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How far can the media go in search of truth?
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Diigo/FurlPublished On:Monday, August 16, 2010
By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net
The recent disclosures about the "unauthorised" activities at Nygard Cay, Simms Point, Lyford Cay, is a blatant display of the limitations of mass media to fully live up to the ideal held so dearly by many in the public.
Peter Nygard is mostly described as the flamboyant Canadian fashion tycoon in the mass media. His mainstream narrative is constructed by qualifiers, such as foreign investor, second-home owner, Bahamian employer, marketer of destination Bahamas, and philanthropist.
But what of the other narratives? There are those - millionaire neighbours, high-power attorneys and government officials included - who accuse him of being a chronic flouter of the law.
Just last week, Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, Minister of Tourism, and Earl Deveaux, Minister of the Environment, confirmed that Nygard Cay operates with no hotel license and no commercial license. It is claimed that he has done so for years in full view of the Bahamian authorities and the entire world. Tribune sources also claim he pays no hotel room tax, although on some websites his luxury home is advertised for resort rental at a rate of over $40,000 per day.
There is politics behind his portrayal, because people with money and power can control their image; in fact they survive and thrive based on how they manage their image. And they can create a legitimising environment to establish themselves as credible. People with less money and less power do the same thing, but with a diminished effect.
Mr Nygard is legitimised by many constructs, such as the allure of his fantasy Robinson Crusoe home that is frequented by Nassau's perceived "elite", and anyone else with a good-looking face. He throws a "wicked" party and he can throw down a pretty penny to sponsor a national sporting federation, or some organisation suiting his tastes. He opens his doors to the Bahamian advertising and marketing industry for countless photo shoots and special events.
For years he has been legitimised in the media and by the media, having been quoted as a credible authority on anything from the Bahamian tax system to the tourism industry.
At the same time, government officials have consistently neglected to mention what has now come to light: their claims that he operates in several instances outside the boundaries of a law in which most Bahamians are confined.
This "other" narrative rarely makes the front pages of the newspapers, or the glossy magazines, because without information from a reliable source willing to go on the record, or to be quoted anonymously to suggest a contrary nature, an uninformed journalist will almost always go with the mainstream portrayal of a public figure. And an informed journalist consciously chooses a particular representation.
Clearly, this creates a limited view of reality, but such is the nature of how journalism works. Many people hold the expectation that journalists should seek out the absolute truth; journalists should show the true picture. If they critically analysed the media industry, they might not hold such a naive and lofty ideal. If they understood how to question, evaluate, comprehend and use the media, they might be able to see it for what it is and for what it is not.
There is a reason journalists talk about writing "stories" or working an "angle." The representations of reality that bear themselves on the pages of newspapers and in the images of a television broadcast are simply constructs of reality; they are angles. Understanding them as anything different is to be drawn into an illusion; to conflate the opinions of a few with absolute truth.
The way in which Mr Nygard is typically represented in the mainstream media, locally and internationally, is a perfect example of why media literacy should be considered as essential as reading, writing and "knowing oneself" in this information age.
In today's society we are bombarded with millions of media messages that are saturated with politically-loaded information. People must be able to read beyond the hype of headlines; they must be able to critically engage the views of sources that use hyperbolic language and exaggerations to shape perception.
It is unfortunate that Mr Nygard is a perfect case study of my point, although I am not accusing him of anything. That needs to be said because the limitations of the publishing profession are also such that you only accuse based on what you can prove.
My point is, public figures have multiple identities, some are speculative, some are mainstreamed and others are accusations yet to be tested in court. In all cases, there are reasons why certain representations are portrayed in the news and others are not.
Simply put, facts lend themselves to interpretation and manipulation. Law professionals know this very well, particularly those in litigation. For example, when a jury rules affirmatively on the "facts" of a case presented by the prosecution that only makes the evidence presented by the prosecution "facts" in the defined system of law.
However, the defence can continue to purport a different set of "facts" all the way to the final court of appeal, and beyond. And on appeal, a different set of jurors or judges, holding different views, expressing different opinions, could very well validate those original "non-truths" as facts, after the initial fact.
Haiti is a country that knows well the power of media representations. Is it a fact that voodoo is devil worship? Is it a fact that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, or is there an underlying and popularly accepted value judgment on the meaning of African-rooted spirituality and poverty.
In the media, Haiti by default is referred to as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. It may very well be so, but there is a choice to represent it as such.
Media professionals could very well refer to Haiti as the first free black republic in the western world, or the first country in the Western hemisphere to abolish slavery, or use no qualifier at all. These titles might not be as society-conforming, but imagine the different level of consciousness they would create of Haiti, particularly over time.
As a journalist I see this repeatedly. The media does more to reinforce destructive stereotypes and feed populous rage than it does to effect real positive change, or even to truly educate.
I wrote a story about investment opportunities in Haiti, after an interview with the Haitian Ambassador. Here I was thinking, Bahamians, in their capitalist world view, would be happy to hear the inside scoop on how to make money off the Haitian people they love to denigrate; they would be interested to know there was a way to benefit financially from investment opportunities, rather than just emotionally from philanthropy.
This story enraged some Bahamians, who expressed their views in the comments section of the online version of the story. One reader, who identified himself as Jerome, called the Ambassador a "joke", saying Bahamians have invested enough in the Haitian people.
He continued with the usual litany about Haitians taking over the country and draining our resources. Another reader, who was identified as "Bahamian with no Haitian ties" spoke about rounding up Haitians and sending them home.
That story accomplished little by way of education, because many used it as an opportunity to express their preconceived notions and pre-existing insecurities. The story ended up feeding populous rage over immigration. This is the norm, not the anomaly.
I see this happen over and over again. Many in the profession will disagree, but the media often reinforces entrenched views, more than it plants seeds of consciousness. More often than not, the media marginalises the views of people who are outside the circle of established authority.
Individuals in the media business, and probably the profession as a whole, do not necessarily seek to do these things deliberately, but invariably they happen. Invariably, politicians set the news agenda; the economic elite set the business agenda; the police set the crime agenda, and the Bahamas Christian Council sets the moral agenda.
Only in landmark instances does the profession actually live up to its journalistic ideal. By and large, this is the daily impact: people get an inflated sense of reality; reader perceptions are shaped based on the personal agendas of sources; and stereotypes, mainly the destructive ones, are reinforced.
I am a journalist, and I say this with a great respect for my profession, but I also understand the limitations we face, and I believe in media literacy, because I don't believe we should kid ourselves or the people we serve about the inherent limitations and structural inequities in the system we operate within.
Take the following for example: Who profited from the sale of thousands of acres of private land in order to create a BNT managed national park? Even if my sources are correct, this story will likely never see the light of day, even though I believe the public would be well within its right to ask for full disclosure about a possible conflict of interest.
What of claims that some American travel agents benefited financially from the Tourism Fly Free promotion by charging their clients regular rates and allegedly pocketing the savings from the publicly-funded promotion? I have sources who claim this is the case, others who say not. But this is the Ministry of Tourism's flagship promotion, and powerful interests would push back on this "angle" so much so, the story will probably never make it into the mainstream media.
The fact is, in our small and tightly-guarded community, a journalist would be hard pressed to find primary evidence or a quotable source. And those who express these views, or claim to know the truth, will invariably be delegitimised by those with established authority or else the "reliable source" will slip into the shadows and pretend they don't know you when the chips are down. The accusations will be dismissed by those in authority and the story will be killed.
In this case, the "authority" is not limited media owners; the primary gatekeepers of information are the politicians and civil servants who claim there are "sinister" forces operating below the surface, when some of them are themselves part and parcel of that force.
