Love of Neighbour Matters

As in the instance of so very many others who claim Christianity as the foundation of their faith, there happens to be varying interpretations of what this entails in practice.

On the one end of the spectrum would be those people who would have others believe that Christianity involves going to church on a fairly routine basis, paying ones tithes and taking part in the weekly praise and worship exercises.

On the other end of the same continuum would be those people who act on the assumption that Christianity is a call to action in the world, a call to help rescue self and others from the coils of evil.

For these people, embrace of Christianity entails love of neighbour to the fullest extent humanly possible.

Only a hardy few [or precious remnant] could live up to the highest demands made of them by this faith that has service, struggle and sacrifice at its core.

Nonetheless, Christians everywhere strive to move to this mark of perfection in Christ Jesus.

Indeed, as we go forward with our work we are ever minded of the context in which we strive. In addition, we remain cognizant of the fact that while much has already been achieved, so much more remains to be done.

Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham spoke well and true in an earlier Independence anniversary address to the nation when he noted that, "we have our political differences but these can be healthy once we do not carry them too far and once we realize that we differ only in the interest of the nation. The common bond that unites us all is the love of our country."

The prime minister also spoke truth when he said that The Bahamas is a diverse society free from the sectarian strife, which threatens to pull some other countries apart.

More controversially and perhaps even arguably, the prime minister asserted and affirmed that the Bahamas has unchallenged racial equality and religious harmony.

The prime minister also explained, "It is our hope that in remembering our forbears and in recalling their achievements in the face of tremendous obstacles we will be inspired to excellence in all our endeavors.

"The Bahamas has much of which to be proud… We have demonstrated a firm commitment to our democracy and to the advancement of our people both economically and socially."

He also claimed that the Bahamas has been a responsible member of the international community through its participation in regional, hemispheric and global organizations and by the cordial relations we maintain with our neighbours.

The prime minister added, "We are a talented people and I believe that once we put our talents to good use, as many of our forbears did so brilliantly, we can create an even brighter future for those who will come after us."

He explained that each anniversary of independence provides Bahamians with the opportunity to reflect on how far they have come as a people in realizing their potential.

Ever the realist, the prime minister observed that the Bahamas does face a multitude of challenges at home and in the world. The truth, however, is that the Bahamas has been fortunate.

He noted that the Bahamas is more equipped than many other developing countries to meet these challenges.

Put otherwise, Mr. Ingraham seems to be suggesting that these things are so if an objective assessment was to be made of the capacity this country has that might be put to the achievement of the common good.

While he did not spell out the converse, it stands to reason that there may well be subjective states of being and affairs that might prevent effective social action on behalf of the struggling majority.

The prime minister concluded saying "We have a healthy democracy with institutions that have their origins centuries before we attained independence.

He also indicated that we sometimes forget how fortunate we are in this respect, but we have only to look at those countries which are today struggling to establish these foundational institutions without which there can be no stability.

Today the future beckons.

And as this new day beckons, those Bahamians who profess and claim Christianity as their faith would be well advised to remember the admonition that they are called to truly love their neighbour as they love themselves.