Afrikaner Israelism

by Feòrag

South Africa: Racist Christian churches are gaining a foothold in South Africa among the more remote white communities. Their theology bears some similarity to British Israelism.

Although far from monolithic, the disparate cults or sects share a common belief that black majority rule is a punishment imposed on the Afrikaner people by God for disobedience, and that one day the white man will be returned to his rightful place as ruler. They see themselves as descendants of lost tribes of Israel, exiled to the region of present-day Iran and Iraq in 700 BC before migrating to Europe to become the white peoples of the world ordained to rule over all races.

But it has a uniquely South African perspective:

[Reverend Willie] Smith, who claims to have 30 congregations numbering about 6,000 worshippers, teaches that God chose whites to rule and forbade them to mix with the other races. But they abandoned God's word, and the ruling African National Congress was sent as a punishment.

We strayed from the teachings of the Bible, he said. Our leaders sold us out. They want us to mix with the other races. But it is not working. The other churches are preaching that you must love all. But we don't want that. We don't want to overthrow the Government. We have to wait for deliverance from the Lord.

We are suffering under this ANC-communist regime. We want blacks, coloureds and the other races to return to their traditions. If we rule, it will be a blessing for all of Africa.

Apartheid Cults On The Rise In South Africa - The Times (via The Statesman), 25th June 2003.