Cultists give up bad ways

More than 50 followers of cult leader Steven Tari, also known as “Black Jesus’’, surrendered to authorities at a remote village in the Gogol area of Madang on Saturday.

They have reconciled with their fellow villagers and churches they had belonged to before joining the cult. Because of that, police will not charge the villagers, which included women and children.

The event took place on Saturday at Opi village, and was witnessed by more than 300 people from Matepi, Sanepi, Mes, Karog, Brahim, Gal and Opi villages. Madang police witnessed their acceptance back into their villages and the Christian churches.

Police said the people promised not to follow Steven Tari and his cult activities again.

A ward councillor from the area Paul Sume, who had organised the surrender and reconciliation ceremony, urged the people not to follow the cult activities. He told them to return home and start businesses and lead normal lives. He said the cult had resulted in deaths and other major problems for the people in the area.

Recent reports of a young girl being tortured and murdered by cult leader Tari shocked the country, with calls for concerted efforts by police and other authorities to put an end to the cult movement.

Steven Tari, or “Black Jesus”, continues to carry on his activities, supported by a large number of followers. He has evaded several attempts by police to capture him.

Early this year an operation code-named “Operation Black Jesus” only rounded up 50 flower girls, some of whom are serving time in jail while others were ordered by the court to undertake community work. Reports from that operation were that Tari is protected by armed guards.

Read Another Article

Woman fatally bitten by snake during church
Black Jesus Steven Tari still elusive

Related News Articles Topic(s): Steven Tari / Black Jesus Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Steven Tari / Black Jesus Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog