A CONTROVERSIAL Australian preacher who has been described as "extreme" is to stage a training camp for children as young as five in mid Wales. John Mackay - whose disciples describe him as being "anointed by God" - will hold a week-long training camp at Cefn Lea Christian Holiday Park, in Newtown during the first week of May. At the Creation, Flood and Babel conference, Mr Mackay will give lectures to adults, while there will be daily activities for children aged five to 13. He is also holding a talk in Bangor as part of a tour of the UK which began last Friday. Mr Mackay's creation research group - which disputes Darwin's theories of evolution - will also spend four days in a school in Lancashire teaching its beliefs to classes of children. Peter Hearty, of the National Secular Society, said: "I fear he can do a lot of damage to children's faith in science. His views are extreme. "They take a literal view of the Bible and a strong line on sex outside marriage, homosexuality and moral issues. They're not the kind of people you'd want running the country." Mr Mackay's spokesman Randall Hardy said: "John just has a gift from God and has to get on with it. Okay, he hasn't got letters after his name, but he's got a message he's been burdened with he has to get out there. He's been anointed by God." | 
