When those who do evil use God’s name in their evil schemes, I blame the church
When people praise the goodness of God when their evil schemes succeed, I blame the church
When supporters of wrong doers blindly follow them in their evil schemes and give praise to God when their evil schemes succeed, I blame the church.
Evil schemes geared at a blatant violation of the truth and of the rule of the objectively moral law CANNOT be of God.
I blame the church for not reiterating this to the ignorant for whom it is responsible (because the church teaches that one must instruct the ignorant).
It is folly to give praise to God for something that is NOT of God
The church does not correct that error either.
It is only those of erroneous conscience who will support the wrong that someone else does and give praise to God for it.
I blame the church for not cultivating a properly informed conscience within these people.
As I contemplate these various failures of the church, I am increasingly becoming of the view that laying of hands on somebody’s head and rubbing with olive oil puts no more of the Spirit in that person than rubbing one’s hand on the person’s chest and applying Vix Vapour Rub. For if this is the same Spirit that is supposed to catapult us into the light, into the truth, into the mission, then either the Spirit did not get in there or something went wrong with the catapult.
My position, therefore, is that since the church no longer support or defends the precepts and the truth of the God whom they profess, that same God will abandon them just as he abandoned the Temple in the days of old. His Spirit will move out of them and hand them over to the god whom they REALLY worship.
God will then find His faithful in the neglected on the streets who speak after His heart, yes, the faithful neglected who are not distracted by the seducing comfort of pleasure and the intoxicating pleasure of comfort.
Yes, those who have no children to send to study, those who are not burdened by the fear of losing that house to the bank, or who are afraid that their phones may be tapped. I can imagine the contemplation in the kitchen while the bread is being buttered and the microwave makes that ‘ting’ to herald the coming of the sauce: “I know it is wrong you know. I know it goes against what my conscience is telling me. I know it is bad and immoral. But what will happen to me if I speak? I don’t want to lose my job, my car, my house. When I stand up for justice and fairness, and lose all that I have, all my neighbours and the clergy will say is how unfair it was that I was punished that way. Then they will move on and leave me to fend for myself.”
Well, what must one expect from the church, the church whose ACTIONS do not reflect the most basic of its teachings: “You must love your God with all your might, with all your soul and with all your strength, and Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
As I see it, Truth is not found in the church anymore! Truth is found in those who seek after spiritual things. Truth is found in those who suffer for doing right, as Jesus instructed. If the truth is not in you, then you will have no sense of right and wrong. You will have no sense of fair play. You will have no sense of justice. You will have no sense of sin.
Opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Dominica News Online.
THE NEXT REGIME THAT COME HERE SHOULD COLLECT INCOME TAX AND LAND TAX FROM THESE HOUSES OF RELIGIOUS ENTERTAINMENT… ALL OF THEM
I AM A MEMBER OF ONE OF THEM AND I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THAT ONE TOO!!
anything that divides mankind is not of god. the buddist lesson of detachment, teaches the acceptance that life is not forever. and hell is compared to the inability to relinquish ones hold on this world, dying painfully and in anguish, incapable of accepting that this life has come to its end.. this can also be compared to the need that men have to be in command or in control. gone is the era of men who lived for more than achieving a grasp on this material existence, gone are the days when greatness was measured by more than a mans possessions. gone are the days when great men saw their time on earth as a grain of sand on the endless beach which is time.
without this understanding, where will the next generation of great minds come from. when we are consumed by the pursuit of meaningless substance that we will eventually leave behind…If immortality is real, it exists in the hearts and minds of the people who will remember our greatness well beyond the silver and gold….
gone are the times when greatness in thought and deed was worth more than gold and silver.
hence the saying….it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to see the kingdom of god..
beautiful mr. 70’s, beautiful!!!!!!
you should put this on an email and post it to anybody and ask that it be fowarded
“I blame the church”..so who is the church,,,each person in the congregation together is the church..we need to realize that we all are the church..the family is the church,, the person writing the comentary is part of the church so you lead and others will follow. Oh and another thing…the bible also says woe unto the shepherd (pastor) who lead his flock astray…((where there is no vision the people perish))..will and come again mr commentator
stay home and give praises with your family… these are trying times dont go to church.. cause if you know that these men who proclaim to be priest, pastors or deacons are doing wrong and you do not confront them, then you are like them.
@ Forkit
It depends on what type of church you go to. Do some research on how those churches came about and on what basis they were established and by whom.
Pray to God to reveal the truth of the One and Only Church He established after He sent His Only Son that whoever believes in Him might be saved if we obey His Commandments.
It was the Father’s intention to establish one church and not thousands which have caused divisions and disunity.
I can’t blame the church, cause I know for a fact that if there is ONE man of faith in the midst of others! God is gonna find him..no matter how large the congregation..
Dont blame the church.. blame wolf in sheep clothing who taken charge of it. The church have been transformed into business enterprise.
