In March 2012, worshippers at the Church of Our Lady of Velankanni, a Roman Catholic Church in Mumbai, India, noticed water trickling from the feet of a statue of Jesus on a crucifix. News of this spread rapidly through Mumbai and attracted several thousand people. People began collecting the water in bottles, and some even drank it, believing it had divine healing powers. The local church declared it a miracle, and within days, the place was filled with pilgrims.
Sanal Edamaruku, president of Rationalist International and the Indian Rationalist Association, was called in by the local Television station to investigate the phenomenon. Edamakuru conducted an on-site investigation and found that, rather than a miracle, the water source was a clogged sewage drainage pipe.
Instead of being thanked for preventing people from drinking sewage water, Edamaruku faced severe backlash from people and several Roman Catholic groups. These groups filed complaints under colonial-era blasphemy laws, and he also received numerous death threats.
Fearing arrest since the charges were non-bailable, and concerned for his safety, Edamaruku fled to Finland. He still lives there today. Despite calls from various international human rights groups for the charges to be dropped, the legal cases in India remain active.
His crime was discovering the source of the water. People were more offended by his discovery than by the fact that they were drinking sewage water. They were unwilling to have their beliefs shattered and preferred to risk their lives by drinking sewage water rather than accept the truth about its source.
This story is tragic but illustrative, prompting us to wonder: how can people persist in their beliefs when undeniable evidence, even something as revolting as drinking sewage water, is revealed to them? This rejection of truth is increasingly visible among many professing believers, who not only reject truth but also attack those who reveal it.
Recently, Miracle Mbithi Kalubi, co-host of The Down and Up Podcast with Maggie Hush, received similar treatment after posting a review on her Instagram page of a prayer by Nathaniel Bassey that he prayed during the Hallelujah Challenge. In the prayer, Bassey prayed for the deaths of his enemies.
Her ‘crime’ was highlighting from Scripture that it was against God’s character, will, and purposes for one to pray for the death of their enemies, reminding her followers that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23), that he is patient, not wanting anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), and that Jesus called us to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44).
Rather than thank or applaud her for her efforts to redirect people to what is clearly God’s will for the lost, she was accused of overextending and overestimating her authority, not respecting the spiritual responsibility and influence of the man-a-gad, not having won enough souls for the Kingdom, tearing down the body of Christ, and “having a facial reaction while watching the clip that doesn’t build up the body of Christ in any way.”
However, none of the responses addressed the points she raised or the scriptures she quoted to contradict Bassey’s prayer. Like Edamaruku, she was attacked for trying to correct and redirect people—another example of truth discarded in favour of emotionalism. The emotions surrounding such incidents run deeper than the discomfort of confronting painful facts.
This raises a critical question: why does emotionalism override truth among professing believers—especially within the Church, where truth should matter most?
A Pursuit of Passions, Not a Quest For Truth
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths – 2 Timothy 3-4.
There are several passages that refer to God’s word as truth. God’s word is truth (John 17:17), his law is true (Psalm 119:142), all his commandments are true (Psalm 119:151), the sum of his word is truth (Psalm 19:160), and every word of his proves true (Proverbs 30:5).
His people ought to follow obediently and happily. God’s word is more desirable than gold, even much fine gold. It is sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb (Psalm 19:10). Its purpose is to bring about good to those who follow it diligently (Psalm 1). God’s word is intended to bring about His will in the lives of those who follow it.
Through His word, God reveals Himself to His creation and His will for them. This includes how He acts towards us and how we should respond to Him. Apart from His word, there is nothing else from which we can know God’s will or His commands to mankind.
Yet, people are not seeking God’s will, but their own desires, using God as a means to an end. If truth were their priority, they would neither be offended by it nor attack those who present it.
As Scripture says, they have turned away from listening to the truth in pursuit of their own passions. Their passions have become their god. Anyone or anything that does not align with those passions—including people who speak God’s truth—is seen as an obstacle.
Emotional responses often supersede a focus on truth.
