Ten-year-old child healers in Brazil have joined the long list of self-anointed Evangelical miracle workers, who now have a whopping 44 million followers in the country. Evangelicals are the fastest growing religious denomination in Brazil and most people believe that they are beginning to threaten the Catholic Church’s longstanding dominance in the country. However, with millions of followers and even more donations at stake, critics are of the opinion that many bogus self-anointed miracle workers are generating huge profits with fake promises.
“Anyone can become a pastor… Anyone can open a church,” said Eduardo Refkalefsky, who studies the business of churches in Brazil.
According to Refkalefsky, aspiring Evangelical pastors have been benefiting from a thorough lack of regulations. They often lure new followers by making false promises of heightened prosperity and improved health.
For instance, Pastor Arodo offers his followers exorcism of inner demons, counseling for marital problems, chiropractic care as well as promises of wealth. When asked if the Catholic Church can do what he does for his followers, Arodo said that is not possible because what he has is a gift from God, not something he has concocted. At his church, believers queue up with donations so they can be splashed with some of Arodo’s “holy oil” in return.
“Don't skimp on an act of God. Stand up and come here with your money in hand,” Arodo is believed to have said to his followers.
Refkalefsky says this informal business makes it impossible for any authority to keep a tab over the money that is being passed from the wallets of church members to the wallet of the pastor. This practice has reportedly made salvation a booming business.
“The number of churches [is] rising more than the number of members,” Refkalefsky said.
Sao Goncalo in Brazil apparently has more churches per square mile than any other place in Latin America. The most popular child healer here is as young as 10-years-old and her name is Alani Santos. Alani has been attracting believers to her father’s church since she was only three-years-old and she has now emerged as a local celebrity, often appearing on talk shows and hosting an Internet radio show even!
“I don't feel any pressure from my family. If I don't feel like doing it, they let me. And I like doing it, so I'm never going to stop,” she said.
