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Johannesburg – A Pretoria church has gone viral on social media after congregants were photographed eating a live snake during a service after apparently being told the reptile would taste like chocolate.
Pictures posted on the Facebook page of the End Times Disciples Ministries church in Soshanguve on Sunday show their religious leader Penuel Mnguni holding a small snake in one hand and a microphone in the other.
By yesterday afternoon, the photographs had been shared 5,316 times on Facebook.
In another picture, Mnguni is seen holding the snake up while one of his congregants opens his mouth as if to swallow or bite the snake.
In a third picture, a woman is seen sitting on the floor holding the snake and putting it in her mouth with her eyes closed. The last picture shows a half-bitten snake in Mnguni’s hand.
The caption on the pictures reads: “Man of God declared a snake to become a chocolate (chomp) and the congregation ate it. We have authority to change everything into anything and it will obey because of our authority.”
As you scroll through the church’s photo album there are images of Mnguni standing on people as they lie on the ground. Other pictures show people having their hair cut off and it being fed to the rest of the congregation. In some photos members are also seen being fed pieces of cloth.
According to the Sowetan newspaper, Mnguni said these actions are based on biblical scriptures.
“Romans 14 says a person with a strong faith can eat anything. We are not scared of snakes, they are beneath us,” he is quoted as telling the Sowetan.
According to the newspaper he had eaten a lizard himself, to prove that God had the power to make a person eat anything.
Mnguni founded his ministry in March last year after being trained by Pastor Lesego Daniel, who has also made headlines after allegedly calling on his members to drink petrol and eat grass.
Mnguni’s followers are said to come from as far afield as Limpopo and Botswana.
“So far I’ve faced a lot of persecution from people and pastors around here. They say what I do is not from God but when they come to the services and listen to me preach they think otherwise,” he told the Sowetan. — Sapa
Online Reporter