Spiritual leaders needed for a new local culture

Apr 13, 2023 Editorial

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Kaieteur News – The Seventh-day Adventists group is holding a major convention in Guyana this week.  We extend best wishes to this local group of 65,000 Guyanese followers for a successful conference.  The theme for the assembly is “Anchored in His Promise, Advancing His Purpose” is a well-chosen one, with 400 Guyanese delegates attending, and sharing fellowship with their brothers and sisters from international locations.  Religious conventions are a time of inspiring the harmonious among the membership, with sessions filled with teachings of love, understanding, and compassionate consideration.  All denominations have mantras to these effects; speak inspiringly about the choices to be made, the lives to be practised, and the standards to be set, so that there is a better world and culture.

All of this and more are sure to be highlighted repeatedly during the three-day conference.  Of special note is that President Irfaan Ali, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, and the Mayor of Georgetown have all been invited to attend the opening ceremony.  This is fitting, and comes at a time when Guyana could benefit from our top political leaders sharing the same space, participating in fellowship, and (hopefully) greeting each other warmly, with a view to continuing some kind of conversation that could be based on the second section of the conference’s theme “Advancing His Purpose.”

One does not have to be a Seventh-day Adventist to identify with the pull of those three profound words, which could mean so much for all citizens of this society, once they are embraced sincerely, fervently.  One does not even have to be Christian or Hindu or Muslim (or any other) to discern that this country is hurting and hobbling.  For sure, there is great promise in our hands, through the great gifts that have been given to this small diverse nation.  The tragedy is that we have not lived up to the promise.  And now when the promise is at its brightest and greatest, we are consumed with the bitterest backbiting, backstabbing, and backing away from the many challenges that stand before, because of self-serving purpose.

Put differently, the Seventh-day Adventists speakers in that opening ceremony should, in prayers and presentations, make it their duty to pronounce powerfully and frankly about the virtues of togetherness; the authentic approaches towards the aspirations of citizens blessed with so many assets.  As the sacred book embraced by the Seventh-day Adventists does counsel: a house divided against itself inevitably collapses and fragments into dust.  Guyana is divided like never before, and this polarization of the most extreme passion and energy peaks at the worse time.

President Ali knows this, Opposition Leader Norton knows this, and Mayor Narine (himself a spiritual leader) knows this.  They and their brethren all know this, and there can be no denying this.  It is what wounds (this division), and cripples us from taking the fullest advantage of our endowments for the prosperity of each and every Guyanese.  They have to come to the realization that the lack of thoughtful leadership communication, the absence of constructive leadership engagement, the barrenness of any kind of leadership relationship cannot be of any divine purpose.  The Christian and Muslim and Hindu shepherds must do their part to press home the messages of unity, and not looking upon neighbours as enemies.  The Adventists have the best platform in their conference, and the best audience in the three political leaders invited.

Instead of pointing to how our religious leaders have not selflessly risen to the demands of the times and the related challenges, the better step, one with possibly greater results, is to stress how much different they must be.  The bigger benefit is when the biggest number of Guyanese, with none excluded, is a flourishing participant in this nation’s endowment.  Too many have been about what is in their own interest, which leaves the flock falling farther and farther behind.  Instead of Advancing His Purpose, as interwoven in Guyana’s earthly treasures, the opposite has resulted.  All must be unselfish, all must be outspoken, and all must be genuinely committed to a higher way.  Because of their calling, religious leaders must be the trailblazers for a new culture for a better Guyana.  His Purpose is then advanced beyond belief.

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• Culture, Editorial, Guyana, Hindu, Muslim

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