Eating “stoko” in the name of Jesus

We have all heard wild stories of pastors who are apparently “chowing” female congregants like cows enjoying cud. These supposed pastors, some who are married, are practising adultery, infidelity and promiscuity in the name of the Lord. How do you stand in front of people and preach the word of God when you yourself are tainted? But it turns out that some of us have been in the dark. All this stuff about fornication and sexual molestation conducted by “men of God” is not news. Apparently these “men of God” have been having extra marital and illicit affairs in the house of the Lord for quite a while. We have heard about some priests scandals relating to rape, homosexual acts and other forms of violation. Some of these relations are allegedly even consensual. They are enjoying the forbidden fruit with careless abandon. I now understand why so many young men are tripping over themselves to be pastors. Kana macheri a mangwe fa ba ka re ‘a God fearing man’ ga o ka ke wa ba re sepe. Ba ba tshwarela gone hoo! I also always thought that some of these young women who go to church dressed to the nines in sometimes provocative outfits are just moving with the times but I understand that some are there to hunt for men. Others even flirt with and throw themselves at pastors and other men of God. It can be tempting when a woman is begging to be had. It is like a piece of marinated and braaied chicken being placed before you. How can you say ‘no’? My dear reader, the crotch has no conscience. Temptation of the flesh is truly man’s biggest downfall. There are women who throw themselves at men who they believe are powerful, rich or handsome. Gatwe ba dira ‘tsaa o utlwe.’ Sadly, some of these women seemingly use the wrong methods to get what they want and when things don’t go their way, they then cry foul. With this in mind, it is hardly surprising that some men are uncomfortable with their girlfriends or wives spending too much time at church or with pastors. The suspicions and insecurities are well placed. There are men out there who have broken up happy homes under the pretext of “helping” women in the congregation, promising them all sorts of enticing spiritual and material rewards. And who can trust a woman who seemingly loves a man of God more than her husband? She abandons domestic duties and servicing conjugal rights to go and shout: “Go deeper man of God!” I recall a few years ago, a particular pastor from one of these fly by night churches sent word out that he wanted to meet me. I have a church I was raised in where I was baptised and confirmed, which I remain loyal to. If I have problems, I will take them to my priests there. I just did not understand what this pastor wanted. Gape batho ba e ka re dingaka tsa Setswana, ba ka go okeletsa stress ka dikgang tse di deep. I admit that I might have read too much into it. After all, it is not every pastor who is deceitful and corrupt; there are many good pastors out there. But I have heard enough stories about women who are molested by or coerced into sexual relations with pastors. Gatwe man of God o tla bo a baa letsogo mo tlhogong a go rapella, le lengwe letsogo a le bintsha bintsha mo seropeng. Tlhe bathun’ kgalemelang bo Daddy ba ba corrupt ba tla hetsa bana. Itjakg!