Child Witches: How You Can Help

I am appalled at the actions of these so-called pastors! One said he doesnt do it for the money but if in fact an innocent child could ever be a witch, a man of God would to the exorcism free of charge! If I could afford to take all of those children I would do so.

I am DISGUSTED and OUTRAGED at ABC news. You are biased and horribly discriminatory of Christians. You took a story about children in the Congo and misrepresented it. You accused CHRISTIANS of hurting children. What proof do you have that this so called pastor is a Christian? Can you back that claim up? No you cannot. Just because someone wears a symbol of Jesus Christ on his robe does not make him a Christian. Want to do a story on what REAL Christians are doing in the world? How about the team of college students that just went to the mountain villages of rural Honduras to take in beans, rice, soap, toothbrushes & toothpaste. You call yourselves an unbiased news source, you are WRONG.

Pray for these children

In your commentary on the children accused of being witches in the Congo you immediately started the story declaring that these atrocities were being committed by “Christian Ministers’.
How can ABC news label these con artists “Christian Minsters”? Why does the liberal press go to extremes to distance Al Qaeda from Islam, but immediately slap the label “Christian” on something that, by it’s own actions, is the very opposite of what true Christianity espouses?
Christaphobia can be the only answer.

How sad. How horrendous.
Thank you for this special report. Exposing these “wicked” child abusers is an important step in stopping their crimes and saving these children. I plan on contacting the chartiable organizations you list here.

I am a Registered Nurse. I have seen it all but this absolute abuse of children is untolertable!!!!!!
If I had the finances to go there and take care of this I would. Unfortunately,I do not. President Obama
how in the world could you let this occur?

Ok, when have YOU been anywhere in the world trying to help? WHen you have packed your bags and run medical clinics in rural mountains, or taught good parenting classes in other countries, let me know. Or have you just sat in your living room and just watched the crap on ABC news? I think I’ve earned the right to be critical because I’ve packed my bags and DONE something about poverty and injustice. What’s the last thing ABC had done besides air a story?

People that say that abc news is wrong for what they just put on tv are the ones who are wrong. they want to save these children from the evil people who do these things to them. we also have to remember that their are children that need our help for the same reasons in america also. but im sure that no one would call them sinners. I learned something a long time ago when i was in sunday school, Only god can judge. we all need to learn that and help out each other as much as we can and stop wondering who is a sinner.

Pray for these children!!!Contact the organizations that can help and help them! Thank you ABC for covering this story…this is on the same order as Darfur…These ministers are not Christians..their trances and actions are demonic in nature..ABC please continue to keep us informed on the news.Children are horribly tortured and some do not survive this exorcism? Then they are abandoned and left to wander the streets or worse left at the “church” at the hands of these demon priests !!! Children are a gift of God..we need to help them. There should be thousands daily responding to this story…ABC News ..you can help these children by keeping their story in front of us…US citizens should take note and bring these children to the US through adoption. ABC News expose these priests for who they are…get to the truth so that these children’s parents/guardians eyes will be open and not tolerate these “priests” in their communities. God bless those that help these little ones. God bless these innocent children and protect them.

The Holy Spirit would never accept these so-called pastors who traumatize kids and accuse them of witchcraft for money. I believe that Christians in the U.S. should help these kids. I am going to try to get my church to help. The PASTORS are the demons, NOT the kids. I hope these pastors are charged with fraud and assaulting on innocent children and I hope that they are punished with their crime.

Where is the list of resources for helping these children of the Congo?
Charlie Gibson said it would be on your site. the page will not come up.

I just saw the story about child witches in the Congo.What I saw was evil. I condemn this.As a human being, I condemn this,As a father, I condemn this,As an American, I condemn this,As a Christian, I condemn this,As a son, I condemn this,As a pastor, I condemn this!These people are NOT Christians and they are NOT pastors.They are using age old witch doctor tricks for their own purposes.Do not let anyone decieve you, these people do not represent Jesus Christ and/or His Church.I don’t know about you… but as for me and my house, we will follow the Lord and do something about this evil!!!May God deliver these innocent children from evil.

The story was introduced by Charles Gibson as cruelty and violence to innocent children at the hands of Christian pastors. But as Dan Harris asked one of the ‘pastors’, Is this something that Jesus would do? Of course not!!! Just because something is done in Jesus’ name doesn’t mean that Jesus approves of it. I appreciate the story opening our eyes to the horrendous treatment innocent children are enduring for someone’s ‘get rich’ scheme, so that we can do something to help the children & stop the violence. But PLEASE don’t call those evil ‘pastors’ Christians. They are not working for God!

Let’s just not talk about this, but do something!!! We heard this news for a reason and therefore; are all accountable for doing something!! Thank you!

