'Steeple is phallic symbol'
2003-10-04 09:14
Cape Town - A Cape Town NG Church congregation is up in arms over suggestions that their church's steeple is a phallic and occult symbol.
In a letter to the church's council, Cobie Swart, the wife of minister Chris Swart, described the steeple as an image of a male's sex organs, which had "sexual relations with the goddess of the sky".
This has raised questions about all church towers in South Africa, say concerned church members.
The Brackenfell West congregation worked hard for the past decade to pay off the church and are now devastated that the tower might be torn down.
Congregation members said that Rev Swart hinted at this during last weekend's sermons.
It is now being compared to an occult symbol like that of the Free Masons, the sun god Ra or Nimrod, who married his mother Isis, a phallic object, obelisk and the needle of Egypt or Cleopatra. All the names appear in a letter, dated August 14, which Mrs Swart submitted to the church council.
In the letter she said "our congregation is going through a renewal process and God started speaking to me through mostly Isiah 1. My belief is that in this time we should clean up and throw out everything that is not from Him ... The tower is unmistakeably a Free Mason symbol."
Open meeting
In an open meeting two weeks ago, the tower was discussed frankly.
A number of church members have said that they feel offended. The congregation remodeled a simple hall about a decade ago. The free-standing tower, which is a plain square pillar with a point like a pyramid, was added.
Carl Greyling, a former elder, said the outcry was ridiculous. There are more important things to worry about, he said.
Sep van Zyl, an elder, said "there are thousands of steeples around the world that are built in the name God. Now suddenly God has told the minister it is not right''.
Susan Brink, a congregation member said photographs taken of some of the prettiest churches in the Western Cape are taken of the steeples. This is a strange "bomb" that we are dealing with, she said. We are just praying our steeple can stay.
Rev. Swart was not available for comment.