Chutney not for this house

Temple leader, Ramesh Persad- Maharaj, complained that the music video by artiste Rick “Island Boy Rick J” Jacob is a violation of the sanctity of the temple and more broadly of worship by Hindus and others. Saying the site was used without permission, he accused the artiste of mischief in shooting the video and called on him to withdraw it from online websites and to apologise.

Persad-Maharaj suggested the making of such a music video at a holy site could constitute a criminal act. We note the Larceny Act (section 26) that says anyone who “breaks and enters” a place of worship and “commits any arrestable offence therein” is guilty of sacrilege and is liable to ten years imprisonment.

Yesterday, Newsday could find no trace of the offending video, with an online link to it simply ending in a “content unavailable” message, suggesting it has in fact been taken down, a wise move in our opinion.

Otherwise a quick online search on YouTube shows Jacob’s repertoire of party music (covering the genres of dance, chutney and soca) plus rap music, but nothing that one would associate with religious contemplation/ worship.

The TT Constitution in section 4 protects “race, origin, colour, religion or sex” plus human rights and freedoms including the right to property and freedom of thought and expression”.

Clearly there maybe occasions of competing rights, as with this artiste promoting his music video, but causing offence to the temple.

It seems that precisely because of the multi-ethnic character of Trinidad and Tobago, we as a people can end up taking things for granted and sometimes be flippant and even disrespectful to each other’s religions.

We must guard against such.

Jam-and-wine songs by whatever name have no place in a place of worship, even as we mull what would the reaction be if a saucy soca song were ever filmed inside the Roman Catholic or Anglican Cathedral? The message of reckless abandon portrayed in such videos is completely at odds with the values of humility, responsibility and contemplation espoused by religious faiths at their places of worship.

Further, holy sites must be respected as places of gravitas, where the most vital rites of life are performed such as marriages and funerals. While the splendor of religious sites such as Milan Cathedral may lead their being seen as historical and aesthetic landmarks as of themselves, clearly their underlying character is that they are places of worship.

As in the present case, this must never be forgotten.

While each of us is free to accept or reject religion(s), we do so in our own personal capacity, but without offending anyone else’s credo.

Indications are of a vigorous debate now underway on social media in which many persons are publicly pointing out just how unnecessary it was for the artiste to make his music video at a site where it would cause offence to many.

We trust that even in the headiness of youth, the artiste will take on board the wise and cautionary advice being proffered.

Trinidad and Tobago can boast of tolerance and harmony to the extent of having an Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) that over the years in the main has been well-regarded and supportive of ecumenism. We don’t expect any future change in our tolerant national character, but vigilance must be maintained to ensure respect for places of worship of all faiths