These people do terrible things to these children. I think that we have all established that. These people doing all these thing to these kids is the work of the devil. If they were really pastors, they would try to stop this from happening. I will hope and pray that these people would be put in jail.I hate them, but they will have to fix their sin and we will have to forgive them in the name of God.

This story is causing quite a stir. Rightfully so. I would like us to take our focus off ABC news vs Christ followers to the real issue of the abuse of these kids. We all know it is wrong. We are warned in the Bible of false prophets. These so called “Pastors” are the real “witches” and should be prosecuted. I thank ABC for presenting this story to the American people and pray that ANYONE Christian or not will join forces to save these children. Lets save these innocent kids and let God deal with these barbarians abusing them.

Ellen is absolutely correct when she says Charles Gibson introduced the story as one of abuse at the hands of “Christian pastors”. A more appropriate wording would have been, “so-called Christian pastors”. But no–that wouldn’t have been “news-worthy” enough. Go for the hype. Go for headlines. Use a broad-brush approach attempt to get your viewers to think that this is how “Christians” act. Dan Harris asked the right question, but
ABC never allowed him to answer it. There were two travesties about this story. One, was the story itself about the tragedy that has befallen the children at the hands of non-Christian peusdo-religious con-artists. Two, was the self-serving and propagandistic manner in which it was reported. That being the blaming of Christians for actions which any Biblically-informed Christian would condemn as loudly as ABC itself.

V M: This was not a piece on WHY, it was a report on WHAT and WHO. Leave the indepth documentary for another segment of televsion. You only get a few minutes for each story in a half-hour show. If a group of people are lynching another group of people, the main story would be some people got lynched by other people because they thought/believed…. The indepth
sociological/psychological/historical/cultural examinations behind the lynchings would be examined in the latter part of the story on a show that would have a much longer time to examine/discuss it.
Don’t attack Dan Harris the messenger for his part of this story .

AT FIRST WHEN I HEARD AND SAW THE REPORT FROM ABC NEWS I IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO TURN THE CHANNEL AND I DID BUT I DECIDED TO GO BACK AND REALLY HEAR WITH AN DISCERNING EAR AND TO BE OBJECTIVE ABOUT THE STORY. I KNOW THAT AFRICA HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT OF TURMOIL AND I JUST WANTED TO CRY FOR THIS NATION AND TO PRAY TO A SOVEREIGN GOD WHO CAN CHANGE ANYTHING FOR HIS GLORY. CHRISTIANS (FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST) PLEASE CONTINUE PRAYING AND GOING TO THIS GREAT NATION AND HELPING THEM IN ANYWAY WE CAN. I LOVE THE COMMENT FROM THE PERSON THAT STATED, “OUR CHILDREN ARE BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH”.
THANK YOU THAT WE WILL DO SOMETHING NOW TO CHANGE THIS SITUATION.

First and foremost, these are not CHRISTIAN PASTORS that are doing these evil acts nor are these CHRISTIAN PARENTS that are letting these people do these things to their chiildren. I understand what Dan Harris was trying to ask these so called pastors “IS THIS SOMETHING JESUS WOULD BE PLEASED WITH?” I don’t necessarily he was agreeing that these people ARE CHRISTIANS in fact he basically was calling them false prophets-which is what the BIBLE SPEAKS OF IN THE LAST DAYS….ANYONE LISTENING? WAKE UP PEOPLE. Yes we have heard the last days preached all of our lifes, but honestly, have you ever seen such wickedness? To abuse a child in this manner in and to say it is in the NAME OF GOD? AND WORST OF ALL..NOT ONLY OTHER ADULTS STAND BY AND WATCH THIS HAPPEN, BUT FOR GOD SAKE..THE PARENTS? I CANNOT IMAGINE ANYTHING ANYMORE HORRIFIC THAN THIS. But people of this world are so cruel and evil and the devil is running so rampped on this earth..I am sure we will certainly here of even more disturbing things. Everyday it seems as though you hear something that is just a tad bit worse than you heard the day before. I am by no means a perfect person, but I believe in GOD ALMIGHTY, I KNOW HE IS MY SAVIOR AND ANYINE WHO MIGHT READ THIS I PRAY YOU WILL SEARCH YOUR HEART AND SAY A PRAYER FOR GOD TO COME INTO YOUR LIFE. HE DIED FOR ALL OF US. NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE DONE HE WILL FORGIVE YOU….NO MATTER WHAT…PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE CHILDREN AND PRAY THAT THESE EVIL PEOPLE WILL STOP WHAT THEY ARE DOING. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP IN ANY WAY PLEASE PLEASE DO SO. BUT IF NOTHING ELSE AT LEASET PRAY…GOD WILL HONOR THAT.

