Page 136 - tesis
P. 136

confronted through spiritual warfare. This is the hermeneutical key to understand and confront the structures which oppress society. According to the Neo-Pentecostals, corruption, poverty, illiteracy, delinquency, and misery have a spiritual origin and so they need to be combated in this plane. Caballeros says that \u2018spiritual warfare is the tool given by God for effective evangelism, revival and the transformation of our society\u2019 (1999: 9). They have moved the cosmic battle to the area of social problems. In this sense, problems are identified with demons which need to be exorcized to free a neighbourhood or a country from their negative influence. Every Christian has to assume this battle so as to achieve the spiritual and material blessings as an individual and at the level of society as a whole.\u000AThe theme of spiritual warfare applies to a series of indicators such as attacks on social disorganization by spirits or the need to bind up Satan. These spirits assume specific names as territorial spirits, of say social injustice, human exploitation, and spirits which move and work in the cenacles of political power (Wynarczyk 1995b: 117). In other words, countries, social structures, should be liberated from the demons which have them in slavery. The way to free them is through the spiritual battle by means of prayer warfare. The Neo-Pentecostals have moved the spiritual war to the terrestrial plane. It is a fight to death with the forces of evil which oppress people and society.\u000ASome of Neo-Pentecostal pastors and lay people think that these diabolic forces are deeply entrenched in idolatry. Cant\u00F3n says that \u2018idolatry moves in two directions as it can be found among both Catholics and people from the Mayan traditions\u2019 (Cant\u00F3n, 1998: 233). This battle has therefore negative implications for the Mayans as the NPCs believe that idolatry is responsible for a curse that rests over Guatemala (1998: 282). This reading of social problems does not allow them to confront injustice or corruption head on as they all are attributed to spiritual forces which need to be fought in a spiritual way.\u000A123\u000A


































































































   134   135   136   137   138