I thought this was a very interesting letter, and wondered if anyone else had any views on what this man is saying.

THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WOULD like to take this opportunity to commend our Prime Minister, the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, for reaching out to the churches and all other religious groups to play an integral role on our political boards.
As the country seeks God's guidance in its effort to eliminate crime and bring stability to this our great nation, this act indeed is commendable. However, before the Church can endeavour to lead us spiritually or morally, the Church has some house cleaning to do.
There are many young persons in our country, especially the young men on the so called "street corners", who it is said are responsible for most of the gang-related crimes and acts of violence in our communities. When approached on the topic of Christianity they will typically reject the Bible and its teachings on the basis of the myth that Christianity is a "white man's" religion.
VISUAL MATERIALS
Most of the Christian churches in Jamaica, with headquarters in North America, are subjected to literature and other teaching visual materials with all white images depicting Jesus, his disciples and associates. These images, sent from their North American headquarters, are a part of the materials used to teach our children in Sunday school and other classes.
Visual teaching has the greatest effect on the human mind and for the churches in North America to continue to send all white images as a symbol of illustrations to be used by our church leaders is wrong. But to have these images as a symbol perpetuated by our church leaders is not only wrong but is also cruel.
The Church should be cognizant that the Jamaican population is approximately 90 per cent black or African, and therefore, regards this practice with disdain.
It is very difficult for me to believe that the Church is ignorant of the history that these images came into existence during the 14th century when Michelangelo was given the mandate to paint religious images for the Roman Church. These are not true images of Christ, his mother, his disciples or his associates, and to continue showing them, the Church is bordering on hypocrisy and deception
To show a people false images of their God and have them believing in it is no different than asking them to worship idols. This is therefore deplorable. How can the Church continue to preach and teach what they classify as biblical truth in direct contradiction to the word of God. That this practice is allowed to continue is an affront to the intelligence of the Jamaican people.
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
I have no problem with anyone, who because of a lack of knowledge don't know, antiquity has forgotten, or ignorance has suppressed, seek to paint Jesus in a particular colour. It is the labelling of his associates who continue to have a negative effect on me. If all the people he heals, touches, his disciples, and friends are like him in colour then you are making the Almighty Saviour a racist.
It would be just as repulsive if you had made him black with only black friends, healing only black people and having only black associates, bearing in mind the geo-graphical location where he was born and the ethnicity that prevailed at that time.
The church leaders in their preaching and teaching refuses to highlight black women and men in the Bible, although the Bible from Genesis to Revelation saw it necessary to do so. If this is done then it may cause our young men and unbelievers to have a different perspective in realising that our race has contributed immensely to the Bible and its teachings and therefore gives them the right to claim it if they so desire.
I am, etc.,
ARTHUR R. PHIDD

I absolutely agree. I think missionary religions are inherently racist. They wouldn't take it upon themselves to come "civilize" or "convert" people of other races and faiths if they did not believe their religions were SUPERIOR.