Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church, a.k.a Winners Chapel, has been lambasted for claiming to heal some coronavirus (COVID-19) patients.
Naija News reports that Oyedepo had stated that over 114 coronavirus patients have been healed through his church.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the founder of the Humanist Association of Nigeria (HAN), Leo Igwe, said Oyedepo’s claim would harm people because it would lead them into indulging in risky behaviours believing that their faith would heal them if they get infected by the dreaded disease.
The HAN founder described Bishop Oyedepo’s claim as weighty, reckless, and irresponsible.
Leo Igwe said the faith healing claim by Oyedepo is a piece of misinformation because faith healing is superstition- not a science-based proposition.
He said: “There is no evidence that anybody could be healed of coronavirus as Oyedepo. Unfortunately, this faith healing report from Winners’ church was not balanced and did not contain any perspective from the NCDC, or the health ministry, or a public health expert.
“This faith-healing claim has the potential of misleading the public, especially at a time of so much fear, panic, and uncertainty over the spread and cure of COVID-19.
“The lockdown has adversely affected the religious market. But the way to get the authorities to lift the ban on public gathering in churches is not to spread lies and misinformation about COVID-19 as Oyedepo has done.
“COVID-19 constitutes a public health challenge, and church leaders should be mindful of the claims that they make.”
source https://www.naijanews.com/2020/07/09/bishop-oyedepo-slammed-for-healing-coronavirus-patients/
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