Dear Sir,

I write to you today to offer my sincerest condolences to the Swann family and the families of every Bermudian man on the ever-growing list of senseless homicides.

That's where my lip service starts, and that's where it ends, Mr Editor.

I will not offer thoughts and prayers, truthful. I do not know how the action of standing prostrate and waiting ever solved anything. If that were the case, Mr Editor, this mental illness — which it is, Mr Editor, there is no other way to describe it — would have ended after the death of Shaundae Jones.

Sadly, we find ourselves here Sir, waiting for another incident, followed by the numerous “this has to stop” Facebook statuses and a renewed call for Bermudians to look to Jesus to bring peace.

Even though, historically, the increase in religious fervour has in one way or the other led to violence against one group of people.

Even though, historically, blacks had the skin ripped off their backs in the name of Jesus.

Mr Editor, this is where I begin to lose friends, so I'll come out and say it: blind religious faith has led us to this.

Blind religious faith will be the death of us, Mr Editor. Therefore, children could be lost at a nursery owned by a church and face minimal backlash.

Mr Editor, you yourself witnessed the “well you wouldn't believe what happens at the other nurseries” being posted. As if somehow the failings of other nurseries somehow shield this organisation from criticism.

Mr Editor, you bore witness yourself to the mental gymnastics on display by black Bermudians to deflect from the main issue at hand. We even acted as if the statement later released by the organisation wasn't a slap in the face to the concerned and outraged parents.

Mr Editor, I'm losing more friends here, but I'll just say it: if Jesus were alive he would be aligned with the LGBTQ movement in Bermuda and throughout the world.

If Jesus ever existed, Mr Editor, he would have probably stopped our lovely church folk from marching around Parliament and demanding the continued subjugation of our LGBTQ friends and family.

If Jesus existed, there would be no need for “Toto” to display crosses. If Jesus, existed our prayers would have been answered hundreds of years ago.

Which begs the question, Mr Editor: if both slave and slave master pray to the same god, whose prayers will be answered? Is it the slave, asking his god for freedom from bondage?

Or is it the slave master, asking his god to increase his profits using slaves?

Mr Editor, I hope you're following me here because I lose more friends saying this. If Jesus were alive, he would probably smoke Kaneh-Bosm like Robert Nesta Marley.

Mr Editor, if Jesus existed, there would be no need for the medicinal uses of the plant to heal us from the illnesses caused by the food we bless.

Mr Editor, I bear witness to Bermudians, eating any way they like, and expecting their prayers to protect them from illnesses caused by the food we eat.

Soul food is not soul food, and any organisation that claims interest in your wellbeing that offers it and encourages its consumption is misled.

Mr Editor, the Church has misled the people. I am only echoing the sentiments of a learned author, Carter G. Woodson.

Mr Editor, if I have any friends left after this, they'll hate me for saying this — no, not titty milk, we're OK with that — if Jesus were alive, he would have questioned the silence from the black women in the Progressive Labour Party.

If Jesus existed, the idea that being a man of God should somehow shield you from criticism wouldn't exist. Which begs the question: is a man of God simply a man of God because he attends church and prays?

What if that man is gay? Is he still a man of God, Mr Editor?

What if he's a gay pastor? Is he still a man of God, Mr Editor?

So many questions, so little space you'll allow me to take up. My mother just spat out her kale smoothie and “Peaky” just hugged her.

This is madness and we need to address it, Mr Editor; I'm going to lose family now, but I'll just come out and say it. We need to oppose this ideology that those we elect are chosen by God and somehow above criticism.

Mr Editor, long live the Opposition. Mr Editor, long live the ideology that independent thought and knowledge can only be freedom from bondage.

Long live the words of Bob Marley: emancipate yourself.

RAYKI BASCOME-EMERY

Warwick