Letter to the Editor

Ignore politics of religion and pay attention to theology of God

Wednesday, March 23, 2004

Dear Sir,

With this letter you are invited to imagine me, dressed in camel hair, but carrying a loud speaker of the highest modern quality and clarity, speaking at the loudest of my normal voice, magnified a zillion times over via this loud speaker, while I walk the streets of the Cayman Islands on hot sunny days. 

I suppose that should be loud enough for the powers that be to hear as the Lord said, "Listen if you have ears."

Now, I am no preacherman... make that woman. I have no theological training or disposition. 

Having said that, I was raised Caymanian, and were it not for my Christian faith, I honestly don't know where I'd be today. 

Many others will agree with that, I'm sure, in respect of themselves, because here in the Cayman Islands, above all, we profess to be a Christian country. 

Indeed, because of our Christianity we became famous not so long ago for not letting gays land on our soil. Indeed, when unknown to us it once did happen, the Legislative Assembly was adjourned so that we could quickly get these back out to sea and protect our shores.

Now, I am not saying that was right, nor am I saying that was wrong. However, I am about to show a flaw in our character that requires our full attention.

Before getting to the subject, it is necessary that I clarify that I am not employed anywhere in the entertainment business. I have not had, nor do I seek, any financial benefit from what I'm about to say. I do not care who takes offence, as I tell the truth.

People in the Cayman Islands, including some politicians, were recently very pleasantly dumbfounded to find that the Mel Gibson movie, The Passion Of The Christ, premiered in the Cayman Islands within days of its release in its country of origin, the United States. 

This movie, on the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus Christ on earth, has come to be considered, in spite of many and various negative views, opinions and accounting procedures, to be perhaps the greatest movie 
Hollywood has ever seen.

In spite of that, this movie is also considered not an act of Hollywood, but the greatest tool for evangelisation in the past 2000 years since the death of Christ and the foundation of Christianity.

I have not met anyone who has seen the movie who has not been touched in some spiritual way. So we are pleased and honoured to have the movie here in the Cayman Islands and we are so stunned that some of us can hardly digest or even believe, that it is here presently on general release at the cinema.

Indeed, the newspapers have been carrying the story that it is incomprehensible here in the Cayman Islands, that following the "sold out very rapidly" premiere, there are no long lines at the Cinema. 'Oh well,' we say, 'maybe people don't know. Maybe they plan to go later' ...maybe.

I received a call for help from a friend in the entertainment business, because there was an obstacle in the Cayman Islands concerning The Passion Of The Christ. Because it is rated R in America, due to what is termed violence and/or not for young eyes, the movie cannot be shown in the Cayman Islands on Sunday. 

Making it worse, some churches in the Cayman Islands apparently profess that it is a sin to enter the building called the cinema to watch The Passion Of The Christ, because the cinema sometimes shows R- rated movies. R-rated movies are not allowed on the Lord's Day.

Now, having seen this movie myself, and experienced full well its profound Christian effect, I went to the trouble to find out who to talk to, in the hope that this movie be shown on His day, which He made and man called Sunday.

But, at the end of the day, there was absolutely no-one in authority, who could, nor would, take the initiative, and carry the cross with Christ, so that on His day, Sunday, The Passion Of The Christ could be shown in the Cayman Islands. 

Not even those in authority, with legal qualifications, and experience could make the exception to the law. It was a matter that had to go to Cabinet, and that would take quite some time. And you see, the law, as laid down, had to be adhered to. 

Instead the Cinema was free and licenced to show, The New Peter Pan.
I rest my case.

Merle McGann (nee Whorms)

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