A Mountain of Fire church (MFM) in Liverpool, England has come under fire after an undercover reporter infiltrated the church and claimed that he was offered a ‘gay cure’ which required fasting.
The reporter representing the Liverpool Echo, went to the church and posed as a member questioning his sexuality. He then met with a Brother Michael whom he claimed offered a ‘gay cure’ which required 3 days of fasting (which was called starvation). Brother Michael whom the report said was the assistant Pastor, said the fasting was to humble the Spirit and that being gay is biologically wrong.
The report asserted that Brother Michael said; “that in order for the so-called therapy to be most effective, our reporter would have to ‘humble his soul’ by starving himself and not drinking water for 24 hours before taking part in a weekly prayer session. At no point were any physical or medical examinations offered by the church before issuing this advice.”
The report describing the experience of the undercover reporter continued; “On his first visit to the church, our reporter was invited to take part in a separate three-day residential programme, where those participating would be expected to pray for up to three hours at a time without eating or drinking until the third day – when they would be given ‘fruits from the church.’ Participants were encouraged not to leave the church during the therapy.
“During the one-to-one session, Brother Michael referred to being gay as a “deceit of Satan” – and claimed people only identify as gay to get ‘celebrity’ status.
He said: “I will say one thing as well, you say all these things about I’m feeling I’m confused about my sexuality. Thank God you say that you are looking for deliverance because you have got your deliverance.
“You need to realise this is a deceit of Satan. How many people are coming out except the singers, the boxers, the sportsmen? The actors that are coming out to say they are feeling this.
“Their reward is the celebrity. That is what you are following in. So many people now want to do it for publicity.
“I thank God that you have come to where you think you will get help and I know you are going to get the help.
“With the help of God, with prayer, with praying, with the help of God you will have children. You will marry and have your children.”
With the release of the report came a lot of backlash against the church with some experts and commenters on the internet decrying the supposedly ‘dangerous act’
One Dr Louise Theodosiou, consultant psychiatrist from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, speaking on the dangers of fasting said; “If a person doesn’t eat for 24 hours, while that wouldn’t lead to a significant deterioration in your brain function, you certainly wouldn’t be functioning at your normal rate of mental agility or acuity. It would be dangerous, for example, for them to drive.
“I think it’s extremely concerning to be told to fast for three days. I don’t think it would be advisable for anybody to not have water for three days.
“You can imagine a person would be extremely thirsty after that length of time so there may be a situation where you exacerbate underlying health conditions and then overload your fluids in your desperation to relieve your thirst.
“Hypothetically, if someone was to become very dehydrated there’s a theoretical risk that it could trigger cardiac arrhythmia, it’s not a common thing by any means but it’s certainly a risk.”
When questioned by reporters, the head of the church, Dr. Dele Sanusi stated that the church doesn’t discriminate.
“We don’t discriminate against anybody. We’re a church of God. We follow what is in the bible. Jesus did not at any point discriminate against people.
“People come to the church to pray and to know God better and that’s why people come to the church.
“I am speaking as the authority of the church, as the pastor of the church, and I am telling you we are a church that does not discriminate against people.
“As the pastor of the church, any other thing you hear from any other person, either an assistant or members of the church, that does not carry the representation of the church.”
You can see some of the comments on the church below.
