The Charity Commission is assessing complaints about the Universal Church for the Kingdom of God (UCKG), after former church members accused it of showing graphic images to young children.
In a Guardian article, former members of the church reported being being shown graphic images of dead bodies when they were under the age of 16 as a warning of what happens to those who leave the church.
Another former member of the church said when he was 13, he confided in a church assistant that he was gay. He was told this was the work of a demon, which the assistant attempted to exorcise.
A Commission spokesperson said: “We are aware of concerns reported in the media about UCKG and are assessing information to determine whether or not this is a matter for the Commission.
“A charity should be a safe and trusted environment. As regulator, we are clear that keeping people safe should be a priority for all charity trustees.”
The regulator said it has made no finding of wrongdoing and cannot comment further at this time.
It added that it has a limited role with regard to safeguarding which focuses on the conduct of trustees and the steps they take to protect beneficiaries, employees, volunteers and others who come into contact with the charity.
Civil Society News approached UKCG for comment, but did not receive a response.
History of banned posters
UCKG’s total income for financial year ending February 2021 was over £14m with an expenditure of £13.9m. It’s accounts for 2022 are over 150 days late.
This is not the first time the church, which is of Pentecostal denomination, has been criticised. In 1997, the Advertising Standards Authority banned a church poster from UCKG that claimed headaches, depression and insomnia were caused by demons.
In 2009, another of its adverts was banned for claiming an oil blessed by the church had cured heart defects.
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