18
17 APR
THE BELIZE TIMES
MY PERSPECTIVE By Dolores Balderamos Garcia
THE STIRM BROUHAHA
Pastor Scott Stirm of the National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) has really stirred up a huge ants nest recently. I am still shaking my head at the arrogance, intolerance, cultural and religious imperialism, neo-colonialism, and, yes, racism in this entire sorry melee. How come in this day and age do we still have the level of ignorance and disregard for others that has been manifested by this incident? I am not at all surprised that the present controversy has grown long legs. My understanding is that Garifuna leaders met over the weekend in Dangriga and have prepared a strong statement for April 12, Garifuna Survival Day. Mr. Stirm has veritably been heedless and uncaring. As a Belizean I feel hurt and disappointed, and I can surely imagine the outrage felt by Garifuna Belizeans at such heedlessness. What do we call it? One journalist asked Mr. Stirm if this was his version of expressed religious supremacy, to which the reply uttered was an inane defense of being attacked because of his firm stance against LGBT rights and other conservative positions he has taken. I look at the press conference held by NEAB on April 1st, and this was no All Fools Day at all in their staunch support of Mr. Stirm. President of NEAB Pastor Lance Lewis, whom I have always respected, unfortunately continued to call Garifuna spiritualism and the Dugu ceremony witchcraft in quoting from the book of Deuteronomy in the Bible that no witchcraft should be practiced. Let me state what is obviously known, with no disrespect to Pastor Lewis – that even the Devil can quote the Bible to his purposes. So I am not impressed when Biblical verses are pulled out to defend positions which right-thinking people see as clearly indefensible. Said Pastor Lewis: “It is our strongest belief and conviction that any and all practices, spiritism, ancestral worship, tradition, etc. that contradicts the Biblical teachings of Jesus Christ and scriptures must be forsaken at the foot of the cross.” He also said that evangelical Christians have the right to remain within their culture while simultaneously rejecting spiritual practices that contradict evangelical Christian foundations and convictions.” He surely has the right to his sincerely held view, but who is to say if
and when traditions and practices contradict Biblical teachings? Clearly Scott Stirm made this determination on his own and leapt to the position that there is such contradiction. I cannot agree with him at all. It is facey beyond measure to call other persons’ cultural practices, traditions and religion bad names and to condemn them in the name of Christianity. Likewise, I really think that there is an apparent misconception on the part of Pastor Victor Enriquez, who came out in favor of Mr. Stirm, that respect for ancestors is “the devil”. And what a great pity that Felipa Apolonio has expressed that she “chose to let go Garifuna culture and everything else that is contrary to the word of God.” Who says that one cannot have one’s cultural practices and be a Christian at the same time? They cannot be mutually exclusive in my view. Next we look at the Stirm non-apology. “If I were to stand upon a platform of religious freedom, I would have every right to stand my ground concerning statements rooted in my religious convictions. However, in my compassion and love for my dear Garifuna brothers and sisters I willingly waive that right in order to humbly apologize for any offense caused by my words....I will continue to pray for my dear Garifuna brothers and sisters, but I stand upon the eternal word of God and I will never back down...if anybody has a problem with that I would urge them to get on their knees and ask the one who wrote it.” This is condescending, not heartfelt and certainly intolerant. He insists on the acceptance of only his own interpretation of the eternal word of God. As a Belizean and as a Christian person I reject this completely. The Christianity that many of us profess could never be so arrogant as to be intolerant of others’ cultures, religions and traditions. I have to agree wholeheartedly with Father Matt Ruhl that we must be mindful, thinking, respectful Christians and human beings. We must buttress our faith with intellectual understanding, he exhorts us, and if we do not understand something then we should keep our mouths shut. Of course Father Matt was more diplomatic in how he expressed this message, but I feel compelled to call out the Stirm cultural and religious imperialism in stronger and no uncertain terms. I surely hope that this whole Scott Stirm brouhaha can serve to make us more heedful, tolerant, and respectful, more human and more kind to one another. There is simply no room in Belize in 2016 for our shared realities and experiences to be otherwise.
2016
For Sale B y O rder of th e M ortgagee Scotiabank ( B eliz e) L td. , a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Assignment of Mortgage made the 1st day of March, 2013, between B EL I Z E M O R T G A G E C O M PA N Y 2 0 0 2 - 1 first part SC O T I A B A N K ( B EL I Z E) L T D . of the second part and SH A R L ET T D O N A M A E N EA L of the third part and recorded as Instrument LTU-201300417. The said SC O T I A B A N K ( B EL I Z E) L T D . will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule hereto. All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SC O T I A B A N K ( B EL I Z E) L T D . T H E SC H ED U L E A B O V E R EFER R ED T O ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 33 containing 616.23 square yards, more or less, being a part of Dew Drop Estate, situate on the North Side of the Old Northern Highway near Mile 11 Ladyville, Belize District, as surveyed by Kenneth A. Gillett, Licensed Surveyor and recorded at the Office of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, Belmopan at Register No. 16 Entry No. 5325 TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 31st day of March, 2016. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street, Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.
For Sale B y O rder of th e M ortgagee Scotiabank ( B eliz e) L td. , a Company duly registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 250 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition, 2000, and having its registered office at Cor. Albert and Bishop Streets, Belize City, Belize, hereby gives notice of its intention to exercise its power of sale as Mortgagee under a Deed of Mortgage made the 13th day of July, 2011, between I SM A EL A L FO N SO A V EL A R of the one part, and Scotiabank ( B eliz e) L td. of the other part , and recorded in Deeds Book Volume 16 of 2011 at folios 1121 to 1146. The said SC O T I A B A N K ( B EL I Z E) L T D . will at the expiration of two months from the date of the first publication of this notice sell the property described in the Schedule hereto. All offers to purchase the said property must be made in writing and full particulars and conditions of sale may be obtained from the said SC O T I A B A N K ( B EL I Z E) L T D . T H E SC H ED U L E A B O V E R EFER R ED T O ALL THAT piece or parcel of land being Lot No. 80 situated at St. Matthews Village, Cayo District, Belize, TOGETHER with all buildings and erections standing and being thereon. DATED this 31st day of March, 2016. MUSA & BALDERAMOS LLP 91 North Front Street, Belize City Attorneys-at-Law for Scotiabank (Belize) Ltd.