A church in South Africa has attacked ANC president Jacob Zuma saying he has beeas been “extremely unwise” to claim divine blessings for the
leading political party.
Apostolic Faith Mission leaders in Johannesburg on Tueday in a statement warned of a Messianic danger when invoking divine blessings on political parties.
“We believe firmly in the separation of Church and State. Although there is a Biblical injunction to obey the laws of the land (if just and fair) it does
not mean that God favours any political ideology.”
Zuma reportedly told a party rally in Khayelitsha on Sunday that even God expected the ANC to rule the country, because it was the only organisation blessed by pastors when it was formed.
To claim that God’s blessing was only on the African National Congress was dangerous because it introduced the possibility of inter-faith confrontations as well as the danger of a Messianic cultism, the church said.
The church also took exception to the laws that the ANC had sponsored, such as abortion and same sex marriages, saying it was not the kind of legislation that found approval in the Bible.
“We believe that Mr Zuma should stick to politics and leave out God in his
campaign speeches or at least keep his comments to his own personal faith.”
Aslo joining in the chorus of criticism is the opostion Democratic Alliance
which says displays the anti-democratic attitude of an absolute monarch “We condemn it. Mr Zuma is no democrat. His campaign for the ANC presidency was more a bid for power than a struggle for internal freedom in the ANC” said DA CEO Ryan Coetzee
“The idea that there is now an ‘opening up’ in politics, and that the ANC
is now providing ‘credible opposition’ to the executive is destined to last
precisely and exactly until the rulers of Luthuli House capture the Union
Buildings, probably at the election next year.
“Then it will be back to ‘democratic centralism’, albeit with Mr Zuma and
his backers in the SACP and Cosatu at the centre.”
Zuma, and his “coterie of adoring supporters”, needed to accept that
voters “allow” parties to govern, not the ANC, Coetzee said.
