48 laws of power, a demonic book: How some pastors use the laws-Akinpelumi Paul
A Nigerian, Akinpelumi Paul has given a deep insight into the rave book, 48 laws of power, which he described as a book that is now being used by some prominent church leaders in Nigeria and some parts of the world.
Paul who evidently has read the book in and out said he had observed over the years that many church leaders in Nigeria employ the principles in the book to manipulate and control their members.
He said in a video review online that the author of the book, Robert Greene who lives in Los Angeles and speaks five languages is a Budhist.
The book has sold more than 1.2 million copies. But the book according to him is popular among celebrities from all over the world. “It is a book for the mafia and the Illuminati but unfortunately the book has found its way into the church.” He said.
He said though the book was written in 1998, many G.Os have been using the information from the book before then. The book is a compilation from over 300 years of experience of some world leaders including people like Napoleon, Adolf Hitler and a host of other known world leaders in history.
Giving further insight he said the first law of power as elucidated in the book which is: Never outshine your master is in direct negation of the word of God.
“Unfortunately this principle has been entrenched in many churches with some gifted persons always trying to lie low in the church even when they have capacity to do more. Jesus prayed that his disciples will do more than him. He said his disciples will do more than what he did. That is why we have hero-worship in some African Churches. This is against the scripture. If you preach more than your G.O. you must be ready to go to your village.”
He explained the second law which is: Never put too much trust in friends, learn to use enemies. Be wary of friends they will betray you more quickly. If you have no enemies find a way to make them.
In implementing this law, some church leaders according to Paul deliberately impoverish younger pastors working with them even when they are sitting on millions. “But the moment the pastor steals and they catch him, they now use him to do dirty jobs because by that time they have his secret. That is why some defend their pastors at all cost. This is because their pastors got their secret and knows their weak point.”
Paul explains further that the third law is: Keep people in the dark. If they have no clue of what you are up to they will have no defense. This according to him is another demonic law that have surreptitiously crept into the church. “Some church leaders hide their purpose. For instance they start a school and get members to contribute for the purpose of the school. They tell their members that the school is their school. But when the school is established, they ostracize those who made the school a reality. They appropriate the school and turn it to theirs.”
Another law, always say less than necessary. It will make you look like a superman. “This law is another point of manipulation. When you see a man of God using clichés and some off the cuff statements or open ended statement that keep people confused they are unknowingly using one of the laws of power. Such statement makes them larger than life”
Another law, “So much depend on reputation. Guard it with your life True reputation alone you can intimidate and win. Make your reputation unassailable. Learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their reputation and stand aside and let the public opinion hang them.”
Commenting on this law, Paul states, “The law which asks you to depend on your reputation and guard it with your life is not of Christ because as believers we must be ready to give up our reputation. We have no reputation to protect. Christ lost his reputation for us. If we are Christ-like we have no reputation to keep.”
Another of the demonic laws in the book is: Court attention at all cost. Never let yourself buried in the crowd. Make yourself a magnet of attention. Be conspicuous at all cost. Paul explains, “Many church leaders always want the focus to be on them. Nothing gets done if they are not around. They create scenarios that make members always gravitate towards them. They fail to acknowledge those working behind the scene. Members for instance write their books but they get the glory. They never get to appreciate those doing the work and never pay them. But they take all the glory for the work done.”
Paul then warned church leaders against using the book. He said “when you see pastors using and dumping people, they learn those things from the 48 laws of power. Some of them have not read the book but somehow they are practicing the principles in the book. They get others to do the work for them but always take the credit. They use the wisdom, knowledge of others to further their own vision.”
One of the devilish things taught by the book is that “leaders should avoid the unhappy and unlucky. You can die from someone’s misery. You may think you are helping the drowning man but you are digging your own downfall. Always spend time with the successful.”
Paul stated, “This particular law is reason why church leaders avoid the poor. They will always want to stay around the successful and happy people. But that will not be doing the will of God because Christ commands us to reach out to the less privileged.”
Concluding the part one of the video broadcast, Paul states that one of the laws which is number 15 is: Crush your enemy totally. Crush him not only in body but in spirit. He explained that many pastors display this trait when their subordinate leaves them to start their own church or takes the property of the church away.
He cited the instance of a popular Bishop who brought the picture of a pastor who left his church along with the church property in another country to church. He then literally poured oil on the picture and declared that the end had come for the pastors. “Unfortunately it was the head of the legal team of this Bishop’s church that died after some time while the pastor who went away with the church property has since been flourishing.”