Open letter to Pres. Zuma.

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Dear Pres. Zuma.

I write this to you in a state of perplexity. In March 2011 I was at the 2nd Biennial Substance Abuse Summit as a delegate representing Faith Based Therapy. You opened the Summit as the leader of our Nation. After voicing your concern you called upon all concerned parties to assist the Government in its stand against this destructive scourge. Many other speeches were made before we broke up into discussion groups. Unfortunately very little attention was given to Faith Based Therapy as an alternative to the medical/psychological model. I voiced my concern touching on various aspects of substance abuse to several Ministers in your Government subsequent to that by letter.. Only the SAPS and Health bothered to reply.

Under Act 70 of 2008 regarding Substance abuse Faith based professionals are excluded. There are many other issues raised in this law that contradicts the basic tenets of the Christian Faith. Taking our faith seriously we cannot register under this act.

Besides this, our approach differs vastly from that of the secular model. We believe for instance that drug abuse is primarily a sin against God.  He forbids it and then it is a sin against society and one  self. It is not a disease. It cannot be treated by prescribing replacement drugs. These are not debatable issues, they are absolutes. The same applies to personal identity and gender identity disorders, which leads to ungodly sexual activity, further stress and anxiety. There are a host of moral and spiritual issues which clash between secular belief systems and that of the Bible.

Our right to religion and personal belief is foundational to our Constitution. The State cannot force the Church to adopt belief systems foreign to the Scripture! Yet the State only recognizes the secular in this piece of legislation, especially when we take the Minimum Standards and Norms applicable to this sector into consideration.

At House Regeneration we run a very successful Bible based programme. We do not need psychologically trained therapists and we do not agree with psychiatric drugs in place of street drugs. The power of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and the Bible is more than enough to address the holistic requirements needed by people in the bondage of sin. We are highly trained and experienced in what we do and currently there are no institutions except our own college that can provide the training required.

In conclusion Sir, how is it that the Minister of Health exonerates us from these legal requirements as Faith based and  commends our participation in the fight against drugs whereas officials in the Gauteng Provincial Government Social Development offices threaten me with prison if I do not register under Act 70 of 2008.

Will mrs. Shabalala also start closing down churches and Bible schools because so many substance abusers have found salvation there? There is a tsunami of Christian protest rising up against her proposed closure of our centre. Does she not realize that she is taking on God under whose guidance and instructions we have established this work since 1987? We either need to stand apart from this Act or else legislation must be formulated under which our efforts to assist our Government can be regulated and monitored by our own professionals.

I ask you humbly to address this matter urgently!

Your humble servant in Christ, Dr Ado Krige.

Open letter to Pres. Zuma.