Black History Month: The Lesson We have Missed

We are now in the middle of celebrating another Black History Month, and again the failures and achievements of the black struggle are discussed and debated in almost all arenas. These debates are waged between people some describe as Traditionalists, Fence-Sitters and Dissenters. However, despite these debates and the category one may be placed in, have we neglected an important lesson that for years has been staring us in the face? I believe we have.

 One aspect of the black experience that is certain to capture the center of these discussions is the black religion, or more correctly, the black church. One is certain to hear the statement, “Religion has always been a part of Black life in both Africa and the U.S” (Karenga, 1993), made constantly. This statement is something of a mantra used by many people of color as they defend the continuing need for religion as a viable institution in the Black community. Indeed, as one looks back through antiquity, the many uncertainties that plagued our ancestors explained why God and what became known as religion may have been needed. Thus, in this context, God and religion seem, as supported by a huge body of evidence, to have been created by early humans in an attempt to calm their fears.

The statement that religion has always been a part of the black experience both personally and collectively is indeed a true one. Not only to black life in Africa and the United States, but also to black life in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

In this essay, however, I am not interested in religion as a personal influence. I believe that every individual has his or her right to worship whomever or whatever he or she wants, and for their rights I will certainly defend. My concern here lies in religion as an institution, around which people collectively form their identity. This I believe is harmful to the collective harmony of a society, since a society may not be homogenous in all respects.

Nowhere else has a people’s identity been more tied to religion than in the black world?  In the United States, for example, “92% of African Americans identified themselves as Christians” – (Hutchinson, 2011). Of course, there are the Afro-centrists who identify with the many Traditional African Religions, the black Islamists, i.e. the Nation of Islam, the Moorish Science Temple, etc. This level of religious adherents is also true for the Caribbean region. Grenada’s population is identified as being 98% Christian, for example.  In the black world, theism can be found in all forms, and not accepting one sadly places an individual in the absurd category of race traitor.

Moreover, apart from arguing that religion has always been a part of the black experience, another reason given for its continuing need is its claimed use as a tool against oppression. From the African continent to the Americas our ancestors engaged in struggles against the European colonizers, and in their struggles, religion certainly played a role. In Haiti, for instance, the Vodoun religion played a significant part in the Haitians’ struggle for freedom. The Black Church in the United States also played a significant role in the struggles of African Americans against white discrimination. Here, however, is what I think is worthy to note, neither religion itself nor its God/gods or deities were responsible for the success in these human struggles. Instead, these religions simple provided a safe space and community from which revolutionaries were protected as they carryout their work. The fact is, “It was the human being who did the work,” (Lewis, 2012). 

With this understanding, I believe that throughout the continuing struggle for black liberation, self-identity, sociopolitical and socioeconomic equality, we, the black population, has missed a noteworthy lesson. This lesson, despite being virtually ignored, has been significant to the success of the black struggle.

To elucidate what I am talking about here, I am pointing to the Marcus Garvey Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), as a case in point. The UNIA I believe presents us with an obvious, and maybe the best, picture of my argument. No, I am not asking that we create today a UNIA type organization. There is I believe no real benefit to racially homogeneous type organization in a multicultural world. We are living in a global village, where we are interconnected in diverse ways. However, I am arguing that there is an intrinsic feature to the movement that allowed it to achieve the successes it did; the largest mass movement in African history. Indeed, “the Universal Negro Improvement Association was the greatest and strongest movement ever started among Negroes” (UCLA African Studies Center).

Even though Marcus Garvey was, to all accounts, a religious (Christian) man, and placed his liberation philosophy within a god-based theistic framework, adopting the motto "One God! One Aim! One Destiny!” the movement itself embodied a feature of secularism. In that I mean, Marcus Garvey, unlike the leaders of the many black movements that followed, did not promote his movement as a religion. Marcus Garvey is recorded as saying that he had “no time to teach religion” (UCLA African Studies Center). In fact, the defeat of the UNIA’s Muslims members in 1922 and its Christians members in 1924 from trying to make Islam and Christianity the official religions of the movement speaks to the intent of building a movement that embodied a secular characteristic. Despite Garvey’s assertion that black people should view God as being black, the UNIA members did not have to drop their religion to become a member. As Garvey said, “our God has no color, yet it is human to see everything through one’s own spectacles,” (Garvey, 1986).

There is no doubt that the massive growth and success of the UNIA, despite how short lived it may have been, was a result of its secular nature. If one surveys the black experience after the UNIA, we will notice that all the liberation movements that followed, failed to eclipse the UNIA although possessing almost the very same philosophy and goals; for example, Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam (NOI), Noble Drew Ali and the Moorish Science Temple of America, Dr. Malachi Z York El and the Nuwaubian nation, and even the Black Churches that feature Liberation Theology as their manifesto. The problem here is certainly religion/theism as an identity for the community.

As I have mention before, we are a diverse group of people. This truth cannot be denied. Thus, designing a community/society with a specific religious ideology as its identity, be it Euro-centric or Afro-centric is unhealthy for us and the world in general. Indeed, many of us are believers, but some of us are not. Some of us are heterosexuals; some of us are not, and list of diversities goes on. We are certainly “at the crossroads of freedom and equality.” As a result, I ask that as we reminisce on our pass struggles, achievements, and debate on how we should move forward, remember that an unprejudiced society that embraces and accommodates all human beings, regardless of sexual orientation, religious belief, non-belief, color, sex, etc, is most certainly the best recipe for success, and only a secular humanist society can, I believe, accommodate such a vision. This, I believe, is the lesson we have missed.

Happy Black History Month!   

Questions Are Not Welcome

I was in a conversation with some of my friends last week, and I was told to remember that the “devil was very knowledgeable.” I was taken aback by this statement as I had no idea what the devil having knowledge had to do with the conversation at hand. As a skeptical person, however, I was curious. How did they know this statement to be true? But understanding that my friends are believers, and were only reiterating their religious beliefs as opposed to stating objective truth, I was more so interested in understanding why did they make this statement, in the first place. Interestingly, and with some level of expectation, my inquiry into the meaning of the statement was not met. As a result, I decided to present an explanation, on this forum, as to what I understand this statement to mean, and why I believe my friends opt for its use.

This proclamation, as I have experienced, seems to be no stranger to the Grenadian thought process. It is an assertion that will most likely raise its ugly head during most discussions on religion and faith. It is normally thrown around with no explanation, which seems to be a tactic used for psychological effect. Of course, the assumption is that the participants, in the conversation, are or were believers and understand the meaning and context.

But, is there a specific time in a discussion one can expect this declaration to surface? The answer is yes. In my experiences, it will suddenly come up when one begins asking probing questions into the religious beliefs of the believers. That's the time when the believers find it difficult to demonstrate their claims to be true, and for this reason, I conclude that the proclamation is designed to do these things:

1. To guilt the person asking the questions into thinking that he or she is somehow morphing into an agent of the devil.
2. It is used in hope to ignite fear into the person asking the probing questions to stop questioning.

