God may be a feminist - bishop

2006-11-29 15:24

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

Polokwane - Christians in Bushbuckridge are going to learn on Sunday that God may be a feminist.

Pastors and churches have long believed women to be inferior to men and have oppressed and abused them, says Bishop Israel Malele, pastor in chief at the Word of Life International Outreach Centre in Bushbuckridge.

"The church of God is a victim of a serious misinterpretation of the Bible," he said.

"Many believe that women have no right to be leaders and won't allow them near the pulpit."

Malele, who does accept women as pastors, is now preparing a special sermon for this Sunday, as part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against the abuse of women and children.

"I want our people to know that God never said women are inferior or that they should be abused.

"We have plenty examples of powerful women whom God used in the bible.

"I will confront the situation seriously on Sunday, because, deny it or not, some believers don't see anything wrong with domestic violence," Malele said.

Women 'property' Malele blamed some domestic violence on traditional beliefs.

"Unfortunately, a black man was taught that a woman is his property who can be easily bought under the pretext of lobola and that he is allowed to do as he pleases with her.

"I am strongly challenging men to weigh culture against our vision of a non-violent and non-sexist society," Malele said.

He also condemned sangomas who misled men into having sex with children to cleanse themselves of HIV/Aids.

Spokesperson for Mpumalanga's safety and security department, Putsoa Makua said the MEC, Dina Pule, was already encouraging traditional leaders to give women a greater role in society and protection from abuse.

He said the department had also introduced new strategies and bills to help women feel safer in society.

'Report abuse' At the launch of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, MEC Pule warned that those who do not report child abuse would face the full might of the law.

She said crime cases against women and children were no longer allowed to be withdrawn from court, and had to go to trial.

She said it was up to communities to prevent domestic violence from happening, because it happens inside people's homes, where police cannot be on patrol.

She said some people were too afraid to report abusive men, because those men were often the sole breadwinners.

"But this is not about our stomachs, but about the future of our children," said Pule. "Will you be proud to raise children who have plenty in the house, but are emotionally destroyed?"

The 16 Days of Activism campaign started on November 25 and ends on December 10.

- African Eye