On Instagram, coup participant Marcel Malanga had a screenshot of these verses in Deuteronomy 28, from LDS scriptures (so identified because of the footnotes):
“The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.”
Inscribed on the instagram (after multiple photos of a seemingly invincible Marcel, sometimes showing piles of money) are the words, “This is the greener grass they were talking about.” Under another photo, Marcel has written: “honored to have you as my earthly father. I can’t wait to change the world with you.” Clearly, he believed that his father, Christian Malanga, was a messiah. These words will not serve him well as he tries to be released from prison in the DR-Congo.
Christian, commonly called “President Malanga”, featured these scriptures on his social media, suggesting his own references to the Congo rather than Jerusalem.
New Zaire, Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem (Kinshasa),
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem (Kinshasa).
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
These hashtags follow, seemingly from the Donald Trump playbook: #makeafricagreatagain #fightforwhatsright #newzaire
It is clear that, like Trump, Christian Malanga thought he was a chosen savior, and Marcel imitated his father. In an instagram photo, these phrases appear above the image of Marcel boxing a bag: “You need me to save you. Only I can save you.”
Presently, Marcel and his friend, Tyler Johnson, are in prison near Kinshasa. The American mothers of each man have started fundraisers to get their children home, this one for Marcel and this for Tyler.
I am writing this on May 31, 2024. Donald Trump has just been found guilty of thirty-four charges. Chad Daybell has been found guilty of all murder charges against him. Both men had considered themselves above the law, “chosen” by God.
This is a frightening way in which religion can put its followers in peril. True belief in anything without careful examination can persuade us to follow someone (a mortal) because God has chosen them. It’s a narrative put on re-play throughout the Old Testament, where Abraham, Moses, David, etc. are asked to do unthinkable things because God will be with them. In the narratives, they are either victorious, or they are spared. But I know of a seminary teacher who was convinced that he was called like Abraham to sacrifice his infant son. There was no ram in the thicket. The baby died and the man was institutionalized.
In real life, the repercussions of people following a “prophet” even when his plans are ill-conceived have sometimes been disastrous. From the priesthood restriction keeping Blacks from participating in temple privileges to the Mountain Meadows Massacre, we Mormons all should have learned a lesson of spiritual thoughtfulness and timely questioning. The message of my own family history and that of my religion is clear to me: Trust God, but do not follow anyone blindly–including yourself. If you see evidence of anyone’s ego (including your own) dismissing challenges, beware.
Trust, but verify. Be bold. Be bold. But be not too bold.
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