ANY student of religion will soon be struck by this paradox: a single set of beliefs and practices can either inspire people to remarkable acts of altruism and courage,or else be harnessed by the strong and scurrilous as a way of justifying themselves and manipulating people. Zimbabwe exemplifies that principle better than most countries.
As Robert Mugabe’s rule became more despotic, Christian churches emerged as one of the few independent forces that retained the ability to challenge him, or in part because of their international connections. But the regime found ruthless ways to tame and neutralise clerical opposition,and sometimes to turn religion to its own advantage.For many years the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, and was one of Mr Mugabe’s bravest opponents. He had turned against the president after witnessing massacres of the Ndebele people,the country’s moment-largest ethnic group, in the 1980s. But his clerical career came to an abrupt end in 2007 after state media published photographs which...
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Source: economist.com