As the global
south face the new challenge of a growing push towards human secularism and an emergent
number societies that are embracing the post modernist mantra of religious
scepticism. Damion Crawford musings on twitter in which
described Jamaica as a Christian country- whose core belief is under siege by
atheists and agnostics. Is a very amusing but deeply offensive and misleading
narrative .This statement is bound to offend secularist of Jamaican descent so
his statement should not be let off the hook as a light hearted banter.
First,
let me declare my hand. I am Jamaican and an avowed secularist and proud of it.
Damion Crawford’s twitter feed would have gone unnoticed. If he had not been a
government minister whose duty is to protect the fundamental rights and freedom
of all Jamaican citizens. In addition, in his private capacity as a human being
the expectation would be that his augments should have been characterised by
respect for alternative beliefs or a lack of it. Having read the tweet it comes
over as the musings of a controlling and desperate “religious housewife” and
not that of a responsible Minister of Government.
Let us extend the debate in order examine the flawed
philosophical argument raised by Mr Crawford. Because it may create a collision
course with politics and secularism for Jamaica that in future that may be
fraught with insularity. Damion has taken
us down the dark “Hobbesian ideological path “.In which religion is seen for
its divisiveness and as a vanguard for protecting the motley political status
quo. His argument is in line with Thomas Hobbs who argued long-ago
that the sovereign has the right to determine which opinions may be publicly espoused
and disseminated. Mainly, because in the past religion was seen at that time as
a vital instrument of power that was necessary for the maintenance of civil
obedience. Or has he taken the feudal 17th century protestant position: those
atheists cannot be trusted to take part in society peacefully because they do
not see themselves bound by divine law and not beholden to a transcendental god.
Our
position as atheist and agnostics Damion, is that we take exception to your
religious exclusiveness the misguided idea that: all Jamaicans are Christians
and that they are under attack from atheist and agnostics. It is at is
conceptually “thick” and misleading metaphysical concept that you have dreamed
up to ferment hatred against us. In Jamaica religion is a practical political idea used by politicians
in for the purpose keeping the common people quiet. Christianity is what keeps
the poor from murdering the rich and the political class in Jamaica who have
historically plundered the economic coffers.
The
burgeoning of the Secularist movement in Jamaica is indeed a challenge to the
political class and rightly so. We are
seen a threat to the political class. Mainly, because we increase the rank of
the undecided voters due to our scepticism and apathetic to a constitutional
arrangement that abhors human rights of alternative lifestyles and no religious
belief. Because we are sceptics who call for a deconstruction of this conservative
arrangement it’s easy to single us out for culpability for the countries moral
failings as the the god and devil hypothesis is currently under assail.
Politicians and religious leaders can no
longer fob us off with bogus prayer breakfasts any more. They normally do so unchallenged before we
arrived on the scene. Those religious tenuous events are normally rolled- out whenever
the government become bankrupt of ideas of how to fix the sliding Jamaican dollar.
Or whenever the many youths in the garrisons that they create by geo-political
gerrymandering – are hell bent on shooting their way out of poverty. When
infrequently caught in the crossfire with the police these vulnerable “shotters”
are often found clutching a gun with one hand and holding desperately to a
bible in their back pockets with the other hand.
As
Atheist and agnostics we see religion and Politics as two utopian
concepts that continue to placate the poor. There is an unhealthy co-relationship
between, the Jamaican constitution, the education system, religion and the
state that we hope to challenge through constructive engagement. It is our
belief that the state must neither advance nor inhibit religion.This collusive
arrangement has resulted in excessive entanglement between government and
religion and creates legitimacy for Ministers like Damien to insult us in
parliament and on twitter.
Finally,
Mr Crawford as you” grope” your locks in the dark and wrestle with a complex religious
identity crisis- Kindly, be enlightened that we secular humanist- are small in number
but not short on brain space- before you decide to spew religious vitriol on us.
Donovan Reynolds is a Blogger and Independent Writer. He is a
British based Social Worker and Human rights Activist. He has an interest in
Secularism Politics, Culture, and Human Rights. Readers may comment on this
blog or email feedback at dannygerm63@hotmail.co.uk