The first point is very important because through it the second point can be achieved.. Of course, the assumption here is not that the person is literally becoming the devil. Instead, the belief is that the person, by questioning the belief, he or she is displaying, characteristics normative to the devil’s. This is a concept that appears to have been derived from the Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity & Islam – mythic stories. Not unlike where the reasoning behind the concept of “original sin” came from. Eve convinced by a talking snake to eat an apple.

According to the myth, the devil, known as Haylal (The Cresent/Lucifer) bar Shakhar (Dawn/Morning) – Lucifer Son of the Dawn/Morning – aka Sammay’el (Samuel), was one of the many heavenly angels. He had possessed great levels of knowledge, and because of his vast intellect, he rose to number three in his order, behind Angel Miyka’el (Michael) and Angel Gabriy’el (Gabriel). As a result of acquiring such great knowledge, his ego also bloomed. He became arrogant and wanted to rule the spiritual (Heaven) and earthly realms, and even going as far as to question the authenticity of God (El) himself. According to the myth, Samuel made claims that the existence of a supreme ruler of heaven and earth was a fabrication made up by the top angels to keep their control. With that, he was evicted from heaven, but not before corrupting 200 other angels, who were also cast out with him. Hence the name Sammay’el, which means “poison those of El”.  Another name he was given because of his rebellious nature was Ibliys, which means “rebellious one.” 

This story is without a doubt mythology, which seems to have entered the Judaic (and thus Christianity and Islam) narrative from the ancient Canaanite myth, which tells of a minor god Haylal (Halel) trying to dethrone the supreme god El. Indeed, this story shows that the devil became such not only because of his challenge to ruler, but became of his skepticism and his decision to challenge the status quo. Hence the connection between knowledge and the devil. The smarter you get, the closer to the devil you become because you are more likely to start asking questionings.

This mythical story no doubt also influenced the theology set in motion by  people like Thomas Aquinas, for instance. These are the stories from which their theologies are based. Aquinas argued for the assent to God via faith only. He argued that faith supersedes human reasoning and intellect. Why, because you can become like the devil by employing the intellect and reason. In other words you will be following your own reasoning and not God's will. Aquinas argued that faith (blind faith) is better than reason, and asserted that blind faith – Christian faith – which is to be accepted without question, is a far more virtuous action, than using the intellect or reason. Thus, apart from these two points mentioned above, it is safe to say that another goal of this declaration, which I believe is not deliberate, is its ability to kill intellectual curiosity, and herein my concerns rest.

In looking at Aquinas’ discussion of the ethics of belief, George H. Smith writes that “by attributing unbelief (which is a position attributed to the use of reason and intellect) to a sinful will, Aquinas stacked the cards against reason by assigning to faith a superior moral status.” (Smith, 2000)

“To believe requires choice – an act of will – so to believe in God requires the voluntary assent of faith (blind faith), which is a meritorious act. Christian belief is praise worthy because it requires that we give our voluntary assent to doctrines that we cannot prove and, in some case, that we cannot even comprehend”. (Smith, 2000)

I certainly do not believe my friends were saying that I should kill my intellectual inquisitiveness. I suspect that they too use reason in other aspects of their lives. However, what they were certainly telling me is that when it comes to God, I should blindly accept their position. However, despite their naiveté, by making this declaration, they are unknowingly supporting, and promoting a view that can, and certainly does quell intellectual curiosity.

The statement may have had no effect on me. Imagine, however, the psychological effects on young Grenadians – most who are likely to be from the Christian faith themselves. Young people whose psyches have already been trapped by religious dogmatic teachings of fair. The fear of becoming like the devil. The fear of being thrown into hell by a all powerful God, for asking some lousy questions. How can these young people exercise their natural reasoning, and intellectual abilities in such an atmosphere where bogeymen runs rampant? This fear of questioning, despite being placed in a religious context, will no doubt overlap into all other aspects of their lives, and as a former teacher, the hesitation and/or fear exhibited by many of our students to ask questions, I believe, has a direct relation to this irrational thought process.

No doubt, the Hayal story above, despite being a myth, may speak some truth to reality. In that I mean, some people's egos become enlarged as their education level grows. They become full with pride; our political systems seems to be populated with such individuals. However, we should encourage our people to question any and everything. Not blindly succumb to accepted norms. Questioning is one of the most important steps we can take in our endeavor to acquire knowledge, and in doing so, religion should not be guarded from being placed on the witness stand. Moreover, remember that equating the acquiring of knowledge with that of being evil is an absurd and dangerous declaration that kills the mind. This is an action that will, no doubt, encourage the growth of irrational thinking. Something we don’t need.

Changing Skin, From One Zombie to a Next

October is the month of dressing up in costumes, especially zombie consumes, and “Trick or treating” from house to house for candy and other treats. It is a fun and festive time especially enjoyed by children. I am speaking here of Halloween, a celebration that has its roots in the European Celtic culture, known as Samhain. In its original form, Halloween marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Of course, Halloween is not a celebrated in the Caribbean, as far as I can remember. Certainly not in Grenada. However, the zombie aspect of Halloween do relates to two aspect of Grenada's culture. Its African past and its Christian present.

The Caribbean is filled with the presence of Africa. This presence is shown through its people and what became known as the Caribbean culture. Although Grenada is virtually 100% religious, with Christians making up about 95% of the population, the Afro-Grenadian cultural aspect is displayed all the time, and often go unnoticed by the people. In fact the superstitious aspects of the African culture once dominated our parents and grand parents minds, dominates the country’s collective minds to this very day. In fact, they are still believe to be facts.

Growing up in Grenada, I witnessed how these superstitious beliefs literally shaped and dictated the lives of people in my neighborhood. I witnessed, for example, people being afraid to pass next to cemeteries for fear that spirits – the deceased/zombies – would emerge from their graves and cause harm to them. What was interesting, however, is that these fears were built upon the knowledge that someone before them were taken by these spirits. Of course, there were no facts or evidence to support these stories. The fear was built purely on hearsay, and propagated down the line.
The fear of walking where little or no light shines griped most Grenadians during those days, and like in the vampire movies, in which the cross is portrayed as the kryptonite to the vampire, which repels and/or vanquishes them when placed in front of these creatures, Grenadians developed prayers, adopted biblical psalms and used curse words, which they repeated in hopes that these mantras would vanquish away these terrifying imaginary beings that lurked in these dark places – under large trees, for instances – awaiting your arrival.

One such being that dominated the imagination of Grenadians was the Lougawou (Lugbawoo). This was a being believed to have been human. However, these Laugawous are believe to be "humans of questionable character accused of becoming vampires at night, entering locked doors and assaulting victims while they sleep”- (Murrell, 2010; p.81). At night these "questionable" humans are accused of removing their skin and take to the sky looking to feast on the blood of other humans; blood drinking skinless flying humans. Of course, back in the old days these beings were believe to be real. Everybody was certain that they existed, but no one ever really laid eyes on one. Today, however, one may be inclined to believe that these beliefs were left behind. Not so fast. Just last week I was in conversation with some of my people who insisted that Lougawou, not only existed then, but still does today; and who are the human beings accused of being Lougawou. The elderly who is most often living by his or herself with no family support? I was surprised when one young lady ensured me that she was certain that her father was one of these peculiar beings.

