Dear Editor,
I was accused on live television in Berbice twice of being intolerant of Muslim religious programmes on TV during Ramadan since the publication of my letter in the Stabroek News recently. I have never seen myself as being “intolerant” of any religious programming being aired on the TV — belonging to any religion! It is rather unfortunate that my words were misconstrued.
My point is that religious programming belonging to any religion, I believe, should not be aired during the primetime evening period of TV viewing. I used the example of the Ramadan programming during the nights and also the Lenten movies during Lent and the Ramayan movies during Sunday nights. Now how is it that I am seen as attacking Muslims when I’ve used examples from the three major religious faiths? I was never brought up to condemn or criticize any religion. Furthermore, as a teacher, it would not be in my best interest to do so — and I never have.
I don’t have a problem with NCN Berbice giving equal airtime to the major religions. I merely recommended that these programmes be aired earlier in the day so as to accommodate movies, live programmes, documentaries, current affairs and the like during the evening periods. But our TV stations today depend wholly and solely on the American satellite broadcasts. Gone are the days of documentaries and other locally-produced programmes.
Do we respond to suggestions with such hate, anger and slurs unbecoming of our self-professed faiths? I was shocked, really, I was.
Now more than ever, there seems to be more religious programming on TV than any other programming. Take NCN Berbice, for example; they have a very high percentage of religious programming lately. It’s very good. We can know and learn more about each other’s faiths and values.
With more churches than any other Caribbean country and a host of religious programmes from dawn, throughout the day and through the night, we are becoming a really religious nation, aren’t we? That, too, is good. VCT has several hours of Trinity Broadcasting Network every day.
But — and there’s a ‘but’ — are we living as a “religious” people? What good are these programmes doing in our lives? The corrupt and dangerous society that we live in today in Guyana — where so much is wrong from way up high to the very low places — therefore should be forced to change for the better seeing that there is a plethora of religious programmes that are airing at any given time on any give TV station.
To those who misinterpreted my letter, next time, why not read thoroughly what I have said, ponder upon it and then draw valid conclusions before launching an unwarranted attack.
Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran
