Livingstone’s National Assembly office is sounding the alarm: some pastors and self-styled “men of God” are choosing deliverance sessions over life-saving medical treatment for drug addicts.
Kerron Hanongo, Personal Assistant to MP Rodney Sikumba, slammed the trend at a Play Forward stakeholders meeting. “It’s disturbing that addicts are taken to pastors for spiritual fixes instead of proper medical care,” she declared. Hanongo pressed for training that would empower religious leaders to steer those in crisis toward professional healthcare and rehabilitation.
Divine Fire Cathedral’s Pastor Sam Majoni echoed the call for balance. In a candid interview, he broke addiction recovery down into three essentials: physical help, psychological counseling, and, only then, spiritual support. “Before we focus on deliverance, addicts need hospital detox and real counseling. Skipping these steps isn’t salvation—it’s harm,” he warned.
Pastor Majoni also cautioned that some religious leaders, eager to grow their congregations, risk worsening addicts’ conditions by misdiagnosing drug dependency as mere spiritual possession. “We must recognize the difference. Failing to refer addicts for proper medical care compromises their well-being,” he asserted.
The message is clear: religious institutions must partner with healthcare providers to tackle substance abuse head-on, ensuring that salvation doesn’t come at the cost of a life.
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