Indeed, Lougawou haunted the living in Grenada. However, this is so because Laugawou has always been an integral part of our African religious past, Obeah. It was an aspect of our ancestors’ faith that speaks to the belief in “Zombies”, part of their mythic story. Most of us have come to understand that fact. However, for many Grenadians, this fact matters not. Although many Grenadians today believe that these creatures do exist, they certainly do not accept Lougawou as a benevolent being. Indeed, Laugawou may have been an inhabitant of the malevolent African spirit world, however, these sprites were not view as evil in the same context we have come to learn through Christianity.  The dread that Lougawous visited upon the collective minds of Grenadians was planted by the colonial masters, making “the practice (of Vodou/Obeah) a primary target for legal regulations and control”- (Murrell, 2010; p.233). They did not simply try to control Obeah, but they sought to eradicate its practice because, like the use of the Black church to facilitate the Civil Rights struggle in the United States, “Obeah facilitated resistance and revolt among the slaves (in the Caribbean). It provoked an ideological rallying point in sanctioning rebellion, afforded meeting places and leaders, and formed a repository for the collective of the slave by preserving African traditions which could be opposed to the dominant colonial culture”- (Murrell, 2010; p.233). Thus, the European branded the African religion evil, and, of course, planted another zombie myth in its place; the myth of Jesus. And as we did with our African belief, our parents and grandparents accepted the Jesus mythic story without asking for any evidence. In fact, they digested the European’s Jesus story so strong that even today some Grenadians will negatively brand you an Obeah worker if you are seen with a book that has black images in it.

I remember, for example, being amused by a friend who humorously informed me that if he did not want any Grenadians to go close to his house, all he has to do is attach a black doll to a pole and place it at the front of his house. They will not dare enter his yard. Obeah exists there, they are certain. This certainly sounds funny, but it is true. Sadly!

 In addition, most, if not all, Grenadians were obsess with capturing a Laugawo, so they will employ their time in a weird exercise in hopes to do so. Thus, like praying to Jesus in hopes that he literally assists in changing their conditions, these Grenadians littered their steeps with sand, believing that this was a legitimate way to capture these blood sucking skinless flying humans. The belief claims that as a Lougawou approached your house, placing sand on your steeps, distracted him/her from entering and instead become preoccupied in trying to count every single grain of sand. As a result of the Lougawou’s compulsive disorder, its insistence to count every grain of sand, allows daylight to come upon the creature and thus the homeowner or a passerby to capture and expose the creature’s identity to the community. This, however, never happen. The Laugawou eludes us to this day. Why, because its a myth, and so too is the Jesus character. We have merely traded the position of two superstitions; replaced one zombie story for another. And as we enter into “All Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening” (Halloween), which is derived from the Christian's “All Hallows” or “All Saints Day” (Hallowmass) celebration, remember that anyone that supposedly comes back from the dead/grave (Acts: 2:24) is a zombie. However, since this also has never happened and most likely will not, it is safe to brand these stories as mythical stories. Indeed, both Lougawou and Jesus are mythic creatures of the imagination.
Remember that, not only has Jesus came back from the dead, but he also "...said unto them (his followers), verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you" - (KJV John: 6:53) - is this zombie behavior? You decide.

Happy Hallows' Eve....

Wrong Direction

The carnival season is over and, as far as I can tell, the fiesta was enjoyed without any major criminal incidents. As a result, for our safety, we commend the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) for doing such an outstanding job for keeping the carnival revelers safe especially coming on the heals of the spike in violent crimes just weeks leading up to the festival.

Within this backdrop, we are reminded that, for a society to function properly, safety is paramount. Societies constantly improve their rules and regulations in an effort to meet the best collective needs of its people. Since this carnival season has passed without any major incidences; this has pleased us so greatly, constantly sustaining such a safe society should be our major goal moving forward. No! I am not speaking of creating a utopia. I am saying the as a nation, we must find ways so that each citizen, without being restricted or being afraid, can explore and live fulfilling lives.

Since, however, creating an ideal society with the perfect socioeconomic, political and legal system seems out of reach, societal problems will continue to be with us for sometime or forever. Knowing this means, that finding real solutions to the seemingly inescapable problems that will surface within our society must become one of our main concerns. But, how do we achieve such a goal? Certainly, appealing to pre-enlightenment, dark-ages solutions of appealing to a god or gods, for instance, is not an option. As I have alluded to above, we can accomplish this by each of us accepting our duty to be responsible moral agents - good citizens - and contribute positively to our immediate society and, of course, to the world at large. Kirani James has indeed demonstrated this to us during the past London 2012 Olympic games. This is indeed one way, and a very important one at that; being good for goodness' sake. However, despite each citizen, on an individual and community level, doing his or her part, acting on a national political level is also extremely important. We must seek to be informative citizens and exercise our voting rights in order to place the right people in the positions that are designed to solve the problems we face. Our elected officials must have the ability to properly diagnose these problems. They must be able to understand or at least be capable to identify the root causes of societal ills. Thus, we must critically evaluate actions taken by our elected officials at all times.
Take the call put fourth by Her Majesty's Opposition Party, The New National Party (NNP), for  National Days of Prayers, as a case in point. As a concerned citizen, I am very interested in knowing whether these elected officials sincerely believe that the prayer option is a real, viable solution to the problems they are trying to solve. In other words, do these officials actually believe, as objective facts, that praying will provide a change in our experience. Can they provide certainty of change. My vote is at stake here! Indeed, the fact that these officials are calling for prayer as a means to solve real problems appears to expose them as not having the slightest understanding of the source of societal ills. To this position, however, I am desperately trying not to adhere. But this knee-jerk reaction taken by supposed intelligent men and women in an effort to quell what appears to be an increase in killings leading up to the carnival celebrations, seems to confirm my fears. Society's safety must be among our ultimate concerns, but reverting to the old adage of appealing to God as a valid policy to contend with very real problems isn't very reassuring. Therefore, as a citizen working for the best of my country, here is what I believe the source of some of these crimes are. 

Taking the recent crime wave as the point of diagnostic entry – and I am concerned here with what is normally classified as “crimes of passion”, a category most of the crimes in Grenada seems to fall into – some troubling characteristics become apparent.

