A newly wedded couple was last week censured from Seventh Day Adventist by Sizinda SDA elders in Zimbabwe for dancing to worldly music at their wedding.
Tinevimbo Maphosa and his wife, Moreblessing Sibanda were suspended from active participation in church programs.
Church elders are said to be angry that the bride, Sibanda was doing ‘get down’ at her wedding held at Reynolds Inn on 7 July.
Maphosa and Sibanda are not the only casualties of the church’s decision.
Three members of their bridal team who are also youths at Sizinda SDA were affected.
Mayibongwe Ncube, Tinotenda Nyakawa and Wellington Gurajena were given six months censure and two years ban for taking part in the wedding and dancing to circular music.
B Metro reported that the songs which are Follow the leader by Dj Cyko ft zahara, Dj Ganyani ft Busiswa’s Xigubhu as well Dr Malinga’s via Orlando.
Maphosa refused to comment on the matter but sources said church board members banned him and his wife but exonerated the wedding committee which gave permission to the playing of music.
The development has created apostasy within Sizinda SDA church. Youths are now accusing church board members and elders of tribalism and favouritism when it comes to instituting disciplinary decisions.
Irate youths took to social networking site to express their disgust over how the respectable church has gone to the dogs.
An angry youth Wellington Gurajena posted: “For so long I have been quite but enough is enough. Just because I am young, I am SHONA and I don’t have a father doesn’t mean I am subject to someone. Today Sizinda church passed out a judgment that the following trio; Mayibongwe, Tinotenda Nyakawa and Wellington Gurajena were given six months censure and two years ban for participating in weddings and for dancing to circular music.”
Sacarstically, Gurajena inquired if the censure is constitutional or it was targeted move. “Lol is that constitutional or it was a targeted move. To me that was a clear sign of NEPOTISM and TRIBALISM just because it was Shona wedding now it’s a crime. We saw the Moyos, Ndlovu’s Ngwenyas, Mhlangas wedding and by then oh circular music was a cherry of the day and no one complained.”
The youth went on to accuse church board members and some elders of being the untouchables because some have girlfriends while others go clubbing but have never been brought to book as per church doctrine.
He said when a church elder take funds from the church for personal use they are not censured, when a senior member of the church sits and chants vulgar at public places like political rallies and soccer matches they are not censured and also when a senior member of the church beats someone in front of the church and kids they are not censured.
A source said there are stinking levels of favouritism at the church because relatives of senior members of the church have become pregnant outside of marriage and have never been censured.
Youth also accused church board members and elders of sleeping around and getting away with it because they sit on lofty perches and look at others especially youth with disdain.
While most youths were visibly angry, some tried to be voices of reason.
“STOP IT, I repeat STOP IT this whole scenario is making me feel sick. This is not the proper way of solving church issues. Let me warn you my brothers and sisters I don’t give a sh** whether Wellington is right or wrong nor the church is right or wrong nor Ndebele nor Shona, whatever the issue might be ,but this is not the proper way of handling church issues. I am very disappointed,” Prince Moyo wrote.
Another youth, Kelvin Mthabisi Moyo said the matters arising have the potential of triggering a war within the church. “Uhm Welly this is controversial and surely, the church will divide. World war was triggered by a 16 year old if I am not mistaken,” Moyo said.
A church elder only identified as Banwell refused to comment on the matter referring all the questions to the person who brought the story.
“I can’t say anything to you. Get all the details from the person who gave you the story,” he said.
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