Doom-Spraying Pastor Backed by Church Members Claiming to Be 'Healed'
Church members of controversial South African Pastor Lethebo Rabalago's Mount Zion Christian Assembly in Zebediela say they are standing behind their leader who sprayed a toxic pesticide on people seeking miraculous healing during a recent church service.
Rabalago's practice of spraying a pesticide called Doom on his congregants, claiming to heal them from a variety of illnesses, has received warnings from several government organizations, including the South African Council of Churches, which said the pastor was being abusive.
The Southern Times reports that several church members are claiming that they have been healed by the spray, which Rabalago has said is God's doing.
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One woman, Surprise Mathe, claimed that she had been feeling pains in her stomach and waist, and had a rash on her face before the pastor used the spray on her.
"He said 'this rash is not supposed to be here,'" according to Mathe. "After a few minutes of being sprayed Doom on my face, rash slowly started to disappear. Give God the glory."
Eva Molokomme added in a Facebook post: "For six months, I have been having a headache. I also had painful legs. After the prophet sprayed Doom on me, I became healed immediately. God is alive."
The Tiger Brands company, which produces Doom, has issued warnings about the risks of spraying the toxic pesticide on people, and have urged the pastor to stop.
What is more, the Freedom of Religion South Africa, which represent 99 denominations and churches, said in another statement that when Jesus Christ healed people of diseases and ailments, He did so in a manner that protected their dignity.
The group said: "Spraying a known toxic liquid over another person, and thereby causing them physical harm, is both unlawful and illegal. We therefore call upon the government to exercise its powers to ensure that this action is reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, to ensure that its perpetrator is prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
The South African Broadcasting Corporation has reported that Rabalago's congregants continue to stand behind their church leader.
One church member read a public message about Rabalago, saying: "He is strong, for he was anointed by Elohim. When storms and hurricanes comes, he heads straight to them. When criticisms come to him, he does not hide because he is the son of the storm rider. He stands tall before the Goliath of this world, the media. He is Lethebo Rabalago detective. When he teaches, you feel the rumble in his voice. My papa continue doing great things."
Rabalago has said that anything can be used by God to heal people, and argued that he is using Doom much like other preachers use holy water or oil to bless or heal people.
"In the book of Genesis the spirit of God was hovering over the water. [Therefore] everything here on Earth belongs to God. Petrol belongs to God. Doom belongs to God," the pastor said.
