Men of God, or Men of Straw

Nov 13, 2020 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Any survey of the public service and private sectors in Guyana is certain to encourage, then disappoint, and last disturb. It is where many who identify themselves as men of god fail glaringly.

Regrettably, the majority of these so-called men (and women) of god are nothing more than pretenders at being honourable, who stand out brightly for the unprincipled traits they practice.
In the public service, there is an absence of the values and practices that could make for a satisfied, trusting citizenry. Publicly, their words are uplifting, their supporting behaviors’, however, condemn them. Privately, there are the knowing whispers of who has compromised themselves; and is seller, fraud, even a bigot; or all of those combined. They are the many that are known through inconsistencies, unanswered questions, troubling gaps, their evasions and silence on ethical things. So-called godly shepherds fool themselves – that they have slickly covered their tracks that people do not know.

Most of them call themselves by a small variety of names. They are deacons, pastors, pundits, imams, ministers and evangelists. They are chiefs, finance people, and usually mid-level functionaries; most of them have a history of not being able to tell a straight story or take a firm stance for what is positive and constructive. There is always some hidden agenda in this country. It is where the man or woman, with whom is shared a conference room or a conversation, will place hand over heart, cast eyes to the heavens, swear on a pile of sacred books and falsify prolifically. No qualms, not even a trace of the flinching that come from that strange mysterious thread called conscience; ulterior motives abound.

Government service is the place to be, to harvest richly and the coming oil opportunities are anticipated with panting breath and crafty calculations. Men of god worshipping money; men and women of straw seeking to capitalize via the misuse of trust, the abuse of principle, and deceiving god and fellow citizens. They are all over the public service; the private sector has more than its fair share. If only these holy men and women were the genuine article, truly humble and cleanly functioning servants, this nation would do very well, given the abundant presence of them. Instead, we have what we have, which is why we are where we are, with huge sections of the population exploited or misled.

If this cohort of men and women, announced agents of what is held out as righteous and wholesome for this society, are like this, and so unprincipled, then not much could-or should-be expected from the multitude of regular people, who make no pious representations. Credit must be given to the admittedly self-serving lesser-equipped and more ungodly masses who make their story clear and plain: money matters, what is valued is what enriches. There are no games over morality, the straight and narrow and the rest. Just show me, money is the mantra. We do not look upon such with favor, but there is grudging respect for straight talk and knowing where people really stand. The same cannot be said for those who patter about holiness, only to unravel when tempted.

Many political people proudly identify with God and things divine; we must wonder which god, if not money. This applies to both high-level government and opposition people. In addition, as said before, this cohort of public service self-enrichers have their counterparts in the private sector. Since this is so, it does not leave any room for what could take the nation and people to a different place, possibly a better place. Men and women of god have sold out to the devil when their visions and decisions are converted into actions that are, in turn, fed by rank ambitions. Oil can be a devil.

If religious leaders from across the unrighteous brotherhood are our seniors, executives and managers, then there is not much hope for us. Our elections settled that once and for all, when men of god worshipped false political gods. Across the board, poor Guyanese continually pay prices that they cannot afford. The spiritual people who could make a difference are just like the crooked rest.