“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught… And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” – Luke 5:4-6
Like Simon, the idea that if we are to find what we are looking for we must then search the obvious places where men would assume it would be. This is not a new form of thinking. This teaching by Jesus was not given solely for the purpose learning how to attain wealth but one of the greatest lessons we can acquire from this is where best to uncover the root of the problems we face in life and as a nation.
For years we have been fighting crime day and night to no avail. We cast our nets into the Ghettos and on its streets only to catch fourteen. What about the Gated Communities?
Like wealth, I also believe that our enemy and the source of all calamities are hidden in secret places.
The Church
The willingness of parents to leave their kids unattended at churches hasn’t gone unnoticed by paedophiles (males and females) that are attracted to such places because of the “trust” factor that comes with the name. Many of these persons would also pursue leadership roles as youth leaders, instructors and the like within these institutions as a way of gaining greater access to impressionable young men and women.
Recently we have been awakened to this reality when a local pastor of a very prominent church was brought before the courts for charges of raping a minor who was placed under his custody by her parents.
International attention was also focused on a similar case involving Full Gospel Baptist Church Leader Eddie Long who, after backdoor negotiations managed to have his case swept under the rug.
Many of these cases of molestation go unreported and are dealt with among parishioners who in their “forgiving” nature would reinstate those accused and confirmed perpetrators back into their assembly in a lower or previous role. Parents need to understand that if the shepherds can do it then why can’t the flock?
Why God?
The damage that such offences inflict upon the minds of young people is extreme. The offence does even greater damage when it is brought upon by those who fabricate themselves as representations of God. This then results in a violent and open rejection for any symbolism of Christianity.
Things which were once foreign to us are now becoming the norm. Places of worship are now being vandalized and desecrated on a daily basis in this country. Many on the outside would look and ask why God would allow this. I believe that a better question should be: Why have we allowed this?
Migrant Exploitation
Many Haitian migrants who have been poorly treated by our society are being easily taken in by foreign religions who offer them gifts, acceptance and protection. The masses of these being children (many not yet in their teens) whose parents lack the proper education needed to understand the nature of the beliefs that these people carry and their true motives.
Many are also adopted into street gangs where the culture of violence is all too common.
Regulation Needed
To solve these problems I believe that it is very important for us to move in the direction of including all religious organizations in the Bahamas under a regulatory commission as we do with entities in such as Securities, Insurance and public companies.
The current freedom that exists has opened doors allowing for the exploitation of our citizens and the Government itself. Exemption from strong Government regulation has been proven to lead to Money Laundering, Ponzi schemes, Cult activities and also Terrorism in other countries. We must not allow the same to happen here.
The Schools
It’s a common saying that the majority of problems begin at home and that parents should bear the full responsibility of their children. This is not necessarily true. What then is the fate of the orphans and whose responsibility are they? For thirteen years of their lives (from childhood to adolescence) children spend on average of seven hours a day in school. Children in-fact live most of their crucial years behind the walls of educational institutions during peak learning times when knowledge is absorbed the most.
The tremendous impact and influence of teachers on our young people should not be looked at casually. Moral values should form the foundation of our educational process before academics. I say this because it’s very difficult (if not impossible) to teach a class of unruly children. It is insane for us to even attempt to first place academics in the mind of a child who is not aware of basic manners and respect for those deserving of it.
It is also equally insane and a disservice to this country for its teachers to not be equipped or refuse to educate their students in areas of morality because they deem it as a role for the parents. The old saying is true that it takes a village to raise a child.
It should be the Government’s mandate to restructure the educational system that it may lean more into teaching morality, core values and the founding principles of our society above everything else.
The hiring practices of teachers in Government and Private schools needs careful review. Proper and thorough screening needs to take place before any teacher whether local or foreign is accepted into any of our institutions. Clear moral standards needs to be set as the primary factor needed to qualify as a teacher and not academics alone.
Conclusion
We must understand that it’s the Government that bears the main responsibility for creating the best environment needed for the growth of all of our children. This responsibility should not be one to be taken lightly as citizens because the failure of these systems will negatively affect us all.
If we are to solve the issues that plague us today we must cast our nets on the right side, without fear and enclose the common enemy seeking to destroy our land.
We must understand that the root of our problems lies in the deep and unseen places where most dare not to search.
Delroy Meadows
Nassau, Bahamas
January, 2011