Just pray for these children. I don’t think ABC really thinks Christians are doing this or alledgeing this. They are just showing that the “Pastor” claims to be Christian. What really needs to be done here is not to save the children but to educate and intervene with the parents/grandparents before it gets to saving the kids. By then, it is too late. Teach these parents that they are being lied to before one more buys into this horrible practice. I was holding my baby in my arms as this came on tv. I was just in shock. I plan to give $ to help this cause.

I’ve worked in the field of investigating child abuse allegations for the past 11 years. Of course this is child abuse. These “pastors” stated that they are Christian, & are only doing what the Holy Spirit tells them to do. They are not Christian, nor is the Holy Spirit telling them anything. But we humans have a tendency to commit heinous acts “in the name of God”, whether it be these so called “Christian pastors”, or any religious group that profanes the name of God to justify their inhumanity towards their fellow man. We should be focusing on the abuse of these innocents, not whether ABC is promoting a liberal agenda by airing this story. Focus on the issue people, not the politics. This is far too important, not just for the children of Zaire, but for children everywhere.

I want to know WHY Sen Clinton hasn’t addressed this to the UN! OMG! This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooo EVIL!!!!
I have never felt so helpless and cried so much over a television documentary. I mean…send in the troops to STOP THIS! This is WHAT we should be doing!
I’d like to get a passport and fly over there and see those “Rev” and “priests” get a good one….and it won’t be nice!

Elizabeth Alston, Ann Baron, and Paula, if you watched the actual program, the “pastor” was wearing a cloak with pictures of Jesus all over it.
And the scripture doesn’t matter there, most likely none of them can read. ABC is not harassing Christians, but instead showing how people easily warp religion, in a sick crude way. That is something that has been done for decades: manipulating ignorant people to believe what the “educated” people want. All of these parents are confused about what is going on and look for an excuse. Those “pastors” are giving them what they want to hear. They read them “scripture” telling them that Jesus said their children are witches, and that’s that. They believe it.
Its not the children’s fault that they are poor and hungry. Its the parents and the governments. But they aren’t going to hear that side of the conversation. That might cause a revolution.

I was so touched by this story and wanted to help immediately. Unfortunately when I hit the helpful organizations link I got a message saying the page no longer exists! ABC, please fix this so that people can help in this crisis while it is still fresh in their minds.

I cannot get to the list of resources, What’s up with that??

Last night I watched this horrible story of child abuse and immediately prayed for the end of such cruelty. I prayed because it was all I could do from my living room. I believe in the power of prayer, but I also believe as Christians we are called to put legs on those prayers and do something tangible when we can. All night I kept worrying about how many of those little ones were at that very moment being hurt, frightened and then abandoned by the adults they should be able to trust.
I had hoped to be able to check out the resources first thing this morning to see how I can help. But as others have noted, the list of contacts is not accessible.
There are horrible things going on in this world that our minds want to turn away from. I wanted to do just that last night – not see images that I knew would haunt me. But these innocent children cannot turn away from the terror, so in good conscience neither can we.
To ABC news and other organizations who have the power to make such atrocities known I plead that you will continue, but for the sake of all that is good and honorable, don’t just report it. Help those of us who want to stop such horror find the ways we can make at least a little difference.
And, using the vast resources that ABC as a widely watched news agency can access, initiate action to spur assistance to those children immediately.
Horrible things have happened in the name of religion for centuries. Just because the man shown in the story claimed to be a Christian means nothing. Anyone who knows Jesus knows this type of action would have been hated and abhored by Him.
When I hear of the horrors going on all over our world I find myself praying, Jesus, come quickly so that suffering at the hands of others can end.
At the very least, ABC, provide the list you promised so that perhaps concerned people can make a little difference.

As many have already commented, these horrible acts on innocent children are totally against Christian teaching. I am hopeful that the true Christian church in the Congo (and U.S. Christian missions there) would step in to save the children and teach the affected people the message and loving actions of the true followers of Jesus Christ.

I watched the report last evening about children in the congo being accused of being witches by a “Christian pastor.” This “pastor” does not follow Christ,he follows Satan. Christ taught love, compassion and forgiveness.He also said that,you will know people by what they do. Matthew 7:16 “You will know these people because of the things they do. Good things don’t come from bad people, just as grapes don’t come from thorn bushes. And figs don’t come from thorny weeds.” Please do not give this evil man the title of Christian.