Unfortunately, when accusations are made against powerful people or interest groups, a higher standard of proof is applied. In turn, a higher standard is required to determine the credibility of a source. Would the media be less inclined to run with a story of this nature, as might be the case with an accusation about a group with less clout?
It is a wonder how the Nygard story came to light. In placing random calls to people listed in the phone book with Lyford Cay addresses, I had individuals hang up the phone on me and tell me: "I don't like to be bothered." That might very well be a reasonable view, but invariably there are those in society who have their privacy respected and others who do not.
Those with no access to power by default have no privacy. It is common to hear about certain people in society who go through the court system being successful at never seeing their picture in the newspaper, because they have access to connections that will ensure they are concealed in one way or another.
Power buys people privacy. Privacy ensures concealment from the public eye. Lack of scrutiny by the public enables people to have more control over their image; it gives them more flexibility in constructing a credible persona and pushing their own agenda.
I share the ideal of my colleagues and the public that journalism should democratise information; give the people ownership over their own information; call out corruption; hold people with power to account; and all of that good stuff. But I know there is a big gap between the ideal we strive for, the reality we exist in and the reality we help to construct.
Media literacy is a discussion about managing expectations regarding the media; understanding the gaps between the ideal and the reality; understanding how people use the media; how it operates and its limitations.
Politicians love to rail at the media for sensationalising stories, but they are the biggest offenders.
Every time I get a press release from Bradley Roberts, Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) chairman, I am hard pressed to figure out where are the facts, what is the real story here. I estimate as much as 85 per cent of his press releases are hyperbole.
Politicians often criticise the media for using "anonymous sources", but the scary reality is, nowadays the politicians do so behind the anonymous cover of blogs, who are accountable to no one. They use anonymous websites to stoke the fire by spreading innuendoes.
When I use an anonymous source it does not mean I am ashamed to use their name because the source is not credible. It means the source is good and reliable but has asked not to be identified. That is an annoyance for a journalist, but completely understandable given the nature of our society.
Politicians and civil servants have access to all of the evidence to prove a lot of the "big stories." Some of them prefer to spread innuendo instead of giving journalists the real story and the hard facts, afraid that they might be implicated. Some of them do not like the news organisation a particular journalist might work for. Others are too afraid, or might be in breach of some contractual obligation to confidentiality. These are a few of many reasons.
Media literacy would help to promote a culture of openness, and teach people that the media is based on the principle of transparency.
The average news story contains about 500 words. If you were to make it longer than that, you would take a gamble at whether people would complete the piece. The structure of the average news story is built around five simple questions: What happened, when did it happen; why and how did it happen; and who was involved. Answer those five questions and voilà, there is your story.
At first glance this structure seems designed to bring about objectivity, but if you were to look from a different angle, understand how to critically analyse the news, a different story would emerge. This story is about why news is not objective; why journalists can never truly be objective; and why objectivity is a journalistic illusion. And why legal constraints often prevent the telling of the whole story.
Most obviously, asking the question of "why something happened" is a subjective process lending itself to a myriad of opinions.
The fact that Caribbean issues are marginalised in the Bahamian media is because of the subjective perspectives of gatekeepers in their assessment of market wants. The fact that Family Island news almost never makes the cut unless it is filtered through the agenda of politicians speaking to the issue. The fact that certain words are used, such as "terror" is because of subjectivity. Subjectivity essentially speaks to the internal reality of an individual or organisation.
To find out what happened, a reporter has to find sources of information. The process of determining who is a source of authority involves subjectivity on the part of a reporter.
Depending on where a reporter is situated in society, certain sources will be more accessible than others, and certain sources will be viewed as more legitimate than others. This is the reality.
Access to primary data in the Bahamas is hard to come by, particularly as the industry is not empowered by a Right to Information Act. And even in countries where the government claims to support access to information the roadblocks placed in the face of that make their support seem laughable.
In the Bahamas, government records are kept under lock and key, and statistically data is usually non-existent; sometimes it is out-dated, or in the hands of private enterprise that keep that information private to protect their economic interests. There are very few stories in the media that are born from primary data, unless you consider a press release to be a primary source.
Given the mechanics of reporting and the structural limitations of journalistic endeavour it would be prudent for consumers of media messages to become media literate. This means learning how to deconstruct the media; it means understanding that people who are in control of the message are pushing their agenda, whether it be the medium delivering the information, or the source of the information being transmitted.
There is evidence everywhere to show how problematic it is for people to rely solely on media messages to construct their sense of reality. All media messages should be analysed critically. No message should be consumed passively.
All around us, we are seeing the expansion of the information technology age. The messages we are being bombarded with are negatively shaping how we think, act and understand ourselves. Essentially, they are enslaving us by creating a false sense of reality that is benefiting those with power. The discussion about media literacy is essential to give people back their power so they can freely shape their own world.
Reader Comments - 53 Total
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Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/18/2010
Title: Disagree
We disagree. It's simple. It's a free country though.
You are incorrect in saying the educated commit as much crime as the uneducated. That is statistically false and verifiable by any quick search of real organizations that keep statistics like the US government, the UN, the ILO, the British government or reputable universities. Religion is a private matter. This not a theocracy. I am not interested in your religion, nor would I take it from you or ask you to change your ways, so stop asking the same from those who think different to you. You can have all the religion you want, but my tax dollars shouldn't fund any one particular school of religious thinking and waste our youth's time learning things that have nothing to do with real world education or real world skills. Give unto Caesar, I am speaking from Caesar's perspective here. Keep church and state separate. It will preserve your religious freedom and my lack of care for religion equally.
Posted By: Standing for Jesus On: 9/17/2010
Title: I thought you would come back with Education
Educated people commit crimes just like their uneducated brothers/sisters.
The educated have vices such as alcoholism, drug addiction, adultery, violence just as their uneducated counterpart. God delivers fom them all.
The educated suffer illnesses, depression, oppression, possession just as the so-called illiterate. God delivers from them all.
Not to paint a negative picture, the educated enjoy successes such as the birth of infants, marriage, birthdays, good health such as the less academically endowed. So education has its benefits and it has its limitations. We need to appreciate everyone no matter their status and abilities.
The correct order is God first then everything else next. Not, education and then God. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Now, what I like about education is it makes you more accountable to God and man.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/16/2010
Title: Education
I am not judging either. I don't care what he died believing. All I have been trying to say is education, education, education. Not more religion. We need to defeat ignorance.
Posted By: Stand up for Jesus On: 9/16/2010
Title: Correction
The previous information came from Lion of Zion Entertainment.
You are going to have to deal with your own accusations against Bahamian Christians. You are on your own with that. I am not judging anyone period. God is able to make His servants stand.
Posted By: Stand up for Jesus On: 9/16/2010
Title: Think on these things
This information is an excerpt from Lion of Judah Entertainment
Question:
Was Bob Marley a Christian? I heard a rumor that he accepted Christ before he died. Is this true?
Answer:
Bob Marley is infamous for being reggae music's ambassador to the world. He was raised in the Christian church but strayed away as a youth. He dove into Rastafari and the worship of Haile Selassie and his career exploded as he toured around the nation preaching the beliefs of Rastafari.
It is also a well known fact in Jamaica that Bob Marley became born again 7 months before he died of cancer. Regarding this conversion, I quote two sources.
