I would like, before I deal with today’s topic, to express gratitude to the United States President Donald Trump for successfully brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, through his 20-Point Plan. I know that some critics feel the president should not take credit, as the Americans have led in supplying the deadly weapons that have killed over 60 000 Palestinians, mainly children.
Credit should also go to all the countries that have criticised Israel’s war strategy. Some countries even decided to recognise the State of Palestine, as part of efforts to bring pressure on Israel. For those countries that choose to be neutral and indifferent amid genocide, history will judge them harshly.
While there is relief that the guns have been silenced, the question in many people’s mind is: How long will peace last if the two-State solution remains elusive? Palestinians are also human and, just like Israelis, they deserve to have their own homeland founded on peaceful co-existence with the State of Israel. The Palestinians, in particularly the hardliners, should offer peace a chance. It has been proven once again that dialogue is the surest way to peace.
I would like us to think aloud about government’s call for church regulation in Eswatini. To be honest, the Church has forced government to intervene, because the Church, which should be the ‘salt of the world’, has actually lost its ‘saltiness’. Disputes in the Church have been dominating media. Recently, some pastors were jailed for contempt of court. Some pastors have been accused of using churches to enrich themselves, while poverty ravages their members. Recently, a pastor was accused of brandishing a bush knife against the elders of the church, to mention a few examples.
We recall that the prime minister, during the ordination and graduation ceremony of Archbishop Samson Hlatjwako as Chief Archbishop and Professor, was quoted saying: “Nowadays, the church has many problems and they include infighting in churches, which has led to others getting arrested.”
He noted that: “It was beautiful when churches were on their best behaviour, but we have since discovered that there is a problem that was now affecting the Church, which is why it is now time for government to come up with laws and regulations that will govern the operations of the Church,” he said. It is worth noting that another arm of government opposes church regulation in Eswatini. In fact, the media quoted Members of Parliament (MPs) urging government to keep its hands off the church.
During the debate on the Prime Minister’s Office second quarter performance report, Mbabane East MP, Welcome Dlamini, was quoted as having said that churches were capable of regulating themselves and that the Bible was clear on how internal matters should be handled. While acknowledging existing challenges, he argued that government intervention would undermine the spiritual autonomy of the Church. He said: “Spiritual issues should be treated spiritually. Daniel refused to worship idols and if we allow government interference, we will stop going to church. Do not regulate the church. Yekelani tintfo takaNkulunkulu tibe takaNkulunkulu, ninake tasemhlabeni (Let the things of God remain God’s and focus on earthly matters),” he said.
Chief Ngalonkhulu Mabuza, the Chairperson of the portfolio committee, is quoted by the media as having urged the ministry to engage the three mother bodies in the country to address the ongoing commotions within churches. “God will punish us for what is happening in the churches. This is out of order; we cannot brandish bush knives at each other in the house of God,” he said.
Advantages of church regulation?
- Protects individuals by shielding members from personal liability in case of accidents or other legal issues. Establishes clear governance by providing a legal framework for the Church to operate.
- Increases accountability by creating a stronger system for oversight and accountability, helping to prevent abuse or corruption within leadership.
- Ensures compliance by providing official recognition, which helps protect the tax-deductibility of donations for members and ensures the Church can benefit from tax exemptions, if provided by law. Professionalises practice: In some contexts, regulation can help professionalise religious practice, ensuring a higher standard of education and practice.
Disadvantages of church regulation
- Some argue that government oversight can intrude on the autonomy of religious institutions and interfere with their internal practices.
- Increases financial and administrative burdens as complying with regulations can be expensive and time-consuming.
- Creates potential for abuse as a system that heavily regulates churches could be used to unfairly target or suppress certain religious groups.
- Can lead to unintended consequences, which could inadvertently stifle a church’s ability to pursue its mission.
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