The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The legendary Dr Myles Munroe was a trailblazer in Christian broadcasting in The Bahamas, having learned at the feet of American Pentecostal faith healer and televangelist Oral Roberts. Munroe attended ORU in Oklahoma in the 1970s. Many of the contemporary features we often take for granted in today’s charismatic churches were first introduced by Munroe, when he founded Bahamas Faith Ministries (BFM) in the early 1980s.

Bahamian traditionalists wrongly labeled BFM a cult, due to its dance ministry and other contemporary features unknown to many Bahamian churchgoers, who were not exposed to TBN, due to them not having access to cable television. Munroe was an excellent Bible expositor, leadership coach and consultant, businessman, motivational speaker, prolific author and statesman, whom the Lord used to give biblical guidance to political and civic leaders across the globe, especially in Third World countries. With the platform and massive influence Munroe was blessed with, he used both responsibly, unlike the plethora of Facebook prophets who are Bahamians, who never fail to utter calamity and peril over The Bahamas with self-righteous piety and glee.

With messages of gloom and doom, these self-described prophets rarely have a message about a practical approach that the nation can utilise to address the myriad of social, economic and spiritual issues dogging us.

Facebook has afforded these false prophets a global audience and platform they otherwise would’ve never gotten, had it not been for social media. Unfortunately, their purported Christian ministry is not contained in their respective churches, as Facebook has given them a national platform.

Facebook has become the melting-pot of religious buffoonery, much to the embarrassment of the evangelical Christian community and the Bahamas Christian Council (BCC).

These false prophets never tire of dragging the holy name of Jesus Christ through the mud, while uttering gibberish they claim to be the authentic glossolalia gift of the Holy Spirit.

The entire church is made to look silly before the eyes of a watching world on Facebook.

Unlike Dr Munroe, who was presumably held accountable by a board of elders at BFM, many of these Facebook prophets lack accountability, not being affiliated with any established church or Christian denomination. Consequently, their “prophetic” messages are not vetted by an experienced body of elders, nor are they subjected to church disciplinary actions, after committing acts of immorality, financial chicanery and public scandals. Conflating the Old and New Testament epochs, these Bahamian hucksters, frauds, snake oil salesmen, con artists and false teachers view themselves as walking in the footsteps of the Old Testament Major and Minor prophets, similar to the Catholic doctrine of the apostolic succession of the popes, while duping their biblically and theologically illiterate followers. Lacking hermeneutical skills, these false teachers on Facebook, in fulfilment of Matthew 7:15-20, Jude, 2 Peter 2:1-4 and Ezekiel 13:1-10, twist the Bible like a nose of wax, while uttering one failed prediction after another, violating the Third Commandment and Deuteronomy 18:22 in the process.

Many of us would recall these false prophets on Facebook predicting a Trump victory in the American presidential election last year without the courtesy of offering a retraction, once it became clear that Joe Biden had won.

Many of them caused a lot of confusion in 2020 with their failed “red cloth” prediction; and with their “divine” threats against those in political office whom they viewed as impeding the financial growth of their businesses, while failing to predict the COVID-19 pandemic.

These false prophets have disrupted homes, churches and businesses with their blatant abuses, while hiding behind the cloak of religiosity.

Often immune from constructive criticism, the sheeple of these false teachers are willing to place their heads on the proverbial chopping block in order to protect their spiritual leaders, demonstrating a devotion that does not pale in comparison to their worship to God.

Listen to any of their rant on Facebook and it becomes all too evident where their political allegiance lies.

All in all, I am noticing a lot of religious chaos on Facebook, similar to the situation in the African country of Nigeria, which is teeming with false prophets, who have entered the ministry to enrich themselves.

It is high time that the BCC and other Christian leaders expose this ongoing religious charade on Facebook, before more damage is done to this country.

KEVIN EVANS

Freeport,

Grand Bahama,

April 8, 2021.