Chris Okotie Under Fire Over Comment on Catholicism

Nigeria’s controversial preacher and former presidential candidate of Fresh Democratic Party, Rev Chris Okotie has been widely criticised by Christians and non-Christians alike over his comments that all Catholics in the world will go to hell because they worship Satan and are led by an anti-Christ Pope whom he described as a friend of the devil. The comments of the once popular rock star turned celebrity preacher and politician provoked Catholics and members of other denominations who questioned his moral rectitude to make such comments. Although journalist was informed at St Leo Catholic Church located on Toyin Street in Allen - Opebi area of Lagos that the Catholic Church will react officially to the comments, some members of the church said Okotie’s utterances were too reckless for someone who lays claims to pious credentials. Reacting to Okotie’s utterances, Pastor Kingsley Onyekanna appealed to Catholic faithful not to ridicule the Christian religion by joining issues with the pastor, saying the matter should be left in the hands of God. He said, “I don’t want to probe the veracity or otherwise of Reverend Chris Okotie’s allegations against some churches and prophets. I will rather leave that to the all-knowing God to prove who is His and who is not”. He added that his grouse with the preacher is his resolve to organise a beauty pageant in his church next week, wondering if the preacher is set to marry another wife, having married twice and divorced twice. For Mathew Ahiante, a devout Catholic, Pastor Okotie has committed heresy for describing the Pope as an anti-Christ and a friend of devil, saying the preacher should be critically examined to ascertain his state of mind. “Catholic system has the largest number of Christians in the world today. Pastors like Okotie are appendages of the breakaway faction of the Christian faith and all of them are called churches and allowed to use the title Reverend. “But when you look at what pastors like Okotie do and their lifestyle, it contradicts what the Bible says. So, they are the anti-Christs, not the Pope”. Also reacting to the utterances, Paul Chukwudima said Rev Chris Okotie should be ignored, saying the preacher thrives in controversies. From news.naij.com