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Pastors and Bishops led prayer march around the City
Local pastor and member of the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches Stafford Proper believes the church should take some responsibility for the rise in crime in Dominica.
He says if the reproach of sin continues to bring down the country, then the Christians more than the politicians have failed in their responsibility and should therefore make more efforts at helping to stem the rise in crime, stop the occult from infiltrating the school system and stop intoxication by the island’s youth.
Prosper was addressing a Rally organized by the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches in Roseau to help curb violence and criminal activities in Dominica.
Pastor Prosper says the fact of the country’s moral spiritual crisis is not the 10 murders recorded so far this year, not the increase in drug activities or prostitution and theft but because sin has become a non-issue in the land, hence the creation or cessation of the God-fearing and the failure of the faithful.
Sunday’s rally also received the blessings of Bishop of Roseau His Lordship Gabriel Malzaire. Bishop Malzaire has been very outspoken on the issues of violence and crime in Dominica over the past several months
He said in earlier statements in the media that if the spiritual fabric of the society is destroyed then the nation will be more opened to crime and violence.
The rally was also attended by Reverend Calvin Greenaway of the Methodists church and the Christian council of Churches
Organizers of Sunday’s prayer match and rally say the next stop will be at the Windsor Park Stadium where a much bigger event will be held.
If there is one thing that never stops surprising me, it is religious leaders continued belief that all evils can be solved by religion. Is your son robbing people? Get him to pray more. Is your daughter a whore? Bring Jesus into her life. Blah blah blah. Well, continue to live like you are in the Dark Ages and you will continue to have Dark Age-levels of success. Why not correct the problem at a social level? For juveniles, much crime stems simply from boredom. Not all children enjoy, or are willing to participate in, structured athletic and artistic activities after school but they have proven an effective tool against delinquency. Mentorships, vocational training, or part time jobs also help children to thrive. For adults, the problem is more difficult. Anti-social behavior in adults is often learned in adolescence and can be difficult to modify. It is also more difficult to cure underlying problems that can push people to crime because, as we all know, growing an economy and increasing jobs is not something that can be accomplished over night. My main point is this, it is ok to pray for help. It can be comforting and band people together in solidarity. But to choose prayer solely over proven and “Earthly” methods is foolhardy and begs failure.