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The issue of spiritual father in our churches

 A student was supposed to go to school as the natural cause of events should be when universities or schools in general opens but this was not the case in a certain young man’s life.

He decided to postpone his trip because apparently he could not get to meet his pastor, his spiritual father. The question is, should this spiritual father die, will the young man’s life come to an end?

Does it mean in such an instance, he is going to curtail his education? This is a wor­rying trend in a lot of church­es where the pastors use this notion of spiritual father to manipulate members espe­cially the youth.

Some unscrupulous pastors utilise this spiritual father concept to have affairs with gullible young ladies in their churches.

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Now with homosexuality gradually making inroads into some of the churches, young men are becoming vulnerable to pastors who have hidden homosexual inclinations.

This spiritual father con­cept is a Biblical concept that runs through both the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. We see it in 2 Kings 4:12 where Gehazi is serving Elisha and also in the New Testament we see Paul relating to Timothy in 1 Timo­thy 1:2 as a Spiritual Father.

In fact, the concept of spiritual father is a good thing if executed according to the word of God since it helps in guiding the younger ones. However, it becomes prob­lematic when it is being exe­cuted by unscrupulous wolves in sheepskins as described by Jesus in Mathew 7:15.

I see it as a way that these unscrupulous so-called men of God maintain their hold on the congregants so they do not question their unchristian actions.

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One of the things I have observed since I got born again many years ago is that, any pastor who often insists that members recognise that he is their spiritual father is a warning sign that he is doing some wrong things or is about to indulge in some wrong things.

A parent complained about how his daughter was being influenced by a pastor of the church she attends and how worried he was. I am sure there are many parents out there with stories to tell about how their wards are be­ing made to see their pastors almost like their Jesus.

These pastors have man­aged to make their congre­gants so loyal to them and to believe in them so much that it is terrifying, as a parent.

The way things are going, an immediate intervention is required otherwise I am not a prophet of doom but I forsee unfortunate instances where parents burst into church auditoriums and star shooting some Pastors out of frustra­tion and anger.

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We cannot look on uncon­cerned as a society and allow unscrupulous fraudsters using the name of God to create problems for families. My recommendation is for a cer­tain amount of regulation in order to bring some sanity in religious practices.

I agree that ordinarily regulating religious practices makes it a bit restrictive in terms of freedom of worship as enshrined in our constitu­tion but given the way things are going, a bit of regulation will not be out of place.

Disgusting stuff are being attributed to some men of God. There are cases of ma­nipulation of young ladies and sometimes married women by so called men of God and it is bringing Christianity and therefore the name of the Lord into disrepute.

Christianity is gradually losing its attractiveness as a result of the negative report­age resulting from disgusting stuff happening in Christian circles. The way some pas­tors have been manipulating congregants to take money from them leaves much to be desired to the point where they are convincing some of the youth to give out their phones. May God help us.

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By Laud Kissi-Mensah 

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Features

 The Palestinian martyr-Little Hind Rajab

 THE wickedness of some people in our world is gradually getting out of bounds. From local arena to international arena, reports of wicked acts that defies logic, is on the rise.

Russia has attacked Ukraine and as a result, the economies of many countries have been negatively impacted. Residential apartments which have no military purpose. Just sheer wickedness and cruelty.

After this came the Brutal attack on Gaza by the Israel Defence Forc­es. Hospitals were bombed, build­ings were razed down and civilians were deliberately targeted which is a war crime according to the Geneva Convention.

The IDF will release pamphlets in the skies informing them to move to certain specified areas. They move there with their families only to be bombed again without warning.

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It was one of such movement from one place to another that, the fam­ily of a 5 year Palestinian girl called Hind Rajab and her family, travelling in a vehicle, were shot at by an IDF Tank.

This wounded girl managed to call emergency services to come and save them.

The sad thing is that while this brave little girl kept talking to the emergency response person on the phone, telling them that they should come quickly and that she was afraid.

She further told the response team on phone that any time she tries to speak, blood comes into her mouth and it soils her dress and she dies not want her mum to scold her so they should come quickly.

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The response team rushed as usual to her location but they were also shot and killed, the driver and his assistant, in a vehicle clearly marked as an ambulance. Ten days later when they got to her location, Hind Rajab and her family were dead and their vehicle was riddled with 335 bullets.

