Get children back in Sunday School

12.OCT.07

Editor: The high rise in crimes has been of great concern to many Vincentians, both at home and abroad. As we critically analyzed it, many of us Vincentians have to take the blame for the rising crimes. The truth is, there can be no one factor that is responsible for the rising crimes.{{more}}

Gone are the days when Sunday School was a must. Instead, we use Sundays for parties, block ‘o’s, and other forms of entertainment. When Christ is left outside of our lives, then how can we expect crimes to be reduced? We need to begin to send our children back to Sunday School. Failure to do so, the children will grow up with very little respect for Christ and His Word.

Those television shows that portray violence as a means of solving a problem have contributed to the violent crimes in our nation. The very music that talks about being a gangster and bad boy has influenced the minds of our young people. The drug trade has been a driving force for the violent crimes.

We have felt that money is more important than anything else, and so we have placed a high emphasis on material things, thus making the drug trade more attractive as a way of earning fast money. So when someone has been given a rotten deal in the drug trade, they resort to violent means.

More can be said about the causes of the violent crimes. But for the sake of space, I would not add more, but just to say that some blame must be placed on the homes from which many of these persons come. When we have teenagers becoming mothers, then how can they properly train their children? When we have delinquent mothers and fathers, then how can the children grow up feeling love and fulfilled? Doesn’t this naturally harbour criminals?

Let us not forget the human rights people who are silent when a crime is committed. They are never on the side of the victim, but they quickly rush to the aid of those who are sentenced for their crimes and are talking about inhumane conditions and punishment. The victims, it seems, do not have rights, but the prisoners have.

That has contributed to crimes being committed, since the criminals can feel safe knowing that they will not be hanged and that in prison they can claim that their rights are being violated. This, as a result, makes prison life a bit easier for many.

I firmly believe that if the conditions were harsh and the penalties were allowed to be carried out, then many persons would be afraid of going to jail. But they know that it is not so.

Let us pray for this nation, and let us return back to God.

Kennard King