• The sexual relationship between adult males and teenage females. These relationships are normally built on male control. Indeed, much work is being directed into preventing child abuse. However, many parents, who suffer financially, continually allow older men, who can provide them with well needed funding, to sexually bond with their underage daughters. As a result, these predators exhibit high level of control over these young girls. However, if these young girls mature and gain an education and sort to sever themselves from the illegitimate,abusive relationship, the men becomes angry and act out in often deadly and gruesome ways.
• Domestic violence in almost all cases of these "crimes of passion" are a noticeable factor, and highlights the relationship between many Grenadians – old and young couples alike. Take the killing of Marsha Cherman of Pearls, St. Andrew, which happened in August, making her the 4^th woman to be killed for 2012, as an example. Her relationship appeared to have been riddled with instances of domestic violence. However, according to police “it’s a problem where we have the victims start the process (of persecuting the abusers), we encourage them to continue by all means and then they decide that they should not continue because they would ‘make up.’ (The killing of Marsha Cherman)
• Insecurity. Many of these men exhibit lack of self-confidence, a problem that is exacerbated when someone losses his or her means of income. This then means that his or her relationship with his wife/husband or girlfriend/boyfriend becomes strained. Indeed, women that find themselves in these situations normally revert to removing themselves from the situation by either getting rid of the husband/boyfriend or sometimes she will secretly cohabit with another, as it appears to have been in Marsh Cherman’s case. Thus, not being able to cope, many of these men because of their insecurities and inability to cope with rejection react in extremely violent ways.
• The abuse of alcohol. Grenadians are living in a society where the consumption of alcohol is pervasive.  Alcohol use is vigorously promoted in Grenada, leading to its abuse, mostly done by men - both underage young male and adult male- creating a high amount of alcoholics, which contribute to the domestic violence, which certainly leads to other crimes.  

I am not contending that the points highlighted here are the only aspects that contribute to crimes and other problems. The stellar job done by the RGPF  this carnival by ensuring that everyone entering a celebration area was stopped and searched, revealed the melancholy nature of many Grenadians. Hundreds of weapons were found on individuals who certainly intended to cause harm on others. What this shows, is that the human being's ability to personify negative characteristic for no apparent reasons is certainly a factor. But these points I have pointed out here are obvious ones, which, I believe, are the major underpinnings for most of these “crimes of passion”. Moreover, they all seem to point to one common denominator - economics; the lack of sustainable living, and this, my friends, prayer cannot and will not fix. My argument, of course, is not that if we happened to create a society where  one hundred percent employment exists, crimes will disappear. Certainly not! What I am saying is this; our elected officials are looking in the wrong direction. I am  certain that there cannot and will never be any direct causal effect of positive change on societal problems that can or will be, as a result of prayer. Calypsonian Elimus Gilbert - The Inspector - reminded us in 1989 that we were going the wrong way - the title of one of his calypsos that year. This is a warning, I will argue, is relevant here. This is, the wrong way; we are looking in wrong directions. These officials should stop the knee-jerk reactions; refrain from engaging in wishful thinking, and instead, take the time to properly diagnose and understand the cause of our problems, then real solutions can be developed. Certainly, as highly religious people, they are moved by their religious faith in their God. However, to invoke the word of the American inventor, journalist, printer, diplomat and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, "the way to see by faith is to shut the eye to reason".   

Prayer is Not What Grenada Needs

Religion is a human invention. Originally developed, it appears, to calm the fears of our early humans ancestors. It gave them a sense of security in an insecure,and uncertain world. It was the end result of the attempt by early man and woman to answer pressing questions early humans had about the environment around them. Who is responsible for creating the hurricanes, the monsoons, the volcanoes etc.?, and how can they petition that person or persons to stop sending these devastating disasters their way? Our ancestors thought long, and hard, eventually deciding that communicating to the "God" or "gods" in charge via ritual, sacrifice and even prayer as the ideal ways to appease him or them. This, however, was then. We have now matured to gain understanding about the workings of hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, etc. Today we (humanity) have and continue to develop real solutions to many real dangers. Not that we are totally safe from these natural disasters, but we are today better prepared to deal with them. For instance, we've created building materials that can better withstand the natural weather and have come up with ways to alert ourselves of arriving disasters. We now understand that sickness is not caused by evil spirits entering the human body and, therefore must be exorcised or prayed over to be healed. No! We have developed medical science.

Yes, indeed, I say all this to establish this fact, prayer does not work. Unless, of course, one views praying as a motivating tool; an energy booster, which works not unlike how sport athletes using chants (or even prayer) to mentally prepare themselves and focus on the task at hand before engaging in a competition. Praying for one’s condition to be changed and not literally sorting out a real solution to the problem, guarantees the problem to remain the same. As Christianity is concerned, this truth is evident in the Faith Healing Christian community of today. Every year innocent children are left to die by parents denying their children medical attention because the parents are invested in an irrational belief that says praying and having faith in God will ensure their children better health. They never do heal if the truth be told. 

In light of these facts, come Saturday August 4, 2012 and Sunday August 5, 2012, the Political leaders of the New National Party, as presented in an article published in the online Grenada news network Spicegrenada.com, entitled The National Party Calls for National Days of Prayer and Reflection, are designating the mentioned days as national days of prayer and reflection for our nation because of the recent increase in violent crimes. Whether these people view prayer as the real solution to the problem, I don’t know. It seems to be a stretch to conclude that they do. On the other hand, they are, as the Faith Healing Community, vested in their faith, and, based on the article, it appear to suggest that they do believe that by praying God will be move to heal Grenada from the crimes. In fact, to convince themselves and others that they are taking the correct action, the outrageous claim that Grenada is a Christian Country was made. As if by verbalizing this false aphorism, God is now required to help. Hold up a minute. Do they mean that Grenada is a theocracy? The last time I checked we had a secular constitution that protects the right of all Grenadians to have “the right to freedom of conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to maintain or to change one’s religion or beliefs, and freedom to profess or disseminate one’s religion or belief, either individually or together with others, in public or in private”.  We are not a Christian nation, period.

Indeed, Grenada does have a problem with violent crime, and this problem is increasing. We certainly cannot let crime become synonymous with our lovely Spice Island. Real responses to the problem, by our leaders, however, have been wanting. It is not so much that our political leaders lack the ability to present meaningful solution to the problem. No! The problem seems to be deeply rooted in their belief in a messianic savior. The belief that someone will come that takes care of their problems. All one has to do is ask; “pray for it”. In addition, we are direct, through the article, to Psalm 121:1, as if to guarantee that what they are proposing will certainly work. “Truly, there is no better place but in the Lord to find deliverance”, the article boasts. 

Reading this article troubled me deeply. We are asked to place our sureness in wishful thinking. More so to trust in a group of people who believe that prayer can and will solve our country’s crime problems. I don’t know about you, but I can’t. This is not a solution to the problems. This activity is not unlike flipping a coin and trusting that the problem magically vanishes. This strategy is not planted in reality.

Grenadian leaders have to stop the pussyfooting around and really engage in developing real strategies to tackle the problem. Stop playing politics and develop actual solutions to this very real problem. Of course, I am not calling for these men clothed in long dresses not to engage in prayer in the privacy of their homes or churches (in their closet), but for these politicians to literally accept this as a genuine approach to fighting crime is ridiculous. If this assertion is correct, then they are men and women not fit for public office. 

