Science and religion have been at loggerheads throughout history. This is only true to a few scientists who belong to Psalm.14:1 " The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God..." However there are great scientific minds that have opened their hearts and received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
When food supplements were first introduced in Kenya, many in the medical fraternity fought them tooth and nail. When alternative medicine using locally available herbs was again introduced the same people with support from the church firmly opposed and doubted their efficacy with the church labeling the herbs and roots demonic. Time has proven the opposers wrong and forced them to backpedal and start both the consumption and prescription of the same. Let me from the outset state that there are very many counterfeit food-supplements and herbal remedies out there just like there are many counterfeit medicines in our chemists. Statistics tell us that 30% of the medicines in our Kenyan chemists and medical establishments are fake. There are equally many false churches, false teachers, false prophets and false pastors. We are living in the last days and an upsurge of such characters should be expected. " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15
Both the print and electronic media in Kenya have been awash with the magical wonders of a herb from Loliondo. Pastor Ambilikile Masapile 79, a retired cleric of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania is administering a highly poisonous arrow root locally known as Mugariga to cure every known ailment. I mean diseases like HIV-AIDS, Cancers, Diabetes etc have succumbed to his treatment. In the past one week, there has been a daily stretch of over 20 kms of vehicles. Politicians from the East African countries are going there in droves. Due to the poor state of the road to this rural hide-out the rich are using choppers to get a sip of Babu Masapile's cup of concoction. There are very many testimonies of healings and this has only added to the numbers flowing there. A picture of Babu Masapile is one of poverty and a life of self-denial that is probably honed by religion or the late President Nyerere's failed socialism. Like the prophets of yore he does not accept gifts and instead asks people to donate them to the needy in society. He also asks for a pittance for the cup of concoction very much less than what television evangelists charge for anointing oil.
Scientists are in agreement that the herb is very poisonous and kills every bird that sucks its nectar in seconds. The people in this area have used it to poison their arrows in the past. The big question is why doesn't it kill humans? Is it the power in Babu's prayers? He claims it is God who commanded him to use the herb to heal people. What does the bible say about all these happenings? Should Christians consult Babu for the many incurable diseases they suffer? Where is God in all these?
Today is a Saturday and obviously tomorrow is the Lord's day so join me on Monday as I attempt to answer the above questions. God bless you and remember to attend church tomorrow for the Lord tells us " Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25
