Page 125 - Unseen Hands by Nona Freeman

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Opposition from W ithin and
W ithout
" G e t rid of the Pentecostals or I will resign! Even Moslems are better than Pentecostals," the pope of the Ethiopian Coptic Church, the highest religious authority in the land, threatened Emperor Haile Selasse early in 1970. The Coptic church at that time controlled one third of the land and made serfs of many citizens. The religious hierarchy felt threatened by the Pentecostals, who had found a spiritual experience that freed them from the customary abject obeisance. The emperor's allegiance to the state church demanded action, so he began a sweep ing anti-Pentecostal campaign involving both the police and the militia.
On their part, those who had received the Pentecostal experience made serious mistakes. They refused all organization and firm leadership, choosing to be complete-
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