Religious leaders’ voices are not inaudible

Apr 21, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,

It is in direct response to your editorial “Where are our Religious Leaders?” that I composed this letter. It is encouraging that you have emphasized the significance of the voice of religious leaders in the context of the political strife our country is experiencing. Consequently, please allow me to address three pertinent points emerging from your editorial related to pronouncement, protest and priority.
First, let me say that the conclusion of the editorial that “Guyanese religious voices are silent. They silenced themselves” is not correct in all details. For example, yours truly, Pastor Richard Avert James, former president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Guyana (May 2011 to April 2019) did prepare and issue at least two letters to the editors of our four dailies, on his own behalf, as a religious leader. To be exact, the Kaieteur News published my letters: “What the credible recounting of ballots is expected to achieve?” on March 18, 2020 and “An Open Letter to the GECOM Chair and CEO – break the ice after the court rules” on March 25, 2020. These two letters focused attention on electoral integrity and truth in regard to the 2020 elections. Besides, a considerable amount of time and effort have been devoted to fasting and prayer and interceding with God to guide our nation and politicians before, during and after elections, on the part of many religious leaders and followers.
However, that being said, it’s important for us to acknowledge and embrace the reality that only the omnipresent God is best position to make any valid pronouncement on the total credibility of what happened within the 2,339 polling stations or places across Guyana on Monday March 2, 2020. Not religious leaders! Not business leaders! Not western diplomats! Not political analysts and commentators! Not politicians! Not judges! Not even election observers! This is not to be inferred that Guyanese are incapable of conducting a credible national election, but rather to emphasize our individual limitation. Yet, religious leaders’ voices are not inaudible.
Second, you said that “when our religious leaders should be in the forefront of civil society pleading, or pressuring, or pouring out dissatisfaction and displeasure at what Guyanese political leaders are doing to the people, they are absent and silent.” This statement invites an obvious question – what should be the role of religious leaders in a multiracial, multi-faith democracy, in regard to the political question or the conduct of public business? Or to be more specific – what should be the role of religious leaders during times of political strife?
Editor, although an active political life is the right of all citizens, religious leaders should use their power and influence in the interest of the public as a whole and not just for a preferred few. Besides, the focus of most religious leaders is on issues that are clearly moral rather than partisan politics. Furthermore, it’s ill-advised for religious leaders to express public disapproval of or objection to an electoral process that is incomplete. Religious leaders, who take the liberty to express their political preferences or prejudices for or against politicians and to ventilate their opinions on political questions, will contribute to more division in the religious community and the wider society. In addition, Jesus refused to interfere in legal and political questions when he was asked to decide on such matters. His remarkable statement “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21 NKJV) is a case in point. However, this doesn’t mean that religious leaders have no voice in matters of public morality. It’s just that the way of the world is not the way of the cross.
Third, you argued that “Clearly, our religious men and women have lost their way in their priorities and their prostrations, which render them unable to be the distinguishing presences so much demanded right now.” Editor, it may very well be true that some religious leaders have lost their way and ability to be that distinguishing presence. And, as you have said, this may be so because they “have compromised themselves by identifying too closely with the worldly men of politics.” But this exact point may very well be equally true for some business leaders, lawyers, diplomats, newspaper editors, columnists, political analysts and commentators etc. and everyday citizens. We all need to acknowledge that we are not always right. We need to admit that we all make mistakes; it is a part of what makes us human. But we must not allow our mistakes to define who we are as a nation.
What is needed right now is for our political leadership and politicians to find the way to good governance, when the process of electoral integrity is completed. They need to discuss and decide upon a more excellent way to govern Guyana. As religious leaders our basic duties to government are to pay taxes, obey the law, pray for those holding public offices and support good government. The Bible says: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;”1 Timothy 2:1-3(KJV). Religious leaders must pray and intercede for our honourable men and women in political positions enabling them to achieve a common goal, that of good governance. In that way we might be able to provide that distinguishing presence needed right now. After all, as excellently expressed by Dalai Lama “If you can, help others; if you can’t do that, at least don’t harm them.”

Pastor Richard Avert James

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