Arch Bishop Yesehaq head of the Kingston chapter of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jamaica was initially sent to Jamaica by His Majesty to establish the church and to dispel the worship of Selassie. Selassie felt that if he personally commissioned someone to start a church that worshipped Christ and not himself, the Rastafarians would follow the true Christ. It was these reasonings and many others that eventually brought Bob Marley to be baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox church by Arch Bishop Yesehaq. This conversion is well documented in Jamaica and was strongly criticized by many Rastas. In Yesehaq's interview with Ian Boyne on JBC's "Profile" (Jamaica's most popular talk show), he discusses this matter in great detail, explaining Bob's conversion as one whole hour of weeping sobbing and tears of repentance. Another confirmation of this fact is the following: If it was not for his denouncing Selassie as God, his conversion and baptism into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and acceptance of their belief system, his funeral would have never taken place in their church. For the Ethiopian Orthodox Church does not hold any ceremonies (including funerals) for non-members.
To further back up this fact is the testimony of Judy Mowatt. She was one of the famous "I-Threes," and a strong worshipper of Selassie. Judy was initially disturbed by Bob's commitment to accept the doctrine of the Ethiopian Orthodox church and be baptized into their body. She and others were frustrated with Bob for forsaking all that he had stood for in his music and mission for so many years. However, almost twenty years later Judy Mowatt completely understands the commitment that Bob had made. For just a few years ago as documented in Reggae Report vol 14#6, Judy Mowatt became what she calls a "fulfilled Rasta," by becoming a born again Christian. She believes that Selassie was a very godly man, but was not God. This belief was backed by two recordings that she possessed that were interviews with Selassie in which he discussed the fact that Rastafarians revered him as god, yet he clearly denied being God/Christ. A portion of each of these recordings is featured on Christafari's "Why You Ago Look" (WordSound&Power) and the dub version of the same song (Dub Sound&Power) and has led to the conversion of many more Rastas. These recordings are now available on CD at the http://www.lionofzion.com webstore. Simply go to: http://www.gospelreggae.com/browse/albums/78da4b34000000f40092/Haile+Selassie/1968+Interview.html
Regrettably Bob was not able to leave us any post conversion recordings, but he did give us some great music and a powerful spiritual legacy with his last minute transformation. And he is probably singing a true redemption song in Heaven right now!
Also check out the following article recently published in Jamaica:
------------------------------------------------------
Did Bob Marley confess Jesus Christ?
Sep. 8, 2005 - November 09, 2004
Article by Andre Huie for http://gospelcity.com
The undisputed â??King of Reggae Musicâ??â?? a titled Bob Marley has undoubtedly earned from his tireless, ambitious and illustrious music career. Many have tried to be as great as he was, but did not come as close. He is a class by himself; set apart as an extremely gifted musician that has given a voice not only to his native Jamaica but also to every third world citizen on the face of this earth. His staunch Rastafarian beliefs could very well be credited with cementing the religion and ideologies of Rastafarianism in almost every country that practices the faith. Bob Marley was indeed a true Rastaman. So could someone please tell me, how in the world could I deduce or even dare ask the question if Bob Marley confessed Jesus Christ?
Naturally speaking, such a question makes no sense. Itâ??s like asking if granulated sugar is white and if black cows produce black milk. Jesus Christ and the â??Messiahâ?? of Rastafarianism, Haile Selassie I are considered opposites in the Rastafarian faith. To confess Christ is the biggest blasphemy in Rastafarianismâ??like sacrificing the sacred cow.
But there was more to Bob Marley than meets the eye and it might be a pleasant discovery to some that Bob Marley, just before he died, confessed Jesus Christ as Lord. In other words, he denied that Haile Selassie was God (as Rastas believe) and asserted Jesus as the true living God. If you ask me how I know this; letâ??s take a journey with a man who has, for years been close with the Reggae maestro, who once shared similar beliefs with Bob. I introduce to you, Tommy Cowan.
Bobâ??s conversion:
Tommy Cowan, is a very experienced musical icon in Jamaica. Having burst on the Jamaican music scene in the 1960s with the group called The Jamaicans and a hit song from the group that won the 1967 Jamaica popular song festival competition Baba Boom. Tommy has traveled the world of music. He later became one of the most sought after promoters of shows in Jamaica and overseas and yes, he too was a staunch Rastafarian. He knew Bob very well because he managed Marleyâ??s business for years while touring with him to Africa, Europe and the U.S. Tommy was probably closer to Bob Marley than most people who knew him were. â??Bob Marley, of course, was gifted, very gifted person. You could probably say he never made a bad song and you know that gifts come from the Lord,â?? says Tommy.
I had the distinct privilege of rapping briefly with Tommy about Bob in an exclusive interview. Tommy is the manager and husband of famed Jamaican gospel singer, Carlene Davis. He converted to Christianity and has taken his music-wise entrepreneurship to help advance the current movement of gospel music in the region.
As he lay back on his chair resting on the wall of his hotel room at Divi Little Bay, Tommy colorfully described the rarely spoken of experience of Bob Marley, about a year before he died. â??Bob Marley himself, before he died, he got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,â?? Tommy says with much conviction. â??What does Selassie teaches, that Jesus Christ is the only wayâ?¦He (Bob) through whole treading of Rasta found that Jesus Christ is the way. As a matter of fact, in one song you would have heard him militantly (saying) â??how they crucified my Jesus Christ and they sold Marcus Garvey for riceâ?¦â?? One of his songs said, â??Give us the teachings if his majesty because we donâ??t want the devilâ??s philosophy.â?? Bob, Tommy recalls, called the bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and told him I need to be baptized now. Just recently Tommy was speaking with the said bishop who described Bobâ??s baptism. â??At one point he (Bob) cried for 45 minutes non-stop; his tears wet the floor. And the Holy Spirit came down upon his body and he cried out Jesus Christ three timesâ??Jesus my Savior, Jesus Christ.â??
This for Tommy, spells a lot and will be a powerful testimony to the power of Jesus in times to come, especially to Rastas. It also is a lesson that no matter where we have gone or what we have done in life, God has a plan for every life. Selassie, Tommy notes, has made it clear, he is not the messiah nor God the creator; he worships Jesus Christ.
From Selassie to Jesus:
Been there, done that sums up Tommyâ??s life and career. Today, being an indomitable force in the promotion of gospel music, Tommyâ??s life is now geared toward winning souls for Christ through the enhancement of music loaded with messages of hope, peace, love and Jesus. Among the things he has done in his secular music career, Tommy has hosted major reggae events such as Sting and Reggae Sunsplash.
Tommy has taken his musical deftness to the gospel music world, promoting gospel shows like Fun in the Son, a major four-day gospel music and evangelism festival in Ocho Rios, Jamaicaâ??s north coast resort town and Gospel Trainâ??a gospel music tour around Jamaica. On the side of community work, Tommyâ??s ministry, Glory Music, has also ventured into inner-city areas in Jamaica to help children from the Maxfield Park Childrenâ??s Home in Trench Town, Rema area where 300 children attend summer school.
Acknowledging that man is always searching for God and to discover the true and living God, Tommy adopted the faith of Rastafarianism. It was through this search that he found the truth of Jesus Christ.
â??When I pursued the teachings of Rasta which is Haile Selassie, basically, Rasta would have had to be a Christian religion,â?? Tommy reasons. â??Haile Selassie himself was a very, very committed Christian and somehow through that whole faith it led me back to that place that I had to realize that itâ??s not about Islam, itâ??s not about Buddha, itâ??s not about Mohammed, itâ??s not about Selassie but at the name of Jesus that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.â??
His musical business experience has impacted him greatly, even today in his gospel music career. â??When I usually tour, I remember doing 500 events across the United States of America over a ten year period. For those 500 events we were late twice; one for five minutes and another time we ran over five minutes,â?? Tommy says with an awe of professional easiness. â??When I worked with Bob Marley, he was a leader who led from the front. He was first up, he was hard at rehearsals and he really wanted excellence.â??
