Monrovia – Reverend Michael Degorl, Secretary General of the Liberia Fellowship of Full Gospel Ministers and Churches said it’s time that children at the “strange church,” be taken by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection for “de-orientation.”
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
The Saint Assembly International Ministry came to prominence after several parents accused the church of indoctrinating their children thereby leading them (children) to shun going to school and putting on some untoward behaviors.
Rev. Degorl, in an interview with Frontpage Africa, said the government through the Gender Ministry must take custody of the children and design a program to de-orientate them since the church’s doctrine is not only about religion but has negative effects on the society.
“The victims need de-orientation because their doctrine so far is about mental orientation so we need program that will deprogram them,” he said.
According to Rev. Degorl, the reason to de-program them is because every time a victim gets out of the church to unite with their families, that person in no time returns to them. “It’s because of the orientation they have received,” he added.
He disclosed that he is also a victim after his nephew became a member of the Caldwell branch of the church.
Rev. Degorl said his 14-year-old nephew stopped attending school because the church reportedly brainwashed him telling him that Jesus is coming soon and school will not be important- so he should evangelize instead of going to school.
He said he and other families involved were not taking it lightly as they feel that the “strange church” devalues education and family value.”
Rev. Degorl said the LFFGM doesn’t understand the church’s doctrine adding: “We recently requested them to explain their doctrine during police investigation but they refused to give it but said the Bible is their doctrine.”
“The Bible is everybody’s doctrine but it can be interpreted by humans differently. We don’t know the interpretation given to young people that is causing the problem.”
Rev. Degorl further told this newspaper that the church members also told them that they are not subject to anybody to clarify anything and they are an independent group.
According to him, apparently, because the police couldn’t understand them, they (police) turned them (strange church) over to the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) and LFFGM, because they are two large Christian religious groups.
He said they told the police that the LFFGM cannot chastise them; however, they recommended that the government takes control of the investigation to secure the lives of the youths.
“Many of the complaints we have is about young people been kidnapped by them.”
“We cannot force them; they are Christians like us but they are not reasonable.”
“We don’t know their interpretations of the Bible: Youths are getting bad off, they are going against their parents, school and everything, so how will we consider them brothers in Christ?”
Rev. Degorl thinks that the kids are being cajoled and manipulated.
He disclosed that a committee has been set up to probe several complaints that have been filed to them.
“If we can’t get them to submit their doctrine for us to review, then the church should be shut down, which have to meet the acquiesce of the LCC.”
“We don’t have authority to close the church down but we will recommend to the government and if they see it necessary, they must close it.”