Mushrooming of churches in a Botswana is a great concern to government. Members of Parliament have even gone to their constituencies to consult on the intended bill to regulate churches.
On Saturday afternoon at a wedding in Mochudi, Voice cartoonist Lesole Ntshole overhead a conversation from concerned people.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: I am very happy that government is coming to its senses to regulate churches.
MAN IN GREY TROUSERS: I believe it is too late to come up with such a bill.
People have already been exploited by these churches.
What is it that that government is going to regulate?
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: Government wants to increase the number of church members for one to register a church.
This time the government has it right. Current one need 20 people to register a church.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: I don’t have any problem with Christianity but what I have noticed these days is that churches are in serious business.
I do agree with you that churches Dried Mushrooms
do not play any role in the lives of people.
They are registered to rob the poor.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: One other reason why there are so many churches in the country is the issue of misappropriation of funds.
Committee member usually abuse funds and when its time to face the music, they leave to form their church.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: Sometimes I blame Batswana for many churches.
Batswana are the ones who sell their country by bringing and helping foreigners to open churches.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: When Nigerian pastors come here, they claim to cure diseases and that they can pray for people to find jobs, to get married and so on.
We then run after him and he exploits us with his power.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: It’s sad that these foreign pastors continue to make empty promises to Batswana who continue to believe them.
If the so-called pastor come all the way from their countries and claim they can solve our problems, aren’t there similar problems in their countries to solve?
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: May be Batswana are so weak that when someone speak English, they accord them too much respect.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: I discovered that the main reason Batswana are after these churches is because of greed.
People don’t want to work hard and they want quick solutions from these pastors.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: People live in denial.
No matter how much you try to warn them, they’d better call you a heathen.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: Some things are straight and you can’t avoid them.
If you created and put yourself in debts, the best formula is to pay them.
A pastor can’t make your debts disappear unless he gives you some money to go and clear them.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: When you say that a pastor can’t make your debts disappear, you remind me of something.
My friend once told me that there is a registered church here in Botswana that is able to make your water bill debts disappear. (They laugh).
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: How does a church do it?
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: You become a member, attend what they call a chain of prayers and once you are done, you go to Water Utilities Corporation to check whether your water bill debt is still there or not.
They say you will be surprised that the debt has been cancelled.
If you return and send someone who is not a church member to go and check your debt, they will find it. (They burst into laughter again)
The conversation end as they prepare to eat lunch.
On Saturday afternoon at a wedding in Mochudi, Voice cartoonist Lesole Ntshole overhead a conversation from concerned people.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: I am very happy that government is coming to its senses to regulate churches.
MAN IN GREY TROUSERS: I believe it is too late to come up with such a bill.
People have already been exploited by these churches.
What is it that that government is going to regulate?
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: Government wants to increase the number of church members for one to register a church.
This time the government has it right. Current one need 20 people to register a church.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: I don’t have any problem with Christianity but what I have noticed these days is that churches are in serious business.
I do agree with you that churches Dried Mushrooms
do not play any role in the lives of people.
They are registered to rob the poor.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: One other reason why there are so many churches in the country is the issue of misappropriation of funds.
Committee member usually abuse funds and when its time to face the music, they leave to form their church.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: Sometimes I blame Batswana for many churches.
Batswana are the ones who sell their country by bringing and helping foreigners to open churches.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: When Nigerian pastors come here, they claim to cure diseases and that they can pray for people to find jobs, to get married and so on.
We then run after him and he exploits us with his power.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: It’s sad that these foreign pastors continue to make empty promises to Batswana who continue to believe them.
If the so-called pastor come all the way from their countries and claim they can solve our problems, aren’t there similar problems in their countries to solve?
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: May be Batswana are so weak that when someone speak English, they accord them too much respect.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: I discovered that the main reason Batswana are after these churches is because of greed.
People don’t want to work hard and they want quick solutions from these pastors.
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: People live in denial.
No matter how much you try to warn them, they’d better call you a heathen.
MAN IN KHAKI SHIRT: Some things are straight and you can’t avoid them.
If you created and put yourself in debts, the best formula is to pay them.
A pastor can’t make your debts disappear unless he gives you some money to go and clear them.
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: When you say that a pastor can’t make your debts disappear, you remind me of something.
My friend once told me that there is a registered church here in Botswana that is able to make your water bill debts disappear. (They laugh).
MAN IN LIGHT-BLUE SHIRT: How does a church do it?
MAN IN GREY TROUSER: You become a member, attend what they call a chain of prayers and once you are done, you go to Water Utilities Corporation to check whether your water bill debt is still there or not.
They say you will be surprised that the debt has been cancelled.
If you return and send someone who is not a church member to go and check your debt, they will find it. (They burst into laughter again)
The conversation end as they prepare to eat lunch.