It is this outstanding and consistent work of merit that compels Tommy never to succumb to mediocrity in his ministry. â??When I am now doing the work for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords for the highest order, I have now got to bring the highest order of excellence,â?? asserts Tommy.
Tommy still has his dreadlocks (no Rasta tams the real thing) and for that he has drawn a lot of flack from the church community, many of whom believe he should cut his hair. It would be strange to see him with a low cut. Everybody knows Tommy with his well-groomed, very long dreadlocks, which the Rastas identify as an important tenet of their faith. However for Tommy itâ??s not about the externals but the heart that matters to God. And though at times, he is barred from going onstage to share his testimony at events with his wife, Tommy takes the criticisms as they come, but still rolls strong for the Lord.
His message to budding gospel music ministers is simple. â??Equip yourself that you may be found worthy to say the Word of Godâ?¦we really need to show ourselves approved to study the Word. You cannot take someone to a place where you have not been.â??
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Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/15/2010
Title: Here's some quoting for you...
I am not a rasta, nor do I think Haile Selassie was a god or God, but Bob Marley and Peter Tosh said it well here. There is a reason their music translates across all cultures and across time. It is a music that cries for freedom. In order to get up and stand up though, you need to start with education and you need to have people demanding education for themselves and for their kids, otherwise, you have no idea what to fight for and what to fight about. This world is not simple. The fight is first and foremost a mental fight, an internal fight. Another famous, and more recent signer says it best, 'You have to fight for your mind'. A fight to discipline oneself, educate oneself, uplift oneself, raise consciousness and advance oneself, and eventually, hope to advance one's family, one's community and those around you! Eventually, you can advance one's whole country. In this digital age, small changes can have massive ripple effects. The average Bahamian's preoccupation with religion, and their lack of concern for education, their own and that of their children, is holding this country back. It is the single greatest problem facing this country. Everything else stems from this one problem, our general lack of education and our overall ignorance as a nation. That is my point. I have no problem with faith, I say that again, but blind faith isn't faith, it's just ignorance and we have far, far too much of that. If, after people secure education for themselves and for their children, they remain in the faith of Christianity, then there is nothing wrong with that and their faith will be all the stronger for it, but refusing education means that all you really have is Christian fundamentalism, which is built on ignorance, just like Islamic fundamentalism, Hindu fundamentalism, Hebrew fundamentalism or any other 'creed' that preaches faith without knowledge and learning.
Chorus:
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Preacher man, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
'Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!
Chorus
Most people think,
Great god will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights.
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up! Keep on struggling on!
Don't give up the fight!
We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, lord.
[We know when we understand:
Almighty god is a living man.] Not sure about this section. This is for the rastas.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (what you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (yeah, yeah, yeah! )
So you better:
Get up, stand up! (in the morning! git it up! )
Stand up for your rights! (stand up for our rights! )
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (don't give it up, don't give it up! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Stand up for your rights! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Don't give up the fight! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/15/2010
Title: not about you
This isn't about you, this is about what's happening in our country. More tomorrow.
Posted By: Standing for Jesus Christ On: 9/15/2010
Title: You surely know how to twist the tuth
You are skilled at twisting words to create the impression you want. I never once espoused "religion". I emphasise having a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Are you willfullyattempting to miss the whole point? My point is: God is the SOURCE of all knowledge. Some have thought to pervert the right ways of God. Some have no use for God. Some fail to give Him the glory as God. Some think they are smarter....oh well let's not go there! Now here this, there is nothing wrong with getting a good education and God does not make you ignorant. It is the devil who blinds the mind lest you "see the glorious light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Quoting Bob Marley are we?
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/14/2010
Title: @Standing for Jesus
By your own comments, yes, your head is buried in the Holy Bible, as are far too many of our people's heads. Even worse, they don't really read the bible for themselves or think about it for themselves, relying on pastors, ministers and priests of truly dubious character to 'think' for them. Real education would emancipate them from mental slavery, but none but ourselves can free our minds. The real situation is tragic, because if you understood any history at all, you would know where I was coming from. Ignorance is sad, perpetuating willful ignorance is disgusting. To imply that all education comes only through religion is to enslave human kind. We are born free. Bahamians read! Read real books! Read history! Read science! Read philosophy! Study cultures! Study geography! Study this amazing world we, the human race share. Don't be tied down in chains of mental slavery. Freedom starts in the mind. To break free from the chains of any society, you have to think and read beyond it. Study the history of the world and science, not just religion. If after you have done so, you come back to your faith; it will be stronger, but don't choose willful ignorance when your creator gave you the ability to think and reason for yourself. Religion is and has always been the opiate of the masses. True faith, true spirituality does not need the yoke of religion or the crook of the shepherd. It lies within, but you must search for it yourselves as well.
Posted By: Standing for Jesus On: 9/13/2010
Title: My head is buried in the Holy Bible?
Let me explain: The Word of God is written by God in my mind and in my heart. I trust God's Words above that of any man because it is the truth. He has made me a witness to this. Job searched out where you might go to find wisdom and finally said God said:
Job 28:28
"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."
I do not refute education knowing that God is the source of knowledge being the one who created the mind in the first place. Some people settle for counterfeit when they could have the genuine--the original. Go to the Source--that's all I am saying. Go to the source!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/13/2010
Title: Wisdom
On your last point about wisdom, agreed, more of it is needed, but wisdom derives from knowledge and experience. It doesn't magically happen because of knowledge of one ancient text. Education brings wisdom. The education of parents, teachers, a village, school and further reading. That is where we disagree. You stress the Bible, I stress real education.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/13/2010
Title: Say what?
I waste my breath. You are seriously hinting that our problems are solely because of immigrants? I had it wrong, it isn't the proverbial sand our people have their heads buried in, it's the proverbial bible. Sad, just sad.