Look, let’s be for real, Grenada’s crime problem did not come about because people stopped going to church or stopped praying. It is because of what you the politicians did or didn't do. Yes, you guys did and are doing a lousy job. The New National Party (NNP) government (Yes, the prayer party) handed an almost bankrupt country to the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) government. Today with a failing world economy, Grenada has seen huge job losses adding to the already double digit unemployment. So instead of calling for Grenadians to bow their heads and close their eyes to the problem, create jobs, build an education system accessible to all Grenadians; create an economic system that fosters social upward mobility. Step up and stop allowing big business and big banks from operating unregulated.

"Two government backbenches ... vote with members of Her Majesty's Opposition (The New National Party - NNP) to block an amendment to the Insurance Amendment Bill which seeks to protect the Grenadian population against fraudulent activity in the financials services sector." More

Please do your job and protect the people from being robbed by these "plutocrats and oligarchs"(in the spirit of Professor Cornell West). The problem is not that Grenadians are not praying enough. On the contrary, Grenadians are spending so much time with their hands clasped and eyes closed asking for a messianic fairy godfather, sky daddy, to fix their problems, that they forget they have the wits to solve their problems  themselves. Let NNP know that Grenada does not need wishful thinking. Grenada needs actual solutions.
A proposed solution - The way forward for Grenada and Grenadians   

Black Folk Don’t: “Do Atheism”–Really?

This video presents some interesting views on black people and their relationship to atheism. It is indeed true that religiosity and black people seems to be inseparable. However, there is an  deep free-thought and atheism history within the black experience. This truth has been written-out from our historical experience and the religious aspect became the one most loudly promoted. Now, people like professor Anthony Pinn has been bringing back to light that atheistic and free-thought thought process, which  has always been an aspect of black history. I am troubled, however, by Melissa Harris-Perry's equation of atheism to believing that nothing exist. Not only is this statement not true, it is ambiguous and promotes false assumptions of what Atheism is. I am also troubled by Pinn's description of Black Non-Theist Humanism as being RELIGIOUS in his writing. 

Is The Church a Waste Of Time?

My Grenadian Christian friends wanted to know what my thoughts on the Church were. Do I view the “Church” as a waste of time, I was asked, in a recent conversation. Here is my attempt to answer this question. First, however, let’s find out what is a Church.

WHAT IS A CHURCH?

What my friends actually meant by “Church”, I do not know. Thus, my answer will be based upon what I understands the common theological usage of the word Church to be, and, keep in mind, that this also depends. The meaning of the word Church normally depends on the context of use. As a result, this question, I believe, cannot simply be given a yes or no answer. It depends on what my friends meant to denote by the use of this word, and since I have no idea, I will put forth a long answer, but hopefully a lucid one.

Here are some meanings Webster assigns to the word Church.

1. All Christians regarded as a spiritual entity
2. A building for public and esp. Christian worship
3. A congregation
4. A public religious service
5. A Christian denomination

(Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary – Revised Edition).

There are two features to the word Church presented by Webster. Only one, however, I think really speaks to what my friends may have been referring to by posing this question. First, the word Church is sometimes defined as the building where Christians congregate for worship. This common held definition, however, has its opponents amongst the believers. It is normally criticized as not truly capitalizing the accurate essence of what a Church is. The critics argue that a building is not and cannot be the Church, nor can the Church be a location. On the other hand, the definition that all believers appear to affirm as speaking to the true essence of the word Church is embodied in what Webster termed, ‘a congregation’. What then does this means? It means that the believers are speaking about people, human beings; a community of people who share the same faith and/or worship together. This community of people is often described as an assembly of believers called out from the world by God to live under his laws; or simple, the “Body of Christ”, as stated in Ephesians 1:3

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS “BODY OF CHRIST”?

Now that we have an understanding of what I believe my friends meant by the word Church, one must ask, what is the purpose of the Church. Indeed, understanding the Church’s purpose is essential to answering the question posed. We are told that the “Body of Christ”, which I will use interchangeable for the word Church, does have a purpose. One that is twofold. We are told that one aspect of the Church is to bring together people of the same beliefs to experience religious ecstasy. In other words, it brings them together for worship. The other is to spread the teachings of the Church; ministering to the message of the “Body of Christ”, not only to the adherents of the faith, but more so, to nonbelievers. As the Christian God (Jesus) commands them, “follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men”, (in other words, Jesus is sending them into the world to make believers of those who aren't) – Mark 1:17.

This twofold purpose of the Church open up a window into which one can take better look at the Church. The twofold purpose tells us that the Church is made-up of two layers merged together, but are distinct from each other, as will be demonstrated. There is the theistic layer. This is the ideological part of the “Body of Christ”; the dogma. This is the layer that designs the Church’s worldview, and influences how it relates to the wider world. Then there is the community; the societal comradeship experienced by people coming together.  The important factor we must understand concerning these two layers is that, despite making up one body, they both flow from very different sources or stream. Thus, separating and identifying these two sources is another essential aspect to answering this question.

With this in mind, I am arguing that, in the context of community, the social comradeship aspect of the Church is not a waste of time. It certainly help meets the social needs of the people making up that congregation; family, community, and this aspect of Church, contrary to what many believers may think, does not flow from its theistic source. Instead, it most certainly comes from the human being’s own humanity; our natural need to socialize.

On the other hand, it is indeed the theistic aspect of the Church these human beings found common and thus, gather around it. Therefore, the idea that community is an aspect of religion, from which unbelievers should learn, is certainly misleading, I believe. Think about it, if the there is a devil (the concept of a being called a devil is also mythology), and there are people who adhered to its ideology; then the devil and his buddies will certainly have something in common to rally around, thus creating a community; a community of like-minded people, in which they will also be looking out for the benefit of each other. Thus, we will no doubt also see a humanistic layer as a characteristic of this group. This means that we are looking at something natural to the human being. We are social beings and minus the religion, social comradeship will still be part of humanity. Humans will always find something in common to socialize around. Even though we act in our individual interest, humans do have that need to socialize for many reasons – ensuring his/her gens lives on, for instance. In fact, being a part of a larger community enhances the individual odds of surviving. As a consequence, humans tend to be inherently kind to each other, hence, the humanistic aspect of the “Body of Christ”. The question, however, is, can this humanistic aspect of the Church be extended outside of itself?

THE “BODY OF CHRIST” IN THE COMMUNITY

This, I think not. Of course, there are some individuals who normally break the cycle of fear and venture across borders engaging in humanist work. This indeed gives me hope that we can build a better society, inclusive of all. However, I am speaking not of individuals but of the Church, as a whole. You know, the “Body of Christ”. As I have shown, because religion is a human construct, the humanistic aspect of it becomes evident. However, it only serves the clan and most often does not cross cross-pollinate. It remains hedged in within the particular faith. As the “Body of Christ” began to internalize its theistic doctrine, it normally suppress this natural humanist nature. In fact, the believers, operating under the dictates of their God, often recoils at whoever refuses to accept their worldview, typically becoming verbally and/or physically abusive towards them.

The theistic aspect of the Church generates an Us vs. Them environment. Those who refuse to conform to the worldview of “Body of Christ” become the other; the enemy; the devil. Religion creates fallacious competition for space, and other resources, etc. Not unlike politics. It suppresses the innate nature, in most cases, for the human being to be good. It takes otherwise good people and makes them bad. For these reasons, I am arguing the Church to be a waste of time.

