Leonardo Blair, Enterprise Reporter

RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS and leaders have warned against religious fanaticism and 'Bible idolatry' after learning that 65 per cent of Jamaicans believe that the Bible should be taken literally.

A recent Gleaner commissioned poll by Bill Johnson and his team of researchers revealed that some 65 per cent of Jamaicans believe the Bible must be taken literally, without exceptions. Some 77 per cent also believe Jesus will return to earth for a second time and 18 per cent believe that they will be alive when it happens. The poll, which was conducted on May 13-14 in 84 communities across the island's 14 parishes, comprised a sample of 1,008 respondents. More than half, 52 per cent, were male. Nearly one third (29 per cent) of the respondents were in the 25-34 age group.

But Dr. Ana Perkins, a theologian specialising in ethics at the St. Michael's Theological College, and others, say while the findings do not surprise them, they reveal a potentially dangerous belief.

"There is a deep lack of understanding of the nature of scripture and how it is to be read and interpreted (in Jamaica). Therefore, when someone says the Bible is to be taken literally, it implies ignorance. Generally speaking, the Bible is not a history book, it is not a book of science. It is a book of truth about God's desire to save human beings. You don't read a piece of poetry the same way you read a newspaper report," she explained.

Dr. Perkins further explained that part of the reason for this persistent belief among Jamaicans is as a result of 'Bible idolatry' among some local pastors. "Many of our preachers suffer from a lack of understanding of the scriptures and it continues in a tradition. There is a certain level of immaturity in faith that (the literal belief) does not effectively address."

Assistant pastor at the Bethel Born Again Apostolic Church, Bishop Choyes Codner, said: "If you take everything in the Bible literally, you will find yourself in trouble. You have to take the word in context. That percentage is too wide and it represents an ignorance of the scriptures."

Verna Blair of the Deliverance Evangelistic Association says the pervasive belief is a symptom of Jamaican socialisation. "Everything must be read in context, we should read the Bible carefully," she said.

The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent.