BY WINSTONE ANTONIO PREACHER and author Batsirai Java (pictured) will today launch his long-awaited book, African Religion: A Blessing or a Curse? in which he explores African religion and culture in light of its relationship with Christianity. Java, who is the widower to the late MDC Alliance legislator Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java and brother to controversial cleric Passion Java, has been sharing insights on the book online ahead of its official launch. “There is a difference between African tradition and African religion. Normally, if you see, on our moral tradition, it’s upright, it’s straight, just like the values you can find in the Bible from the mosaic laws of Moses up to the teachings of our lord Jesus Christ,” he said. The book, which will be available in hard and soft copy, is Java’s third publication after The Voice and The Mystery of Dreams and Interpretation. The leader and founder of Apostle B Java Ministries said the book would expose a lot of hidden things. “God gave me a call to write this book and expose things that are hidden impacting the church, impacting nations, impacting business and family units,” he said. Java said in the book, he explained the difference between African religion and African culture. “African culture is the moral values of an African man and African woman, but African religion is totally different because it’s a cult, yes I repeat, it’s a cult. We need to start separating our good traditions of love, honour, respect, righteousness and justice from religion which is a cultic practice of worshipping the dead and totally against the Bible,” he said. Java said African religion was adopted from ancient Egypt and particularly in Mesopotamia, which was the cradle of many religions found in the world. Java said through research and verification, he exposed how the worship of ancestral spirits started. “Just because someone lived and died first does not give them power over how our walk or life as a grouping should be,” he said.