THE CHURCH PICKS AND CHOOSES THE WRONGS THAT IT WILL CORRECT:
WHEN I LISTEN TO MY BOUYON THEY HAVE ALL KIND OF THINGS TO SAY,
BUT WHEN THE BIG-SHOT POLITICIANS (WHO BY THE WAY CONVEY A GREATER NEGATIVE INFLUENCE)TRANSGRESS THAT SAME MORAL CODE,NOT ONLY DO THEY KEEP QUIET, BUT THEY GO IN BED WITH THE POLITICIANS
WHY SHOULD WE BLAME THE CHURCH? THE ONLY
ONE WHO CAN TRULY HELP IS GOD. WE THE PEOPLE
FORM THE CHURCH SOME TRUE AND SOME ARE NOT
SO BLAME YOURSELF AND THE SO CALLED ONES.
Blame YOURSELF!
if you continually sit and wait for your god to provide, protect and lead, you will never learn to do for yourself.
there is too much of a cap in hand mentality here, someone else will provide,(god, donor agency etc). So long as govt (of any political colour)encourages this we will always live in chains.
There needs to be total separation of church and state in Dominica, but since it is one of the biggest businesses on earth, collecting in every country tax free, they’re happy to sit and offer noises at the right time to ensure continued monetary endorsement.
We need to have our minds decolonized before we can truly have separation of truth and state in Dominica. Only once we can shake off the pathetic ghostly chains of the colonists’ missionaries, only once we stop subconsciously believing that we will be brought to eternal bliss out of slavery, only once we stop subconsciously hoping that our oppressors will burn in eternal hell–only once we stop turning such historical and sad desires into truth will we become something we can be proud of. But this will take decades, if it ever occurs, in the Caribbean, as we are all just as much enslaved, ideologically, as we ever have been. We have made almost no philosophical progress, done utterly nothing, and while this is not surprising, per se, given what was done to us, the time is ripe for change.
humanist …….bro…u trying to make me cry man?? let me put on my shades eh 8)very moving and scary at the same time.
@ Humanist
You are enslaved. By no means am I enslaved and feel enslaved. If you would recognize God, worship Him, practice the faith and utilize your basic common sense you will not feel enslaved and harnessed. There is freedom in Jesus Christ.
Humanist, take note. A holy person stated, “Freedom devoid of the truth is no freedom.”
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guess if we have to start casting stones, then there will be none left at the sea shore!
When sinners do wrong it’s the church…..
When foolish kids do wrong it’s the parents….
When the angered minds fires stray bullets and kill the innocent it’s the gun…..
When adults commit crimes, it’s the government….
When we get punished for our wrong doing, we scream lord help me..knowing that bad behavior should not be rewarded..
When are we going to take responsibility for our wrong doing…
It’s not me it’s my finger?????
I don’t go to church, I don’t read the bible but, I do pray to my God. I have not been disappointed by him…but man will always disappoint…
I will not blame the church, but blame the man of that church….
Excellent commentary….
@wait a min…The truth offends
I was taught that the church is every one of us who profess christianity, what is the writer doing to make the church stronger in faith and action.
Must politics come up in everything? Wonder if u could do the job that he is doing? Anyway the church is just a building and people can choose to do wrong or right. We go one at a time not together so do evil and it WILL come back on you.
THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE BLAME FOR NO ONE’S
WRONG DOINGS. GOD KNOWNS THE TRUTH OF WHAT
EVER WRONG WE DO. WE ALL ARE JUST KEEP FOOL-
ING OURSELVES RATHER THAN EXAMINE OUR
CONSCIENCE.
EVERY BODY WANT TO BLAME THE CHURCH AS THOUGH THE CHURCH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CORRUPTION AND INJUSTICE AND IMMORALITY THATS GOING IN THIS ISLAND OR THE WORLD. THE CHURCH HAS LITTLE TO PLAY OR NO PART IN THIS. MITE AS WELL BLAME GOOD HIMSELF IF PEOPLE WANT TO BLAME CHURCH.SMH
the four sufferings: birth,aging,suffering and death
when GOD ALMIGHTY BEGINS TO JUDGE THE CHURCH
YOU ALL WILL DISAGREE WITH HIM, AND TRY TO KILL HIM LIKE JESUS.
JUST THAT THIS IS NOT WRITTEN AND THE BIBLE IS COMPLETE. AMEN
Do not blame the church; blame yourself for not taking the lead. The church is not always leader. It can follow as well.
Blame the Church still.
No matter what anyone will preach, in the end everyone has free will and a mind of their own, and whatever he/she decides to do with that will is his/hers to face.
So, blame the church still.
that is so true certain pastors make it worse…..
I SECOND THE MOTION. THE CHURCH HAS THE UTMOST RIGHT/RESPONSIBILTY TO STOP OR OBJECT AGAINST THE INIQUITIES BUT IT IS STANDING HAND IN HAND WITH THOSE SO INVOLVED. WHERE’S THIS WORLD GOING TO? LAND OF DOOM.
