Kuda Bhejana: The false prophet effect on Zimbabwe’s democracy

By Kuda Bhejana

Do you remember how the British colonized Africa? With a Bible on their left hand and a gun on their right. Today, two groups of men; a permanent unelected political class and self-ordained “Men of God” as they are called on the streets, have colonized Africans – especially Zimbabweans with the use of the same tools. Bibles and Guns.

I’d like to address “religious propaganda” or “heretic fundamentalism” in Zimbabwe.

Zanu-PF’s rule has inadvertently caused the emergence of a perverted religion cushioned between the trustable covers of the Bible. This perverted religion has become a sophisticated, very formidable and dangerous mass propaganda machine.

The regime is saving money because it does not need to invest in communications infrastructure to deceive and emasculate Zimbabweans anymore. There has come between the regime and the people, “volunteers” gladly willing to take up this mammoth role.

“God’s Will” is a false Prophet’s favorite breakfast in Zimbabwe. Because not all of us are able to “hear” from God.

Only a few daring blasphemous Prophets self-ordain themselves as God’s ultimate spokespersons.

Some of them have even claimed to have God’s phone number which they dial and speak to God uninterrupted. That’s the depths of heresy, deception and depravity we have indulged ourselves to.

“It’s GOD’s Will”

Colluding with the corrupt politicians, the prophets lie to their congregants that the prevailing conditions in Zimbabwe are “God’s Will.”

This heresy is so easy to debunk. We are reasoning beings. That is how God created us. He created us with capacity to think and make decisions.

We have a conscience and we know what is right and wrong. It is from this capacity to think and our understanding of good and evil that we have created laws for ourselves. We do not write Constitutions from “God’s Will.”

Imagine if Albert Einstein had waited on “God’s Will” to discover E = mc^2

If Steve Jobs had waited for “God’s Will”, would we have Apple today – one of the world’s biggest companies that has revolutionized communication.

If the Wright Brothers had waited for “God’s Will” would we be flying in airplanes today? No.

It is through the exercise of their free will and other human faculties as given to them by God that these men managed to change the course of human history.

Are you telling me that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. waited on a prophet to tell him “God’s Will” regarding the struggle for civil rights in the United States of America?

You think Abraham Lincoln sought hideous prophets to learn “the mind of God” regarding the Emancipation Proclamation that started the process of freeing the slaves? You are kidding me!

A primary characteristic of mankind is free will. Yes, God is Sovereign. But God’s sovereignty does not interfere with human free will. In fact, mankind’s free will is a part of God’s Sovereignty.

In other words, in His Sovereignty, God created human beings with free will. That’s how He wants it to be. God exercises His Will through the free will of human beings.

“Spiritual Propaganda”

My problem is with false prophets who preach “God’s Will” with intention to paralyze if not completely extinguish people’s free will. It’s daylight zombification of unsuspecting, trusting people. I think that is extremely blasphemous and downright criminal.

Prophets have become the new agents of information warfare against unsuspecting Zimbabweans. The battle has shifted from arguing about constitutionality and the respect of rule of law to the forging of Old Testament analogies to the Zimbabwean situation.

Some Prophets claim to be Zimbabwe’s Moses, others as prophet Nathan, others as prophet Elijah, others Jeremiahs. The madness has no end.

What we are experiencing is a concerted selfish conspiracy against the prosperity of Zimbabwe by “prophets” and politicians who are using the highest form of propaganda; spiritual propaganda.

But we cannot be so stupid to start believing that Gukurahundi was God’s Will. It is not God’s Will for elections to be rigged. It is not God’s Will for young people to be jobless. It is not God’s Will for people to die of hunger and curable diseases. God does not support corruption. He does not support murder and genocide. He does not support cruelty.

If anything, everything that is happening in Zimbabwe is polar opposites with the message that Jesus Christ preached. Jesus preached love for God and for our neighbors. He preached sharing food and clothes. He preached protection of children. He preached against lust and against theft. He preached about sacrifice.

Why then do we respect people that preach the very opposite of Christ’s message?

I will end with the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jnr.

“Now I know that there are those people who are the victims of some strange illusions. They don’t believe in the necessity for continued protest. One illusion is the myth of time. They say, “Just wait and don’t push things. Be patient and pray and time will work this problem out. You have heard that I am sure.

These people fail to realize that time is neutral. It can be used positively or negatively.

We must get rid of the notion that human progress rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. We must come to see that human progress is never inevitable. It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistence of dedicated individuals. Without this hard work time itself becomes an ally to the forces of social stagnation.

We must make it clear that the time to do right is now and that the time is always right to do right.”

Kuda Bhejana is a political analyst and media entrepreneur based in Washington, DC. Follow him on Twitter @realbhejana.