The Ethnic Relations Commission on Wednesday condemned the blasphemous contents of Jamaican artiste Vybz Kartel’s song “Good Like Jesus”. The commission also called for the song to be banned from Guyana’s airwaves.
The commission in a press statement said it was made aware of the song recently which contains blasphemous and deeply offensive statements concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, central to the beliefs of the Christian community. As such, the ERC said it strongly condemned the contents of the song which is profoundly disrespectful to the Christian religious sensibilities and undermines the values of reverence, respect, and harmony that underpin Guyana’s multicultural society.
The ERC said content that demeans a universally respected figure risks offending multiple faith communities and threatens the delicate balance of inter-religious harmony in the society.
The commission said it was reaffirming that while freedom of artistic expression is a protected right, it is not absolute and must be exercised in a most responsible manner with due regard for the religious and cultural values of all communities.
Any form of content that mocks, trivializes, or desecrates sacred religious figures erodes the foundations of mutual respect and threatens the peaceful coexistence of the country’s diverse society.
Further, the commission said it was formally calling for the song to be banned from airwaves in Guyana and for it to be removed from all digital platforms and cease any form of public dissemination within Guyana.
According to the commission the action is a necessary measure to prevent further injury to the Christian community and to uphold public standards and mutual respect.
In relation to Kartel’s upcoming concert in Guyana, the commission said it will be engaging the promoter to directly address the issue. The commission said it was expecting full cooperation in ensuring that the event does not contribute to the spread of this offensive content that undermines interfaith harmony.
ERC said it remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and faiths of all Guyanese. Acts of religious disrespect will not be tolerated and will be addressed with firm and constructive measures.
The commission last week condemned a song released on Tik Tok by local singer Baby Skello which was deemed to be offensive to Hindu Goddess Mother Lakshmi.
The song has since been removed from social media and the singer has apologised; however, he has since been arrested by the Guyana Police Force for questioning in relation to the song. The singer is also expected to be meeting with the ERC in relation to the song.