CGB Baptist Church allegedly asks for donation for 'Mitch' Turnbull
Calls to the National Democratic Party (NDP) candidate in the Second District all went unanswered yesterday. However, when Turnbull returned a text message asking how he could help us, he did not respond after the issue was put to him, whether there was a call for a collection for his campaign and whether he wanted to respond to the social media reactions.
Yesterday afternoon June 2, 2015 our reported texted Turnbull after trying to reach him by phone without success. After he responded saying ‘What’s up?” the reporter said, “Great. I heard reports that your dad (Rev Dr Melvin A. Turnbull) asked for a collection in church to help your campaign efforts. Is that accurate? Saw some social media comments to that effect.”
This was at 3:29 PM. By 4:15PM he still had not responded.
Efforts also to reach Rev Melvin A. Turnbull of the Cane Garden Bay Baptist Church proved futile.
While some of the online comments were against the idea of the church raising funds for someone’s political campaign, some saw it as no big deal, saying that everyone begs for money and if persons thought that Turnbull was a good candidate then that issue should not prevent them from voting for him.
“That is not politics. That is sowing a seed…beginning a new chapter in his life…people in the church donate monies to all sorts of endeavours all the time…schooling, starting a business, medical care, debt relief…” said one comment.
Another said, “While you have a point, don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Don’t be a blind person and only see that as the issue and not vote for the young man. If you think he is a great candidate and will do a great job then give him your vote. Simple as that. Or else find another excuse for not voting for him but not that stupidness about collection plate. Like who the hell else doesn’t beg for money around here.”
However, some were clearly against the idea of the church getting involved in funding a campaign. “As a regular attendee of his family’s church I was disgusted when one day they announced a picking up of an offering to help finance his campaign…politics has no place in the house of the Lord and I lost all respect for his candidacy right there. That is not what the donation of the good people of your church should go towards. Give the money back and I might consider giving you a vote,” the comment said.
“Spot on…I fully agree,” said another. “If this happened then it simply shouldn’t have. I would have expected much better from the Cane Garden Bay Baptist Church. Churches should have nothing to do with financing political parties.”
‘No comment’ – Bishop John I. Cline
Bishop of the New Life Baptist Church John I. Cline when contacted for a comment said that he preferred not to as he did now know the details of the alleged call for a collection to finance ‘Mitch’ Turnbull’s campaign.
“I don’t know about the incident so I cannot verify whether it is so or not so. I cannot comment on something that I don’t know. The truth of the matter is I really don’t want to comment on the matter because there is much back and forth and people need to make a decision on the real issues and not these kinds of things,” said Bishop Cline.
Church should stay neutral
Contacted for a comment, President the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru said that while such activity may not be against electoral and campaign financing rules, persons might frown on it as being unethical.
“Let’s say for instance you have people in the church who want to vote for the other candidate…so perhaps the church should stay neutral in a situation like that,” he said. He added that while politics is divisive, the church should be careful that it acts always as a unifying force and hence should stay neutral.
In addition to Turnbull’s candidacy in the Second District, the PEP is fielding Elford W. Parsons while the Virgin Islands Party is fielding Rajah A. Smith.
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80 Responses to “CGB Baptist Church allegedly asks for donation for 'Mitch' Turnbull”
he must be falling short only god knows
Be careful!!!
The role of the church is not to attempt to collect money to finance a political campaign. Whilst it should go to the maintenance of the church and utilities as well as a stipend for the pastor, if any additional funding is available. It should go towards community outreach programs, help feed persons in need, help to spread the good word of the gospel.
This allegedly happening is nothing short of despicable, and sickening. What lengths will these persons go to gain political power?
This does not reflect good on you mitch and your candidacy.
Oh father help us to fix it Mix up the tools and help us to choose the right tools and right size for this job for the pipe is to loose.
To much pressure in the pipe it continue to put fine cracks in the pipe. To much pressure in the BVI
Mitch's candidacy started out on the basis that he has something fresh to offer. That was something to look forward to. However, the more one hears about his campaign, the more one feels that he is not the best candidate in the race.
Take out a personal loan if your that Commited to the cause but leave the church money alone.
People hard earned money should not be solicited in the house if God to pay for your personal ambitions!!
…28"For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29"Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'… Luke 14: 28-30
So then... the first stage in building would be to ensure that the builder is God. If God is the builder of your development plans you will not need to ask for assistance. God would provide every step of the way. Many of us do things believing that God is in it but instead we are the sole builder of our life.
It's called Greed!
It wasn't your money so....go have a seat and stop talking Piss!
C***** Cline is his campaign manager ?
#TheSwitchTurnOff
#LightsOut
#CurrentGone
There is nothing wrong in asking for a special offering and a special prayer for him. There is nothing wrong in influencing members to vote for him. This is what all candidates and their supporters do. This is not USA where there is a constitutional law against this principle. I know of other Caribbean Islands where the church sponsors leaders of the church to run seeking to influence the government in a godly way. Not one of these church ministers ever win because people will vote for who they want. This a solid candidate so lets get behind him and stop jumping on the bandwagon of church and state.
Causing offence in the church of God...
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 1 Corinthians 10:23-32 ESV
A cult is a group of people who organize around a strong authority figure. Cults, like many other groups, attempt to expand their influence for the purposes of power or money. (A successful induction by a destructive cult displaces a person's former identity and replaces it with a new one. That new identity may not be one that the person would have freely chosen under her own volition (Hassan, 1990).
I really find this distasteful but in this political season, distasteful is the norm.
This is a a low down dirty shame if true. Church is a place of worshipping. A refuge....keep the politics out. Crimestopper is against begging church offering for politics.
what sh.. i hearing hear begging money for politics from the pulpit? real low class and is the devil made him do it?