Saturday 24 April 2021

I'M MISUNDERSTOOD, SAYS PASSION JAVA

PROPHET Passion Java has defended his brand of religious leadership saying those who criticise him do not have a full understanding of the person he is, as he is a man of many talents.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Sunday Mail, Prophet Java, who is also a social media aficionado, explained his online pranks that have courted both controversy and a wide following.The charismatic preacher, who on Friday was appointed the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) vice president, says he is multi-skilled and people should read him as such.

“Passion Java is a brand. There is Passion Java the church leader of Kingdom Embassy, then there is Passion Java the socialite. There is also Passion Java the business mogul. So my critics fail to differentiate these three. What inspires what I do on social media is simply what happens around us,” Java said.

Prophet Java’s approach to the church business is relatively uncommon. If he is not flaunting the latest guns, wheels, he is making cameo appearances in dancehall music videos some of which he bankrolls.

It would appear that there is more content of him showing his pristine designer clothes online, than there are sermons.

A larger than life character, Prophet Java tries to project an image of invincibility to the glee and chagrin of his divided audience. He said those who question his methods are ‘uninformed’.

“That is their opinion because they want me to be like them, even Jesus was misunderstood during his days. The Pharisees and the Sadducees thought he was an evil man but actually he was the Messiah,” said Prophet Java.

Spirituality is one of the key pillars of the prophet persona that Java sustains and speaking in tongues is considered to be the language of seers.

Prophet Java’s version of tongues has been received with scorn, as he sometimes mentions names and words that sound like street lingo. He told The Sunday Mail that during those moments, he would be communicating in another realm. Asked if his sermons in tongues are not manufactured, Prophet Java responded:

“Those who hold that view don’t understand the doctrine of tongues, they don’t understand the heavenly language but they are entitled to their opinion.”

Asked about how he makes the money he uses to finance his flamboyant lifestyle, Prophet Java did not go into detail.

“I am a blessed man, my lifestyle is a reflection of how blessed I am. We are not doing God’s work to generate funds, we do God’s work to attain God’s blessing and all the lifestyle you’re talking about is the blessing of God. If you read your Bible very well you will come across a man called Abraham. He was a blessed man, the blessing came from God not from anything else and that’s how best one can explain my wealth,” Prophet Java said.

The prophet, who financed his trademark Gara Mumba Iwe online music concerts during the lockdown, recently launched a studio and record label which will be handling productions for artists affiliated to him.

“I support all types of music but Zimdancehall is my favourite, this is because I have good relations with artistes belonging to that genre compared to any other genre. Dancehall artists embraced the vision we have at Passion Java Records. More so I find it easy working with them, but I do work with musicians from other genres,” he said.

His hope is to eventually export Zimbabwean music, especially dancehall. Just before the late liberation war hero, Soul Jah Love’s death, the ‘dancehall prophet’ had signed the chanter to his stable and they were in the process of putting a body of work together.

Aside from his controversies, Prophet Java had a turbulent beginning to the year as he lost his mother just after the turn of the New Year.

He described the experience as one of his lowest moments in his life. “My mother’s death was not an easy experience for me, my wife, our kids and also for my siblings. She was our pillar of strength and at some point in life she was our source of survival. I can’t really say I am now over her death because there are times I find myself in pain thinking of her,” the prophet said.

The jury is still out on Prophet Java’s religious beliefs. However, what is unmistakable is his energy and confidence. Sunday Mail

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