The recalcitrant haughtiness of fundamentalism can be as impenetrable as steel. This is most unfortunate especially when the ills of the present time require the kind of flexibility which at least allows one to engage with the adversary (I mean of course diplomatic engagement, not throwing bombs to annihilate them). The other option of course is to Netanyasty up our opponents and Trumple the opposition underfoot. (I would not be surprised if these nouns eventually make it to verbs. They have been persistent enough to burrow themselves out of space into time.)
Even God Almighty was interested in the Devil’s point of view, that is, at least in the times of Job, until the prophet Isaiah came along and saw God throw him out of His house altogether, and permanently bar him from even the occasional visit on the front porch with the other sons of god as in the good old days.
Prophetic zeal is such a necessity and a nuisance because while human community is constantly in need both of vision and reform, it appears that singular human flesh is much too frail to harness prophetic fire. Whom it doth not make mad (in every sense of the word), it consumeth altogether (as Jesus himself, the perfect Peacemaker, confessed after a moment when he was very much beside himself).
Fire is only useful when harnessed; and harnessing prophetic fire seems to be the bane of the individual mystic path. No one seems to understand just how much is enough or what to do when the engine overheats. The trail of prophetic genius burnt out into ashes like lunar dust (and the ‘lunar’ analogy is quite deliberate) litters the pages of the chronicles of human spirituality and its contributions to community.
In times like these, we need both that burning zeal and vision more than ever. But after ardently studying prophetic consciousness for decades, ( the Prophetic Series contains my most viewed post), I now agree with the Apostle Paul, with much relief, that finally, prophecies (and prophets too) shall fail, wonderful though both be. Humans need to learn how to love (that’s justice in its most refined form) – and prophets, with all their very useful fire, seem almost invariably to distract from that.
I had hoped at the beginning of my blogging project to spark that insight I think we so desperately need, strewn together as we are with all our fundamental differences, bonded together by common dilemma. When a genius like an Ian Boyne walked among us, the window of opportunity temporarily opened that allows a certain kind of broadminded inclusivity to flourish, which allows us time and space enough to solve our most pressing problems together before we retreat each into his/her own little doctrinal cocoon.
In fact, when the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches was forced into formation to deal with a seemingly intractable obstinately proud society, led by an equally proud and obstinate set of leaders, both about to fall into a pit deep enough to permanently bury themselves in, as no one was prepared to admit to their blindness (The Dudus crisis); many took heart that there was hope indeed that vision could come from a place of consensus, rather than being borne by the traditional hotheaded reformer, who usually in time, simply proves too unstable to bear the yoke of government on the shoulder, although Lordy, can he work a pulpit and agitate a crowd!
But the inability to listen to one’s perceived adversaries has its consequences – as I was reminded last night when the present state of our education system was the subject of discussion all night on TV. Why, I continue to ask, are we so committed to a two steps forwards three steps backward National Dance Policy? I had just finished editing the second video in the EXODUS series. I had been ambivalent about its promotion, knowing before-hand the mindsets that would be challenged and all the sleeping dogs that would wake up and bark. But after last night’s shameful admission of such terrible performance, by all the well-qualified experts armed with all the exalted knowledge in the world, yet absolutely pauperized in creativity it seems, I ‘proudly’ (if you cant beat ’em, join ’em) recommend the conversations to all and sundry, regardless of one’s convictions, positions or lack of them.
The line from the conversations most outstanding to me was Clinton’s very telling remark, that at the heart of the Caribbean’s Creative Culture (of global renown) is authentic Caribbean Spirituality. How long then shall we doubt or deny ourselves by constantly seeking to conform for survival’s sake? That has never gotten us anywhere but the bottom of the heap. Let us be true to ourselves! And then the God of Elijah will show up.
YeKengalé 