Post by jono on May 19, 2006 23:48:58 GMT -5
FURTHER to the letter from Mr. Colin Bobb-Semple in your May 16, 2006 edition, I think it is only right that I give a response.
First of all, I would like to thank the Federation of Guyanese Nationals (UK) for providing me with the opportunity of delivering the thanksgiving address at their annual Inter-Faith Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, May 14, in London.
As a Christian minister (I am an Anglican priest) I have watched the forces of crime slowly spreading their influence throughout my beloved Guyana.
The Church cannot be everything to everyone, but it is expected to take a stand against the evils of criminality that affect and affront our nation.
It is expected to support the victims of crime and violence. It is also expected to support the promotion of human rights and to denounce the forces of criminality and evil. Those forces must be overcome.
Our Church leaders will be considering various strategies for overcoming these forces of evil. To be truly Biblical, they could adopt a theology of direct confrontation against those forces, rather than a theology of reconciliation - with sin and the disciples of darkness.
A day of prayer for the judiciary and other law enforcement agencies would give a clear signal of the Church's stand. Included in this also would be those who have been abused and are suffering from the effects of criminality.
The Church could consider collaborating, not only with persons of faith, but also with those who share the love of humanity in our community - persons of goodwill.
The safety and security of the citizens of, and visitors to, our beloved country, are of the utmost concern to most Guyanese, in which ever Diaspora we find ourselves, and that includes me.
The time may now have arrived for a 'Guyana Diaspora conference' or 'symposium' to be convened in Guyana - where those persons of goodwill can come together for the purpose of having a constructive dialogue.
We express our gratitude to God and to our ancestors who had the vision and the foresight, that one day we, as Guyanese, would rule ourselves.
I am grateful to the Guyanese multi-faith community for giving me the opportunity to give the address on the theme "A Nation's Thanksgiving". I am grateful to the Christian, Hindu and Muslim ministers who participated in the service.
To all those men and women who dedicated their lives to gaining independence, our service was one of thankfulness to God who inspired them. Prayers were also said for all our leaders who are set in authority and are called to be of service to our nation.
To be grateful is the dynamo of life, for gratefulness is premised on the ability to receive with joy and thankfulness. It involves the recognition that as part of the human family and community, we receive so much from others. And it acknowledges that no person is an island.
But even more so, gratitude celebrates the generosity of God who gives to us and our nation, life, salvation, purpose and direction. We must now build positively on those elements that are good and wholesome for the good health of our nation and purge that which retards our growth as a nation.
Moreover, this generous God accompanies us in our life's journey and sustains and empowers us along the way of our journey through life. How blessed we are as a nation!
And in celebrating this fact, in our fortieth year of independence, the spirits of our ancestors hover over us. We must not, and cannot, squander our inheritance and give in to the forces of crime and their disciples of darkness.
By their behaviour they have launched an assault and an affront to our decency, morality and democracy. God will enable the Church to redouble its level of engagement and commitment with those persons and agencies of goodwill towards our beloved country.
God bless Guyana, land that I love, on this its fortieth anniversary of independence.
REV. CANON IVELAW BOWMAN
Guyana Chronicle
