The ManicaPost
CASES of suspected Satanism characterised by awkward behaviour and illnesses by school children which have hogged the limelight in the media, make sad reading. Satanism is a vice that should not have space in any society, and should be abhorred and frowned upon by all right thinking people.
Elsewhere in this paper we carry a story of St Josephs (Rusape) where a female student is alleged to have confessed her involvement in suspected incidents of Satanism at the school. The incident, in which schizophrenic female students have turned the school upside down, disrupting lessons, started a fortnight ago and has affected close to 40 students to date.
This is the time for all interested parties to put their heads together with a view to find a lasting solution to the problems. Parents of the affected children have voiced their concerns on perceived lack of seriousness on part of the school and district education authorities in finding a lasting solution to the episode related to Satanism.
Lack of co-operation at this critical hour of need can be detrimental. Stakeholders at the school need to be reminded that united they stand, divided the fall. A house divided in itself cannot stand.
If people are not united at such critical moments, then important issues risk not to be discussed and opportunities can be missed. Apparently, the St Joseph’s incident comes hard on the heels of similar occurrence at Biriiri High School in Chimanimani.
Allegations of Satanism were also raised. School children were blighted with a mysterious ailment. Students at Nyanyadzi High School, also in Chimanimani, went through a similar ordeal, and right or wrong, teachers were fingered as architects of alleged satanic acts that rocked the school.
Be that as it may, it is beyond reproach that in a globalising community like ours, cross pollination of cultural values and ideas is inevitable. However, some values and norms are just incongruent to our culture not only as Zimbabweans but as Africans, and Satanism is one of them.
Schools should be safe havens for our children, not incubators of Satanism. It is heart wrenching and regrettable that our schools are now fertile grounds for luciferic acts.
What is mind-boggling is the fact that the same people that we thought should play the loco parent’s role in protecting our young ones are accused of initiating innocent children into occultism unknowingly.
Forcing Satanism onto innocent children is unforgivable. It is akin to murder and rape. When proof exists, the ministry should weed out all the perpetrators. The long arm of the law should be allowed to take its course.
However, there is another side of the coin that should not be ignored. Power struggles to control schools have forced some to go to the extreme and fabricate allegations of Satanism as a way to outsmart potential obstacles.
Diseases, with scientific explanation, in some cases, can be blown out of proportion to suit arguments designed to tarnish images and injure reputations. An example that comes to minds is the ailment that blighted students at Biriiri High. The scientific explanation should have been listened to before reaching a conclusion.
Without really dismissing the possibility of Satanism, it fair to advise communities to thoroughly investigate issues to avoid over celebrating Satanism and alleging it where it does not exist.
Since Satanism is hard to decipher, we urge involved parties to apply all their faculties, giving fair audience to all involved parties and avoid premature conclusions.
Those who practice this vice should heed our call to desist from initiating innocent children and at the same time those who find themselves in tricky situations must thoroughly make investigations before blowing the Satanism trumpet.
