Nujoma should be clear on ‘misleading churches’ – CCN

THE Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN), has asked President Sam Nujoma to address the problem of “misleading churches” specifically and not paint all religious organisations in the country with one brush.

Nangula Kathindi, CCN General Secretary, said yesterday that there were 19 churches and other bodies affiliated to the organisation which have contributed to nation building, development and reconciliation in the country. Nujoma attacked churches last week in Tsumeb claiming that some of them mislead their followers.He said Government only recognised the Anglican, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church.He said the rest had no vision and were misleading.He urged the Christians to be vigilant against them.Kathindi said in a statement that the CCN agreed with Nujoma that there were some churches that created confusion among the people, those mentioned by the President played a significant role in the liberation struggle of Namibia.”CCN has received numerous complaints from our member churches who feel hurt because of not being recognised, while they are also of good standing in preaching the Christian gospel and are involved in nation building.CCN would therefore like to appeal to His Excellency Dr Sam Nujoma to address the problem of ‘misleading churches’ specifically without including churches who are not responsible for such behaviour,” Kathindi said.She said the influx of many individual preachers and movements had created confusion and called on Namibians to be vigilant and not become victims of such movements operating in Namibia.Kathindi said the CCN membership was made up of the likes of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia, Protestant Unity Church (Oruuano), Rhenish Church in Namibia, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, United Methodist Church in Namibia, Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa and the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.The Reformed Churches in South Africa and the Apostolic Faith Mission in Namibia have observer status, while the Coptic Orthodox Church in Namibia is an associate member.The Pentecostal Protestant Church, Ecumenical Institute of Namibia and Young Women’s Christian Association were all organisations affiliated to the CCN.In 2001, Nujoma labelled Christianity a “foreign philosophy” prompting the CCN leadership to call a meeting with him.Meeting a group of farmers in the North, Nujoma had said that the Constitution recognised freedom of worship “but I don’t care because it (Christianity) is artificial, it’s a foreign philosophy.”Nujoma instead suggested that Namibians go back to their ancestral worship of the cattle god, known as “Kalunga ya Nangombe”.Last year the President accused some churches of aiding the spread of HIV-AIDS by operating throughout the night.Nujoma attacked churches last week in Tsumeb claiming that some of them mislead their followers.He said Government only recognised the Anglican, African Methodist Episcopal Church, Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church.He said the rest had no vision and were misleading.He urged the Christians to be vigilant against them.Kathindi said in a statement that the CCN agreed with Nujoma that there were some churches that created confusion among the people, those mentioned by the President played a significant role in the liberation struggle of Namibia.”CCN has received numerous complaints from our member churches who feel hurt because of not being recognised, while they are also of good standing in preaching the Christian gospel and are involved in nation building.CCN would therefore like to appeal to His Excellency Dr Sam Nujoma to address the problem of ‘misleading churches’ specifically without including churches who are not responsible for such behaviour,” Kathindi said.She said the influx of many individual preachers and movements had created confusion and called on Namibians to be vigilant and not become victims of such movements operating in Namibia.Kathindi said the CCN membership was made up of the likes of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia, Protestant Unity Church (Oruuano), Rhenish Church in Namibia, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, United Methodist Church in Namibia, Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa and the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.The Reformed Churches in South Africa and the Apostolic Faith Mission in Namibia have observer status, while the Coptic Orthodox Church in Namibia is an associate member.The Pentecostal Protestant Church, Ecumenical Institute of Namibia and Young Women’s Christian Association were all organisations affiliated to the CCN.In 2001, Nujoma labelled Christianity a “foreign philosophy” prompting the CCN leadership to call a meeting with him.Meeting a group of farmers in the North, Nujoma had said that the Constitution recognised freedom of worship “but I don’t care because it (Christianity) is artificial, it’s a foreign philosophy.”Nujoma instead suggested that Namibians go back to their ancestral worship of the cattle god, known as “Kalunga ya Nangombe”.Last year the President accused some churches of aiding the spread of HIV-AIDS by operating throughout the night.