Prophet of ‘Doom’ condemned

Somewhere in the Holy Bible (Matthew 24:11), believers are warned that many false prophets will rise-up and they shall deceive people, including the very elect. Currently, the international scene is reeling in shock and anger following a South African prophet who sprays Doom (an insecticide) on his congregants. Prophet (Detective) Lethebo Rabalago from the Mount Zion General Assembly in Limpopo uses Doom insect-killer to heal people and to cast out demons.

A congregant in the church Facebook page, told the prophet that she suffers from an ulcer. He sprayed Doom on her and she says she received healing and deliverance.  Rabalago ‘commands’ demons to enter into people’s bodies so that they can manifest, “for demons need flesh in order for them to operate”.  The church Facebook page states that Rabalago ‘begins to speak to demons in order to address problems people face each day. He then drives them out of their bodies to free the people.’

In photos circulating on Facebook and Twitter, Rabalago, is seen spraying the insecticide directly into the eyes and various body parts of his congregants. He recently told BBC’s Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg that he had sprayed the face of one woman because she had an eye infection and claimed the woman was ‘just fine because she believed in the power of God.’ He also claims the spray can heal cancer and HIV.

“Doom is just a name, but when you speak to it to become a healing product, it does. People get healed and delivered through Doom,” a post on the church’s Facebook account reads. Testimonies of people who have supposedly been healed by Doom have also been posted on the Facebook page. Those that believe in his powers say he is a true man of God with a rare gift.

“No one has gone blind or died after the use of this product. When in the hands of a man of God, it becomes an anointed product that only people of high faith can understand. It doesn’t make sense to the natural man,” said Kgomotso Baipoledi, who says she is a congregant at Rabalago’s church. Another person said ‘things of the spirit were never meant to be understood by carnal minds and eyes.’

Blasted
The company that produces Doom warned of the risks of spraying the substance, while a government commission in South Africa urged anyone affected to lodge complaints. Tiger Brands, the company that makes the product, says it finds the practice alarming. “We want to make very clear that it is unsafe to spray Doom or any aerosol onto people’s faces,” the company said in a statement.

“Doom has been formulated to kill specific insects which are detailed on the cans, and the packaging has very clear warnings which must be adhered to,” the statement added. The company said it was trying to contact the pastor to ask him to stop the practice.
South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities has also condemned the practice, saying it is detrimental to the well-being of people. “The CRL Rights Commission encourages everyone whose rights and beliefs have been violated to report such to the Commission,” it said in a statement.

Local clergymen speak
Pastor Mmusi Kewagamang of Ebenezer ministries in Gaborone feels what Ramalago is doing is an act of deception. He says the young prophet should stop it before he attracts the wrath of God. “This man is out of order and he must be jailed. What kind of healing and deliverance is this that deprives human beings of their dignity?” he fumed.

For Prophetess Esther Motshabi of The Word Based church, people, especially, women, will continue to be deceived and taken advantage of because of their gullibility and desperation. “This is also about people who agreed to be sprayed. They entertain false prophets,” she said. Elder David Sithabile of Arise Ministries opines that ‘we should leave the prophet and his people and let God handle the matter.’ He says false prophets are after making a name for themselves. “It’s no longer about God but themselves. Competition in the body of Christ is behind all this deception,” he states.

More recent strange things
Lesego Daniel, Rabboni Ministries The self-styled prophet in Pretoria instructed members of his congregation to drink petrol In 2014, Facebook images on the church’s website also showed his followers eating grass and flowers on his orders.

Penuel Mnguni, End Times Disciples Ministries
Dubbed ‘snake pastor’ by local media, the 25-year-old prophet reportedly started his church in 2014 after training under Lesego Daniel. In 2015, Facebook images showed the self-proclaimed prophet feeding his members stones which he claimed to have turned into bread.
That same year, other images emerged of him feeding his followers snakes, which they claimed tasted like chocolate. Sources from South Africa say he has since been chased out of Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, where his church was located.

Lethebo Rabalago, Mount Zion General Assembly
Posted a photo on Facebook which showed what looked like a large speaker on top of a person lying face-up on the ground. In another photo, he is seen sitting on the speaker while a person remains underneath. In 2016, he is photographed spraying insecticide into the faces of his followers, saying it will heal them.