Preaching on the bus

RECENTLY, AN itinerant preacher was doing his rounds when he selected a JUTC bus for his platform. He was challenged to stop the preaching. This was offered by a fellow passenger who was quite irate about the matter. The social media post on the issue attracted lots of condemnation for the irate passenger calling for an end to the preaching in that space.

It was yet another example of how people are often not aware of the inappropriateness of preaching on public passenger vehicles. You see, when you attend a religious space designated for preaching, you exercise a choice to do so. However, when anyone enters a public space such as the bus, they should be protected against being held hostage by preachers. It does not matter how wonderful you or I may find his or her preaching. Others should not be bound to listen!

Preaching is not good for others just because it is preaching and the speaker has a Bible under one arm. There is plenty of nonsense parading as holy stuff from God. Something is not automatically wholesome just because the speaker supposedly represents religion, a holy book, or God.

ANTI-GAY RHETORIC

Then there was a video calling for gays to be dead. “Dem fi ded!” The speaker who advocated violence did so with much cheering on in the space of social media. He even appealed to the political powers that be to ensure that these fellow citizens “fi ded”.

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You may be guessing correctly if you tried to answer this question. Has the poster of such rhetoric ever spoken with such passion on violence against women, or the molestation of children, or corruption in how we go about our daily lives? Has the poster ever felt really angry with issues of adultery, lying, covetousness?

I often note that in Jamaica when people speak passionately with such rhetoric, I do not know who is speaking, especially when it is a public presentation. This is because some of the very passionate speakers present differently in private spaces.

Interestingly, the point is better understood when we replace the stigmatised minority with the victim of racism. Imagine, videos calling for the death of people based on their skin colour or ethnicity. Should the tolerance level be on a scale?

BAPTISM AND NEAR DROWNING

A video doing the rounds showed a pastor disappearing in the muddy waters of a river during a baptism. It is good to know that he is alive. When I saw the video, I wondered why he was taking so long to get going with the rite. I wondered why he did not just do the preaching on terra firma and then get on with the baptism. I also wondered why it was absolutely necessary to dip the woman again in an effort to ensure a complete water covering.

Baptism, as with any other sacrament, includes the use of symbols. Water is a symbol in baptism. It symbolises washing and cleansing. However, the washing and the cleansing are not being done by the water, but by the blood of Christ. It is a way of saying that, when you come to Christ, you experience what water does. You experience a cleansing, a thirst-quenching, a refreshing. That is why baptism may be done by affusion or immersion. None is more important than the other. The important thing is the action of God.

Another important theological understanding of baptism is that one is not baptised in order that one may become tagged with a denominational name. One receives Christian baptism in order that one may become a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. This rite of Christian initiation is not a bath. It is an outward and visible sign of an inner spiritual grace which is given by God.

Many years ago, a friend explained to me that she would be getting baptised again at her church’s crusade later that night. As far as I knew, she was from all appearances a good Christian woman. However, the week before, she had a ham sandwich and needed to make sure that she “did not lose her salvation”.

QUEEN MELANIA AND QUEEN ESTHER

Two weeks ago, the Revised Common Lectionary presented a reading from the Book of Esther as one of the options for the Old Testament Lesson. While reflecting on Queen Esther, I could not help wondering if Melania Trump might become an Esther for trembling immigrants in the United States of America, and fearful women who face the loss of bodily autonomy. Esther’s famous resolve, “ If I perish, I perish”, may potentially be a position for Melania to adopt. Queen Esther was a Jew who lived in Persia. She took a chance and offered herself for a Persian beauty contest in which she won the king’s choice of becoming his queen. I commend her to your prayers and positive vibrations.

When you get a chance, read about said king and how he deposed Queen Vashti who refused to come and parade her beauty to entertain his guests. Gender-based violence has been around for ages.

REMINDERS:

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Please listen out for the upcoming Poppy Appeal which does charity work for indigent military veterans. This annual appeal gives us an opportunity to give to those in need of our help.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human dignity and human rights. Send feedback to seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.