Durrant Pate/Contributor 

Christians have been scolded for not participating in the September 3 general election, either by voting or casting a spoiled ballot as a means of protest. 

The rebuke was issued by election candidate Pastor Michael Aiken in a Letter to the Editor. Aiken contested the West Portland seat, which was retained by incumbent Daryl Vaz of the JLP (6,111 votes). People’s National Party’s Doreen Campbell received 4,937.

Aiken, who represented the Christian Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP), also known as the Jesus People Party, received a mere 23 votes.

“Church pastors and church people wake up from your spiritual and mental dunceness and re-engage in the sociopolitical life of Jamaica land we love,” Aiken wrote in his post-election salvo. ‘For it is evident to most that the current crop of political leaders is getting foundational advice and support from someone who thinks that corruption, deception, selfishness and self-enrichment ought to be the political norm in Jamaica land we love! Wake up, church, and engage suffragism (Latin for support or intercession) before even universal adult suffrage is threatened!”

United pastoral activism well needed

Aiken argued that without a united pastoral activism, Jamaica will never become the place to live, work, raise families and do business. “Without this united pastoral activism, Jamaica will not under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.“ 

He called upon the church to awake from its political disengagement, citing that “this habit of non-engagement by the church has once again reared its head in this election and left the choosing of who will govern Jamaica to a small group of political activists on both sides. Many whom, over the years, have proven themselves to be the duncest bright people the world has ever seen.”

Aiken alluded to information received suggesting that, as usual, approximately 61% of enumerated voters did not vote. He opined that most of these non-voters are church people and called on a pollster or researcher to help us to understand what has caused the church to adopt such an apathetic attitude towards politics in general and voting in particular. So much so that even when one of their own decides to enter the public representation arena (like himself), they avoid him or her like poison.”

He added, “Now get this, church pastors and church people do so while praying that God would give them righteous leaders and praying that the unrighteous who lead would get saved and embrace righteousness. Looks like the church is the group that deserves the title of duncest bright people!”

The clergyman recalled that on election day, he reached out to a female friend enquiring if she intended to return to the Constituency of her birth to exercise her right to vote. “I received a nonchalant, dispassionate no. I reminded her that someone fought to give her the right to vote,” he wrote.

In conclusion, Aiken remarked, “The foundational support of pastoral leaders and their communities was a necessary and important element for the political movement to become a movement of JAH people. It’s time for JAH people’s pastoral leaders to reawaken, retake, rebuild and restore the moral and socio-political foundations of Jamaica land we love! “