Barry Duke, the Angry Atheist

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1. 

   As someone who produced dozens of nativity plays as a teacher and a Sunday School leader, that title ‘A Gay…

2. 

   The defence of a Christian view never seems to be settled by debate: exchange of facts, reference to historical events.…

3. 

   But …… Rwanda is a safe place: Parliament says so.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/8/contentsSafety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024 S 2 Safety…

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   Religion can survive only on the most unquestionable assumptions. The statements made on Sundays on the BBC as if they…

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   Yes, if I’ve got anything remotely like a phobia, as an ex-fundy, its bibles, churches, tracts etc. I like to…

EZEKIEL Odero, above, left, stands accused of having links to cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie, who is in custody facing terrorism charges over the deaths of more than 100 people, many of them children, whose bodies were found in a Kenyan forest last month.

The wealthy televangelist, head of the New Life Prayer Centre and Church based in Kilifi County, is being investigated on a raft of charges including murder, aiding suicide, abduction, radicalisation, crimes against humanity, child cruelty, fraud and money laundering.

Mackenzie, the head of the Good News International Church, is alleged to have incited his followers to starve to death in order to “meet Jesus”.

Odero arrived in court in the Indian Ocean port city of Mombasa ahead of the hearing, as about 50 supporters gathered outside, some dressed in all white and some in red, praying with Bibles in hand.

Kenyan police had arrested Odero last Thursday over the “mass killing of his followers” and closed his that lies south of the coastal town of Malindi.

A total of 109 people have so far been confirmed dead in what has been dubbed the “Shakahola Forest Massacre”.

Autopsies carried out so far on 40 of the bodies unearthed in the forest inland from Malindi found that while starvation appeared to be the main cause of death, some of the victims were strangled, beaten or suffocated.

Prosecutors say they have credible information linking the corpses exhumed at Shakahola to the deaths of several of Odero’s “innocent and vulnerable followers”.

Prosecutors have said in court documents that Odero and Mackenzie, above, share a “history of business investments” including a television station used to pass “radicalised messages” to followers.

In a court filing earlier this week, Odero said he wanted to “strongly disassociate” himself from Mackenzie and disagreed with his teachings.

According to the BBC former members of the Good News International Church have said they were forced to starve as part of their adherence to its teachings.

Titus Katana, who managed to escape, says those who tried to leave the cult were branded as traitors and faced violent attacks.

He also suggested there was an order in which people were supposed to die ahead of the end of the world.

The children were the first to die. Then after the children, they went for the unmarried. Then after, the mothers and the elderly were next in line.

The church leaders were supposed to be the last to die.

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If you spot any typos in this report please notify me at freethinkered@aol.com