Klao Bell, Staff ReporterNo change, no vote - is the message that some church leaders are threatening to preach from the pulpit if politicians do not change their ways for the better.
The Rev'd Dr. Al Miller, spokesperson for the Christian Leaders for National Change (CLNC), said an unrelenting campaign will be launched to discourage people from voting for corrupt political representatives who do not indicate a commitment to change.
The move is opposed by at least one executive of the Jamaica Council of Churches, and political analysts have discounted its potential.
The Rev'd Dr. Miller said, however, "We are prepared to mount a campaign to tell our members and the wider public not to support politicians whose hands are tainted with blood or those who want to maintain the status quo."
He told The Sunday Gleaner on Thursday, that a list of nine demands for change was sent to the two leading political parties. And if a satisfactory response, namely a visible and tangible commitment to change, was not forthcoming then church leaders would pull out their strong message for parishioners.
In an island noted for its numurous churches, the pastor and his supporters promise to reach hundreds of thousands of potential voters through their sermons.
Three of the supporting denominations, the Jamaican Evangelistic Association, the New Testament Church and the United Pentecostal Church have a collective membership of 126,464.
The Rev'd Philip Neil, of the Burnt Savannah Church of God in St. Elizabeth, said he is in support of the movement "100 per cent" and would use the pulpit to "dialogue and present a reasonable case" to the 400 members in the three churches which he oversees.
But not all church leaders are buying into the movement. Rev'd. Ernle Gordon, vice chairman of the Jamaica Council of Churches said it is unethical for pastors try to influence congregations politically.
"One should never use the pulpit in a partisan way. The pastor should never interfere in the democratic rights of their congregation. It was done in the 70s when churches lined up against anything that they perceived to be communist and that caused serious divisions and a social and religious divide," the Rev'd Gordon said.
But ethics aside, political analysts stopped short of calling the churches' threat meaningless.
"Though church people vote as much as secular people, they have never figured largely in determining the direction of any election. In polling we have asked people why they are voting or not voting, or why they choose who they choose and the answer has never been because of what the church says," said Mark Wignall, head of the Carl Stone Organisation.
Troy Caine, political historian was cynical.
"Miller is not yet seen as a religious hypocrite so he may have an audience. But the Church, which has long been identified as the JCC, has been silent because their friends are in power and have lost their ability to influence the common man," Mr. Caine said.
Pollster Don Anderson, head of Market Research Services Ltd., is off the island and could not be contacted for comments.
But Rev'd Miller remains adamant. "We have a pulpit and we will use it to send a message that enough is enough! This would be the first stage as we are prepared to follow through and do whatever is legal, legitimate and righteous to see change."
The CLNC convened last week Sunday when hundreds of people, led by heads of at least 12 Christian denominations (mainly Evangelicals) attended a rally at the Mandela Park, Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew.
To Ellen Cox, church member and supporter of one party for 30 years, allegiance to church comes first.
"I would support the pastors' call. If the leader of a country is not doing right then vote him out in Jesus name and if the opposition can do better, vote him in Jesus name," Mrs. Cox said.