The church is not to blame, it’s the people in the church you must blame.Please wheel and come again.
i doh blame de church for noting…..i blame parents..you are given a human being with a clean slate/innocent mind..do your job right and the world will be a better place….
Should we blame the church? I guess only if it sees wrong for what it is and not for which side one takes. Scripture teaches” Love God with all your heart and all your soul and your neighbor as yourself”. But its mans nature to get corrupt when given political and religious power. We take advantage of peoples vulnerabilities, i.e emotional, financial etc. Life is empty without a belief in God, because ultimately the things we surround ourselves with will not make us happy i.e wealth and materialism. God is not asleep, and those who think they have made it at the expense of others, will meet a sudden fall. Lets love each other to make our country a better place
lovely
I think it would be better to blame the religions rather than the Church.
The church is the gathering of the God’s people and the religion is the formation of various groups of so called worshipers.
Agreed with the writer, since we have man made religions, we do not expect better from them.
I like ur perception, the church needs to do more. I am from the east and there are certain churches whos’ leaders dont even want to greet u on the street, much less to go to those that society tend to neglect. The church has a bigger social role to play than spiritual.I always say u cannot tell a hungry man, “God bless u” without first offering him bread to eat.
Could not have said it better. The church, the most divisive institution out there and I am staying away from it. They are teaching nothing that I want to know about.
Do on to others as you would have them do on to you, and you will be OK. Church have no meaning to me any more.
Yes, the Golden Rule. Once of the most ancient and most excellent teachings out there (except, of course, in the hands of psychopaths, but psychopaths are not sound people to begin with). Good comment.
@ Humanist
…And you are a psychopath to make such a statement.
Dear Mr Joseph,
You should not blame the Church, but those who do not seek to follow her laws(and by extension, the laws of God.) If the Church was brainwashing people into following what is morally sound, it would not be a Church, but a cult. The Church can only instruct, persuade and guide. God gave us free will: we can choose to love and obey Him or not to love and obey Him. At the end of the day, we make a choice and there is no one to blame but ourselves.
The church, like religion, tells you precisely what to do in life. This is simply a cult of the masses. Not defining it as a “cult” is linguistic slight-of-hand, as there is really little difference, aside from the connotations of size, between “religion,” “church,” and “cult.” The so-called Church of Scientology (the belief system involving aliens, Lord Xenu–just watch South Park), for instance, is simply a cult on a global scale. And the term “masscult,” which is a real critical term, is used when the masses adopt a cult-like attitude toward something–i.e., religion.
As for morally sound laws–stonings to death? Innocent people paying for the sins of two people corrupted by a talking snake in a garden filled with vegetarian animals (including, I’m sure, dinosaurs)? People being evil for being born gay? Not eating shellfish or the demonic meat of pork? Turning the other cheek when injustice occurs? Jesus may have given many excellent teachings, but the rest of the bible is morally suspect, to say the least.
WHO’S TO BLAME? IF THERE WAS QUIETNESS AND PEACE WHO WOULD GET THE THUMBS UP? OF COURSE IT WOULD BE THE CHURCH AND THE LEADERS. BUT ITS THE OPPOSITE, WHO GETS THE THUMB DOWN? TELL ME?
@Voice in the Church
You have my very sentiment here.
I will never stop reminding human beings that we enter this world with a carnal mind, which must undergo spiritual discipline and training.
According to the Word of God in the Holy Bible, the carnal mind is an enemy of God, so every human being must pray that God will recreate in them, the mind of Love, in Spirit and Truth.
It is man’s choice to allow God to transform his minds, which is conformed to the world, that he might come to exist with the mind of Love. For the mind of Love is the mind that knows God, and learns the Ways of God–the ways of Spirit and Truth. God will not hold a gun at anyone’s head to force them.
The carnal mind is God’s enemy, because this state of mind cannot comprehend the Ways of God, the Ways of Love, Love which is the Life of a human being who has undergone the birth of the Spirit.
I speak boldly as I say that Joseph is someone who has no comprehension of the role of a church. And Charvez Jr, who likes his perceptions, saying that the church has a “bigger” role to play than the “spiritual” role, has revealed the understanding, or production of a carnal mind.
Well God is Spirit, okay. At Genesis He said: My Spirit cannot dwell with man, because he is flesh–wicked and evil.
Jesus also said a spirit does not have flesh and bones. So Adam was a structure of flesh and bones formed from dust, in the ‘Image’ of God. And God breathed Life into Adam’s nostril, his “Likeness”, which is Love. And Adam became “living being”
This Adam, in the “Image” and “Likeness” of God Almighty, Eternal Spirit, was created to worship Him and to glorify His Love in “Spirit and Truth”.
How can Joseph blame the church, for the flaws of mankind–humans beings, who refuse to allow God to have His Way in them, as they exist in this world, for they all say to God: “DON’T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO!”
