Emancipation celebration in VI is now a 'carnival'- Bishop John I. Cline
Bishop Cline was at the time speaking at an Emancipation Service hosted by the Virgin Islands Heritage Month Committee at the Sunday Morning Well on Sunday, August 6, 2023, on the topic of remembering the past and history.
He shared that in the book of Exodus, the scripture recalls that there was a king in Egypt who did not know Joseph nor the history of his accomplishment.
Generation in VI do not know the meaning of Emancipation
“I would like to suggest to you likewise more today, that there arose a generation in the BVI who do not know the meaning of the true emancipation celebration, consequently we have turned our festival and our memorial celebration into a carnival,” he said.
Bishop Cline continued that it was George Santayana who said that a people who forget their past are destined or condemned to repeat it.
He added that the same generation also does not know the words of James Walden Johnson, who penned the words, “Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty,”
“As I travel across the African continent, you know I love the continent. I go there just about every year. I see there, as I see here, a people whose identity has been stolen, whose history has been hidden, whose past has been forgotten, and whose culture has been overrun,” he said.
More criticisms for Emancipation celebrations
Bishop Cline's comments came on the heels of more criticisms of the local festival celebrations becoming one that is vulgar.
Former legislator Eileene L. Parsons, OBE, on the July 30, 2023, edition of Real Talk with Karia J. Christopher said as a female of a different generation in the Virgin Islands, she is now embarrassed at what the Emancipation Festival has become, particularly the parade.
“Years ago, a reporter in Trinidad writing in a Trinidad newspaper, say Trinidad Carnival had become nothing but feathers and flesh. This was a Trinidad reporter… Trinidad Carnival has become nothing but feathers and flesh. This is what has happened to us,” she said.
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17 Responses to “Emancipation celebration in VI is now a 'carnival'- Bishop John I. Cline ”
Help pray for him. His once dead conscience is now awake.
Please allow me a few more words, bellow.
The manifestation of good human ethical behaviors have three steps: step 1. Thoughts. Step. 2. Words Step 3 Actions. Now to the contrary or opposite, bellow.
The manifestation of bad human or unethical behaviors have.three steps. Step 1 Thoughts. Step 2 Words. Step 3. Actions. In other words, we are our our worst enemy. In more words: We chase after the World by the desire of our flesh, following the devil in the way of false emancipation from slavery.
According to historical facts, the emancipation of slavery took place August 1st 1834. The significance of that day cannot be compromised. In the Virgin Islands we are celebrating festival and not Emancipation. With that being said, what we are seeing in the street parade is not a reflection of African slaves' liberation.
Unless we return to the celebration of our ancestor's freedom there will be the level of vulgarity.
But we are free from Slavery. Free to do whatever we wish on this day. You are trying to put the chains back on us?
Lighten up man! Celebrate Freedom! This is a BIG deal