Online feedback

Below are edited excerpts from comments posted online at www.jamaica-gleaner.com by readers to yesterday's lead story 'Paid to play', about the additional charges slapped on televangelist Paul Lewis.

Where were the parents?

Shouldn't the parents be investigated for their part in this matter? Shouldn't they be questioned as to how they allegedly allowed their underage daughters to be travelling around the country with a man and reportedly sleeping with said man at a hotel, without their supervision?

Betty Ann Blaine of Hear the Children Cry & The Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse, what's your take on this? Should the parents of these girls come out of this blameless? Being poor is no excuse; parents are supposed to protect their children from dangers until they grow up and can start taking care of themselves. That's why they are called children or minors. So if the parents didn't know that, then they shouldn't be parents.

- Man of Justice

So what about Ninja Man?

Why do they keep reminding us that this pastor baptised Ninja Man? What is Ninja Man doing since he is converted to the 'new man'? The last time I checked Ninja Man was accused of a murder (pending) and now this pastor is accused of carnal abuse. Once someone is not worshipping God in spirit and in truth, He will expose them for the world to see.

Lesson here: Don't take God's ministry for a mockery or a side-show.

Giving Christianity a black eye

When I lived with my aunt in Jamaica in the 1970s, she always told me to beware of any number of these 'charismatic' preachers who go from place to place supposedly preaching the Gospel and 'performing' miracles. She said any number of them were charlatans and others perverts.

There is a long list of such characters, among them the late Oral Roberts, the late Rev Ike in New York, and others in Jamaica who were extolling the virtues of investing in alternative investment schemes such as Olint and Cash Plus. These folks, as far as I'm concerned, deserve all the derision, scorn and possible jail time they have received, are receiving and will receive.

They have all given Christianity a bad name and black eye.

- TrevDiMan