Adventist pastor’s wrong was not his attendance at rally

Dear Editor,

Since people still have this issue of Northern Caribbean University church pastor, Dr Michael Harvey, misconstrued, for whatever reasons, let me try and make it a bit clearer.

The Jamaican Constitution speaks to the right to association. The Adventist Church believes in democracy and, unlike the Jehovah’s Witnesses, does not tell its members not to be a part of the democratic process. This makes it clear that Harvey was indeed right in supporting the party of his choice, as well as execising his freedom to associate with whomever or whichever community he chooses.

However, the Seventh-day Adventist Church doesn’t believe in the active campaigning or endorsing of a specific party or candidate, as one of its beliefs is that ‘’Church and State must not mix’’.

A statement he made was that ‘’the best way forward for the country is in Portia Simpson Miller and her lieutenants’’. Where was God in all of that?

For a man of the gospel he should have used the event to rally the Comrades to look to God and not to man.

In concluding, no one is saying that politicians do not come to the Adventist Church and that he is wrong to have gone to the rally. It was his delivery that was wrong. He cannot speak for the Adventist Church without the doctrinal references of the church.

Omar McPherson

ommcpherson@gmail.com