Posted By: Standing for Jessus On: 9/12/2010
Title: Looking for Answers
You have gone to great lengths to paint a picture of what you perceive is happening. I believe there is much you are missing. Look at the complexities of the so-called ghettos: a vast majority of Bahamians have moved out of ghettos and relocated into areas in the east, west, north, and south ends of the islands. So, we have some Bahamians who have held on and remained, but who comprise the so-called ghettos of Nassau today? Any Bahamian can tell you exactly what used to be totally Bahamian and what now exists. Bahamians carry a lot of blame for everything that goes on but we all know it goes deeper than that. Quite regularly I hear the question from visitors concerning what language we speak and they are surprised to hear we only speak one language"English". I sometimes add "We were taught to speak the 'Queen's English'". There is an aticle that receives wide publication which highlights so-called Bahamian dialect which makes us look like a pack of ignoramuses! When visitors speak to us they expect that is our ordinary conversation. No wonder! They believe the words of the "experts in Bahamian dialect" who failed to portray us as persons who have received a well rounded education. We could be more proactive in casting down negative words spoken against us and our children. Any visitor will tell you, it is not just sun,sand, and sea they enjoy but interacting with a friendly, encouraging people. Some of them come from places where they dare not smile at a stranger much less speak to one. They love this openness and lack of fear we possess to speak of our love and faith in Almighty God. We would do well to stop honoring those who curse us by labeling as inept, slow and lazy. We do need the calibre of lawyer who would have a stong social consciousness to use his/her superior knowledge to protect the rights of the massess rather than to take away as much rights as they can as fast as they can--as though we are not watching and observing and comprehending what is going on. We do need to see those in leadership demonstrate qualities such as courage, fidelity and integrity. Thses are prsonal choices born of inner convictions of a clear understanding of what is right from wrong. Here again I recommend everyone who seeks public office to read the book of Proverbs at least once a month! Once you read it and the Psalms you will understand why I highly recommend this. Not more religion--wisdom!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/11/2010
Title: @Standing for Jesus
I agree with you. there are indeed many Bahamians who are doing wonderful things, but we, as a culture, like to sit pretty on our successes and ignore serious problems until they become a crisis. We are always 'reactive' rather than 'proactive'. The ghetto is growing and the ghetto mentality is growing on this little island. Yes, we have more and more educated people than ever before as well, but educated people breed slower than uneducated people. Educated people tend to have fewer children with fewer partners and invest heavily in the few children they have. Uneducated people have more children with more partners and invest less time and money than educated people in each child. This is a sad statistical reality of demographics and facts are facts. Math doesn't lie. The ghetto grows faster as a result. We have to stop sticking our heads in the sand, pretending that everything is fine. Everything is not fine. Crime, for example, is a direct result of our poor levels of education. Education can help fix crime. More educated people tend to engage in crime less, because they have genuine job/career opportunities. A lot of our people are not educated sufficiently and this country could be even better than it already is if we got proactive about the problems we face, rather than being reactive. To point out the negative to people is never something I do with a view to bringing people down, it is in the hope that they see the problem and do their best to help to face it, address it and hopefully fix it. Ignoring 'evil' or 'negative' things, sweeping them under the rug or pretending they don't happen doesn't solve anything. You have to bring those things to the light, so people are aware of them and then can work to fix them. The Tribune does a great job of this for our country. They catch a lot of heat for it as well, but they are doing a great job in a culture that is generally overly respectful of 'power, position, status and title' and generally secretive. It is an unfortunate legacy of colonialism and something we must overcome if we are going to become a better democracy and build our economy so that it works for Bahamians, all Bahamians, the rich and the poor. I shudder to think where our country would be if it wasn't for the good work that The Tribune has done over the years. We are lucky to have a genuine 'fourth estate' that, even in the darkest days, was prepared to go head to head with corrupt government officials. It isn't perfect, but it's way ahead of the curve, when compared to many other countries, much like the overall state of our country. We are better off than many, many places, but that position is also a trap of sorts. It tempts us to stagnate as a people. In order to stay ahead of the curve, you always have to be proactive and move forward. Resting on your laurels is always the path of decay and death. Life is about growth. All living things must grow, if they don't, they will die. People and societies are no different. If we want to take charge of our destiny as a nation, we need to stress that education is absolutely necessary and we need to improve on our education system and stress to our children that they must pay attention in school. The silent majority must stand up and speak out against the criminals and the ghetto way of life. They must stand against corruption and they must stand for the rule of law and freedom for those who respect the rule of law. They must make sure that people know it is unacceptable to live a ghetto way of life because it is self-destructive, both to that individual and to the society around them. The ghetto is not really a physical place, first and foremost, it is a way of thinking, a state of mind first and the physical reality of the ghetto comes after that. The ghetto is the manifestation of societal apathy. I have said many times during this exchange, I have no issue with anyone's faith or belief, but I take issue with the notion that more religion will help our country get out of its problems, it won't. We are wasting valuable time with all this emphasis on religion, rather than education. We have lots and lots of religion already, but people continue to make poor decisions, because they aren't educated, because they cannot think for themselves. More education will correct that, improve that; more religion will not. In this information age, the most important skill you can teach a person is teaching them how to learn for themselves and how to improve themselves, that requires education. A person who can think for him/herself, teach him/herself, improve him/herself, educate him/herself etc is invaluable in this world and in this economy. That requires more education, not more religion. It's a question of emphasis. People need to rethink their priorities. They need to spend more time focused on making sure their children are getting a good education and less time on material things, social things and religion. It isn't that they can't do these other things, they can, but the neglect of education must stop if things are going to get better. Again, its a question of emphasis. This country has lots and lots of opportunity, but finding hard working, dependable, competent, motivated, trust worthy and well educated people to fill the many, many jobs that are out there is getting harder and harder to do. People don't want to show up on time for work, many don't focus while at work, etc etc. Many of our people don't have the competency, the skills, the drive, the motivation etc to actually perform and work and thus build themselves, their families and this nation in the process. We can only transform this place and make it the best little country on earth if people are prepared to embrace education as a cultural value that is intrinsically valuable because it uplifts and makes people better people, not just because it has an economic value. Education isn't just about creating qualified people for an economy; it's about creating better human beings. This is a big world and we are a very, very lucky little island. Bahamians have to realize how fortunate they are to have this perfect paradise, but if we are going to preserve and protect this paradise, then we need to have better educated citizens. We need doctors, engineers, biologists, farmers (which requires a lot of knowledge and hard work), technology experts, business leaders and entrepreneurs etc, not just lawyers and accountants. To have those professions and not need people brought in on work permits to do those things would be phenomenal, but we need to stress education above all else to achieve that. Imagine what an economy and what an amazing culture this country could have if we were more willing to stress education as an inherent cultural value? Everyone already wants to come to the Bahamas because of sun, sand and sea, but we haven't even begun to develop ourselves as a people or as a nation really. We have only scratched the surface of what we could do in this little paradise. In order to reach that next level, we need education. We need parents who are willing to sacrifice for their kids and invest and develop their kids by paying for better education, demanding better education and engaging in more responsible parenting themselves, not just leaving it up to the school. it takes a village is how the old saying goes, but parenting is by far the most important aspect of any child's education. The world has changed and we need to grow and change as a people if we want to keep up and keep our wonderful culture and way of life. Pindling lied to the people by telling them that to be successful, all they had to do was be Bahamian. We are still paying the price for that lie. Being Bahamian is great, but in the real world, education and hard work make successful people. Great nations are built by great people. Great people don't just happen, they are formed and molded by parenting, education, hard work and love. Those things are what we need more of in this country.
Posted By: Standing for Jesus On: 9/11/2010
Title: Iam not going to join your negative bombardment
There are many well educated Bahamians who are functioning very well in various fields. From A to Z, Bahamians have thought highly of education and have taken advantage of the opportunities afforded them. They have also strived to ensure our children also benefit from higher learning. Why ignore this silent majority and lump everybody under this negative barrage? Silent meaning just doing their thing not making a big fuss or show.
Posted By: Still Standingfor Jesus On: 9/11/2010
Title: God Gives knowledge and Wisdom
All the information you espouse as real world thinking came from God. Someone took the time to apply their heart to wisdom and knowledge and God gave it to them. How come you can't understand that??????????? Gee!!! But I still love you anyhow as God's creation even if you call me a fanatic on the level of the Taliban no less! Let the Taliban deal with this one fact: "God is love!"
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/9/2010
Title: Blah, Blah, Blah
You seem to live in a fantasy land my friend. There really is no talking with overly religious people like you. Keep reading your Bible, since that is all you seem to know about. Our countries problems will not be fixed by the Bible alone. It is that simple. Yes, people need their values. We already covered that, but they need real world knowledge to solve real world problems. We need knowledge of economics, science, law, finance, mathematics, engineering, traffic flow, public transportation, environmental science, technology, languages and we need critical thinking and the ability to learn how to learn more than anything else. You my friend, would have the masses remain stupid and ignorant, knowing only the teaching's of one book by rote. That is a recipe for disaster. Just as man cannot live on bread alone, so can he also not live on the gospels alone. To think that he can is to condemn our people to a Taliban like mentality. All the Taliban know is the Koran. They think all the answers are in their holy book. To believe the same of the Bible is to stick us all back in the dark ages with fanatics, just as the Taliban have done to their people. Think a little. You can have your beliefs. No one is stopping you, just get an education as well and preach the values of education. Ignorance is darkness, education is the light. Step into the light. Use your brain that your creator has given you for more than just learning the words in one book. Use your God given reason. I have read the Bible many times over, I already said that; I don't need to read it again, but I will if I feel like it. I read a lot of books. My favourite stories, if you must know, are Genesis and Job. The difference is, I don't think all the answers are found in that one book. Nothing against Christianity, but overly religious Christianity, fanaticism, is the path of ignorance and leads to mental slavery. People need to learn to think for themselves to be truly free. Faith in true freedom is true faith. Faith in ignorance is just mental slavery.
