The Ambivalence of Freedom of Religion, and Unearthing the Unlearnt Lessons of Religious Freedom from the Jonestown Incident: A Decoloniality Approach

Abstract

The article interrogates and problematises the concept of freedom of religion in South Africa by drawing on unlearnt lessons from the Jonestown incident. The South African constitution provides for the right to freedom of religion; unfortunately, the implementation of this right has evoked various unforeseen trajectories, such as abuse, commercialisation of religion and violation of human rights. The article argues that freedom of religion is being misinterpreted and misunderstood; as a result, religion, as it is practiced, has caused it to become a social pathology. To problematise religious freedom, we earth this article in decoloniality, of which one agenda is to challenge all forms of coloniality as manifested through religious discourses. The main argument of the article is that freedom of religion in South Africa needs to be redefined, reconceptualised and reconstructed, not only through the lens of theological orientation, but also sociologically, constitutionally and with respect to human rights. The Ambivalence of Freedom of Religion 331

Comparative Analysis of the State of Religious Pluralism between Intertestamental Palestine and Post-Apartheid South Africa

“…45 While the establishment of this commission is commendable, some scholars note that it also unwittingly contributed to the emergence of some tendencies which threaten the beauty of religion in society. 46 They argue that the protection of these rights has catalyzed the emergence of cult-like religious movements which violate human rights with their practices. For instance, some religious leaders make their members drink fuel while others occasionally spray their congregants with insecticides as part of their religious rituals under the guise of Christian practices.…”

‘Go and Prophesy in Your Own Land’: Foreign Prophets and Popularism in South Africa. Evoking the Need of Jonathanic Theology for Peaceful Resolution of Difference

“…The list of criminality and mafia tendencies exhibited by both local and foreign prophets is long. For example, Timothy Omotoso is known for rape scandals, money laundering, and human trafficking (Dube et al 2017); the Seven Angels Ministry for constitutional delinquency, abuse of resources and preventing children from attending school (Dube 2019). In some cases, congregants have to ingest or are sprayed with dangerous poisons, ostensibly as part of a healing process (Jamaica Observer 2016).…”

“…The prophetic terrain in the South African space has entered exciting, yet disturbing, times (Dube et al 2017). It is interesting, because innovations are emerging in the prophetic space, which we, or, at least, people with an orthodox or conventional theological orientation, would not have imagined.…”

Trajectories of mutual zombification in the praxis of post-colonial faith in South Africa. The need for African decoloniality theology

“…While these scholars have problematised the misuse of money and exploitation of adherents by religious movements, the trajectory of mutual zombification is still evident; adherents perceive zombification to be an act of obedience to God. This view has prompted Dube et al (2017) to pose a critical question: How can we find a crack code for those oppressed by religion, so that they can see the abuse, which is sugar coated by narratives of obedience to the man of God? Other questions are: Does the prosperity gospel represent a particular expression of coloniality?…”