In case you wondered whether or not the “famous” Brazilian spiritual healer “Joao de Deus” or “John of God” (he shot to fame in 2010 when Oprah Winfrey ran a show on him after having visited him the previous year) was actually a bonafide healer from God, it seems, no: police are currently investigating complaints by more than 450 women who claimed the 76-year-old Joao Teixeira de Faria forced them into sex acts under pretext of curing them.
This week, Faria claimed his innocence in front of his faithful followers.
“The avalanche of accusations followed allegations made by a dozen women late last week to Brazilian outlets Globo TV and O Globo newspaper. One of the women who spoke to Globo TV, a Dutch choreographer named Zahira Lieneke Mous, said Faria had also raped her.”1
While we fully believe that the human body is a marvel and can heal itself under the right conditions (including some we don’t fully understand) no one should sexually abuse someone in order to heal them.
It should be noted that most of his devoted followers do not believe the accusations.
However, when the stories are all similar, an investigation is warranted:
“The women who have come forward publicly to accuse Faria, many anonymously, have told similar stories of alleged abuse. First, he told them they were special, they say. Then, he pulled them into a bathroom, where he allegedly would grope them, place their hands on his penis,”
Or, as Zahira Lieneke Mous a Dutch dance choreographer said, penetrate them.
In 2014 during a trip to visit the casa, there to try and heal from sexual trauma, she says he told her to stand in front of him, with his back to her while he “hovered around” as if he was smelling her. Then, he led her into a bathroom, had her look in the mirror, asked her a question and grabbed her hand an put it on his penis. However, the second time “Faria invited her into his private quarters, he raped her in the bathroom.”2
Edna Gomes, Faria’s spokeswoman, said he is “doing well, is calm”3 and “waiting for the investigations to run their course.”4 She further stated, “Justice will clear this up. Above all, he is an innocent person.”5
What do you think? Do you believe he is able to heal people? Have you visited him? Or do you believe a healer and man of God could never sexually assault women if he was really healing by God’s power?
SOURCE:
