The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. I WAS most disappointed to read in the papers that Fr Sebastian Campbell has criticised politicians for having political rallies during the season of Lent. I was also most distressed at the language used by the good Father when he described our important national debate as a "political circus", and accused our political leaders of "jonesing for power". It is a pity that Fr Campbell should feed into the view held by some shallow-minded people that there is something inherently wrong with politics. Politics is most certainly not a circus, even though in our Bahamian culture we approach everything important, even religion, with a certain amount of exuberance. Politics is about the important business of governance and the affairs of state. It is the business of nurturing our parliamentary democracy and all the rights which flow from it, including freedom of religion. There is no more important part of this business in a democratic country than the process of conducting a national debate and having the people elect who will govern them for the next five years. Indeed, religious leaders should be encouraging their followers to pay attention to politics, participate in the process and most certainly to register and vote. It's one thing for politicians in the heat of battle to use hyperbolic language criticising one another, but it's unbecoming of a respected religious leader to describe political leaders as "jonesing for power". Is this the same Fr Campbell who is relentlessly campaigning for us to honour our national heroes, most of whom were politicians? And suppose politicians start negatively characterising preachers? What a field day they could have! I see nothing wrong with holding political rallies during Lent. Lent is one of several seasons in the liturgical life of the apostolic churches - Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican. There are other holy seasons such as Advent, Easter, and Pentecost. In the ancient church, Lent was mainly about preparing persons for Baptism at Easter. It is a season of self-examination, penance and special efforts to improve our practice of Christianity. At the beginning of the Lenten season, we place ashes on our foreheads to remind us that we are dust and to dust we shall return. But we don't go around for the rest of Lent in sackcloth and ashes flagellating ourselves and trying to look miserable. We will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ at Easter, but we know that he rose from the dead two thousand years ago, and that makes the Christian happy at all times. I see no conflict between my religious exercises during this season and my attending and participating in political rallies, and I don't think the politicians are "encroaching on holy ground" when they continue with the business of the state and with the business of our parliamentary processes. Democratic politics is necessarily adversarial, and we should celebrate that. Some people will carry anything too far, even religion. But the vast majority of Bahamians are quite capable of conducting their politics with good cheer, not allowing it to divide them from their loved ones, friends and fellow citizens who happen to have a different opinion. By the way, in Britain in 1992 the general election - the actual voting day - was during Lent, 10 days before Easter. And in 2007, Prime Minister Perry Christie had the House of Assembly dissolved during the Wednesday of Holy week! CHRISTIAN Nassau, March, 2012.