‘Self-doubt, culture fuelling fortune-teller rush’
THEOLOGIAN THE Reverend Dr Garnett Roper is adamant that the many fortune tellers now operating in Jamaica is a reinforcement of Jamaicans’ belief in things that are fake, and the lack of self-worth by many persons in the island.
According to Roper, Jamaicans are always waiting for a messiah, and the rush towards individuals offering get-rich-quick fixes is a fundamental indication of the failure of Jamaicans to believe in themselves.
“We like anything that is a stranger, and its part of the selfdoubt that has been ingrained in us. We are deeply in love with imported products, whether it is hair, obeah, yoga, or any other products,” said Roper.
“All of these things just tell you that the Jamaican people are gullible, and the more gullible they are, the more they are inclined to obeah man, the more they will follow a political messiah, the more they will buy shoddy goods.
“It’s part of the entrenched gullibility and part of the orchestrated self-doubt,” added Roper.
He charged that the dependence on external sources to tell us our future was a symptom of how much Jamaicans doubted themselves. But Roper warned that the tolerance level of Jamaicans is not high.
“When things don’t go as they say, the Jamaican people will dispense with their services. But it’s all part of the manipulation,” said Roper.
A DISGUSTING PRACTICE
For Doreen Allen, pastor of the Church of God of Prophesy, Miracle Tabernacle, Mountain View Avenue, it is disgusting the way Jamaica has been captured by the fortune tellers with the Indian accent.
“A lot of persons are talking about it, Christians and non-Christians alike. But, much of it has to do with our culture, for we have this history of read-up, read-up. We are known to have this as part of our culture from the days of our forefathers. And people are still attracted to that,” said Allen.
She charged that discussions have been varied on the issue, with many suggesting that the political leaders may even be involved.
“There is a view that the Government may even be involved. The argument is that the Government brought the Chinese here and they come with their gods, so with the Indians coming here and getting permission from Government to be here, they must also bring their gods, too.
“But remember, the Bible speaks about witches and sorcerers,” Allen told The Sunday Gleaner.
She said that the issue of fortune tellers has been rejected by the Church of God, and Christians have been schooled to reject anything that is not of God.