God is not a political tool - CDP
2011-04-11 19:29
Johannesburg - God cannot be used as a political tool, the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) said on Monday.
"... the Christian rather is God’s tool, and that includes his responsibility when making his cross on the ballot paper," CDP leader Theunis Botha said in a statement.
He was reacting to reports that President Jacob Zuma had once again portrayed the African National Congress as "God's party of choice".
The City Press reported last week that Zuma told an ANC rally in the Eastern Cape to "believe in two things: God and the ANC".
He said: "When you vote for the ANC you are voting for Qamata [God], Qamata is the midst of the ANC".
"We are the mother of democracy, no other party deserves to be voted for other than the ANC. There’s always the presence of God where we are. When you vote for the ANC even your hand gets blessed," Zuma said.
Voting for the devil
In February Zuma told a crowd in Mthatha that a vote for the opposition was a vote for the devil.
Botha said Zuma demonstrated what he thought of churches who were determined that their prophetic voice be heard.
The United Reform Church had advised their parishioners not to vote for the ANC and the Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk (VGK) advised their parishioners to make sure that the party they voted for upheld the principles of the church, he said.
"Should other churches now follow the example of the VGK, and point out to their members how the ANC’s abortion, gambling and other secular legislation contravenes the Bible, then the ANC can only blame themselves for electing a person such as Zuma as party leader."
Botha said the CDP was encouraging churches to tell their parishioners that they do not want them to vote for the ANC or any other party that contravened the values and principles of their churches.
- SAPA