Posted By: Stand up for Jesus On: 9/9/2010
Title: You Read The Bible
And you don't know that God teaches knowledge and give wisdom abundantly? He is the source. Do you not know of great acts of transportation in Biblical accounts?They used both land and sea for transportation. This is to expand our narrow minded thinking. Do you not know of how wise men were appointed as captains over thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens in order to deal with the masses. Why can't these concepts be applied to our so called modern situations. Alleviating poverty was high on Jesus agenda. He said take the Gospel to the poor. It is God who inspires, encourages, uplifts, gives visions, ideas and plans to those who seek him. He has a wealth distribution plan that will astound you. My point is "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6 Ask countless Bahamians who have left poverty behind and are now enjoying prosperity, what and who they ascribe this success to?
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/7/2010
Title: Absolute nonsense... again.
Back to blah, blah, blah so quick? Where does the bible teach you about modern traffic or implementing a public transportation system? Where does the bible teach you about how to structure a modern education system for a mass society? Where does the bible teach you about poverty alleviation via a modern and progressive and economically sound taxation structure? Where does the bible explain how to deal with modern crime in the Bahamas? Where does the bible teach you how best to manage economic and environmental resources? Come on, stop wasting people's time with this nonsense and drivel. The bible can give you 'values', but it cannot give you an actual real world education. By telling people they can learn everything they need to know in the bible, you just perpetuate their ignorance and continued lack of education. You encourage a religious fundamentalism that perpetuates ignorance, lack of learning and lack of knowledge. We lack knowledge, science, mathematics and language skills. We have too much 'bible skills', whatever they are. Please stop wasting people's time and perpetuating their ignorance by saying the bible has all the answers. That's a cop out and we both know it. What you believe and what you 'know' are two different things. Bahamians have plenty 'belief', but they don't have a lot of 'knowledge' and that is why we are doomed to be dependent on foreigners until that changes. This is a free country, believe whatever you want to believe, no one is stopping you, but don't make the absolutely asinine claim that the bible can make up for a total lack of education. That is disingenuous and can only lead this country back into the dark ages, away from God and away from the real meaning of the teachings of Jesus. Christianity was never intended to be a cult of stupidity. It was meant to 'enlighten' people, to free them from the yoke of the shepherd, to explain that God is a personal God and that you can have communion with God without priests and shepherds and 'earthly trappings'. In this country, the 'brand' of Christianity that is usually on display isn't even Christian in any meaningful sense of the word. It's a puppy show, a ceremony; all form, no substance. A parade of fashion trends, hats and fancy garb. Please, speak with sense and knowledge and debate real points. Don't waste people's time with this nonsense.
Posted By: Stand Up for Jesus On: 9/7/2010
Title: You Need to Do
In order to understand what the Bible teaches, you need to do what it says. If you had done what it says, you would know that it does teach you about crime, traffic, economics, poverty alleviation, etc. It tells you what it is, where it came from, and how to remedy every one of those "problems" you cited. You have to apply this knowledge to your daily life if not you would only have "head" knowledge and not "experential" knowledge. "Head" knowledge is "religious" but "Experential" knowledge is "a relationship". When the warning was given to "beware" of what you read in the media, this was based on the article which gave "Awareness" of details of exactly how "subjective" is media's information: lack of factual information, failure to secure data, non-existence of data, unreliable or questionable souces, and so on (this is what I gathered from reading the article among other telling information). At least Jesus was able to back up everything he said by confirming His Word with signs following: After preaching and teaching, He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, cast out demons etc. The ultimate proof was after being crucified at the hands of sinful men, he rose from the dead three days later just as He said. That is the truth!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/7/2010
Title: More than 'beware'...
People need to be 'aware' in order to 'beware', otherwise, they have no idea what to beware of. Awareness starts with education. It is fine, and arguably even necessary, to have a moral/religious/ethical value system or faith, whatever you want to call it, but without awareness, that moral/religious/ethical value system is virtually useless in this ever increasingly complex world. Religious thinking alone is not sufficient. It cannot guide us on many of our current real world problems. It can answer many of our ultimate problems about life, death, purpose etc, but it doesn't tell us squat about crime, traffic, economics, poverty alleviation etc. That is all I am saying. Awareness begins with education. Sadly, our over emphasis on religion has squashed our cultures concern with real world education. A detached attitude won't help either... our problems are real, pressing and serious and they need to be addressed with problem solving and solutions, not just prayers. Thank you for re-engaging the discussion at hand, rather than preaching. I too have read and understood the bible, having it quoted at me means little to me.
Posted By: Stand up for Jesus On: 9/6/2010
Title: lol
a preacher of course! Ok lets get back on the subject: what I gathered from the article is that the media is not a reliable source for truth given all the variables involved in reporting. My recommendation is that readers beware and treat what you read with a very detatched attitude.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/5/2010
Title: ?
What does any of this have to do with the discussion at hand? Only a preacher or politician could ramble on about such things.
Posted By: Stand up for Jesus On: 9/5/2010
Title: Don't get me wrong!
I believe that Bahamian children receive more correction from parents than in many other so called liberated societies in the world. I saw one woman from another country grab her rude child in horror and ran away at the suggestion she give him a spanking which he justly deserved! There is hope for the Bahamas! Plenty hope.
Posted By: Stand up On: 9/4/2010
Title: Discipline
"You cannot teach a rude child!" I read this statement in one of Dobson's books on rearing childen, and I agree with him. He went on to say that the parents must first establish their parental authority which is above all other authority in a child's life. What we have been battling for years is a lack of discipline on the whole, You can see this in the casual way adults address each other. Discipline is harder in one-parent homes or homes where there are two parents but one or both parents are not paying attention to their child or children. There are very few role models and a lot of homes have leaned heavily on television to fill the gap. You can see what has happened over a generation of this activity. Now, we even have the internet with its myriad of temptations. We must fix this lack of discipline problem personally and individually. It is time to step up to our reponsibility. This is what the Bible teaches. God's Word is pro-knowledge not anti-knowledge. We do need God's help whether some like it or not. He leads us right. It is right to make sure we give God the glory!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 9/4/2010
Title: Think a little...
I already said, your personal faith is not at issue. We are having a discussion. In a discussion there are points and counter points. Telling stories doesn't make a point. Education allows for free thinking and critical thinking. Overly religious thinking does not. That doesn't mean you don't have faith. It's a free country, do as you will, but stop expecting that our situation will get any better by doing 'more religion'. Our problem is not a lack of religion. Our problem is a lack of education, knowledge, know how, skills, job training etc etc. I don't share your religious views, but I respect your view and your right to have them. Do you respect my view and my right to have my own views? That is the essence of a free and democratic society. My view is that there is too much emphasis on religion and not enough emphasis on education. Look up emphasis if the meaning is unclear. It's important to understand the word. You can have all the religion you want, no one is denying that, but stop pretending that more religion will fix our massive ignorance problem - it won't. These so called priests take many people's money who don't know any better and they don't deliver back to the people. The ability to think for oneself is critical in life and, sadly, many of our people are denied that ability because of extremely sub par education standards. They are then taught to simply 'put faith in the lord', which is all well and good, but not if the shepherd is corrupt and the politicians too. People need to be able to think and reason things out on their own. The title of this article was about media and truth. Repeating gospels doesn't help anyone think about anything or understand anything about the modern world we live in. The gospels are useful for morality, for personal faith and for personal strength, but they aren't going to help us figure out how best to structure our economy or how to improve our judicial system or how to fix our traffic problem. These are problems that exist in the real world and need real world solutions, not gospel thinking. Hence, my comment, blah, blah, blah. What sense does it make to quote scripture repeatedly in an argument about real world problems and issues?