The wickedness with which the IDF waged the war against Hamas, the administrative authority in Gaza, was unbelievable, given the damage to civilians both collateral and in most cases deliberate.

There are reports of some Doctors from the US and other countries, who have described how children they attended to, who were brought in dead, had evidence of sniper bullets.

A report by one of the media platforms, indicated that one of the IDF snipers who died recently, had bragged about shooting children in the abdomen so they will suffer before dying.

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What baffles me in all these atrocities, is why Jews who have been saved by a collective action of the world, from Hitler and his Nazis from destruction, infamously known as the Holocaust, is now visiting mayhem on others, namely the Pal­estinians.

One begins to wonder if Hitler was right after all and that he saw some­thing that the rest of the world did not notice about the Jews. I must admit that it is not all Jews that are racist. It is the Zionist who are the problem with their Talmud which teaches that Jesus is burning in hot feaces.

They deliberately teach their chil­dren to hate other people who are not Jews especially the Palestinians. They do not consider the Palestin­ians as humans and therefore they believe they have the God given right to treat them anyway anyhow.

Hind Rajab’s death has pricked the conscience of the world and coun­tries which used to blindly support Israel, are now putting pressure on them to observe a ceasefire as part of a peace negotiation.

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Let the world through the UN show that it does not support barbarism and that the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands by Israel, must come to an end.

NB: ‘CHANGE KOTOKA INTERNA­TIONAL AIRPORT TO KOFI BAAKO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’

By Laud Kissi-Mensah

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 Angioplasty: A comprehensive overview of the procedure and its applications

 Angioplasty is a minimally inva­sive medical procedure used to widen narrowed or blocked arteries or blood vessels. The proce­dure involves the insertion of a cath­eter, a small tube, into the affected artery, followed by the inflation of a balloon to widen the artery. In some cases, a stent, a small mesh tube, may be placed to keep the artery open.

Indications for Angioplasty

Angioplasty is often used to treat conditions such as:

1. Coronary artery disease: Nar­rowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.

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2. Peripheral artery disease: Nar­rowing or blockage of the arteries in the legs or arms.

3. Atherosclerosis: Buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to narrowing or blockage.

The Angioplasty Procedure

The angioplasty procedure typical­ly involves the following steps:

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1. Preparation: The patient is given local anesthesia and may be sedated to help them relax.

2. Insertion of the catheter: A small incision is made in the skin, and a catheter is inserted into the affected artery.

3. Guidance: The catheter is guid­ed to the affected area using imag­ing techniques such as fluoroscopy or angiography.

4. Inflation of the balloon: The balloon on the catheter is inflated to widen the artery.

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5. Stent placement: A stent may be placed to keep the artery open.

6. Removal of the catheter: The catheter is removed, and the inci­sion site is closed.

Benefits of Angioplasty

Angioplasty offers several benefits, including:

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1. Improved blood flow: Angio­plasty can help improve blood flow to the affected area, reducing symp­toms such as chest pain or leg pain.

2. Minimally invasive: Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure, which means that it requires only a small incision and can reduce recov­ery time.

3. Reduced risk of complications: Angioplasty can reduce the risk of complications associated with more invasive surgical procedures.

Potential Risks and Complications

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While angioplasty is generally a safe procedure, there are potential risks and complications, including:

1. Bleeding or hematoma: Bleed­ing or bruising at the incision site.

2. Artery damage: Damage to the artery during the procedure.

3. Restenosis: Narrowing or block­age of the artery again after the procedure.

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Conclusion

Angioplasty is a highly effective procedure for treating narrowed or blocked arteries or blood vessels. While it carries some risks and com­plications, the benefits of improved blood flow and reduced symptoms make it a valuable treatment option for many patients.

References:

1. American Heart Association. (2020). Angioplasty and Stenting.

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2. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2020). Angioplasty and Stent Placement.

3. Mayo Clinic. (2020). Angioplas­ty: What You Need to Know.

4. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (2019). Angioplasty and Stenting in Patients with Coro­nary Artery Disease.

This article provides a compre­hensive overview of angioplasty, including its indications, procedure, benefits, and potential risks and complications.

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By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson


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