Charvez and the rest of you, who agree with Joseph, I need to remind you that it is not everyone who gather in a church house on the day that they choose to do so, that makes up a church of God, He who is Spirit and Holy.
In other words, man has all sorts of motive for doing the things they do, as God’s enemy–the devil–has placed his influence all over the place, and especially in the church house, where he knows God’s Holy Spirit would be present, because he is the thief, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
Again, it is your choice, Joseph, Chavez, and others among you two; whose influence you allow in your daily existence–whether you are in the church house or outside of it. Have you guys ever asked God to take control of your mind through a short, but sincere word of prayer by your faith?
Human being are like “goat” and “sheep” or “wheat” and “weed” in this world. God Almighty is the Great Farmer and the Good Shepherd. He will decide at harvest time.
This means that, God has a Church in this world. But that Church is a body of people, who allow His Ways alone in their Lives, by His influence, His Holy Spirit, through His Person, Jesus Christ, who said: “My sheep knows My voice and they listen to Me.
By our wisdom of faith, God teaches His Church to discern the difference between right and wrong, through discipline and training of our mind–the mode by which God teaches us to know His perfect Will.
God’s Church are people who worship Him and glorify His Love in them through their attitude and conducts, processed and produced by the control of conscience, in their minds.
Those attitude and conducts are the ways of Love–Spirit and Truth–the Light to the world in us– who are God’s Church.
The majority of human beings do not practice the Way of Life–because they do not have that Life in them. That is why Jesus said: “many are called, but few are chosen”.
Except, as I said earlier, God’s Church, yes we know who we are, but we remain scattered–the “wheat and the sheep”, mixed up with the “goat and the weed”. At His time God will gather His Church–the Body of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Head.
The person who thinks that there is a higher standard of existing, than Life in Spirit and Truth is in for a tragic surprise. God Almighty will say to that person: I do not know you. And, O dear! O dear! O dear.
Therefore, Joseph, for you to blame the church for the misfortune of the world, that is a great mistake; as you are blaming God Himself.
A Church has to be under the control and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, or else it just a social club, not even always doing good things. God’s Holy Spirit will not lead men astray.
Joseph the strife, vile, and discord; the turmoils of existence in this world happens because of the disobedience of manking–as from the beginning.
Mankind, in every walks of existence in this world, want fame, popular, and fortune; honors, merits, and nobel prizes. So they attempt to do things at their own strength.
But with man’s strength he will always be a failure. Except that the innocent, the humble, and the ignorant also suffer the consequences–at least of short while, because a God of Love is full of mercy and compassion, He will come to our rescue.
But the proud, the arrogance, and the haughty will suffer the greatest downfall, because Jesus has said: “I am the Vine and you are the branches–without Me you can do nothing!
Be careful about this understanding in your mind–it is extremely misleading, another deception of your adversary–God’s enemy.
The blaming game started in the Garden of Eden, but God Almighty who commanded man to “obey Him that he might live” will not buy the blaming game excuse from no man.
Just as God cursed Adam, Eve, and Satan, himself, out of the Garden of Eden, it is the same way that every human being, who choses not to obey Him will suffer their own fate–regardles of who he/she is.
@ Lizavier
We enter the world with a carnal mind? What are you stating and teaching? God created innocent babies. They did not come into the world with a carnal mind.
God did not create sin.
As they grew up some of them associated with bad company and some due to bad parenting, bad examples, they developed a carnal mind.
You must not generalize. I know that I do not have a carnal mind. There are many people who do not have a carnal mind. I will reserve this type of mind for criminals/murderers, sex addicts, abductors of women and children and there are more. Take a guess.
The meaning of carnal in the Research section of the computer system is: relating to sex or the body; relating to or involving sex or the body.
Do a research prior to utilizing this type of word to describe everyone and even babies who are innocent children.
Babies are born with original sin, not through their fault but their parents. This is why they are baptized and should be baptized as soon as possible so as to eliminate this “original sin”, that the Holy Spirit will enter into them, their soul and body. Much more could be stated about that. I reiterate, do some research about this.
EXCELLENT POINT ‘VOICE IN TH CHURCH”, BUT IS TRHE CHURCH REALLY PERSUADING AND GUIDING?
IF THE PEOPLE ARE MISGUIDED SHOULDN’T THE CHURCH ET INVOLVED?
@ c.bruce
When this man said, “Blame the Church”. He implied that the Hierarchy of the Church. The Church authorities are the ones to be blamed.
Utilize your basic common sense and good judgment if you have any.
Do you know the saying, “You can bring a horse/donkey to the water but you cannot make it drink.”
The Church has taught godly principles according to Holy Scripture and the people continue to live their lives in ungodliness. Who will you blame? Is it not those people who ignore this teaching?