Posted By: Stand Up fo Jesus On: 9/3/2010
Title: Respect
Respect God's Word not "blah, blah, blah". Bahamians need education? Let's start with this one: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7 KJV) Anyone who does not fear God is truly blind.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/31/2010
Title: Sheep with crooked shepherds...
Blah, blah, blah. Debate the points or admit defeat in the argument. I respect your faith on a personal level, this isn't about that. I do not respect organized religion in this country. It makes people stupid, turns them into obedient sheep and uses them to pay its own bills. That is reality. People in this country need to focus on education, learning to learn and opening up their minds so that they can think globally and act locally - that is the only way this country will move forward. Organized religion on this island is the blind leading the blind. Debate the points. Stories are for children. Next.
Posted By: Stand for Righteousness On: 8/30/2010
Title: Read it Again
Read it again, Line by line, precept by precept, until you truly get it!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/29/2010
Title: Santa Claus
More stories? Tell me one about Santa Claus.
Posted By: Still Standing On: 8/28/2010
Title: The Answer
God is able to do all things. Read and understand:
Jeremiah 36
1And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
5And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:
6Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.
7It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.
8And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house.
9And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.
10Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people.
11When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,
12Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
13Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
14Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.
15And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
16Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
17And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?
18Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.
19Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.
20And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
21So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.
22Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
23And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
25Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.
26But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
27Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.
29And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?
30Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
31And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.
32Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.
King James Version (KJV)
Posted By: fishbone On: 8/27/2010
Title: Liberating to Enslave
if you want to hide something from us write it. I think you need to find a forum to verbalize this excellent article. people need to hear the perspective and question it. I personally am afraid of journalists, avoid them like the plague and have been so obtuse all of my professional life to my own disadvantage...i remain fixated by the trauma inflicted on self and family from a journalist misquote and subsequent sensational headlines. Despite the limitations, journalists have significant power. It is good to hear one talk about the humanity and reality of it all.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/26/2010
Title: Sarcastic indeed
Stories are for children. Moving on. Do you have points to discuss, debate? Or are you going to spout fairy tales forever?
Posted By: Still Standing On: 8/26/2010
Title: Hmm...
So you don't know what happened? And you want to enlist God's help? Is that it? I refuse to believe you are being sarcastic. Since prayer is the first thing you mentioned, very interesting, I think. It tells me quite a bit. Should I tell you the story of the king who page by page threw the prophets writings which God had dictated to him into the flames? Perhaps you know how God remedied that situation and what happened to the king who showed utter contempt for the word of God. All is not lost!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/25/2010
Title: Stand
Pray. We'll see when it reach.
Posted By: Stand for Righteousness On: 8/25/2010
Title: Seriously
I did write a response but when I pressed submit, my thoughtful reply ended somewhere in cyberspace. Maybe you know how to find out where it went or can offer some explanation that would be helpful. Awaiting your reply.
Posted By: Stand for Righteousness On: 8/25/2010
Title: Thank God!
Hmmm...am I driving you nuts?
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/24/2010
Title: Debate or story telling time?
You didn't answer a single question. There is no debating with overly religious people. Preaching is not debating. Debate the points and present a valid argument or forget it. Quoting, telling stories and claiming that the Chinese are Christian don't count. Answer the questions or are you afraid to actually debate, like every other overly religous person I know, who relies on dogmatic repetition to present thie case. This is why we are losing our youth. They are smarter than to buy this nonsense, but they don't have enough education to lift themselves beyond their small island mentality and the 'old generation' drones on and on about Jesus. The ghetto will only grow. Stop wasting everyones time.
Posted By: Stand On: 8/24/2010
Title: Oh by the way
Concerning the Chinese, I noticed they observe a Biblical principle that ensures them longevity and wealth: "Honor thy father and thy mother, so that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Naturally, you ought to see how Chinese people honor and respect their elderly! We would do well if we individually took this commandment seriously! As well as all the others. Just putting everything into proper perspective.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/23/2010
Title: Question
Glad you read more. This is a good start. Do you see the effect of over religion in our culture as a whole? Do you see that many, many of our people cannot really think for themselves, but simply follow their pastors blindly? I didn't single you one out, I said our people, big difference. Do you not see the effects of our intense lack of education everywhere in our culture now? Do you not see how the overemphasis on religion has closed people's minds and led them to simply 'accept' their situation and not improve themselves?
Posted By: Stand On: 8/23/2010
Title: Why I Write
Not to debate. Not to match wits. Not to belittle anyone. Not to exalt myself over anyone. To voice the Truth in a way that a child can understand. I have read many books including doctoral dissertations on a few subjects including early research concerning dna by a student from Harvard University. My reading ranges from Hesse to Hemingway, as well as Tozer, Solzhenitsyn, the classics, biographies, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Bunyan, Sojourner Truth, Harvest Publications, etc. Don't try to profile me. I approached reading the Holy Bible in faith. I read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelations with God's Blessing upon me so much so that I only had to read it in its entirety only once. But studying and practicing it intensely for many years. I studied the subject of "Love" from Genesis to Revelation every time it was mentioned. I did the same thing with "Mercy", "Faith", etc. One particular account I love is the showdown on Mt. Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. I don't do the stress thing. God is real! Now, call me what you will, fanatic, ignorant, illiterate whatever. God is with me.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/23/2010
Title: @Stand
God may have created all things, but man invented religion and the church.
Your response proves my original point. I rest my case. I have read the book, many books. Which other books have you read? Try listing them, let's debate beyond just your simple reasoning. Overly religious attidues breed mental slavery. Mental slavery, in 2010, will only lead to the ghetto. Look around you? Look at this country? Is it working? Are our youth advancing or falling behind? Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. We've done 'super' religion for donkeys years here, results? An ever expanding ghetto and an ever less educated youth. Is that what we want? If so, keep doing the religion thing. We'll end up like the Taliban. Good luck with that.
Posted By: Stand Up for Righteousness On: 8/22/2010
Title: Do The Word
Just do what God says. I am not referring to "Religion". I am speaking of a personal relationship with Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and through Him with our Heavenly Father. It is the exact opposite that destroys lives. Come on now! You know better! If you have read the Bible like you say you have. God does not teach people to do wrong. He teaches us How to Do what is right. A relationship with God elevates your thinking to a higher level. Makes you excel. Check out Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Check out how Jesus took common, ordinary people and turned them into fiery evangelists, world changers and proponents of righteousness. You call that ignorance? Listen to those who have excelled in the highest arenas of life and watch as they are humble enough to bow their heads and say thanks to God. You don't want this for yourself? You don't want this for the Bahamas? God made education. God made the Chinese, the African, Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and so on. So I am overly religious? God made science. God taught man knowledge. Except some have a problem giving Him the glory. They think they did it all by themselves (some --not all). Anyone who acknowleges God sincerely will do better than if they deny Him. Scripture is lovely, beautiful, I prefer it way over humanistic, ignorant, reasoning and arguments. I get a delight in seeing God confound "the wise" by using the foolish things of this world and the things that are despised to bring to nothing the "wisdom of the wise" (of this world). Check out the story of King Nebuchadnezzar whose power was stripped from him after he attested his greatness to himself and not to his Creator. Stripped, turned out of his palace, tied to a tree stump like a dumb animal, rain and dew falling on him for seven years until his senses returned and he wrote a decree recorded for all to read about the glory and power of the Almighty God. Check him out. Awe, but you think those who read and know these eternal truths and examples (for our learning) are the ignorant ones. Awe!
