McCartney "playing games with God"?
By Edward Hutcheson
In the “theology of life” it must be understood that God is in control of all outcomes, based on what He allows, what He hinders or what He causes. Many Bahamian politicians and political parties have always been convinced that God is on their side; especially if you check their church attendance leading up to an election. I would caution the young leader of the DNA to be very careful as he attempts to tap into the spiritual realm in moving forward. If you make a claim that “God is guiding”, the assumption will be that someone is following. Reactions in the spiritual realm are normal, but it is the responses that that are important; and those of us within a particular historical framework have always been at the front of the line when it comes to God and politics; and because of this cultural idiosyncrasy we have often seen ourselves as being “special”, but this is changing.
More than a half-century ago the language we are hearing would have been suitable, a political entity coming on the scene for the good a people who have been oppressed and let down, but in July 2011 there is a slight difference; the oppressors and the oppressed have a lot more in common.
When the PLP came on the scene more than a half-century ago, the reality of who God was and what he meant to the Bahamian people was clearly defined and it was a powerful force. The then leader of the PLP took on the persona of a modern day Moses. The slogan “All the Way”, was chosen from the book of Deuteronomy,” Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years”, 8:2. It was later re-phrased to “All the way the Lord shall lead us”. The history of the modern Bahamas reminds us that even a political party with such a strong religious component had serious challenges in allowing the Lord to lead them through the years. And the challenges came early, as the church leaders who had supported the party to its victory in 1967, were unable to dissuade the party or its leadership from going back on the promises they had made ( in church) on the gambling issue.
Even one of our greatest Bahamian sons, who was a member of the party and a Baptist minister, paid the ultimate price for standing on the issue of principle. Perhaps it just one of those co-incidences but exactly 40 years from its grand entry in 1967, the party finds itself in a political wilderness.
I would advise Mr. McCartney to be very careful of his utterances as his political career develops especially when he attempts to presume that God is on the side of Him and his party; God is on the side of those who are prepared to do His will. Politicians have a penchant for beginning with God and then using Him and His people when it is convenient. He should take a page from one his mentors, who is wise enough not to presume upon God’s goodness; he has even had to bear the brunt of some Bahamians not him seeing as Christian, when compared to some of the other political leaders who like to go to church on a regular basis. No matter what people say about his ex-leader, they will never be able to accuse him of “playing games with God”.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
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A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.