Well, Hitler blamed the Jews for things ranging from if it rained in Germany to unemployment…so u can blame the church…
I’m glad you speak out against the church, as the church has only had an increasingly awful reputation as of late. This would be the case even if there were no cases of child abuse–one only need look at the pope’s absurd stance on contraception in Africa–but the extraordinary degree to which children have been abused and continue to be abused has transformed the church into a horrific monster of an institution. What parent would truly feel 100% safe leaving his or her child alone for large spans of time with a member of the clergy, with these disgusting reports of abuse popping up so frequently?
And then you have the evils of the evangelists, who practically con money out of their gullible church members. They are at their worst in the United States, but their influence in Dominica can readily be found when one’s peace and quiet is suddenly shattered by the carnival noise of church. You would think a time of prayer would be a quiet, serious time for believers, but no, it has to be another time to fete–and that, of course, is what the people like. Church is a party, and we like parties, so it must be good. But all that aside, these evangelists sell products and avoid paying taxes, making absurd amounts of money off people who think they need to buy products to be more holy. These evangelists are disgusting con artists who likely know no more about the very religions they sell than their congregation members–their flocks of sheep, as I have heard evangelists call their gullible churchmembers more than once on national TV. These deceptive theives are a disgrace and should be ashamed of their crimes. They are giving false hope–at a price.
But here is my real issue. Aside from the church stuff, where on earth do you get authority from anything else you said? Can you prove one thing you said? Or is it just what you believe, and therefore you will hide behind your “belief” as a shield that no one should try to tear down? Nonsense. If your beliefs have no evidence to support them, you should not act surprised if someone tells you that they are unsubstantiated. And that, unfortunately, is the case here. You are simply putting forth your own theological ideas without giving any proof of them. Why should anyone listen to you, beyond your criticisms of the church? And even your criticisms of the church do not make sense. You simply blame them for everything without really explaining why.
Sorry, but you need to try again. Explain why you said what you did. Perhaps focus more directly on your criticisms of the church, since that is the most concrete part of what you have written so far.
i agree with u 100%
Interesting article – Obviously written by an hurt and angry person. The questions on my mind are: 1) What Church/denomination is s/he speaking of, there are many expressions of Christianity on the Island of Dominica today. 2) What would s/he like the Church to do in a modern day society where the people are not looking to worship God but to make a deal with Him to see what they can get and 3) I wonder if the writer would like to continue this conversation on MARPIN or on a radio show. I am sure that the leaders of the many expression of Christianity in Dominica would have answers to offer, and I am also sure that s/he is not the only citizen who today feel sthis way, in would be interesting to open the discussion to the public.
Father Dave Conway
Father Conway, you will also be judged by the great one!!Remember that FATHER!!!
@ Nohogwash
This also includes you. As the saying, “speak for yourself.”
Ensure that you are living a godly life. You have a soul to save – yours. This includes if you have children and everyone whom you encounter, “to preach the Gospel and practice godliness.”
Do not do as the pot, calling the kettle black.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said to a visionary, “When He returns ensure that we are on His right hand side.” Take good note of this. I do not have to elaborate further. You should know what it means.
Father Dave Conway very good question. I thought the same thing. What Church does he mean? I was shocked when I visited Dominica to note the amount of churches there are in Dominica.
I expect that you are a Catholic. These days some people are using titles which they should not be using.
Father please inform people, members that the Catholic Church is not a denomination. It did not sprout from other churches and did not copy other churches. It was established by Our Lord Jesus Christ who is Its Cornerstone/Foundation.
The more churches of various denominations, the more lack of love and peace exist and the more division and enmity with everyone forming their own opinion according to their mentality and even disputing that “we are not all God’s children” as if God did not create us. It is so sad. If it bothers me a pitiful person, consider how it bothers the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ who, in His time will deal with all those who have caused and contribute to this lack of godly virtues as previously mentioned.
Thanks be to God, is it any wonder that I hold steadfast to my Catholic Christian faith and teachings. This Church has never misled me.
I read in an ethnic newspaper in Toronto about a man who said that he was going to Dominica to open a church. I clipped the article and wrote on it, “Dominica does not need any more churches.”
St. Paul said: “Do not go where Jesus is already proclaimed.” It is in the Holy Bible.
There is a saying: “Do not go where the path leads. Go where there is no path and leave a trail…>” Much more could be stated about that.
The world presently has approximately 100,000 churches and counting…Oh my!
Here is a man, Lionel who states and teaches what is false. He is in dire need of God’s blessing, graces and enlightenment.
i for one blame canada lol
Idiot why Canada, in Canada politics is politics and religion is religion, do not blame my Country, blame your political and religious leaders in your backward island, remember the world is watching and reading you people silly comments, when it is all said and done many of you fools will run to Canada for refugee, Canada is not heading into dictatorship, clean your backyard fool
@ Deb
Are you jealous?
Don’t know if refugees will ever be accepted for jury duty. They will first have to prove that they are exemplary Canadian citizens with no blemish and criminal record.
