LETTER OF THE DAY: Church focusing on non-essentials

Published: Saturday | September 19, 2009


THE EDITOR, Sir:

I am bothered whenever some church representatives have a knee-jerk reaction to certain issues which I believe are non-essentials as it relates to the Christian faith. The most recent issue that has some church folk furious is the introduction of horse racing on Sundays.

The 'Church' does not have a coherent policy on gambling. There does not even seem to be a common working definition of gambling within and among church groups. One of the common arguments against gambling is that poor people lose money to the detriment of their families. If this is the thinking, would the Church be OK with gambling if it were restricted to the rich?

part of our culture

Whether we like it or not gambling is pervasive and ubiquitous in Jamaica. It has been for sometime now a part of our culture. It is, therefore, not surprising that there has been the recent introduction of the Super Lotto, and the plan to have horse racing on Sundays with the "new exotic bets", the Mega Exacta, Mega Quinella, and the Fourplay. I am not suggesting that we accept gambling because it is a part of our culture. What we need to do as a church, instead of wasting time trying to get the country to outlaw everything we are against, is to proclaim the Gospel message about Jesus Christ.

It is without question that there are many practices in Jamaica that are against values that the majority of Christians in Jamaica hold. There are the issues of pre-marital and extra-marital affairs, abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, alcoholism, among others. Some will say the Gospel message is about transformation and every aspect of an individual's life is involved. This is true, but the Church, generally speaking, has been going about the quest for transformation in a backward manner.

Because of our fears, insecurities and biases, we are not willing to accept persons in the Church the way they are. This manifests itself in our actions as well as our preaching. There are ministers who openly say they do not want homosexuals in 'their' Church, and I get the impression now that there is not much space in the Church for gamblers and other so-called 'undesirables'. While pointing to others, it is our behaviour as a Church that is not in line with the Gospel message. We need to get people to Christ and allow Christ to change them; not change people so we can get them to Christ. Simply put, we can not legislate morality; it is Christ who transforms, not what is passed in Parliament.

I am, etc.

GARY GARDINER (Rev)

garyogardiner@yahoo.com

Kingston 3