Rogers: Beware of wealth, power traps

Watch out for those who abuse their religious authority and political power for wealth, Senator Reverend John Rogers told Barbadians as part of his Good Friday Sermon.

While suggesting that some people may be naive to these occurrences, he said some leaders relied on religion to carry out financial abuse.

“There are persons who are willing to abuse their power as long as it profits them, as long as it maintains their position and as long it gives them material gain. It may sound far-fetched for us in Barbados but it happens here.

“People are made to feel ashamed because their contribution is not commensurate with what persons believe their salary to be. In some places, you have the silver, gold and platinum offerings.

Platinum plate

“People are made to feel less than if they can’t live up to getting to the platinum plate. There are many people who go hungry during the week just to make sure they can walk to that platinum plate so that the same church can feed them. And who are the beneficiaries. I’ll leave you to the research,” Rogers said.

He shared that message with the scores in the congregation at Christ Church Parish Church, Church Hill yesterday and, during his address, he repeatedly asked the question, what type of society do we have?

He referred to the chief priests and Pharisees who conspired against Jesus and influenced his crucifixion, saying it was their moral corruption that contributed to the society’s degradation.

“Like the chief priest, like the Pharisees, their religion had only become for their material gain, only to make themselves comfortable in this life with seemingly no care for the people.

Moral compass

“The community, in which Jesus was crucified, was a community in chaos. Its leaders had no directions, no moral compass . . . because they abdicated their duties, both religious and civil, the community fell into chaos,” he said.

He warned modern-day politicians not to fall into that trap and not to prioritise power over the people.

“If we continue to practice a politics where the vote is more important than the voter; where all you do every five years is to make sure you can muster up enough funds to get enough voters to follow you, and then after that you forget them, there will come a time when you will not be able to muster enough funds.

“It is not far-fetched; we see it in other parts of our region, and I’m fearful that it will get here. If we have leadership that is only concerned about upward mobility, only concerned about their place in society, and maintaining that place then the community will be a community that will go astray and will crucify our Lord over and over,” he added.

Rogers was one of several religious leaders who spoke during religious services and proceedings held to commemorate Jesus’ sacrifice.

For example, the Roman Catholic Church re-enacted the Stations of the Cross in various City communities with Roman Catholic Bishop Neil Scantlebury saying they would also be praying for the communities and an end to the violence.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mia Mottley also issued a statement and urged the public to pause and reflect.

“Barbados stands at a solemn crossroads. During this holy Eastertide season, and indeed over the course of the last year, the peace we have cherished as a people has far too often been shattered by news of crime, violence and murder. We are simply grieving the loss of too many of our sons and daughters,” she said. (TG)

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