Canada is God’s world just as Dominica is God’s world. For your information, Canada was always a predominantly Catholic Christian and Judeo country prior to the influx of non-Christians and pagans.
On nearly every block or a few blocks away there is a Catholic Church.
I reside in a vicinity that I can count 4 Catholic Churches which are not far away from where I reside which I could go to.
I reside in a parish and I go to the Church which is in the parish where I reside. I have gone to a few other churches in the City where I reside. Catholics are welcomed in every Catholic Church. We feel like we belong and not as outsiders or outcasts. We are not asked who are you?
Blame yourself. Political and religious leaders are not always to be blamed. What have you done for your country and/or where you reside. There are some people who always place the blame on others and where it does not primarily belong.
I am an advocate who stand up for the truth and what is correct to do.
Who are the refugees you are speaking about? I am a Dominican-born. Reserve refugees and refugee status for those who sneak into a country uninvited; also those who want Dominican passports, who were never born in Dominica and who paid Dominica government employees to obtain them. Note that some are caught with Dominican passports and soon enough all of them will be caught. It is only a matter of time.
To top it off I recently got a letter from the Ministry of the Attorney General for Jury duty. This should tell you that I am no refugee. Eat your heart out.
The government has millions of records on their computer data of every one who resides in Canada specifically legally who has landed status and are citizens.
Therefore, when you write, ensure that you do not generalize and demean people who especially do not deserve it.
Be loving and kind. If you are a Christian you should know how to conduct yourself also on this Website by the statements which you make. Pray to God for His grace of love and kindness in every respect.
@ lolol
You make me laugh.
It is worth a good laugh.
Unless you use several names. I am a stable person. I stick to one On-Line name on this Website. 
Do not blame Canada. It is a beautiful country as Dominica, except both are different countries.
Blame those people who chose to follow their own path and their own understanding and who allow themselves to be misled, thinking that they are on the right path.
Read/study Holy Scriptures.
I reside in Canada and so far so good. The Lord has kept me in my Catholic Faith. I am not swayed by anyone.
Lolol, you should put a capital letter in front of your On-Line name.
You know what? I am not so stupid and gullible to renounce my Catholic faith and follow any fly by night people and church. Furthermore, I can read and understand the Holy Bible. I am not weak of faith. I, too, could open my own church.
I do not need anyone other than the authorities of the Catholic Church to preach on, explain and interpret the Holy Scriptures to me.
I consider myself fortunate to have been born of Catholic parents who took their religion/faith seriously and who nurtured me including my brothers and sisters in the faith. They were well-grounded in the faith and ensured that their children will be likewise. They were great examples to us. I am grateful to them.
Residing in Canada, this has been an asset to me, a place such as this where we meet and sometimes interact with all sorts of people from all sorts of life including religious beliefs and strangers.
Primarily I have to thank God for this earthly, golden privilege of being a Catholic and helping me to remain one. Praise be to The Blessed Trinity – The Triune God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen!
I did not want to read this article when I saw it, because I never like to comment on anything religious; however, I think your blames are directed at the Catholic Church. Freedom of speech, no one can take that from you.
What I would like to ask you is this. What is your interpretation of “the church?” Is it the structural building or the people who meet together to praise their God at their chosen time and place.
Your paragraph, which begins with the word “Yes” and ends with the word “myself” I would encourage anyone to read Matthew 18: 15-20. In addition to that, maybe they are not thru reading and understanding the entire bible, because I am sure it is written in there somewhere, that the Lord said he will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, so if anyone is afraid to be left alone by your ordinary friends, neighbours or even family members, God is always with us. It is up to us to have faith, trust him and maintain hope. Amen
And why did you, when we have Pastor/Plaster preaching and hate his neighbors and misleading his flocks,like my former Pastor from Guadeloupe leading his flock astray what else can one say, yes we all know that the church is a building/pillar
@ Nancy
I assume that you are referring to a non-Catholic pastor. If you were a practicing Christian you should not have allowed yourself to be misled by the enemies of the Catholic Church to join their church. Catholics who left the Church did not make it their business to know about their faith.
If you were a Catholic, you are still one. Once a baptized Catholic, always a Catholic. God will not rescind this baptism when the Priest said, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!”
Those who formed their own churches underestimate God. They think that they know better and more intelligent than the Catholic Church. They know absolutely nothing about the Catholic Church. They are in no position to teach about or against the Catholic Church and Its devotions.
Our Lord spoke about those who will come in sheep’s clothing…so as to deceive the elect of the Catholic Church.
Why on earth should you think the writer is talking about the Catholic Church ? I am certainly not a Catholic and I BLAME THE CHURCH… YES I MEAN THE EVANGELICAL CHURCHES ! ! ! They have now found a safe haven in the “WORLD” and the “THINGS” of the “WORLD”. The Scripture speaks strongly against loving “the things of the world ! !
amen to that!
and i am not evengelical
they have all failed the people
@ Amazing
Tell this to your pastor.
