Activists sound alarm as gay exorcism cult seeks foothold in Scotland

As the Scottish government seeks to ban conversion therapy, it is granting charity status to a notorious cult that believes in witchcraft, advocates gay exorcism, and extolls the virtues of women providing on-demand sex for their husbands, the National Secular Society (NSS) announced this week.

Forward In Faith Church International Incorporated (FIFCII) was founded in Zimbabwe in 1960 by Ezekiel Guti, who claimed God came to him in a cave where he instructed him to learn and read English so that he could minister throughout the world.

The church has numerous followers in African countries and has spread to major U.K. cities like London, Manchester, and Cardiff among others. Now FIFCII is targeting Scotland for further expansion.

That ministry includes conducting exorcisms to deliver gay men from the “homosexual spirit” which forces them into same-sex sexual attractions, according to a blog post on its website. The church also has a webpage entitled “A Wise Woman’s Responsibility” devoted to the responsibilities of a true Christian wife, including acting as his “helper” and “secretary,” and submitting to sex on demand.

Amazingly, though, the Charity Commission for England and Wales claimed there was “no evidence” that FIFCII “advocating a particular position on homosexuality” despite the blog posts on the FIFCII website.

Alejandro Sanchez, human rights lead at NSS, called out the Charity Commission for its position and highlighted several similarly disturbing positions and blog posts of FIFCII.

“This charity promotes vicious homophobia and misogyny, and may well be endangering lives with reckless allegations of witchcraft,” Sanchez said in a press release. “Any suggestion it is acting in the public benefit is absurd. We’re disappointed the Charity Commission thinks celebrating the exorcism of a gay man is not 'advocating a particular position on homosexuality.’ It is now time legislators urgently review ‘the advancement of religion’ as a charitable purpose. It must not be used as a ‘backdoor’ for charities to promote conversion therapy and the subjugation of women.”

According to its website, FIFCII is now located in over 160 countries and states.