Women told ‘the devil will come’ if they refuse husbands sex in church sermon
A church has been found telling women ‘they have no authority over their bodies’ and gay people should be ‘institutionalised’.
Wellspring Ministry filmed their sermons showing chair of trustees Bienvenue Hombessa telling married women ‘the devil will come’ if they deny their husbands sex.
Men can be heard in the 2022 video shouting ‘amen’, and when the women fail to respond enthusiastically, Hombessa shouts: ‘I can’t hear you sisters, no I can’t hear you.’
He said: ‘Within the context of marriage, your body, sister – it does not belong to you.
‘If you keep saying no – once fine, twice fine, three times the devil will come in.
He tells husbands: ‘If your wife is not your first sheep, if your wife does not listen to you, you better get out of the problem.’
And it was not just one sermon four years ago. Last year they uploaded a speech in which Hombessa says ‘sex in marriage is a right’.
In the same sermon he calls gay marriage ‘disgusting’, adding homosexuals should be taken to an ‘institution’ and given injections while saying men who dress as women are ‘revolting’.
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He laments: ‘Gay people used to be considered mentally unwell. Today it has become normal.’
Misogyny and homophobia under the guise of ‘advancement of religion’
Despite this, Wellspring Ministry is registered as a charity, with their purpose being ‘the advancement of religion’.
Examples of this include running food banks, providing community services and assisting in international aid, which ‘many churches still do’ according to the National Secular Society.
But the charities and churches are free to interpret ‘the advancement of religion’ and how this benefits the public as they wish.
Alejandro Sanchez, from the National Secular Society, told Metro: ‘Charities must demonstrate they provide a genuine public benefit.
‘But guidelines are vague on what constitutes a public benefit, particular in relation to religious activities.
‘There is still an assumption in the charity system that religion is inherently beneficial.
‘Some religious charities promote divisive, extremist or otherwise harmful ideas and practices that other kinds of charities would not be able to promote.
‘By promoting homophobic or misogynistic views rooted in scripture, religious charities are indeed ‘advancing religion’ – at least as they interpret it.’
The National Secular Society has reported the church to the Charity Commission.
Metro has approached both the commission and Wellspring Ministry for comment.
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