Dodgy Pastors: I Was A Victim Too

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To many of the Pentecostal faith, the Pentecostal Church may appear to be under attack this week with one pastor 'slapsgiving' and another exorcising demons with his penis. As I reflect on my thoughts on Christianity and in particular the Pentecostal Church, two incidents stick in my mind. Incident one: I...a single young woman in London, met and befriended a Nigerian couple. It was a difficult time in my life. They were nice to me. They invited me to their church in central London. The husband was just starting out in his pastoral career. One Sunday after church, pastor offered to drive me back home. When we got to my flat, he insisted on praying for me. I wasn't particularly keen as I was alone with him and didn't feel comfortable. I did not want to offend him so I led him to the living room. As I knelt down, he pulled me up and with a dazed look in his eyes, asked for the bedroom. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I told him to leave. His wife kept calling me. She didn't know what had happened. I didn't tell her. I didn't go back.

Incident two: (Seven years later) I'm at a friend's flat in London. She'd invited eight of us for a prayer meeting. The 'pastor', cocky as hell, strolls in. Almost immediately he starts shouting, asking for a circle to be formed. He is at the center of the circle and starts picking on each person. He'd ask: "what have you done that led you here today?". He was good! People were crying, falling over themselves, rolling on the floor. When it was my turn, I looked him straight in the eye and said nothing. He wouldn't leave me alone. He became verbally abusive, spitting out all manner of obscenities. I didn't answer him. I just smiled. He didn't like that so he verbally diarrhea-ed himself some more. I remember him pushing me so forcefully. He wanted to do the forceful pushing that 'pastors' like him do to make their victims fall down in obvious defeat and humiliation. I stood my ground. I did not fall. For once I was thankful for being a rather plump bird. The feeling I'm left with to this day is that some people in the group suffered irreparable damage to their psyche on that night. They suddenly became aware of 'failures' they did not have before. My friend the hostess was practically in a trance. The 'pastor' blamed her for the break-up of her marriage. "It was your behaviour that made him leave, wasn't it? "You made him leave and now you must pray for him to come back". "Yes, yes, yes!" My friend answered on her knees, crying profusely. "It is me and I want him to come back". In reality, she never wanted him back. They had been living apart for five years following a very abusive marriage which left her a shadow of her former self. She was in fact fighting for a divorce which he was refusing to give. After that night, my friend became confused. She went out of her way to make contact with her estranged husband. She even went to see him in Canada where he was now based. Thankfully, they did not get back together.

So I'm here making some points that all Christians (including myself) should bear in mind:

1. No one has a special gateway to God, we all have the same channel to reach him.
2. Your pastor is no more specially anointed than yourself.
3.  In all things, think for yourself, do not be influenced by what any man or woman says

My name is Adura Ojo and I'm a confirmed Anglican. Peace and Merry Christmas to you all.

*I would like to point out that although my experiences were with Nigerian pastors, it is an issue in many countries where religion/religiousity is a prevalent force to be reckoned with.