THE EDITOR, Sir:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. – Isaiah 5 verse 20.
It’s quite interesting that as human beings our level of sensitivity is so distorted by things that we don’t understand, or maybe don’t practice, that it’s very easy to dismiss spiritual experiences that we have never encountered.
I was quite surprised by comments in the media over the weekend from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston, Kenneth Richards, calling for a ban on speaking in tongues during worship exercises in institutions.
Would the Archbishop like someone in the religious community to call for an end to the tradition of liturgy in church or even in school devotions?
The Jamaican Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, which means that everyone has the right to express themselves. But my bone of contention with the Archbishop’s statement concerns the use of his freedom of speech to call for restricting or limiting the right of others to practice religion in schools, which could include speaking in tongues, being himself a religious man.
And, if the Ministry of Education followed this recommendation, then it would not only limit the rights of the leaders of the exercise of devotion, but also those of the students and teachers.
It’s really funny that tolerance in our society is limited to certain secular activities but never invoked when it comes to religious practices.
MARVIN FORBES
