Praying Against Witchcraft in the UK

Those who are concerned about witch hunting in UK Black communities should pay close attention to the activities of African migrant churches. These churches valorize the idiom of witchcraft. They recharge magical processing of misfortune. Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries(MFM) is a case in point. The Edgware branch of MFM has advertised on its web site what it calls "120 Prayers to Crush Witchcraft". Apparently, the church published these prayer points so that the members can join in the 'prayful' destruction of witchcraft. But I think this prayer program does more harm to the cause of eradicating witchcraft related abuse in the black communities than many people may imagine. It reinforces witchcraft claims and narratives in the minds of the church members and other witch believing persons in these communities. This prayer program sanctions and sanctifies the process of witch hunting. It make the destruction of witches and witchcraft a worthwhile spiritual assignment

For instance, the prayer program starts with a confession based on a Biblical quotation from Nahum that identifies witchcraft with women and family.

The quotation partly reads:

"

4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts."

Then it goes on to ask God, angels and the earth to rally against witchcraft incantation and powers.

"Father let witchcraft covens melt away like wax before fire, in the name of Jesus.

O God arise and visit all witchcraft incantations with thunder, earthquake and great noise, in the name of Jesus.

O God arise and instruct your angels to send unquenchable fire upon witchcraft habitation and shrine, in the name of Jesus.

O God arise and cause confusion in witchcraft camps assigned against me, in the name of Jesus.

Protocol angels, battle angels, security angels, ministering angels and territorial angels arise and slay the power of witchcraft, in the name of Jesus.

O earth refuse to carry out the instruction of witchdoctors assigned against me in the name of Jesus"

Further there are prayer points against the 'table of witchcraft' and the 'evil eye' of witches.

"O God arise and cast abominable things upon witchcraft, in the name of Jesus.

My father let the table of witchcraft becomes their snare, in the name of Jesus.

Let human blood become a snare unto them in the name of Jesus.

Let the eyes of the witches assigned against me be darkened, in the name of Jesus.

Let their covens become desolate so that none can dwell in them, in the name of Jesus"

Then there are prayers against 'witchcraft pin', 'witchcraft register', 'witchcraft informants' etc.

"I destroy every pin of witchcraft in my family line, in the name of Jesus.

Every witchcraft covenant working against my life be broken in Jesus name.

Every witchcraft register bearing my name catch fire in the name of Jesus.

Every witchcraft documents written against me be consumed by fire, in the name of Jesus.

Every witchcraft informant that is observing my destiny be paralyzed, in the name of Jesus.

Every image carved against me catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

Every witchcraft authority over my destiny break in the name of Jesus"

Other prayer points relate to 'local and international' witchcraft, 'street junction witchcraft', 'witchcraft concoction' and other invented witchcraft imaginaries that spread fears among the population. Those who think that these are innocuous prayer points that have nothing to do with the atrocious witchcraft practices and abuses that have recently been reported in the UK black communities are greatly mistaken. Prayer programs like this create witchcraft forms and trigger magical fantasies. They make witchcraft real in the minds of people and real in their consequences on their lives. People cannot pray against what does not exist. To crush witchcraft, it must be real and really dangerous.Witchcraft must exist in a way that it can be crushed. These prayer points produce witchcraft patterns which people could use to make sense of their experiences. Particularly these prayer points provide justification for destroying not only witchcraft but also witches themselves. We must be aware that those who pray to crush witchcraft end up crushing witches themselves. So this prayer program presents very clear dangers and risks to vulnerable persons.

Witchcraft related abuses in the black communities have been linked to activities of churches in African migrant communities. Churches like MFM promote witchcraft narratives to legitimise their control, manipulation and exploitation of people in the black communities. And this must stop. Witchcraft is a form of superstition. It is a product of fear and ignorance. I urge the British authorities to call to order the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries and other churches 'praying to crush witchcraft' in the black communities. To stop witch hunting in black communities, witch mongering programs in African migrant churches must be stopped