there. When are we going to start on our witches here?"

"Soon."

Cloud · 10-18-2009, 10:00 AM

Africans (okay not all--it's a big continent) blame everything on witchcraft.

Flint · 10-18-2009, 10:24 AM

...

Cloud · 10-18-2009, 10:31 AM

no, that's anthropology.

http://www.iheu.org/node/2856

xoxoxoBruce · 10-18-2009, 12:48 PM

They've been persecuting people they perceive to be witches, by some name or other, forever. It's a shame the evangelical missionaries haven't been able to stop it, but they are hardly the cause. If we gave them all cars, would the witch burnings be because they're car owners?

Griff · 10-18-2009, 01:59 PM

Only if GM is encouraging magical thinking under the guise of Western style progress.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-18-2009, 02:01 PM

Well hells bells, GM's always done that.

Griff · 10-18-2009, 02:07 PM

'68 Camaro = magic

xoxoxoBruce · 10-18-2009, 02:11 PM

But for every magical one there were 10 posers. CoughChevetteCough

SamIam · 10-18-2009, 02:20 PM

We can't give them all cars. We need all that oil for ourselves. How about a few million tons of garlic and some silver daggers made available at every crossroads?

xoxoxoBruce · 10-18-2009, 02:26 PM

A UN sanctioned, Garlic&SilverDaggers for Oil, program... genius.

tw · 10-18-2009, 10:45 PM

In Europe, witches were burned on the cross. In Nigeria, witches are burned on oil derricks. Says so much about the local religion.

wolf · 10-18-2009, 11:15 PM

You can't really blame Christianity for these sorts of things. It's really a matter of traditional religious belief that hangs about in spite of Christianity. And then someone points out that thing in Leviticus and it's all downhill from there, although "witch" doesn't actually mean "witch" in this context ... it's more like "witch" as in "witchdoctor," which is not the same thing, see?

Cicero · 10-18-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

no, that's anthropology.

http://www.iheu.org/node/2856

That's witchcraft! Burn!

10-18-2009, 08:21 AM	#1
joelnwil Major Inhabitant Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Silver Spring MD Posts: 128	Child Witches in Nigeria Or, "Evangelical Christianity Strikes Again": http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/...n5392572.shtml "Nwanaokwo Edet was one of an increasing number of children in Africa accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by family members. Pastors were involved in half of 200 cases of "witch children" reviewed by the AP, and 13 churches were named in the case files. 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." "It is an outrage what they are allowing to take place in the name of Christianity," said Gary Foxcroft, head of nonprofit Stepping Stones Nigeria. For their part, the families are often extremely poor, and sometimes even relieved to have one less mouth to feed. Poverty, conflict and poor education lay the foundation for accusations, which are then triggered by the death of a relative, the loss of a job or the denunciation of a pastor on the make, said Martin Dawes, a spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund. "When communities come under pressure, they look for scapegoats," he said. "It plays into traditional beliefs that someone is responsible for a negative change ... and children are defenseless."" "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. " Why don't they just stick to the Nigerian E-mail Scam?

10-18-2009, 08:38 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	"So what are your missionary dollars doing to improve the third world?" "Nigeria will be witch free soon." "That is a relief. Bad witch problem there. When are we going to start on our witches here?" "Soon." __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

10-18-2009, 10:00 AM	#3
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Africans (okay not all--it's a big continent) blame everything on witchcraft. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-18-2009, 10:24 AM	#4
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	... Attached Images __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

10-18-2009, 10:31 AM	#5
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	no, that's anthropology. http://www.iheu.org/node/2856 __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-18-2009, 12:48 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	They've been persecuting people they perceive to be witches, by some name or other, forever. It's a shame the evangelical missionaries haven't been able to stop it, but they are hardly the cause. If we gave them all cars, would the witch burnings be because they're car owners? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-18-2009, 01:59 PM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Only if GM is encouraging magical thinking under the guise of Western style progress. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

10-18-2009, 02:01 PM	#8
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Well hells bells, GM's always done that. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-18-2009, 02:07 PM	#9
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	'68 Camaro = magic __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

10-18-2009, 02:11 PM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	But for every magical one there were 10 posers. CoughChevetteCough __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-18-2009, 02:20 PM	#11
SamIam Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Not here Posts: 2,655	We can't give them all cars. We need all that oil for ourselves. How about a few million tons of garlic and some silver daggers made available at every crossroads?

10-18-2009, 02:26 PM	#12
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	A UN sanctioned, Garlic&SilverDaggers for Oil, program... genius. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

10-18-2009, 10:45 PM	#13
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	In Europe, witches were burned on the cross. In Nigeria, witches are burned on oil derricks. Says so much about the local religion.

10-18-2009, 11:15 PM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	You can't really blame Christianity for these sorts of things. It's really a matter of traditional religious belief that hangs about in spite of Christianity. And then someone points out that thing in Leviticus and it's all downhill from there, although "witch" doesn't actually mean "witch" in this context ... it's more like "witch" as in "witchdoctor," which is not the same thing, see? __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)