The seekers of wealth and power, have use the religious platform to satisfy their wants and ignor the need to serve.I have long concluded that religion is a device to distract the people on their spritual journey, History will show their path from slavery toDominica’s presant political situation.All political parties are guilty ofthis action.It is high time for them to “say what they mean and mean what they say” and not the other way.Which means nothing.
I agree
I do not recall Christ holding a sermon in a church, I do remeber him expelling money lenders and the like from the church, in modern times places of worship where folk gather to worship the lord are done through a priest, pastor, minister or whatever oter title they use,
Those preachers know the word of the lord, and no doubt they state it, forgiveness is the word of the lord, but these men who know that a certain element needs to be the recipient of status within the church for favours step away from the word of the lord are unworthy.
on the other side you see folk in the sunday best singing and praising the fortunate position of themselves and look down upon those more unfortunate, you tell me if that is a christian attitude,
Government assistance to select churches do i need to go on
@Jeremy
“I do not recall Christ holding a sermon in a church”
Jeremy I know what you are saying but again you mention “holding a sermon is church” tells me that you, like the majority are thinking of the church as a “building structure”
At least, I do not think the writer of this article is referring to a building structure–he is talking about people. I just do not agree with his blaming the “Church” because I understand who the “Church” is, and what the role of the Church is.
When Jesus spoke with the lady at the well, she too believe that people had to go to Jerusalem to worship God, as she complained that the mountain she was looking at was the Mountain of Jacob, where the first fathers of Israel has worshiped God in the past, but they no longer did so.
So Jesus told the lady, that “the time is coming, and the time is now, when people must worship God in Spirit and in Truth–not just in a special building.
In other words a person, who is born of God, must acknowledge that his/her body is the Temple of God–for God’s Holy Spirit lives in him/her.
That is why I always say that Christianity is not a religion–I see that everyone is speaking about religion here, because the word “church” is the main topic.
Christianity is an “intimate (personal) Love relationship with God Almighty”, by faith in His Person of Love–Jesus Christ. The Word of the Holy Bible is the message of Love, the principle of Life in the person who born of God through baptism and the anointing of God’s Holy Spirit.
All of those people–men, woman, and boys and girls– come together to form the Church, which is regarded as the Bride of Jesus Christ.
If the writer of this article was aware of God’s Holy Spirit in him, functioning as the way God wants His church to function, he would know that he is also part of the church–which forms the Body of Jesus Christ, who is the head.
Would he blame the Church, which he would have known to be functioning through fellowship and Love, worshiping God from within, for the vile and discord of this world? I don’t think so!
Yeah, I do believe that human beings are disobedient with a rebelious mind against a God of Love–in Spirit, Truth, and Holiness. Those human beings are everywhere, in the church house also.
And man’s disobedience and rebel–even he is a pope, priest, bishop or whatever role he plays, is the reason for the bad condition of this world.
It is not everyone who claims to be serving God has been called by God for service. And God knows His true servants in this world, just as He knows His Church.
But if I say that I am not the church, and so I am blaming the church for the misfortunes I see around me, then who am I? I mean that if I am not the church, then I do not know God either. So why don’t I just “shut up” for my own sake!
God’s Holy Spirit makes me His Church, as He accept me as a member of the Body of His Son–Jesus Christ, by whose strength I am able to function, to give Him delight–not to please any human being.
Once again I say, God’s Holy Spirit do not lead people astray.
God’s Holy Spirit–His influence– in a person sees the splendour of God around him/her and gives Him the glory. That person learns God’s Ways through faith, humility, and obedience.
without that influence in him/her that person is simply carnal, and has chosen to worship carnality, wickedness, and evils things around them. That is all.
AMEN TO THAT JEREMY! I SENSE JUSTICE IN YOU, AND WHERE WE HAVE JUSTICE WE HAVE GOD
@ jeremy
It was the Temple.
The Church was not yet built. In those days and after Our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected and ascended into Heaven, the apostles/ disciples worshipped in homes. As the population of Christians grew, it was necessary to build churches. They built Catholic Churches. Catholic means Universal.
You should keep in mind and consider that Our Lord meant “One Church”. He did not mean that nearly every one on this earth will have their own church as we see today. Those churches were formed from disobedience primarily to God. Do some research on how those other churches were formed. Think of Luther and Henry VIII as an example and others which were formed down through the ages to this day. You should call this a mess of Christians, division, disunity, lack of love and peace and obstinate people who disobeyed God to this day and they expect to enter Heaven and immediately at that. They lived with this disobedience on their soul to their death. Consider that. Ask yourself where are their souls and of their followers, those who led others astray to be disobedient as they were.
I Say AMEN to that, some of them are OF the church and the followers give praise to God for their evil works. What blasphemy?? God cannot be pleased with that!! I also blame the education system for an an output where rational thinking is not engaged, and where ignorance is rampant, so both the church and the education system have failed the people miserably!!
