Is God partisan or divisive?

01.FEB.11

Editor: I write in response to an article in the Vincentian newspaper of January 21, 2011, captioned “Politicians and reconciliation.”

The author states, “It is this writer’s humble submission that the only recipe for reconciliation is found in the word of God and with the people of God.” He concluded by stating “Reconciliation lives or dies with us, not the politicians.”{{more}} One may infer that reconciliation is a divine assignment for the people of God alone. A superficial reading of the Bible of the eighteen times the words reconcile or reconciliation was used, one may lean to that trend of thought.

As scholars, including biblical scholars exhort, we must be deep thinkers with an open mind to discern the reasons, facts and the root of any presentation and teaching. The article referred to reveals a person troubled by the possible loss of a divinely appointed task to the ‘godly’ into the hands of ‘ungodly’ powers. May I state factually, that most, if not all wars fought have ‘godly’ connections. In fact, some of the most atrocious and heinous acts of violence were committed against brethren in the name of their supreme authority. It is because of these and others that I recommend that we do not blindly accept toxic verbiage under the disguise of religion, especially Christianity.

After suffering in jail for 27 years, President Nelson Mandela instituted the “truth and reconciliation commission. Was President Mandela a member of the clergy or politician? Mohandas K. Gandhi, a proponent of nonviolent civil disobedience in response to British rule of India, and unification of the Hindus and Muslims, was he a Christian? The unquestionable desire and implementation of Marcus Garvey was to reconcile the foreign sons and daughters of mother Africa back to her. Was he a religious leader? The list is enormous.

Reconciliation has both a human to human connotation as can be found in Matthew 5:24 and Colossians 1:21. There is also a God to human overtone, depicting covering, atonement as prescribed in 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. The point I am developing is that the church and the government both have their place in the process of reconciliation. It is neither heretical nor unscriptural for any Government to pursue a course of reconciliation. It is hypocritical how we as Christians treat our own Christian family.

It is naïve and narrow-minded to think that the so-called ‘ungodly’ cannot offer suggestions to the divisive negative emotions that are prevailing. May I remind my friend that a donkey was used by God to reach a prophet? God used a lady from a heathen society to protect Elijah. Factually, prolonged exposure to hatred grows. It is my humble plea for every Vincentian to put aside the divisiveness and “be reconciled to thy brother.”(Matt 5: 24). In response to some hypocrites, it is recorded that Jesus said “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s.” (Matt. 22:21). Caesar here represents Governmental authority. Since Jesus, being our example recognizes secular authority and function, lets pattern our beautiful country on His principles, “love thy brother as thyself.”

In our failure to fulfill our duty, others have taken our job. Until then, as you said, “the true gatekeepers of our communities and our nation wake up” the politicians have a responsibility to preserve law and order using the tool of reconciliation to achieve that state of affairs. As Daniel rightfully proclaimed to Belshazzar, “…whom He would He set up; and whom He would He put down.”(Dan. 5:19)

B. Louis Daisley
NY, USA.