Politics of the spirit

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Sunday | July 29, 2007

By: Ken Jones, Contributor

Political stumping and bible-thumping have been clasping hands together since the proverbial devil was a boy. Few politicians would ever think of 'raising hell' without first calling on heaven for help; and hanky-panky often lurks behind the singing of a sankey.

Last week, Roman Catholic Archbishop Lawrence Burke issued a ban on any marriage between pulpit and political platforms. No political candidate will be allowed to preach in the Roman Catholic church. Still, this will prevent neither demon nor deacon claiming God's anointment, appointment or tacit support. Politics of the spirit will always be part of the spirit of politics.

Despite a recent resurgence of religious name-calling, old-time campaigners were far more inclined to make use of Christian influences. While today's speeches are often interspersed with reggae music and dancehall lyrics, yesterday's street orators relied on hymns by famous writers, choruses from Ira Sankey and quotations from the Bible.

Singing of hymns

Notable campaigners like Alexander Bustamante made frequent reference to scripture in order to impress listeners that their cause was not just right, but righteous.

He never claimed to be God's chosen servant, being happier to be regarded as the people's elect. Still, no meeting of his would be complete without the singing of his favourite hymn:

"I must have the Saviour with me/For I dare not walk alone;

"I must feel his presence near me/And his arms around me thrown."

And even as the 'Chief' was inviting the Lord's protection, his rival, Ken Hill, was summoning help from the same Almighty. Militantly, his followers sang:

"Let God arise/And lead forth those who march to war;/Let God arise/And all His foes be scattered far."

Bustamante could have claimed that he was favoured by God when he won that election in 1944.

However, Hill might have claimed that God had indeed scattered the foe when 'Busta' moved far to South Clarendon and left the seat to be won by him.

In the adjoining constituency, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) candidate, attorney Frank Pixley, was better known for imbibing rather than worshipping spirits.

While he was content to have Bustamante's hymns sung on his platform, his People's National Party (PNP) opponent, Wills O. Isaacs, was earning the sobriquet 'Bishop', by the style and content of his speeches. His religious fervour was highlighted with the regular singing of his favoured, Fight the good fight with all thy might.

Florizel Glasspole first entered the fray with a strong religious background. Perhaps sensing a comfortable victory over his four opponents, he declined to petition the divine spirits but gave thanks in anticipation of a new government including himself. Nightly, his audience would sing with him: "Thy Kingdom come O God/They rule O Christ begin."

His close associate, N.N. Nethersole, was not the type of politician to mix his cause with religion. Nevertheless, his followers insisted on twisting the gospel song: Try and win another soul for Jesus. to Try and win a Nethersole for Jesus.

The PNP were so overwhelmed by the JLP in 1944 that their leader Norman Manley did not win a seat in the new parliament. Saddened by the leader's absence, the party sought spiritual assistance and at subsequent meetings sang the mournful hymn: "There were ninety and nine that safely lay/In the shelter of the fold;/But one was out on the hills away/Far from the gates of gold."

Of course, the more realistic among politicians will say their prayers and then go out and acknowledge that 'faith without works is dead'.

Marcus Garvey advised his followers not to depend on God to do for them what they ought to do for themselves. In one of his speeches he told them: "You have the wrong idea if you think it is God's duty to find a job for you. God does not build cities or homes or nations or factories; and men and peoples who want them must work for themselves and pray to God to give them strength to do it."

Nevertheless, he claimed God's endorse-ment of his movement when he said: "God Almighty is our leader and Jesus Christ our standard bearer."

Scoffing at partiality

In the present election campaign, some contenders are claiming that God has decided to support one side against the other. Garvey scoffed at the idea of divine partiality and cited the battle between Italy and Abyssinia, when both sides turned to God for help.

In Rome, the Pope pronounced blessings on the Italian troops; and Haile Selassie's Coptic church resorted to fasting and prayer for a victorious outcome.

Garvey commented: "God did not take sides, but let the matter be settled by the strongest human battalion."

He was echoing a statement made centuries before by the French warrior Marshal Henri Turenne: "God is always on the side of the big battalions."

The United States constitution frowns upon any undue link between Church and State; yet, its Declaration of Independence ends with an appeal to "the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions" (and) "the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence."

Constitutional advice has not silenced American political leaders who sometimes use spiritual beliefsas a tool for persuading people. In fact, this practice so irritated former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder that he mentioned in his memoirs how suspicious he was of President Bush's constant references to his Christian faith.

Schroeder wrote: "What bothered me was that again and again in our discussions, this president described himself as 'God-fearing." "

Claims of divine support for one side or the other will no doubt continue and grow louder whenever elections are held, but to give the Bible the last word in this matter we might turn to Deuteronomy 30:19 - "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

The responsibility, I suppose, is ours

Ken Jones, a veteran journalist, is general secretary of the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs.