Nollywood actress and filmmaker Mary Njoku has urged pastors to accept responsibility for their public statements and actions rather than use the biblical phrase, “Touch not my anointed,” to shield themselves from criticism.
Njoku shared her views in a social media post while addressing how religious leaders respond when their publicly expressed views or actions attract scrutiny.
According to the actress, the biblical warning should not be used to silence people who offer legitimate criticism. She argued that it is applicable when an individual makes false accusations, lies about a pastor or intentionally seeks to cause harm.
“Touch not my anointed applies when someone is falsely accusing you, lying against you, or deliberately trying to harm you,” she wrote.
Njoku further stated that pastors should not fault people for accurately reporting or recounting things they have said or done publicly, particularly when the resulting criticism stems from those actions.
“When someone gives an accurate account of what you said or did publicly, and it is causing you harm, Brethren, the problem isn’t the storyteller. The problem is what you said or did,” Njoku said.
Prompt News reports she advised religious leaders to acknowledge their mistakes and take ownership of their conduct instead of shifting blame to those who bring attention to it.
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“Take responsibility for it. Own your words. Own your actions. Reflect on them, apologise if necessary, explain yourself if there is context, and move on,” she added.
The actress also stressed that pastors, like everyone else, are capable of making mistakes and should not present themselves as being beyond reproach.
“Nobody is perfect. We are all human,” she said.
