The ethics of using prayer as a tool of harm

Prayer is often viewed as a positive and powerful tool for connecting with a higher power, seeking guidance, and offering gratitude. It is a way to communicate one's desires, hopes, and wishes to the divine. However, there is a notion that prayer can also be used to inflict curses on others. This belief stems from the concept that prayer holds a certain level of spiritual energy and intention. If prayer can influence positive outcomes, then it may also have the potential to bring harm. Those who believe in the ability to use prayer to inflict curses argue that if prayer can change one's circumstances for the better, it can also be directed to bring about negative consequences for others.

Those who believe in the ability to use prayer to inflict curses argue that if prayer can change one's circumstances for the better, it can also be directed to bring about negative consequences for others. The idea that prayer can be used as a curse is not widely accepted or recognized within mainstream religious or spiritual practices. Most religious teachings emphasize love, compassion, forgiveness, and the well-being of all beings.

How Christians Can Break the Stronghold of a Curse-Informed Worldview

A Nigerian pastor refuses to live his life by this framework—and he wants to help the African church get there too.

Godwin Adeboye saw something interesting where residents of Ibadan, a city in southwest Nigeria, were dumping their garbage.

At one location where people left trash, the government had posted a sign saying, “Do not drop your refuse here. If you do so, the government will charge you.”

In another spot, someone else had written a different message: “If you put your dirty material here, I curse you in the name of my family god.”

“If somebody says, ‘If you dump refuse here, you will die young, lose your fortune, or lose all your children in one day,’ nobody goes there, because they fear curses,” said Adeboye, a pastor and research director at ECWA (Evangelical Church Winning All) Theological Seminary in Igbaja, Nigeria.

The weight of curses wasn’t just something that Adeboye saw from a distance. When he experienced numerous family members die, seemingly from mysterious causes, many suggested that curses might responsible. These arguments led Adeboye to study this phenomenon from a biblical perspective and author Can a Christian Be Cursed? (Langham, 2023).

“I wrote this book out of my own experience and what I see my African brothers and sisters experiencing,” he said. “Many Africans, even Christians, sometimes believe their financial, moral, or marital failures are because a particular ‘spiritual’ curse is tormenting them, instead of taking personal responsibility.”

Further, Adeboye felt compelled to address a significant issue in African Christianity from an African Christian perspective.

“I’ve read many books written on African Christianity, and many authors are not empathetic to the African experience,” he said. “To make the Christian gospel concrete to Africans, we must dialogue with the African experience.”

Adeboye’s recent conversation with global books editor Geethanjali Tupps follows.

Tell us a little bit about where you are from in Nigeria.

I come from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, home of hundreds of ethnocultural groups and several religious traditions, with strong interreligious tensions. The Yoruba people are a major ethnic group in Nigeria. There are deeply religious Pentecostal and charismatic African church networks founded and headed by many Yoruba people. Most Christians of Yoruba background, like me, have deep African traditional religious backgrounds.

Kwara is not only a Yoruba state but a mixed religious and cultural state comprised of Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, and Yoruba ethnic groups, as well as Muslims, Christians, traditionalists, and other religious groups.

Prayer is seen as a means to connect with a divine source of love and guidance, not to harm others. Furthermore, the concept of using prayer to inflict curses goes against the fundamental principles of many spiritual and religious traditions. It contradicts teachings of moral responsibility, empathy, and the interconnectedness of all life. It is essential to differentiate between using prayer to express anger, frustration, or to seek justice, and using prayer as a deliberate act of cursing. Expressing one's emotions and desires in prayer is a personal and private matter. However, intentionally using prayer to cause harm or ill-will towards others does not align with the intentions behind prayer in most spiritual and religious practices. In conclusion, the belief that prayer can be used to inflict curses on others exists but is largely not supported by mainstream religious and spiritual teachings. Prayer is generally considered a means of connecting with a higher power and seeking divine guidance, emphasizing love, compassion, and the well-being of all beings. The concept of using prayer to harm others contradicts these principles and goes against the fundamental teachings of many spiritual traditions..

Reviews for "Is there a dark art to using prayer for evil purposes?"

1. Mary - 2 stars - I found the concept of praying to inflict a curse on someone deeply unsettling. Prayer should be a peaceful and positive practice, used to seek blessings and guidance. The idea that it can be transformed into a tool for harm goes against the very essence of spirituality. It promotes negativity and vengeance rather than forgiveness and healing. This book failed to provide a convincing argument or justification for such a twisted use of prayer.

2. John - 1 star - "Can prayer be used to inflict a curse on someone" is a disturbing and morally questionable book. The very idea of using prayer as a means to harm others is ethically wrong and contradictory to the values of most religions. Instead of exploring the power of prayer for good, this book seems to glamorize the dark side of spirituality. I could not find any redeeming qualities in this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking genuine spiritual growth.

3. Sarah - 1 star - As someone who values compassion, empathy, and love, I was horrified by the premise of this book. Prayer should be a way to connect with a higher power, find inner peace, and spread positivity. The notion that prayer can be twisted to inflict harm on others goes against everything I believe in. This book lacked any substantial arguments to support such a grim perspective. I strongly discourage others from wasting their time and energy on something so morally troubling.

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