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An opportunity missed by the Church

Published:Saturday | January 30, 2010 | 12:00 AM

The Editor, Sir:

I am very disappointed with the Church in Jamaica in not publicly distancing itself from, and explaining correctly, the recent brainless comments made by founder and host of the 700 Club - Pat Robertson, on one of his televised programmes.

To give the impression that it is the loving, merciful and compassionate God who brought death and devastation to the people of Haiti through a 7.0 magnitude earthquake is ludicrous! And the Church's stance on the issue has spoken eloquently to the fact that it is either they have embraced such fuzzy concepts of God, or it is that they do not have the moral fortitude to speak more clearly about God's selfless love toward His created beings.

If God were to punish Haiti by such drastic measures because they have sworn allegiance to the Devil through the practice of voodoo or obeah, then God help us in Jamaica! We may be next on his agenda, for a 9.0 quake.

Links to the devil

The fact is, people of every status in this country still make links to the Devil through the practice of obeah in some form or the other. Just look at some of the fancy rings on the fingers of some of our top-ranking churchmen, politicians and security forces personnel nicely adorned with oils, powders and other substances from the obeah man.

Pat Robertson is just one of the many modern televangelists whose modus operandi is controlled by a covetous mindset. No wonder while he was making such statements there was a message running at the bottom of the screen soliciting money on behalf of Haiti.

Jesus, when He was on earth, said he came to give life and to offer the more abundant life (eternal life through the resurrection). He also said that Satan seeks to kill and to destroy life. So, spiritualise the events that plunge Haiti into despair as much as you want, one thing is obvious is that the earthquake was a natural phenomenon that the Devil seized to inflict death and destruction on the lovely God-fearing people of Haiti.

Let us not take comfort in the fact that we are a Christian country and, therefore, immune to natural disasters that leave trails of death and destruction. What we can take comfort in is that though we are undeserving, God's mercies preserve us every year, month, day and moment of our lives.

I am, etc.,

DAVE A MCFARLANE

nerdav@anngel.com.jm

Christiana PO, Manchester