In fact, the trouble with the Church doesn’t stop there. The Church stifles the communities of economic growth. For example, the Church operates tax free and normally occupy the best real-estate locations, killing the prospect for start-up business and tax revenue. In the United States, for instance, the house (storefront churches) in which the “Body of Christ” meets, literally litters each block. These storefront churches are everywhere; three or four per block, yet the socioeconomic maladies in these locations are chronic and are becoming ever more so (Read the book, Moral Combat – Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars - by Sikivu Hutchinson). “Some debate whether having so many nonprofit, tax-exempt entities on commercial properties is hurting the tax base and standing in the way of job creation” (Moral Combat: Hutchinson, Sikivu, p. 71). In fact, “some storefront churches adamantly oppose development that would lead to job creation because it might jeopardize their low rent” (Moral Combat: Hutchinson, Sikivu, p. 71). In addition, the power holders, who normally do not live in these dilapidated communities, of the “Body of Christ”, operate much like vacuums, sucking the last cent from the people’s pocket. This is true of both storefront churches and the mega churches that teach the doctrine of prosperity. Only the power structure really prospers. Not the people, nor the community.

As I conclude, I must note that the “Body of Christ” does sometimes have common goals with the larger community. There are indeed shortcomings that affect the society at large, around which the Church and the community both rally. Slavery, for instance, comes to mind. The Civil Rights Movement in the United States is another. However, I must say that these are mere flashes of an aspect of the “Body of Christ” we would all like to be permanently displayed on the surface. However, the Church is normally more interested in its dogmas, and will often suppress its humanistic characteristic in favor for these dogmatic teachings. Doing this then alienates those that is different, but are willing to work together to help build a better community, inclusive of all. In fact, no where else is this alienation pervasive and overt than in the black community. Dr. Pinn writes that, “Humanism has been viewed as a hostile adversary, intent to exterminating religion in general and black Christian’s theism in particular, and it becomes clear why the black church would not be anxious to nurture a potential serpent in its own household.” (By These Hands: Pinn, Anthony, p.33)

A Stimulus Package From The Angles

I recently attended a lecture given by a prominent Afrocentric leader. It was my first lecture attended after being rejuvenated. Or after I had morph into becoming Kepra. By that I mean, after I had emerged, or risen into a new day, restored. Crossing Rasta. That is, I have crossed that imaginary line (or Rasta) that separate dogma and irrational thinking and steeped into the new world of rationality, reason and reality. So to speak. And man, was this lecture tedious to listen to. My head was about to explode listing to the mas pseudoscience and irrationality the audience was expected to accept as facts, and they did. The gullibility of the people in attendance was staggering. I never thought it was that bad. Indeed, I was to up-close before, as one who adhered to, at some extent, these ideas. I can see now why Afro-centrism writers like Marimba Ani forcefully argues that the Afro-centrism herd should not employ "objective" nor "critical" cognitive thinking skills (Yurugu - An Afrikan-centered Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behavior). It is the white man cognitive mindset, Ani argued. Black people should not employ these cognitive tools in their thinking. Really! Well then, I gess that I will have to betrayed my people. In fact, this is the charge made against those that distance themselves from these absurd Afro-centrism ideas. Those who opt to ascent to rationality and reason. This same charge is made against those who reject the Euro-centric base Black church (Christianity in general). This charge is nevertheless a small price to pay. For if you choose not to employ these cognitive functions and side with people like Marimba Ani, you will definitely fall for the garbage peddled by these charlatans, as demonstrated in the lecture.

Indeed, the lecturer did not have to try hard to convince the attendees of the absurdities he taught since, by observation, everyone in attendance appears to have been hardcore believers. They all agreed with the lecturer, for example, that science proclaim man to have had evolved directly from monkey. I don't see monkeys changing into man today, the lecturer scornfully joked. Everyone bust-out in laughter, convinced they all had it right. 

I did not stay for the entire lecture, however. I could no longer listen to these, to be quite frank, garbage. However, the intermediate period was even more hilarious. During this period, the lecturer, of course, had his products on sale. The charlatan move. The Snake-Oil salesman. Peddling his product after convening the audience that he was chosen my the ancestors, and, had been visited by their “spirits”, from another dimension. They gave him special knowledge to dispense to them, and armed with this new, never known before knowladge, their lives will improve for the better. They will make plenty money. Etc.
One product the lecturer claimed to have had, was music. according to him, the music was very special. It was given to him by ancestors' spirits who are living in another dimension, higher than ours. They cross over from their higher dimension into this reality and drop-off the already packaged music. The music, however, was on cassette tape. That was indeed funny! Well, I gess the “spirit” population, from this so-called “higher” dimension, has not caught up with technology. Price of this "SPECIAL" music, twenty bucks. Yes, twenty dollars for music that supposedly came from another dimension and placed on cassette tape. Of course, no body saw anything wrong or even weird with that. No questions asked. The tapes were all sold out in a flash. I was amazed but sadden at the same time. I felt sorry for the people that was being taken advantage off or was allowing themselves to. I wanted to challenge the authenticity of these music tapes. However, I refused because, I realized, I was on hostile ground.

Other products were also on sale. They included pictures of Kemitic (Egyptian) and Hindu's gods and goddess. These postures of the deities were advertised as having the power to provide you with protections and, of course, earn you lots of money also. You have to buy them, of course. The lecturer also had a very interesting package on sale. It was the most important of all. It was a package he called the “STIMULUS PAGAGE”. Well, I'll just let him explain how this package work......
       

Video:

Conservatism Links to Low Intelligence

In the free-thought community, religious folks especially those that lean towards the conservative position, have always been charged with the inability to think. Possessing closed minds, or choosing not to use it. This, most people in the free-thought community attribute to the religious indoctrination, which normally catches hold of one from childhood.

There is certainly no doubt that religion creates an environment where the believers’ ability to think is dampened as a child. You are taught not to question the Pastors,Priests, Imams, Rabbi, etc, the Bible, the Qur’aan etc. It is "blasphemous" to question God, they drilled these commands into children's heads. The freedom to think is further eradicated by, for instance, the religious hierarchy insist that one should have faith – blind faith that is; accepting the religious position without questioning its validity.

Indeed, for most of us, describing these religious people came from having conversational experience with them. You know, the Christian or Muslim friend you have that always engages you in a discussion in which you find yourself in an argument that takes you in a continuous circle with no exit point – (circular arguments). Well, here is a study that says what you may have thinking about you friend/s. Of course the study looks at Political Conservatism. However, Political Conservatives tend to also be Religious Conservatives. They are both directly related.

“…. recent studies linking conservatism to low intelligence and "low-effort" thinking”

“A study published in the journal "Psychological Science" showed that children who score low on intelligence tests gravitate toward socially conservative political views in adulthood--perhaps because conservative ideologies stress "structure and order" that make it easier to understand a complicated world.” (Source – Huff Post)

Not only does the study show that adult conservatives are the product of people who may have performed lower intelligence wise as a child but another study shows that they appear to also be "low-effort"  thinkers.

