Crusade Watch, Religious Conversion Watch, Evangelism watch

Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s born again morality is becoming a problem for some members of his Cabinet, and his cavorting with a “prophetess” and spiritual gurus is causing division within his Government. Reports state that prayers are now being said before the start and at the end of Cabinet meetings.

The first hint of this new dispensation occurred at the swearing-in at President’s House on September 29, 2006, of Foreign Affairs Minister Arnold Piggott, when Manning, who was present, said he had instituted a policy in his administration whereby “whatever we do now, we begin and end with prayers.” But even before, observers noted that Manning had appointed Donna Carter, a Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Ecclesiastical Affairs during the 2001-2002 period. It was however a short-lived exercise.

Now he has taken his evangelism to the Cabinet, although reports indicate that some members have refused to take part in prayer sessions at Whitehall. They see it as an imposition of his religious doctrine. “We live in a plural society and religion is a personal thing,” one government minister, who requested anonymity said, adding, some Ministers refuse point-blank to “say prayers.” He said this invariably leads to Ministers being placed in “for” or “against” camps. “It can get very uncomfortable, because the Cabinet is divided,” he added.

But even as he faces criticisms and ridicule within and outside of his Cabinet, for the over-spill of his personal religious beliefs onto the rest of society, there are those who believe Manning is playing the religious game, in a bid to woo the close to 200,000 Pentecostal Evangelical votes, a growing religious bloc that seems to be positioning itself to become a major factor in deciding who sits in Whitehall come election time.

The Central Statistical Office (CSO) 2000 figures puts the Pentecostal following at just over 76,000, but there has been such a Pentecostal thrust since then that the evangelical movement number is believed to be closer to 200,000, and has been enjoying huge fallouts from the Catholic, Hindu and Anglican faiths. Pentecostal churches are expanding both in terms of numbers and the size of their churches and assembly halls, some of which are air conditioned.

Manning who was born into the Anglican faith joined the Pentecostals and was baptised on January 1, 1987 at the Woodbrook Pentecostal Church. That was one month after the Peoples National Movement (PNM) suffered its first defeat at the hands of the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) in December 1986. Manning gets zealous support from Cabinet Ministers, Attorney General, John Jeremie, who is himself a born again Christian and Foreign Affairs Minister Arnold Piggott, who is also of the same religious persuasion.

A Government source pointed to Manning’s “morality budget” in 2006/2007 saying this was directly influenced by his religion. In that Budget, Manning decided to make citizens pay for their vices by outlawing casinos and on-line gambling as well as raising taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. Manning said he had taken a personal position on the issues and his announcement was as much a shock to his own Cabinet as well as the nation.

According to the Government source, Manning’s measures were never discussed or approved by the Cabinet. “It was he who decided that gambling was wrong.” He warned there is a kind of “zealotism” creeping into matters of the State, which some in the Cabinet feel is blurring the lines between democracy and theocracy.

Manning’s spiritual dabblings were regarded as a joke in the past but the recent Benny Hinn controversy, in which the tele-evangelist called Manning “foolish” and cast aspersions on Manning’s “prophetess” a woman whose identity is not known but who is virtually said to be guiding the PM’s decisions is causing concern.

While political observers say that many leaders consult spiritual gurus, some see this as dangerous in secular states such as Trinidad and Tobgo with its religious diversity. They also point to the increasing interest by Caribbean politicians to become “righteous leaders, pointing to Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller as an example. Sources close to Manning feel that his “morality” dogma coupled with his ambition to become a preacher after he quits politcs, were personal and should stay that way.

Manning’s Pentecostal leanings have not gone unnoticed by the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) whose membership includes all religious groups with the exception of the Seventh Day Adventist. In fact last week, IRO president Archarya Karamanda expressed concern at the issue as Manning attends fewer and fewer religous functions that are not Pentecostal. In fact he was conspiciously absent from the recent Shouter Baptists celebrations in March.

A check with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies (PAWI) has revealed a huge growth in evangelicalism. PAWI has 105 churches in the country, including 15 in Tobago.

PAWI’s PRO Rev Michael Braithwaite, did not dispel Manning’s moves on the evangelical constituency.

He said, “There is precious little that I can see that politicians do, that does not have political intent.” Braithwaite feels that Manning has every right to seek pastoral counselling in much the same way that the US president George W Bush receives such guidance.

And while PAWI was responsible for bringing Benny Hinn into the country, he disassociated his group from Manning’s private Crowne Plaza meeting with Hinn, at which Hinn chased away Manning’s prophetess. Braithwaite said he expected as an international leader, Hinn should have taken a little more care with his televised comments about the PM.

Today is Pentecost Sunday in the Christian Church and PAWI holds its Pentecost 2007 celebrations in Arima today.

The PM was expected to attend, but probably conscious of the controversy, he has sent Finance Minister Christine Sahadeo to represent him, according to a statement from Bethel World Outreach Ministries.

For his part, Pastor Levi Duncan, of the Central based Calvary Revival boasts of a close relationship with Manning. Saying that he enjoys “tax free” status, which he did not explain, Duncan said Manning invited him to meet with Hinn and that the PM had been a guest at some of his Church’s functions.

He disagrees that he is being courted by Manning for votes saying that they never discuss politics. “He feels however that the Benny Hinn controversy “ has taught him (Manning) a lesson, I am sure he will be very careful, with whom he consults, from now on,” Duncan said. Like Manning, PNM’s first leader, Dr Eric Williams’ links to the Roisicrucian Movement, a secret order, filled with mysticism, evoked fearful whispers in the nation, while Panday, a Hindu, elicited outrage for building Jhandis at the PM’s St Ann’s Residence, and there were several calls for the Jhandis to be removed from the official PM’s Residence.

The Maha Sabha’s secretary general, Sat Maharaj was quick to remind the Sunday Newsday about this.

In May 2002, Manning removed the Jhandis, when he occupied the official Residence, and the current massive construction work at the Manning’s $1.58 M residence, will ensure every trace of that event is gone forever.

At that time, the Maha Sabha hit back at Manning for what they saw as his anti-Hindu stance by not inviting him to Indian Arrival Day celebrations that year.

“Now what are we seeing? A Prophetess, Obeah Woman!, Seer Woman, what kind of nonesense is this? This prophetess seems to have more influence on Manning than the Maha Sabha,” Maharaj said.

He felt it was obvious that Manning was making a political move for small churches. “It is a play for votes. Right now he is doing the same with the Hindus, he is looking all over for Pandits to fight the elections. I know of two Pandits who are already on his team,” Maharaj said.