I used to live in Kinshasa for a couple of years, and now I’m writing an anthropology dissertation on Congolese youth culture. In 3 minutes, of over-paraphrased translations and mispronounced names, Dan Harris did a decent job summing up one of the realities of a political economy in turmoil. Above all, I should note that these pastors are just trying to make money doing what they honestly believe to be a beneficial service. Like the pastor says (in Lingala), “Jesus was a prophet. I am a prophet.” He says he’s helping the kids because they are “maléduqué” (poorly educated, misbehaving, poorly raised, improper). He sees himself as a specialist in re-forming the children (mind, body and soul) for the good.
For many of the children, their parents have been killed by a long war, AIDS, malaria, TB, cholera, typhoid fever, food/water poisoning, or off hunting diamonds. Their aging, malnourished guardians cannot depend on support from their families, the state or Euro-American churches and NGOs, so they turn to impromptu revival style exorcists/pastors springing up all over DRC. Unable to make sense of their hellish existence, the adults accuse the kids of being the cause of their families’ misfortunes, starvation, poverty, illnesses, or “spiritual afflictions.” Exorcising the demon, in theory, should remove the problem. When the physical body of the child has been bruised, but the witch’s curse remains, they are usually forced out of the home to join the ranks of ba-shege (street children) who roam the streets of Kinshasa.
I just hope ABC News did something for those kids after they were abandoned. Their grandmother probably thought “These Americans can take the kids to the USA, or give them $100.” I’m also really surprised the Congolese government let such a story be filmed, especially since it was a bit exploitative of the people and their situation.
As far as witchcraft accusations are concerned, I think the main problem comes down to opposing Euro-American religious scripts countering African spiritual philosophies in a most disharmonious situation. The same is true of the failed official economy and political apparati of the state, given many opposing forces and interests. Tshikala Biaya and Filip DeBoeck are two anthropologists who’ve written on the witchcraft-street children issue in Kinshasa. Also “Reinventing Order in the Congo” is a helpful book which tries to break down the social geography of the place for Euro-American readers. Of course, education–in the Northern and Southern hemispheres–is the route to solving this problem.

In the bible even satan knew all about Jesus. However, he was still satan, the evil one.
They only wear the symbols and SAY they are Christians. (They are liars.) The government needs to step in and prosecute these child abusers and murderers.

I am amazed that people are attacking ABC news for reporting this heinous abuse of children that contributes so much evil and suffering in the world. Am I the only person who has the initial reaction that this so-called pastor should be hit by lightning or otherwise eliminated? Perhaps God is very much aware of what is being done in His name and will act swiftly. In the meantime we need ABC news to provide a better link to make sure that donations go DIRECTLY to support these children. I am going to do more research and demand that ABC show us away that we can impact this situation immediately. It is intolerable and unacceptable that tis continue any longer. Perhaps restrictions on foreign aid should be tied to the immediate end of this practice. We can and will stop this and ABC must provide more direct information on how to stop this now!

Amazing. Seems people have completely forgotten the very long history of murder, torture and theft in the name of Christ. They ARE Christians, as much as a Catholic priest or a fundamentalist preacher. If this was done in the name of any other religion, you wouldn’t have a problem at all.
Cope with it, accept it, and don’t castigate others for pointing out a reality. The reality won’t change.

I was horrified at the abuse these poor innocent children are suffering. It is not enough that they live in poverty and most families are ravaged by aids, but to take away their innocense with claims of witchcraft is heart breaking. I would like information on adoption and also will help financially.
It was clearly evident when the goverment official was confronted by the ABC reporter, they will not help these children. As an American, I will write my Congressman, the President, we need to come to the defense of these helpless children…. let’s not look the other way…

I TO AM APPALLED BY THIS SO-CALLED PASTOR. BUT INSTEAD OF CRITICIZING THE WORLD NEWS FOR REPORRTING ON THIS STORY, I AM GOING TO ASK HOW ARE WE GOING TO STOP THIS AND HOW CAN I HELP.

Very upsetting what we saw about the abuse of the children in the Congo in the name of God. Completely unbiblical and not Christian at all. I have written several books on this issue, two in the 1970s but a brand new one titles How Christians Cast Out Demons Today, a short book with a DVD. Somehow I would like to present another side to the story even though it might make me look like a loony guy or worse. Kent

There are people who do all sorts of horrid things in the name of Jesus. Doing it in the name of Christ gives them authority. People pay money to have this done to their children.
Unfortunately we read of similar atrocities in our own country. People “casting out demons” they believe their children are possessed with.
ABC is reporting what is going on. I’m annoyed by those on this post who are taking ABC to task for calling pastors involved Christian as though ABC is anti-Christian. That is ridiculous. This is an abuse of children.
I’ll be interested to know how the rest of the Christian community reacts and what steps they take to put a stop to this.

But it will come to pass that the perverts will eventually pay a real price…there can be no forgiveness for these crimes…

Nothing new… look at the history of Christianity..it is filled with violence.
We could either stay in denial or accept the reality and make changes.