http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:58:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23997/kenyan-witch-hunt-targets-elders http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23997/kenyan-witch-hunt-targets-elders#comments Sun, 27 Dec 2009 10:27:52 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23997 Dozens of villagers in the Kenyan district of Kisii are falling prey to superstitious groups accusing them of witchcraft.

The poverty-stricken western district, known as Kenya's sorcery belt, has seen an increase in mob attacks on individuals and even killings.

The poor and elderly in particular are being targeted. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23997/kenyan-witch-hunt-targets-elders/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:58:38 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23801 An increasing number of children in Africa accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by family members. Pastors were involved in half of 200 cases of "witch children" reviewed by the AP, and 13 churches were named in the case files.

Some of the churches involved are renegade local branches of international franchises. Their parishioners take literally the Biblical exhortation, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

"It is an outrage what they are allowing to take place in the name of Christianity," said Gary Foxcroft, head of nonprofit Stepping Stones Nigeria. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23801/churches-denounce-african-children-as-witches/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23472/children-accussed-witchcraft http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23472/children-accussed-witchcraft#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 13:38:36 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23472 In many African countries, as in other parts of the world, children are blamed for causing illness, death and destruction, prompting some communities to put them through harrowing punishments to "cleanse" them of their supposed magical powers.

Pastors have been accused of worsening the problem by claiming to have powers to recognize and exorcise "child witches," sometimes for a fee, aid workers said.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23472/children-accussed-witchcraft/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21419/burma-cyclone-survivors-haunted-ghosts http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21419/burma-cyclone-survivors-haunted-ghosts#comments Tue, 13 May 2008 06:28:55 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=21419 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21419/burma-cyclone-survivors-haunted-ghosts/feed 0