“The authors test the hypothesis that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism. In Study 1, alcohol intoxication was measured among bar patrons; as blood alcohol level increased, so did political conservatism (controlling for sex, education, and political identification). In Study 2, participants under cognitive load reported more conservative attitudes than their no-load counterparts. In Study 3, time pressure increased participants’ endorsement of conservative terms. In Study 4, participants considering political terms in a cursory manner endorsed conservative terms more than those asked to cogitate; an indicator of effortful thought (recognition memory) partially mediated the relationship between processing effort and conservatism. Together these data suggest that political conservatism may be a process consequence of low-effort thought; when effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.” (Source – Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin)

Indeed, religion loves "LOW-EFFORT" thinkers and people who don’t think at all. In fact, the Church father Thomas Aquinas defines the people who are willing to accept religious ideology without questioning as the most virtuous.

A Revolution of The Mind; The Way Forward for Grenada and Grenadians

From the moment Cristoforo Colombo (Christopher Columbus) appeared in the new world, Grenada was destined to be in the fold of Paul-ism (Christianity). However, not only has the adherents of this religion, maimed and killed all the island’s natives (Caribs and Arawaks), they killed and enslaved African people they had kidnapped and brought to the island. Indeed, from its inception, coming from its Judaic past, the legacy of this religion is written in bloodshed and mayhem. Immoral activities God contracted hit men to carry out, and/or, according to the book, physically descended and participated. Yet, the descendants of the African people who were so grossly abused maintains and continues to promote this religion. Today, Grenada describes its population as being ninety percent (90%) Paul-ites (Christians) and the remaining ten percent (10%) as practicing some other form of religion.

With that said, allow me to share my observation on the discussion that surrounds our nation's moral compass, while, at the same time, present what I believe is the best possible solution to our societal problems. We have been complaining that crimes have been and continue to damage our country’s image. Our country continues to be plagued with men killing each other. Our men continue to abuse, disrespect and/or killing women, and politicians (principalities in high places) committing all sorts of corruptions while in public offices. Child abuse continues to linger with us. Even the people we trust to police crimes constantly abuse their power and engage in gross wrongdoings themselves. This, and other societal ills the Grenada Conference of Churches and other religious bodies in the country, contend is as a result of the Grenadian people have abandoned God and Church, and the solution they say, is to revert to our past religious orthodoxy. We need God! But, is that so? Do we really need to revert to God and the Bible as we seek to create a better society? I think otherwise.

 In the backdrop of what is laid out above, I am contending that the moral problems that plague our society have its roots in the very religious foundation it has endorsed. In that, the country embraced a worldview that breads antagonism. This is not to say that there are not nonreligious factors that contribute to our moral shortcomings. However, it is embracing ideologies that are rooted in religious dogmas that largely contribute to societal breakdown.  I submit that domestic violence, which has plagued the Grenadian society and continues today, for instance, is informed by the Christian religious ideology that fundamentally promotes a male chauvinistic worldview. Child abuse, although not confined to just the religious world, has had and continues to have fertile ground behind the stained glasses. Furthermore, A study concerning religion and its effect on society, published in the Journal of Religion and society by Gregory S. Paul, has shown that areas that display high religious conviction have greater societal ills and crimes. 

Indeed, Grenada has embraced a worldview that is not only alien to them, as descendants of Africans, but one that promotes extremely narrow-mindedness; one that suffocates an individual’s ability to think, and breads gross ignorance. Thus, if the Grenada Conference of Churches is correct in that the Grenadian people are abandoning their religion and faith, then their call to regress back to a religious conservative worldview is a knee-jerk reaction to that issue, and not, in a real sense, expected to address the ethical problem they contends the country is facing.

I can certainly hear the grumbling.  Where would our morals come from if you do not accept God and the Church, you ask? I.e Christianity. Well, morality is not owned by any religion. It is shaped by society as it pursuits its best interest. Morals come not from an external supernatural being. An individual is in control of personifying his or her own actions, which can certainly have negative or positive effects on the social group she is a part of – humanity. You don’t need a God/gods or a religion to achieve this.  Grenadians’ lack of church going, which certainly does not mean an outright abandonment of their religion, as shown by the numbers above, did not and will not create a society of lawlessness, as the Conference of Churches wants us to believe. This trend instead, and despite having a long way to go, shaped a society that is more predisposed to hold itself accountable for its moral failures.It create whereby more and more people are not neglecting their moral obligation by not placing it upon the shoulders of an unproven supernatural being. Today, despite identifying as Christians, more Grenadians are less enthusiastic to view the world via a narrow dogmatic ideology. Thus, more Grenadian men, for example, are viewing woman as equals and not as lesser beings, created by God as helpmates and property. Showing them much more respect. More people are reporting domestic violence against women and vice versa. We are seeing an increase in our citizens breaking their silence on child abuse, and the list can go on.  

Thus, understanding this reality and its implications, I, in speaking to my Rastaferi brothers, in my forthcoming book, From Mythology to Reality: Moving Beyond Rastafari, argue for the adoption of a different mode of thought. Of course, this new mode of thought is not presented only to the adherents of Rastafari, and to the people who are looking to assent to this Pauline faith, but the book also asks that the nation of Grenada adopt this new way of thinking, as we move forward, as a nation, into creating a more humane and ethical society. However, what new mode of thought am I speaking off here?  Well, Grenadians, I will maintain, should not just abstain from going to church. In that, I am saying that Grenadians should not just divorce themselves from institutionalized religion. We should go farther. We need a revolution of the mind. Break the spell of religious dogmatism that has been imprinted into our minds by religious theologians.  In its place, develop a worldview that embeds the physical world and a system of thought or action that is concerned with the interests or ideas of people as its foci. One cannot, I believe, be inclusively humanistic if one hedges his or her worldview in religious dogmatism. One must emancipate his or herself.  Indeed, another aspect that the study mentioned above has shown is that secular societies have much lower rates of violence and other crimes. Therefore, my call is that we free ourselves from the clutches of religion and adopt a Secular Humanist worldview. As Tom Flynn, editor of the Free Enquiry magazine put it, “Secular Humanism is emancipation” (Flynn, p. 4: Free Inquiry – October/November 2010.Vol. 30 No. 6).  To him, it is, as he put it, emancipation from,

