Pastors praising Trump

SOME DAYS I am ashamed to identify with many who are Christians. This is more so these days as stupidity parades as wisdom in high places. Three readers of Family and Religion have asked for my thoughts on the piece titled, ‘Influential pastors believe re-electing Trump is a win in the war of angels and demons’.

This would make for good comedy if it were not so stupid with negative implications arising from the cult of personality. My only concern with the caption, is that bad to bad, I would not refer to Trump as a demon.

It is disgraceful, irresponsible, reprehensible, and sickening that anyone would use God, religion, and things sacred, to affirm what no well-thinking human being would want their child to become. The stench of misogynoir, racism, and xenophobia fills the air. We in Jamaica must only beware now that the palpable threat of fascism does not creep into our political culture.

CATEGORY 7 HURRICANE

I believe that the time has come for a ‘Category 7’ designation to be reserved for a hurricane whenever the threshold exceeds category 190 miles per hour. The scientists have been proven correct. Storms will be more frequent and ferocious.

Contrary to what many believe, God does not send hurricanes to destinations. This is simply how nature works. Thankfully, we have been blessed with skills of research and scholarship to enable us to benefit from the study of meteorology. Through the available and ongoing study of climatology, we may be empowered with knowledge on climate and weather in general. One may be religious and still know that climate change denial flies in the face of what we have been seeing and experiencing.

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OUR LOCAL ARGUMENTS

There have been so many conflicting perspectives on the local scene, and yet, if we are honest, there is value to be found in the various presentations. Take the appearance of Adija Palmer at the PNP Conference. The important point has been made that he is a free citizen with the right to attend any political conference, and that is an important observation. Then the point has also been made that his appearance on the stage is cause for other questions and concerns, and that too deserves recognition in the national conversation.

A matter of Emancipation and Independence also has reasonable concerns. On the one hand, it is important to maintain the integrity of the celebrations with their own respective holidays. And yet again the PSOJ’s call also has merit. One of the good things about their call is that although it is for a long weekend, it does not negate the importance of the two separate days. It would possibly have meant declaring the first or second weekend of every August a long holiday in observation of both Emancipation and Independence. In other words, not ‘Emancipendence’. This word is a creative combination, but I have come to form the view that it might rob the two different celebrations of their own necessary and authentic place in our history and national psyche.

Take the matter around the Integrity Commission (IC). Some believe that since the IC exhausted its capacity in terms of investigation without finding any evidence of illicit enrichment, then it ought to have signed off where the prescribed protocols were observed. There are those who with the best of intentions believe that it is okay for the IC to make the request for further investigations. Still, there are those who are trying to process a request of judicial review while seeking to have the court strike out the section which establishes the offence for illicit enrichment.

Maybe these difficult conversations are an indication of a more mature society. Maybe it is affirming an improved appreciation for a much-needed conversational approach.

Are we able to process an understandable tension in these diverse views without jumping to condemn the other? Are we able to move beyond limiting ourselves to a position just based on political bias? How might Christians employ kingdom values in helping to foster a more cohesive society?

The Kingdom of God is about the reign of God. When God reigns, life is informed by righteousness, peace, and love. Justice is advanced for everyone regardless of political affiliation. Both the Republican and Democratic parties are held in subjection to these kingdom values. Both PNP and JLP are judged in the light of kingdom values.

The United States of America is currently facing a crisis as the fallacy of democracy raises its ugly head. We have been socialised and educated to believe that the democratic process yields the best result and is therefore always in the best interest of all. That majority rules is sacred to democracy. Is the majority always correct though?

What happens if the majority lack the capacity to choose what is right? What happens if most of the electorate is driven by selfish ulterior motives? What happens if the majority is misled to choose what is wrong?

I rather like the proposition of philosophy professor D. Q. McInerny, who notes, “The ‘democratic fallacy’ is the assumption that the mere fact that most people believe proposition X to be true, is sufficient evidence to allow us to conclude that proposition X is true.”

Sometimes the challenge of leadership must seek to empower people with the power of knowledge in the quest for change. If the government of the day had not declared a zero-tolerance approach for judging people based on marital status or a child based on whether it was born in wedlock or otherwise, today we would still be calling many people ‘bastards’. If it were put to a referendum, many from the space of religion would have held on to the cherished opportunity to judge and condemn others. Have a good week.

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.