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/21/2010
Title: Quoting
Overly religious Bahamians are very good at quoting a bunch of scripture. I've read the good book cover to cover a few times already in my life. Quoting something doesn't make a point or win an argument. Thinking for oneself because one has paid attention in school and got an education helps make a point or win an argument. Blind faith is not faith, it's just blind. If you know you're history and have faith, great, more power to you, but the average Bahamian Christian just follows their pastor blindly. They follow their 'betters' blindly and this is why this country can't grow and develop, can't face its problems and can't fix its problems. Sheep misled by corrupted shepherds won't get anywhere. Unfortunately, far too many of our people willingly embrace ignorance and turn a blind eye to education, the world and the reality and challenge that confronts us as a young developing nation. They accept it all because they embrace a religious way of thinking that is anti-knowlege, anti-reading and and generally anti-intellectual. Critical thinking, self-assessment and re-evaluation are sorely needed. The great cultures of this earth have always been those that embraced education and learning, not those who embraced religious dogma and rote learning. Blind orthodoxy is just that, blind. Have your faith, again, no issue there. Faith is a great thing, but don't have faith and embrace ignorance and defend faith via ignorance. That is not the path to enlightenment and genuine spirituality. That will just condemn our people to darkness. If we want to have some control of our destiny as a people, we must embrace learning, languages, mathematics, history and science. The overemphasis on religion is destroying this country and condemning our youth to a future where the ghetto will rule. If people can't think for themselves, how will they navigate a knwolege and information based economy? do you think the Chinese have had the success they had by emphasising religion over science, education and learning at school? Honestly? Search within and ask yourself as a human being. Again, nothing against faith. More power to you for it, but blind faith is the way of the Taliban. We call them fanatics for a reason. Ignorance and lack of education breeds religious fanaticism. That is growing in this country. You can't build a country or an economy on religious fanaticism. God gave us brains, let's use them. Not pretend to be using them in his name, that is an insult to the Creator.
Posted By: Stand Up for Righteousness On: 8/21/2010
Title: Education alone can't do it.
I have nothing to say against education, however, education alone cannot purge a human's guilty conscience. The only way to be made brand new, have a new heart and a new mind, is to truly repent of your sins, confess and forsake them, and surrender your heart to the leadership of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Posted By: Stand Up for Righteousness On: 8/21/2010
Title: The Carnal Man
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14 Unless you do (A) you cannot achieve (B). "Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." Jesus' words. God who made you and I and the entire universe knows whom He chose to convey His Words to us and again He confirms His Word with signs following. The only way you will know for a certainty is to do what He says--then you will have a true relationship with Him who made you. If you disobey, you still will find out what He says is the truth. "Think on these things." Jesus' advice is to humble yourself and become as a child so you can receive from God. His Word also informs us to observe that not many wise of this world are called. But God has chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise..so that no flesh can glory in His sight. I'll tell you why people are trying to discredit the authority of the Word of God so they won't feel like they have to obey it. Of course we all know who is behind that kind of thinking...God's enemies and the one they listen to...that old devil, the serpent and the one whom Jesus named "The father of lies." and I am not calling YOU the devil.
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/20/2010
Title: Spin galore...
"There is no spin or angle on God's Word."
This proposition is laughable. Men wrote the gospels, not God. The gospels don't even agree in important details. The question of Jesus divinity wasn't even settled until the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. There is no spin? Bahamian Christians just don't know any history and have never understood beyond the limited version of reality that was presented to them by their parents, their government and this country. It's just sad. I have no issue with faith, but come on, at least know some history and know what one is dealing with. Don't make platitudes of nonsense like this. Talk about the blind leading the blind. The only freedom and emancipation for this country lies in education, not continued blindness, ignorance and hyper-religion. For those who have faith, I respect that, but faith in complete ignorance isn't faith. It's just ignorance. No wonder this country is so stagnant and its problems appear insurmountable. It's people have intellectual blinders on, permanently in the name of religion. It's like 19th century England or something.
Posted By: God's Word Stands Forever On: 8/20/2010
Title: Media Literacy
Now, do you see why Jesus said He is the Truth? Thank God there is no spin or angle on God's Word. Whatever God says is the truth and it must come to pass. Why? Because it is impossible for God to tell a lie. God is Creator and whatever He says creates. God's word is eternal. If it was said in the past, it will still have effect in the present, and will continue in the future. It is written, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but the word of God will endure forever." I heard someone say, people don't know what they are missing, because they are under deceit and lies. Another thing, God backs up The Truth. He stands behind His Word and confirms that it is the Truth. The way to prove God's Word is the truth is to do what Jesus (the Truth) says. The Truth is that God is love. He loves the world. And He wants everyone to believe Jesus so that they might be saved and receive everlasting life. To God be all the Glory, honor, thanks and praise!
Posted By: Big Eleuthera On: 8/19/2010
Title: Where is the Truth ?
Great commentary !
Posted By: Voltaire On: 8/16/2010
Title:
* QUITE simply lack
Posted By: Voltaire On: 8/16/2010
Title: @ Erasmus
I would agree for the most part, but also argue that we have a slight case of diminished responsibility. Without education man is no more than an animal – worse actually for a number of reasons. Many Bahamians quick simply lack the tools to cease perpetuating the ignorance. And let's face it, our political class, which continues to control the educational options available to most young Bahamians, has no desire to raise the standard. I'm not saying politicians have an agenda with regard to education, just that they have no incentive to improve anything; its not like their children have to attend public schools. Also, the the opium of religion is not merely an "as well" - it is the driving force behind much of what you identify. For example, Bahamian preachers constantly rail against equality for women and express their support for marital rape during mass, on the radio and on TV. Until education improves, these people will continue to hold sway. Even then... who knows - “So long as man remains free, he strives for nothing so incessantly and painfully as to find someone to worship” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/16/2010
Title: *nuances
*nuances
Posted By: Erasmus Folly On: 8/16/2010
Title: Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.
Well said. Is the public educated enough to understand such nuisances though? On the whole, the 'elite' read the newspaper and understand the complex stories. The masses read the salacious stuff and focus on crime and the other sensational stories. The worse our education gets, the easier it is for the elite to dominate, but... who is forcing the masses to perpetuate their ignorance? I look around, I see a fairly free country and fairly free information, but I see a lot of lazy, unmotivated and ignorant people who care little for education or understanding the reality of their world and their country. Nobody is denying them that opportunity, they simply don't go for it. They prefer to read the gossip rag or check out TMZ, than read anything real or understand their world beyond the simple story told to them by parents, government and church. We define our own mental prisons, not outside forces. This is the great irony of the new 'Matrix'. People willingly engage in ever dumber forms of entertainment and trivial stuff because they believe their freedom is already assured. After all, if you are Bahamian, this is your country and it is Independent, right? I see very few people who care and even less willing to do anything about anything. We can't give our women the right to confer citizenship, we can't secure a freedom of information act, we can't control crime and we can't improve education. The elite don't have a deliberate campaign to obstruct these things, our culture and our people simply don't act and don't care. The opium of religion makes them apathetic as well.
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