• Divine scrutiny: “it is the ultimate release from “parental” control. What real parent’s scrutiny could be as intrusive as that of a deity who never sleeps, never looks away, and can never be deceived or misled?” ( Free Inquiry, p. 4)
• A worldview contrary to our senses-and common senses:  “To my mind, the realization that existence is purely physical…. It frees me to cherish this life on its own terms. No longer must I devalue my existence as the eye-blink prologue to some boundless perpetuity where, if only by dint of its incalculably greater scale, true significance must lie.” ( Free Inquiry, p. 5)
• From an often oppressive parochial community: “Beyond the demands to assent to doctrine and fill the collection plate, congregational life involved a larger web of social expectations.  We are “free to stop centering our lives in an insular community of the likeminded, free to anchor ourselves directly in the culture at its broadest and its most diverse, free to seek the services we desire from the-qualified providers without screening them through some hidebound denominational sieve. Instead of restricting ourselves to a parochial community’s straitened menu, to the extent our resources permit we may choose from everything an abundant society has to offer.” ( Free Inquiry, p. 5)  
• From external command morality: “What secular humanism does mean is that we need not accept some arbitrary moral code unrooted in our own experience on the mere authority of, well, authority. Rather than freeing us from morality, secular humanism frees us to develop a truly relevant morality, one rooted in the real world and in the physical and social consequences of life as humans live it. Instead of accepting unverifiable assertions, we can come together with others to forge pragmatic values whose worth and value can be intersubjectively conformed.” (Free Inquiry, pp. 5-6) 

And so it should be to us also. For sure Secular Humanism embodies much more than just these four points presented here. However, the point is that by adopting a worldview that is informed by Secular Humanism we are emancipating ourselves from depending on unproven supernatural being/beings and instead depending on us – humanity – giving us an opportunity to bring real positive change to Grenada and Grenadians and the rest of the world.

As I conclude, I must say that looking at the Grenada I knew as a young “lord” verses the present, there are good societal things we indeed have lost. No doubt! Showing more respect for elders, for instance. However, for the Grenada Conference of Churches and other moral police to argue that our society has become worse, as a result, is misguided. Their reaction is base in the fact that they are losing their grip on the mind of the masses’; people are exiting the churches and looking elsewhere for realistic answers to their problems. Thus, I believe that freeing ourselves and truly moving away from dogmatic religious worldviews is the direction we should continue as we develop a society that fosters better and more humane relationships. Our education system should be secular; one that nourishes modes of thought that includes, not only the freedom to worship one’s God or gods, as our constitution guards, but it should also encourage and nourishes Free Thought and Skepticism. We must encourage and promote critical and rational thinking as rudimentary to our education process.  If this is done, Grenada will have a much better informed citizenry. We will certainly have the ability to be more objective and inclusive. We will possess the ability to understand what it is to be a member of the broader human family. We will understand and welcome the vast array of diversity that builds humanity and not discriminate based on a worldview informed by narrow closed-minded, inhuman religious ideologies. Emancipating ourselves from this cognitive prison and promoting a Secular Humanist worldview can certainly assist in alleviating the seemingly pervasive toxic interpersonal relationship that plagues Grenada and Grenadians. I submit that our police officers will indeed be more predisposed to exhibit coherent and rational thinking. Solving differences will be done on a more humanistic level that is informed by objective rational thought. This, of course, will not create a utopian society, which, based on human nature, I submit appears to be an unrealistic goal. That is not what I am calling for. However, adopting this humanistic mode of thought will certainly help us create the better ethical society Grenadians has been calling for, for so long and all along.

The Tim Tebow Saga; an Argument Against God

For some time now the media airways has been swamped with conversations concerning a controversy surrounding the football player Tom Tebow, a quarter back for the Denver Broncos and a highly religious man who publicly displays his religious conviction at every football game. His most famous antic is to engage in sideline prayers before each game, and, as a result of his success in the game, especially during this football season, these prayer antics are magnified and promoted as the casual factor behind his achievement. His supporters have credited his success solely to his God answering the prayers he offers before each game. However, is there a God who is really responsible for Tim Tebow’s success? Is this God a fan of the Denver Broncos? According to Tim Tebow, the answer is yes. As he said, “he’s not doing it—God is doing it through him” (The American), as if he is “highly favored”. Indeed, to Tim Tebow and his evangelical religious fans, God is certainly on his side. Thus, he has become proof of the existence of a living God; a God that listens to prayers, at least, Tim Tebow’s.

Of course, this public display of his religion has not gone unchallenged.  Many critics have commented on Tebow’s use of a secular sport as a means to promote his religion, Christianity, which, they argued, divides the fans that are there just to enjoy the game. On the other hand, others think that Tim Tebow’s action is an act of free speech. He is not praying for anyone but himself. Nor is he asking others to join hand in prayer. To this I agree. He is not stopping the game, to engage in his prayer antics. So, should we care that Tim Tebow engage in sideline prayers before every game? I don’t. The fact is, highly religious sports players always display some form of their religious conviction just before start of a game. Soccer players, for example, are often seen making the sign of the cross and looking up at the sky. God please help be win this game!! Is this public show of faith supposed to better their chances of winning the game? Not by a long shot. Often the team will get its ass thrash, regardless, and Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos is no exception.

Indeed, with all the hype surrounding Tebow and his religious convictions, “the person we're all talking about has faded away”. The focus is now on the supernatural as opposed to the person that is actually responsible for the achievement, Tim Tebow. Atheist David Silverman is correct when he asserts that Tim Tebow is denying himself credit for the hard work and years of practice that he took upon himself in order to become the great football player that he is today. Since this is the case, should we be concerned as to whom Tim Tebow and his fans want to attribute his success to. I do not know about you, but I am not.

Nevertheless, despite believing that Mr. Tebow and his evangelical religious fans are engaged in wishful thinking, let’s, on the other hand, give them the benefit of the doubt.  Thus, here is what I really think about the Tim Tebow issue. If Tim Tebow and these evangelicals’ assertions are correct, in that God (what ever that means to Tim Tebow) is answering his prayer and is responsible for him winnings these football games, then this is a very strong case for why I am an Atheist. What do I mean? My atheism is not only based on one issue, the inability for those who assent to the God claim to prove his existence. The fact is, even if God, as the Christians describe him, exists, then the way they claim he works makes him, in my humble opinion, a candidate not worthy of worshiped. I don’t want God to work in mysterious ways, but instead in sensible practical ways. The question is, since God can and is interested in making a successful football player even more successful, can he fix the suffering conditions for the rest of humanity. Can he or would he change the condition for the many human beings who are being oppress, as we speak. Can he do these things but choose not to. Can he descends from his “loftiness”, create a direct connection so that he can heal the children whose parents faith is so great that they prefer to engage faith healing. Can he, but instead choose no to. Of course, faith healing parents’ display of faith, on the face of it, vastly surpasses that of Tim Tebow’s. Yet God refuse to intervene on their behalf. What about the starving children in Africa and other third world countries. Are they not worthy of God’s “grace”? So tell me, why God takes time out of his busy schedule to help a football player win football games and refuse to take the time out to heal innocent children. Why does he not take time out to help those children who have lost their parents and cannot find food to eat? Yes, you tell me. We can indeed create a never-ending list of important and ethical things God should have been doing with his time, instead of fixing football games. The fact is the Tim Tebow saga proves nothing of a God, and those who insists that it does will have to deal with this dilemma. The Tim Tebow saga is an argument against a kind and loving God. Certainly, if God exist and is indeed working through Tim Tebow, religious people can keep him. If that’s the way God truly operates, he deserves not an iota of worship.