SELLING of products like anointing oil and holy water to church congregants is theft, and those doing so must be prosecuted, a clergywoman has said. Heart of Mercy founder Reverend Chongo Phiri said in an interview that it is sad some pastors are selling things like anointed oil, holy water and handkerchiefs to their church members on the pretext that these would attract God’s blessings and favour.

She said it is unfortunate that different types of anointing oil have continued to flood the country. Rev Phiri said most pastors are making money by selling anointing oil and holy water to people who are desperately seeking answers from God. “Most pastors are making money by selling anointed products to people and their congregants.

Some of them are selling a small bottle of anointed water or oil at unreasonable amounts which amounts to theft. There is need to ensure that the law takes its cause on the perpetrators,” Rev Phiri said. She said the anointed water and oil is holy and that it must be treated as such.

“Some pastors are claiming that if people buy and use the anointing oil, God’s favour and blessings would be upon their lives which is wrong,” she said. Rev Phiri said it is sad that many Christians believe that if they use the so-called anointed products which they buy from pastors, they will automatically be healed or experience a breakthrough in their lives in forms of marriage, jobs, healing among others.

Rev Phiri said God anointed pastors and that they have a mandate to preach the gospel of God and not selling anointed products. She said selling of anointed products is a crime and that pastors who do so should be prosecuted becaus