Dear Editor,
We all know that this is the most important season in the life of the nation of Guyana – elections. What happens at the polls will somehow determine the future of this great nation. Will we rise to new heights of progress? Will we embrace change, I mean real change? Not artificial or superficial change, but substantial change? Change that this nation has only dreamt of?
Being born here in Guyana I grew up here as a young man; now that I am in my mid-sixties I would not be here for long, and soon I will be no more like others who went before me.
I have seen Guyana’s independence from Great Britain. I lived to see Guyana become a Republican state. But while I am here it is my constitutional right to make a contribution to the nation which I came out from.
While others may say they have no interest in Guyana, and many times I overheard Guyanese saying ‘Guyana gone to the dogs,‘ somehow I don’t find that negative perspective living inside of me; rather I live with a strong faith and a great hope that Guyana will rise beyond this and excel more than ever.
Whether this is the season or the beginning of such rising only God knows. Therefore if we as Christians are eligible (some people did not register or may have lost their ID cards) to vote then, we should do so with a Biblical perspective. That it is our right as a civilized people. The question therefore must be asked, how should Christians vote? I am not too certain if the Christian leaders of this nation have put out a statement on this very important issue. What I do know is that many Christians are misled in the whole process of exercising their franchise, and concerning the reason why they should.
Because of space and time I cannot go into details of logic and reasoning. But allow me to say that when a Christian goes to the polls on November 28, he/she should be guided by a few biblical principles which I will attempt to outline.
The first principle is ‘conscience’ (the awareness that their action conforms to biblical standards of right and wrong); the NT stresses the need to have a good conscience towards God and man. To vote on the basis of a good conscience will be Bible basis. The second principle is ‘choice’; we are created as free moral agents and no one should influence our decision to choose. At the end of the day I must decide who I am committing my vote to. It means I can vote for any party regardless of race, issue or policy. The choice is mine. The third principle is ‘knowledge.‘ The Christian Bible gives us over 1800 references to the concept of knowing. Knowledge is pleasant to the soul. And with that knowledge we can all be guided towards the path of truth and righteousness.
The Christian can take time to study and get to know the party (candidate) he/she would like to vote for. This is a very important principle in voting as a Christian. Ignorance is not advanced in the Christian way of life so I would expect persons reading this to follow these principles for a new and vibrant Guyana come November 28.
Yours faithfully,
Apostle Vanrick Beresford
Senior Pastor
