One Vincentian politician\u2019s observation has prompted what some are calling religious censorship here. \u201cThat broadsided attact at the Calder SDA Church last Sabbath was not a sermon but a serious political speech\u201d [sic], were the words that appeared on one Facebook account supposedly belonging to South Windward MP Alphaeus Fredrick Stephenson on Wednesday June 29.
\nThis social media published criticism of Seventh Day Adventist Elder Branson Thomas\u2019 exhortation to his congregation is believed to have motivated the church\u2019s webmaster, Dave Baptiste, to restrict public access to view the offending sermon on its YouTube platform, within minutes of the post.<\/p>\n
ANN reached out to Baptiste who offered \u201cno comment\u201d in response to our queries. Other sources came forward though, providing some context, to the development.
\nThe sermon was based on the theme \u2018Breathe of Life\u2019, we were advised. Although the scriptural perspective was rooted in Genesis Chapter 2 verse 7, Elder Thomas chose to use George Floyd\u2019s story to illustrate, \u201cthe importance and value of the breath of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though focused, in the main, on the injustices that pervade the US justice system, the Elder\u2019s sermon went on to delineate \u201cwhat revival is and what revival isn\u2019t\u2026 not just about having a revival service and he went on to say neither is the distribution of the Love Box a revival. That\u2019s how the Love Box came in and it was just a 5 second reference in all of the sermon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Love Box is the moniker attached to the Vincentian social welfare programme where local produce are distributed in communities around the country. Spearheaded by Agriculture Minister Saboto Caesar, agricultural produce are bought from local farmers and then packaged in boxes after which churches and other charitable non-governmental organisations are used as distributors.
\nDoubtful that such a seemingly innocuous reference is what was construed to be a \u201cbroadsided attac[k]\u201d we pressed that source for further clarification.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just a single sentence reference to the distribution of the Love Box; the participation by the Church in a government sponsored Love Box. And that was just one sentence in the entire sermon there was no other reference to anything to do with politics,\u201d s\/he said.<\/p>\n
ANN later learnt that, Elder Thomas qualified his opinion saying, \u201cit is part of the ULP’s campaign to win the next election.\u201d
\nAnother source noted, \u201cit is very puzzling to me that we are embroiled in a conflict over the appropriateness of statements made by Elder Thomas.
\n\u201cThe reality is: the love box initiative has caused tremendous discord among our members.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome churches voted against participation in the initiative while some Boards descended in very heated arguments over the church’s proposed involvement.<\/p>\n
The leadership of the church has not seen it fit to intervene to quell the unrest but there was swift action to censor an Elder who laid what was on his conscience before the membership.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I agree that the comments made by the Elder should have been reserved for a board meeting, it is equally true that the church should never have been involved in the distribution of the boxes from the outset.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this point, we can only expect more and continued conflict. This is what happens when you bring politics into the church. We are compromised and I am happy the Elder had the courage to call us out on our hypocrisy. We cannot remain silent in the face of wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
ANN reached out to Pastor Kerr of the Calder SDA church who opted to offer God\u2019s blessings but declined to respond since, \u201cunfortunately I was not present at that congregation last week. Thus, I cannot share information that I do not have at hand.\u201d He however promised, \u201cas soon as that is available we will be sure to share.\u201d<\/p>\n
While webmaster Baptiste\u2019s actions were described as showing \u201chow oversensitive some of our members are politically,\u201d the resulting censorship was not believed to have been a \u201cchurch management\u201d directive.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile area MP and Social Services Minister Stephenson declined to comment beyond declaring, \u201cI\u2019m not fighting with the church.\u201d He further invited this reporter to \u201cgo on YouTube, I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s still on there, you would see the person in the church preaching.\u201d Having learnt that the sermon was removed he said, \u201cif it\u2019s no longer available well I\u2019m done with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
We again reminded him that the issue on which his response was being solicited was one congregant\u2019s reflection that, \u201cGustas [MP Stephenson\u2019s alisas] has a longstanding relationship with the church because the Calder SDA Church has been running an annual disability program for over a decade. He routinely visits the church for that program.<\/p>\n
It’s disappointing that he would take to Facebook to malign the church instead of initiating dialogue.\u201d He again opted not to respond.
\nJP.Schwmon.Vincy@Gmail.Com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One Vincentian politician\u2019s observation has prompted what some are calling religious censorship here. \u201cThat broadsided attact at the Calder SDA Church last Sabbath was not a sermon but a serious political speech\u201d [sic], were the words that appeared on one Facebook account supposedly belonging to South Windward MP Alphaeus Fredrick Stephenson on Wednesday June 29.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":12227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news","category-mainstory"],"yoast_head":"\n