The use of spells and prophetism as Religious Realities: The case of Ghana

Abstract

Both spells and prophetism are known as agelong religious realities. This study underscored how these two distinct religious phenomena are co-opted and used, one serving as a cloak for the other by operatives to achieve their ends. Employing a qualitative interdisciplinary approach anchored in critical phenomenological study, this work showed the intertwined use of spells and prophetism, especially as witnessed predominantly within Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian milieus today. Analysing the current dispensation of prophecies, which are mainly foretelling, in the forms of predictions, forecasting, conjecturing, etc., this study observed that, besides other forms of mystical and ritualistic performances, several practitioners use spells cloaked as prophecies to control happenings. In essence, several of the doom prophecies of death, accidents, catastrophes and other forms of calamities are orchestrated by the use of other media of engagements cloaked in the name of prophecy. These so-called prophecies admittedly make such practitioners rise to fame, gain economic favors and other benefits. This study further discussed the operational modes and the danger of using the media of spells cloaked as prophecies to harm individuals and societies in the name of prophecy. It showed how to curb such occurrences in the national fabric through education to avert the exploitative manoeuvring of such operations. There is a need to be aware of such cloaked spells labelled as prophecies, charlatans and charlatanic performances to curtail the situation. Although not undermining the religious liberty of anyone, this study opined that attention should be given to the training of religious leaders by the government, as done in other jurisdictions, to control the situation.