By Karl Salmon
The separation of Church and State defines the distance between religion and the government. It prevents the government from officially recognising or favouring any religion in state-run institutions that the pubic relies on; it prevents religious groups from interfering with the government’s goals and objectives; and it allows the public the freedom to practice any religion of their choice.
The Judicial, Executive and Legislative arms of government are to guide and protect the freedom and welfare of every citizen. This means that government cannot (should not) endorse, favour or enforce one religious belief over any other, nor can it make laws relating to the establishment of a religion, or restrict the free expression of religious beliefs.
No religion should take precedence over another in any environment where religious values were not founded on.
Curricular studies
Students should be free to practice their religion, but public (government-run) schools should not require students to worship any particular religion. Various religions can be taught in schools, but public schools should not teach an exclusive religion.
I progressed through Jamaica’s Catholic elementary, primary, and high school institutions of learning. Included in their curriculum was the subject of Christianity. Every morning, we were required to bow our heads, pray and give thanks in reverence to its Deity. There were no objections or concerns from students or parents to this ritual because it was assumed or expected that student who accepted admission to these institutions were of the Christian faith.
Now, there is nothing wrong with this, because these are Christian institutions. A significant number of schools in Jamaica were founded by Bishops, Jesuits, Priest, and Missionaries.
These schools carried out the evangelizing mission of the Church, integrating Christian education as one of their core teachings.
“Founded on high ethical principles based on the moral teachings of Christianity”- Ardenne High School.
There is a distinct difference between religious education and religious indoctrination.
The Christian-founded schools reinforced the Christian belief and teachings. This is indoctrination because it was the sole religious subject taught in their curriculum.
Religious education, on the other hand, teaches students about the various communities of faith.
Religious education is important in schools because it is an essential component for a broad and balanced education. It provides a significant and enlightening contribution to the school’s curriculum by widening students’ knowledge and understanding of different religious beliefs and practices as well as their influence on individuals, communities, and cultures. It also allows students to evaluate and respond to a wide range of important questions in relation to their own spiritual development.
Both variations of these religious exposures have their merits. However, an ethical dilemma manifests itself when religion encroaches into non-religious environments.
Religious adjudication
Christians believe that the sins of men will be forgiven by confessing their wrongs and accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This forgiveness is based on the sacrifice of Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross, which is believed to have been the atonement for the sins of humanity.
May I ask, could a mass murderer atone for his sins, accept Jesus Christ as his lord and saviour, then be absolved of his treacherous ways?
The Muslim religion enforces fixed punishment for crimes considered to be against the rights of God. For example, criminals will have their limbs amputated for theft.
For family members (usually women) who have been perceived to cause shame on the family, the family’s honour can be restored by flogging. There is no Islamic law supporting honour killings, which includes stoning to death, although this and other acts of honour killings are committed by some splinter groups.
It is important that government establish logical, fair and humane legislative consequences for the commission of (sins).
Morality of gambling
Government’s intervention into activities judged by some sections of society to be immoral should be permissible only if it affects the well-being and welfare of the people.
For example, religious bodies can express concerns that the activities of gambling violate (their) principles of morality. However, they should not coerce the government to enact laws against gambling, unless there is a distinct and absolute relationship between gambling and criminal activities/breakdown of law and order.
Jamaica’s Motto: “Out of Many, One people”
Jamaica’s national motto, “Out of Many One People”, was based on the country’s multiracial roots. The motto is represented on the Coat of Arms, showing a male and female member of the Taino tribe standing on either side of a shield that bears a red cross and five golden pineapples.
“Out of Many, One People” replaced the Latin motto “Indus Uterque Serviet Uni”, which translates The Indians twain shall serve one Lord. It was discarded because it was deemed to bear no relation or relevance to modern day Jamaica. This removal from the symbol is in contrast to our National Anthem.
Here are the opening lines:
Eternal Father, bless our land
Guide us with thy mighty hand
Keep us free from evil powers
Be our light through countless hours….
In preparation for Jamaica’s independence, the government opened a competition to the public to write the lyrics of Jamaica’s future national anthem, which would be judged by selected members of Jamaica’s House of parliament. The winning script was chosen in 1961 and was written by Rev. Hugh Sherlock, an ordained methodist minister.
I have not delved deeply into the criteria for the song’s lyrics, but I gather that such lyrical content was encouraged to invoke a feeling of national pride, strength and above all, inclusiveness.
The anthem continues with a deep reliance on the Christian Deity.
Government, religious leaders, and their supporters should welcome and advocate the concept of the separation of Church and State. Separation goes both ways: it is not only important to keep religion out of government, it is important to keep government out of religion. It protects the government from interference by religious organisations and it protects religious organizations from government interference with the practice of their beliefs, as long as those beliefs do not involve inhumane practices.
The lack of separation between church and state weakens the capacity of the government to protect the rights of its citizens to practice their religious beliefs freely. It also allows citizens to enjoy a free and fair democratic environment without bias.
Separation of Church and State could, however, turn out to be a difficult transformation in Jamaica. Perhaps a futile effort, since the King of Great Britain is both head of the Anglican Church and the head of state of Jamaica.