A Pursuit of Idols, Not God
A common misconception in the Church is that whoever comes to Church is seeking God. The more regularly one attends, the more spiritual one is perceived to be, and the more one is thought to love God. In a country like Uganda, where people attend church or fellowship at least two or three times a week, it’s easy to assume we are a nation that deeply loves and seeks God.
Yet the Bible measures love for God by obedience, not church attendance. It is not about how often we attend, how long our prayers are, how often we fast, how much we sacrifice sleep at 3 am for prayer, or how many hours we spend at overnights. It is about obedience to God’s commands.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. – John 14:15
The Great Commission is to go out and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded (Matthew 28:20). Our love for God is shown in obedience to Him, not in spiritual disciplines alone. The Pharisees spent their lives practising spiritual disciplines, yet Jesus rebuked them for their hypocrisy.
Careful investigation shows the true aim of deliverance services, overnight prayers, and even the Hallelujah Challenge. The overarching desire of the people is not to know God but to fulfil their desires. They seek not the God of blessings, but the blessings of God.
The Church is the pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Yet in many churches, it has become the pillar and ground of emotionalism. Churches now discard truth for feel-good messages and promises of prosperity. Like the Israelites who made a golden calf and called it Yahweh (Exodus 32:5), many now pursue their idols and call it a pursuit of God.
The One called Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11) has been exchanged for the lie. Though many will not admit it, and perhaps will even vehemently deny it, their actions reveal opposition to Him by rejecting His commands. If truth were their aim, they would not reject it when clearly presented.
No one can claim to love God and to pursue Him while rejecting His truth as revealed in Scripture.
Following Men, Not God
One reason people easily reject biblical truth while defending their favourite pastors or so-called men of God is that they are not following God, but men. This is clearly revealed in two characteristics.
- People are more offended when pastors or men of God are corrected for errors than when God is misrepresented or blasphemed. Many pastors say things that go against God’s character, some even blaspheming His name. When they are called out—which Scripture explicitly commands (1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 1:9, 11; Romans 16:17)—many take offence and accuse those speaking out of causing division.
- People are more likely to follow what the pastor or man of God says than what Scripture reveals, even when the two contradict each other. This is sometimes due to ignorance of God’s word. Other times, it is out of fear of ‘disobeying God’ by going against these men. Their allegiance seems to lie with their pastors rather than with God’s word. They hold onto every word their pastors say, as if their life depended on it.
All men, including the most spiritual pastor, are prone to error. They all make mistakes and should be open to correction—even from their congregations or from those considered less spiritual. Paul did not take offence at the Bereans for checking whether what he said was true. He called them noble instead.
These pastors often use phrases such as “the spirit of the Lord says,” “thus says the Lord,” or “the Lord sent me to tell you.” This makes people think their words are the very words of God. Because many are seeking God’s blessing, they feel compelled to obey these commands, fearing their blessings will be delayed if they do not.
God’s word is revealed in the Bible to all people. It should be the only guide for all matters of life. Scripture should be the final authority, not the word of pastors.
Rejecting Truth Leads To Destruction
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The consequences of rejecting God’s truth in Scripture are severe and have eternal implications. Scripture warns that the coming of the Antichrist will be marked by deception for those who do not love the truth. So when people reject God’s truth as revealed in Scripture for the words of their pastors, they are in grave danger of falling into deception.
The rejection of truth also brings the wrath of God upon them. God sends those who do not love the truth “a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…” It is the just punishment of a just God against those who have rejected Him.
It is sad to see people reject the truth for what these pastors say. One cannot help but wonder whether they have been given over to their delusions. Yet, that’s not our concern. Many of us were once like them, and, by God’s grace, our eyes and hearts were opened to the truth of Scripture.
Therefore, while people will continue to reject the truth for lies, following their passions and hanging onto the words of those who are deceiving and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13), we must continue speaking the truth, regardless of any reaction we may get. We must tarry in prayer for those who are rejecting the truth, while gently correcting them. Perhaps our prayer is best summed up in this Scripture.
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. — 2 Timothy 2:25-26