Guti’s church faces push back in Scotland over “ga...

Guti’s church faces push back in Scotland over “gay exorcism”

Oscar J Jeke

Zim Now Reporter

A Scottish news website has reported that activists in the country are up in arms over the expansion of the late Ezekiel Guti’s ZAOGA church in the country.

According to Aberdeen Live, the backlash comes after the Forward In Faith Church International Incorporated has secured approval from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator to expand beyond Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen to Dundee and Fife.

The platform said activists have described as FIFCII promoting "vicious homophobia and misogyny" and are seeking its exclusion on those grounds.

"This organisation promotes vicious homophobia and misogyny, and may well be endangering lives with reckless allegations of witchcraft. Any suggestion it is acting in the public benefit and worthy of charitable status is absurd,” said the National Secular Society NSS spokesperson on human rights Alejandro Sanchez.

"We know from experience OSCR has been either unable or unwilling to take action against religious charities that foster intolerance and extreme views.”

"It is now time legislators urgently review 'the advancement of religion' as a charitable purpose. It must not be used as a back door for religious groups to promote conversion therapy and the subjugation of women,” said Sanchez.

Among the examples brought up against the church are post on its website including that of a man delivered from possession by a "homosexual spirit" and teachings that say a married woman must always say yes to her husband’s sexual advances.

Aberdeen Live says the FIFCII official spokesperson did not respond to questions on allegations of extreme homophobia and misogyny.

OSCR had also did not respond to queries on their approval of FIFCII.

Scotland is moving towards outlawing conversion therapy that interferes with a person's gender identity or sexual preferences.

In June The Telegraph reported that the Church of Scotland was selling 100 properties after seeing a declined in congregants and clergy.

The church said it had lost about 40% of its ministers between 2000 and 2022 as well as a million congregants between 2000 and 2021.

Only 20 percent of people in Scotland still identify as Christian according to a 2021 census.

FIFCII says it is growing fast due to immigration.

“Scotland has seen a big increase in numbers due to the influx from Zimbabwe through the work visa program.

“This has benefited us in many ways, not least with tithing but also as many of them were already leaders in Zimbabwe. They are eager to do the work of God in their new places of worship,” the church said in its 2023 report.