THE idea of God is to remove from man the mind to wreak havoc on his fellows. God changes hearts and laws exist to catch him when he acts on these impulses, punish him swiftly and proportionately to change his conduct. Have they failed us?

The Empire gave us Christ to make us tractable. This was so effective that we had no balls to fight for our freedom. Cabinets continue on this path, as they too fear the massive. The Church is part of the old apparatus to calm people and they get benefits. Cabinet must assess whether the nation gets value. Some play on our fears and set up in vulnerable communities to calm the blacks. Rape, murder, mob rule, beheadings, slaughter of women and children is the work of men, ‘yes-men’. Presence of God does not mean absence of evil and the church has a case to answer. Jesus did not die so men’s egos and sex drive might hold sway over the flock.

The Imperial Church tamed our fathers but the Church today is not that effective. The Church inserted itself in our space and has not delivered. The notion that things would be worse if the Church were not here is nonsense. Things are now worse and we have more churches than in 1962. The Church grows and so does crime. I listened in church atsmy parson inveighed against brutality; man’s inhumanity to women, children and I wept for my country.

The IMF is not our problem – we have a man problem. And Sunday school is where boys and girls learn how to love and care. The boys have been missing. Get the schools going and get the boys into classes.

The decline of Sunday school since Independence is regretted, and the rise of new brands of churches and Sabbath school has not offset this deficit. They habilitated infants to good conduct with an emphasis on boys and it worked. The old church took in kids aged one to five as they learn everything. New churches want adults, as their focus is money. They focus on women, they don’t want men; they focus on politicians, prayer breakfasts and lifestyle. The native churches neglected infants and favoured income earners. The cash was the thing!

Paul Bogle and George William Gordon went to Sunday school – the root was in them. Old brands like Anglican were supported by British or planter money.

New brands had to self-finance so they tapped the wage earners – women, as most men are jobless. Local churches are lifestyle oriented and market-driven, give the people what they want and in return they get cash to fund the opulent cars and structures. The newer the church the bigger the building. The lapse of Sunday school is responsible in large part for our nation’s ethical deficit. To restore values they must take infant Saturday and Sunday school to new heights. Ronnie was right when he said: “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree”. This church must renew its mission.

Cabinet must revisit the unwritten compact between Church and State. Are the concessions waivers, land grants, board seats, invites to Jamaica House, Kings’ House, honours and awards, good value? We have every brand of church, yet violent crime grows. Some parsons are into child abuse, immorality: What next, “Church of the Living Penis”? We need change. Look for the big car – someone is wearing purple, “every nigger is a bishop”. Send them in sack cloth, ashes; destroy vanity structures, immolate vanity vehicles and repent. Whom shall I send? Who will lead? Revolution or Reformation! Cabinets are not blameless.

If the infants are the adults of tomorrow, why did the state ‘diss’ them? We have no state basic school system. Basic schools are left to church and chance. Why? Sometime ago, the delightful Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, MP, regaled me with tales of her basic schools in Trelawny – a bit funny, but sad. I know she will rescue them. Parliament has the ethical stamp of the parties. What is good for the party is good. Some years ago the Polo Club resounded with toasts and bets as to which young politician would be the first multi-millionaire. They did not care who heard. Men with the ethics of rock stone who never went to Sunday school.

Cabinets must know that the 4Rs – reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic and reasoning – are vital to an understanding of what God does and what man was given big brains to do. Our men’s synapses seem flawed as they wait for someone to do for them, yet by doing for all, women get even smarter.

Cabinets wanted labour and focused on older kids. They fund primary, secondary to grow workers. Basic school was neglected. Why? Infants could not work, had no vote, no voice, no income. Infants, well known as most responsive to education, are now most disadvantaged. Parliament is made up of politicians who respond when students mash up property. Who hears the infants’ cry? Can we save ourselves from evil men? Yes-men! The church must escalate Saturday and Sunday school to excise feral desire and create caring men. Let us deepen the Neighbourhood Watch. Police “informers” do God’s work. Our fathers bowed under tyranny. Let’s not do the same: this is now our land! Let’s issue firearm permits to those who meet the criteria so they can protect us street by street. Finally, we must use all the punishments on the law books. Cabinet must not fail us as some others before did!

In the making of a nation, blood must be shed. We had a free ride for too long. Can Central Village dons send word to the police to leave town? Blood! We do not revel in it but we will not resile from it. Homeowners in all 700 communities should have shotguns. Homeowners are responsible people, and police are a deterrent for those not transformed by Sunday school. Violence is normal, excess is unacceptable, and the police are our enforcers.

Violence under official order is accountable. Violence must be purposeful and proportionate. The Tivoli 73 violent deaths was purposeful but not proportionate.

Mr Keith Clarke’s killing was senseless violence. Sunday school changes man’s heart; law changes his acts. Both work for me. There is a seat in church for every Jamaican. If you can’t help, step aside. I remember Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal being upset at women’s dominance at a UWI graduation. Women are dominant in every uplifting space. Sir, do you know the ratio of men to women in church, school, university, workplace? Now check the gender ratios in crime. We must save men from themselves and some will die in the process, but start at Sunday school and save the next generation.

Philip Samms left earth recently. He believed in God and duct tape. An amiable, wise man, he invested in people: his children Tiffany, Shaun, Brandon and a host not of his fold, through college or a house. St George’s was his passion, Carnival his duty and he made Yamaha the fisherman’s friend on the high seas.

Don Quest sobered us up but Ricky Vaz was in his ackee, so we laughed and cried at Stella Maris in our colourful Hawaiian shirts. Philip had bad taste in clothes. He knew, we knew and now God knows. We still loved him. Happy landing, Philip!

Dr Franklin Johnston is a strategist, project manager and advises the minister of education.

franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com