The senior pastor of Power City International, Dr. Abel Damina, has suffered severe criticisms from Christians over his remark against the Catholic Church.
Damina, speaking during a recent sermon, described Catholic faithfuls as followers destined for ”damnation.”
In video clips of his sermon, which has now gone viral, Damina alleged that members of the Catholic Church do not read the Holy Bible, making them gullible to the ”false” teachings of their priest.
”If the Catholic Church encouraged their members to read the Bible, nobody would be there now,” Damina stated.
”They know if their people read the Bible carefully, all what they are doing will be exposed. So they make sure they discourage them from reading. Only what the Father says is final,” he added.
He added that ”some would say Damina is attacking Catholic churches; it’s not an attack; I am exposing Catholic churches.
Damina also described the Holy Communion as ”stupid” when he said, ”when they give you that stupid round white thing, they say that is Christ.”
Furthermore, he called for Catholic churches to be freed from ”false doctrines” ”because if we do not free them, they’re on their way to hell.”
Damina’s sermon has caused an uproar on social media, with many describing the clergy as a false preacher, trying to lead many astray.
Reacting to his sermon, controversial social media critic Daniel Regha described the clergy’s remark against the Catholic Church as an affront against the church.
Regha also berated Damina for calling ”the Holy Communion stupid.”
Regha said, ”Apostle Abel Damina didn’t only criticise the Catholic Church but went as far as calling the Holy Communion “stupid.” That’s enough to invalidate all his statements. For the record, Catholics do read & know the Bible; as a matter of fact, all their readings are taken from the Bible.”
Below are some reactions by Nigerians and Europeans to Damina’s remark as observed by our correspondent.
Rev. Fr. A. James, ”Abel Damina claims he’s exposing the Catholic Church, and I couldn’t help but smile.
”A church, since her foundation at Pentecost, has endured centuries of persecution, heresies, internal and external wars, and relentless ideological attacks, yet still stands as the authentic custodian of the Gospel’s truth and its interpretation—being “exposed” by Abel Damina? I can’t help but laugh in Greek.”
Emeka, ”Abel Damina talking down on the Catholic Church is absolute disrespect to a mother church that preserved the faith & scriptures he & his congregation enjoy today. A body who paid the supreme price for the kingdom, you wouldn’t be able to go to Jerusalem today if not for the Church.”
Finding Solace, ”They spend all their lives and preachings trying to “save” Catholics. Why not save yourself first? Without the Catholics, you would have no sermon to preach. Is it the Catholic Church that called you to ministry or God? Why so much focus on the Catholic Church if not because of envy?”
Hubert Akason, ”The Catholic Church’s disrespect has to stop. Because you and your church have 1001 problems, and your church hasn’t been around for up to 50 years. Yet you think you can come after a church that is over 1500 years old?”
Sammy Ugonabo, ”Someone should remind Pastor Damina that he has a Bible to quote from (even most times out of context like he did in this video) because of the Catholic Church.
”That Christianity still exists, to and with values, is because of the strong doctrines of the Catholic Church, constantly acting as the big brother to all Christians. Nigerian Pentecostal churches ignorance has contributed to eroding Christianity in Nigeria.
”Finally, for the ignorant ones out there, in a calendar year of the Catholic Church, the Bible (the real unadulterated Bible) is covered from the beginning to the end.”
Jonhvick, ”where did apostle Abel Damina hear all these junks he’s saying? With the eloquence and confidence, you’d think he’s saying anything near the truth. I think he should stick with exposing his fellow like-minded pastors, because this one actually makes him look stupid.
”The Catholic Church takes everything in her worship directly from the Bible, reading the whole Bible in church completely every 3-year cycle as against the other churches reading whatever random verses their pastors choose to read.
”Mass, being the most important form of prayer, is completely from the Bible, starting from the entrance songs to penitential acts to singing glory to God to readings of the scripture to homily to proclamation of faith to prayer of the faithful to communion rites, including how the bread and wine are blessed, every statement taken from the Bible in the words of Jesus, and where our own petitions are added and thanksgiving after communion. Every significant part of that from the scriptures.”
George W. Ghindia, ”You mean the one church Jesus Christ founded? The one, holy, Catholic, apostolic Church that has been around since 33 AD? The Bible (New Testament) was literally written by Catholic Christians. The entire Bible was published by Catholics. Luther made up a religion in the 1500s. Now, there are hundreds of Protestant denominations.”
Maximus Dex, ”Catholics celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of Christ as He directed in the Last Supper. Not because He has to die again in a bloodless form.”
Ruth Maritea, ”Instructions unclear. More data points are required. I’ve read the Bible through ever since childhood and am currently working my way through it again. I’ve never once doubted or questioned the faith. I love being Catholic and will be until the moment of death.”
Abel Matin, ”Without the Catholic, the world won’t know who Jesus Christ is. Sango will probably be more popular than Jesus. Israel, Jesus’ own home, doesn’t even believe he is the messiah. Without the Catholic Church, Damina’s first name will be Abu or some name related to the gods of his village.”
