The provocative comments have been attracting criticisms from both Catholics and members of other denominations who questioned his moral rectitude to make such comments.
Catholic Church officials informed journalists at the St Leo Catholic Church on Toyin Street, Allen-Opebi area of Lagos that the church would officially react to the comments later. But some members declared, unofficially, Okotie’s utterances as “too reckless for someone who lays claims to pious credentials.”
A clergyman in the church, Bishop Kingsley Onyekanna appealed to Catholic faithful not to ridicule the Christian religion by joining issues with the pastor, saying the matter should be left “in the hands of God.” Onyekanna said, “I don’t want to probe the veracity or otherwise of Reverend Chris Okotie’s allegations against some churches and prophets. I will rather leave that to the all-knowing God to prove who is His and who is not”.
He added that his grouse with the preacher was his resolve to organise a beauty pageant in his church next week, wondering if the preacher was set to marry another wife, having married twice and divorced twice.
For Mathew Ahiante, a devout Catholic, Pastor Okotie has committed heresy for describing the Pope as an anti-Christ and a friend of the devil. “The Catholic system has the largest number of Christians in the world today. Pastors like Okotie are appendages of the break-away faction of the Christian faith and all of them are called churches and allowed to use the title Reverend.
“But when you look at what pastors like Okotie do and their lifestyles, they contradict what the Bible says. So, they are the anti-Christs, not the Pope,” he concluded.
Social media commentators have been venting their displeasure with Rev Okotie’s comments. New Media brings some of the comments :
Obialor Phil: I don’t know the kind of Bible he reads. Is it the same generally accepted Christian Bible?
Jeff Olisa Ijenwagu: How many members of your worship house can you attest for? Do you really study your bible? Was there a place Jesus, whom you look up to, condemned any religion?
P Michael: Nobody knows the truth.
Ikoliko Alex Solomon: End time! Are you God? Thou shall not judge. But you just did, Mr Okotie.
Okonne Anthony: He is not serious.
Sylvester Michael: I will advise him to start hip-hop music so he could start harassing his colleagues in the music industry.
Celestina Nkem Ilo: How does he call himself a man of God?
Kenneth Ozoagbo: This Okotie is too smooth for my liking….but I’m not judging him.
Freewest Dip: Let God act.
The Catholic faithful are already demanding an unreserved apology from Rev Okotie. It remains to be seen whether he would tender the apology or not.
Send your comments and views to [email protected] or to 08091342730 (SMS only). Keep up with updates and drop your comments on twitter @sleek_diva88
