JAMAICA BEING DESTROYED BY 'THIEVES', SAYS SDA PASTOR

[John317]

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html...AYS_PASTOR_.asp

BY INGRID BROWN Sunday Observer senior reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Likening Jamaica to the biblical character who, on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho, was beaten by robbers and left half dead along the wayside, president of the West Indies Union of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Derek Bignall, said the country has been battered, bruised and left for dead by 'thieves'.

Bignall, who was delivering the main sermon at the Adventist's National Day of Prayer held at the St Andrew Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church yesterday, said Jamaica has been inhibited by all kinds of circumstances.

"Jamaica has been held down by the IMF (International Monetary Fund), held down by the World Bank, held down by big companies and held down by the non-tax paying people," he said.

There has been a continuous slide of social standards, he noted, with everything from slavery to foreign companies, which have been accused of siphoning off the country's bauxite, being blamed.

He, however, noted that those destroying Jamaica are not only foreigners but people like fathers who do not take care of their children or workers who only give 50 per cent of work.

Like the battered man, Bignall said somewhere on its journey Jamaica fell among thieves who came from all around.

"Nations ripped us off, big companies ripped us off, nationals ripped us off, the five flights a day to Miami and even some from the church who will not pay their taxes," he said.

He likened the Levite, who passed by the beaten man in the biblical story without rendering assistance, to someone who had a one-man march, took statistics and held a press conference; and the priest, who also did not help the beaten man, as one who took notes and went to CNN as an eyewitness.

Bignall said that the Samaritan, who helped the beaten man by dressing his wounds and taking him to an inn for care, must be the church, and as such he urged the congregation to have compassion.

"Jamaica is undergoing serious maladies and you and I are the Samaritans and we must go and pour oil on the wounds," he said.

He said the church must come riding on prayer and must work as if everything depends on it.

Jamaica, he reiterated, is still being battered by drug addiction and psychological and immoral thieves, among others, and is in need of help.

"If you think I am lying, ask the IMF, but they can't really help us, they are just onlookers," he said.

The church, Bignall argued, has to give hope to persons who are neglected, and must become mothers and fathers to children without parents so as to heal the psychological scars and the emotional pain.

"Don't just turn your head and walk away," he urged the congregation, adding that the Samaritan used his resources to help.

Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, in his address, also encouraged the church to open its bowels of compassion to help those who are suffering.

"Everything will vanish, but the only thing that will last is the love we have for each other, and it is in loving each other that we love God," he said.

"Don't tell me you love God and there are others suffering around you that your bowels of compassion cannot open up to impact them," said the governor-general. "And so, as a church, we are called upon to give leadership in service to others and in taking care of those who are helpless and in need of our assistance."

Sir Patrick said it is his prayer that the country will be emancipated from the sins of intolerance, disrespect, child abuse, envy, malice and strife and all the things by which we have been enslaved.

He said the church must recognise it has to give leadership in the nation but unfortunately believes that role must be left solely to the political directorate.

"But I challenge you today, that you are wrong, because the leadership must be given by the church... leadership of character, because Christians must be above approach," he said.

During the National Day of Prayer, the church leaders offered prayers for the nation, reversal of moral decay, relief from economic stress, and reduction of crime and violence.

Prayers were also offered for national leaders.