@ Nohogwash
If you think you know so much, why do you not do something about it?
The church, the church. the church, is not God. The church is responsible for all the ills of Dominica, for the church, have always looked after its interest first, rather than the people. They will take people down when it suits and put them up when it suits, yes the church, powerful institution, but not the voice of God.
@ justice to be served
Once again which church are you referring to? The Catholic Church does not fall into that category. Throughout the years I have gone to church and other Catholic ones I have not seen or experienced any of that it.
I assume that you are referring to those non-Catholic churches which I have heard a lot of and by no means complimentary.
Good stuff…
was it not the “church” that conspired with the state to fulfill the prophesy of the transition of the first christ.
If their mission is sometimes evil, we dare to assume that their role is good and evil.
So much intrigue for simple minds.
We learn to take even that from the power of the Great Creator of love and life.
The mistake we make is giving them our heart and soul. Like Ian Douglas, we are likely to be betrayed.
We give our heart to the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omnisceient,
We must know when to leave. It is when we find the inner church.
When you leave dont turn back.
u are so right and justice will prevail
Who is the church? In the beginning was the word. And the word cannot fail but of course since the church is what it is it will fail.
@ lisa
It depends which church you are referring to. First of all as long as there are human beings there will be failures. Many churches will fail because God did not establish them. Only One will remain and prevail until the end of time as God has ordained. Guess which one? Mortal and spiritual food for thought.
I AGREE YOU CANNOT ALWAYS BLAME THE CHURCH.GOD GAVE US A MIND OF OUR OWN.HE GAVE A CLEAN FREE CONSCIENCE, IF WE DONT MAKE USE OF THIS FREENESS SOME DAY WE WILL PAY.ARE WE GOING TO BLAME THE CHURCH FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF PATTER ST,JEAN .WHAT MAKES IT WORST THE MAN IS A PASTOR.THAT PASTOR LIES IN THE COURT BY REFUSING TO SAY WETHER HE HAS A FRENCH PASSPORT.AS A PASTOR HE GIVES GUIDANCE AND ADVICE TO HIS FOLLOWERS WHY CANT HE NOT DO THE SAME IN THE COURT, INSTEAD HE HIDS AWAY FOR GOD AND COVERS HIMSELF WITH THE BLACK ROBE OF TONY ASTAPHAN.
I say AMEN to that
TRUELY SAID
WOULDN’T BE NICE THOUGH IF THE CHURCH, BY VIRTUE OF THEIR AUTHORITY AND CHARGE, TO GIVE THEIR OBJECTIVE COUNSEL ON THE PREVAILING ISSUES…AT LEAST?
Oh SHUT UP!!! Yet another politically motivated religiously disguised garbage commentary. When will you guys stop nwith these nonsense continuing to divide the Dominican populace along religious and social lines for your own selfish political gains?
Surely, God is no police, and he knows the pure in heart, so none of you hypocrites can fool him, even if you may fool many of the masses.
WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY….. OH, OH, I KNOW WHY.
Why wont you display a level of common sense,the church has proven itself to be a religious entity and not a spiritual one;it divides the people and not visi versa,you hypocrite.
@ Wait a Minute.Why that sudden burst of sensationalism?.Cool out bro before you burst a blood vessel. The message seem to have penetrated straight into your heart..I AM SORRY,BUT THAT’S WHAT TRUTH DOES. Be at peace with yourself and let the truth prevail.
@ Wait A Minute
You shut up! Be respectful!
Likewise yourself, you hypocrite cannot fool Him. A hypocrite calling others hypocrite. God knows your heart too! You, too, cannot fool God. So what are you stating?
I HOPE THAT YOU PRATICE WHAT YOU PREACH.
THIS IS NOT A MESSAGE THE IS THROWING WORDS.
The cap seem to fit you very well. Wear it !
1000% agree.
The church seems to have very little influence on the behavior of the majority of people in DA that attend them from what I have seen. They think that if they just attend church that they have done their duty and all is well. They will be in for a big surprise. The creator doesn’t care if you go to church or not. It is your actions that speak during this lifetime.
@only
Nice going! I wish I could say it so well with such few words! Hahahahahahahaha!
BEAUTIFULLY PUT!
I AM GLAD TO KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WISDOM OUT THERE.
@ only
When people leave the church, the priests/ pastors are not responsible for their actions.
For instance at the end of Holy Mass, the Priest blesses the congregation and says: “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” The congregation responds: “Thanks be to God.”
People are responsible for themselves for what they do after they leave the church. If the church teaches what is right according to Holy Scriptures and the religious teachings of the church, its Dogmas/Doctrines, the church cannot be blamed if they do not adhere to its teachings when they are out of sight. They have themselves to be blamed. In this case, it will be they and God who sees them.
The Priests/pastors do not know what they do after they leave the church. God who knows, sees and hears all things who cannot be deceived know. Too often we forget that God is taking note of our action, in thoughts, words and deeds.