The Editor, Sir:

This is in response to the Devon Dick column on Thursday, 'Christianity marginalised'.

Thanks for today's column. It is one that I have long wanted to write, but you did it so much better. It is particularly blatant when our historians ignore the contributions of the Church when it comes to slavery's abolition, and Christianity's role in nation building.

They do the same thing with our National Heroes; as you so well said, ignoring the religious motivation of much of their actions. This is particularly true in the case of Gordon, Bogle and even Marcus Garvey.

This past week, a teacher did a presentation in chapel on our heroes for Heritage Week. I had to ask him afterwards where the script was sourced. He replied that it was from some book.

Inaccuracies

Not only did it make no mention of any religious motivations for the actions of any of the heroes, it also contained many factual inaccuracies, e.g., Busta, was born in Westmoreland; the BITU was the first trade union in Jamaica; and the usual that Sam Sharpe was a Daddy in the Native Baptists.

Especially when we are informing impressionable children, we need to make sure that our historical information is accurate. But there is so much looseness with the facts of history, in order to support the biases of the presenters.

Thanks also for the good letter about a week or so ago taking the editor to task for his suggestion to fire minister Shaw while he was sick. I am glad you wrote, and also pointed out the difference with your own call for his resignation, based on a principle.

Blessings!

I am, etc.,

LLOYD COOKE

lcookemia@cwjamaica.com