#BTColumn- Inclusion or delusion

The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Peter Webster

Inclusion can be defined as “The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure.”

“Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making that mix work.” – Andres Tapia “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”- Verna Myers

“Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice and belonging is having that voice heard.” – Liz Fosslien The new Barbados Charter is like WOW! This New Charter is a fabulous, wishful ideal of diversity and inclusion that is typically prepared by politicians wanting to please everybody.

“The key to failure is trying to please everyone.” – Ed Sheeran But (like an old goat), is that inclusion not a delusion if you are including some things that are opposites, do not mix and actually diminish each other? Like Deists and Atheists or Homosexuals and Straights – all of which are like fire is to water?

As a believer, it would be “wish full” of me to expect that the non-believers, especially those that are specifically excluded by “The Word” of God, would be satisfied to still “include me”. So to appease the atheists they downgraded our God to the post of Creator and expect the believers to like it or lump it. In this respect, we must remember that tolerance is not inclusion!

“An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile – hoping it will eat him last.” – Sir Winston Churchill To true believers, God is way more than just the Creator. Those who suggest that God is no more than the Creator are denying all the rest that is set out in God’s Holy Word. Creation is just the beginning. God is the beginning, middle and end.

“Ashes to ashes.” Man already has the capacity to incinerate every square inch of this planet and 80 percent of God’s promises have already been fulfilled.

God will come again – at the end of His creation.

Creation takes up less than a chapter in the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Those who think that God is just the Creator have not got past the first chapter of Genesis. Creation by itself denies the essence of life from birth to death, and denies the spirit of God and His purpose in the creation of life and the inevitability of death on this earth. In fact, it fails entirely to recognize and/or denies that “Holy Word”. Let there be no doubt that the title of Creator is a substantial downgrade of God!

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” – Mathew 7:15 I am reminded that there has been a historic correlation between a decline in Godliness, which amounts to a turning away from God by the people, and reduced social cohesion and stability coupled with increasing indiscipline. Is Barbados proposing to go further down that road? Then there is accountability or lack thereof in the New Charter. Please tell me that accountability is in our New Charter. I could not find it! One of Barbados’ biggest problems, past and present, has been a lack of accountability by our public servants especially our politicians.

“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.” – Bob Proctor “People with an accountability partner are 95 percent more likely to achieve their goals.” – Anne Delre “Evil people rely on the acquiescence of naive, good people to allow them to continue with their evil.” – Stuart Aken Like water in a sink-hole vortex, round and round we go…

Peter Webster is a retired Portfolio Manager of the Caribbean Development Bank and a former Senior Agricultural Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture.