ANC condemns Tutu's 'sacrilege'

[The Minx]

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South Africa's ruling ANC party has condemned Archbishop Desmond Tutu's criticism of the organisation, describing it as "sacrilege".

The archbishop warned ANC leaders this week that "they are not God" and "one day you will get your comeuppance".

The Nobel Peace Prize winner also said he was not looking forward to have ANC leader Jacob Zuma as president.

Mr Zuma is the strong favourite to become South Africa's next leader after elections on 22 April.

His campaign has been marred by corruption charges stemming from an arms scandal.

Prosecutors are expected to make an announcement on Friday on whether to drop the charges.

'Political solution'

"At the present time, I can't pretend to be looking forward to having him [Mr Zuma] as my president," Archbishop Tutu, seen by many as South Africa's voice of conscience, told national radio on Thursday.

In separate public comments, Mr Tutu said: "For his [Mr Zuma's] own sake, I hope they are not going to have a political solution.

"If he is innocent as he has claimed to be, for goodness sake, let it be a court of law that says so."

In response, the ANC said in a statement that the party was "increasingly disturbed" by the manner in which the former archbishop of Cape Town was addressing the issue before an announcement on whether Mr Zuma's trial would proceed.

"This is tantamount to him undermining the independence of the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] and the judiciary which is unfortunate for a person of this stature," the ANC said.

South Africa's trade union confederation, Cosatu, also expressed concern that Mr Tutu "has allowed his passionate personal hatred of the ANC and its President Jacob Zuma to cloud his judgement".

Desmond Tutu has launched a series of verbal attack on the ANC recently, the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says.

Last month, Archbishop Tutu expressed dismay at the government's decision to block a visit by the Dalai Lama to South Africa, our correspondent says.

[Mayabird]

I would think an archbishop knows better than some party stooge what does and does not count as sacrilege, but maybe that's just me.

[frigidmagi]

Speaking in a Christian context, it has been argued that anyone who suggest that a human person or office be considered in the same context as God (that is that speaking against that person or office is sacrilege or blasphemy) is committing heresy, that is the following, avocation or creation of doctrines that stand against agreed Orthodox rules.

As some of you will likely guess, this is a new suggestion and was not around during the Middle Ages (where the idea of Divine Right of Kings held paramount position). But in practice if not theory it has become increasing more popular. In that sense I would suggest that the Archbishop is well within his rights to declare anyone who says that to him to be in heresy (assuming they're within his church otherwise such a declaration would have no real effect), which could have all sorts of interesting fallout politically and religiously for well... Everyone.

[General Havoc]

I would say that the Archbishop is also well within his rights to declare anyone who says that to him to be an asshole. I doubt seriously he WILL, but... it would amuse me.

[The Minx]

The ANC has been getting more and more disappointing since they won power at the end of apartheid. This is what happens to a political party when there is no legitimate opposition to speak of. For their own sake the ANC needs an electoral drubbing, and the sooner the better.