According to the account, a woman from Benin got married and had a child. After her first delivery, she reportedly suffered multiple miscarriages, while her surviving child remained unable to walk even after several years.
Desperate for answers, she confided in a friend who took her to a seer.
The seer allegedly told her something shocking.
He claimed that the child she was raising was not really a child but a python in human form, and that this “python child” was responsible for swallowing every pregnancy she conceived.
Then came the instruction.
To solve her problem, she was told to throw her own child into a river and watch the child transform into a giant python.
Think about that for a moment.
A mother, already broken by years of miscarriages, fear, disappointment, and unanswered questions, was prepared to sacrifice her own child because someone claiming supernatural powers told her to do so.
Fortunately, fishermen nearby reportedly noticed what was happening and intervened before tragedy struck.
Whether every detail of this story is accurate or not, it highlights a dangerous reality that exists in many societies.
When people become desperate, they become vulnerable.
Desperation often creates a market for false prophets, fake seers, spiritual merchants, miracle sellers, and self appointed men and women of God who claim to have answers for every problem.
A woman struggling with infertility may be told her neighbour is a witch.
A man facing financial difficulties may be told his family members are responsible for his poverty.
A sick child may be labelled a spirit. A mental health condition may be called a curse. A medical problem may be transformed into a supernatural accusation.
History is filled with innocent people who suffered because someone claimed to have received a spiritual revelation.
The painful truth is that genuine faith should never require abandoning common sense, compassion, evidence, or humanity.
No child should be harmed because of a prophecy. No patient should reject medical care because of a vision. No family should be destroyed because of an unverified spiritual claim.
The most dangerous people are not always criminals carrying weapons. Sometimes they are individuals who convince others to stop thinking for themselves.
Faith is important. Spirituality is important. Prayer is important. But critical thinking is equally important.
Because once a person surrenders both reason and responsibility to another human being, almost anything can be justified, including the unthinkable.
What is your view?
Should people be held legally responsible when dangerous spiritual instructions lead to harm or attempted harm?
