Happy Baptist Liberation Day 2009!

Today in Trinidad and Tobago it is a public holidy to mark Baptist Liberation Day. This day is to commemorate the struggle that these people had to put to have and keep their religion under the British Christian rule...as this was what the British had done back then according to this Nalis (National Library and Information System in Trinidad and Tobago) article:

"From 1917 to 1951 the Spiritual and Shouter Baptist faith was banned in Trinidad by the colonial government of the day. The legislation to enact this ban was called the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance and it was passed on 16 November 1917.

The reason given for the ordinance was that the Shouters made too much noise with their loud singing and bell ringing (Henry 32-35) and disturbed the peace."

In 1996 the then government in power (which is currently in opposition) granted the day...today March 30th a public holiday. You can read more about this Prohibition on the Nalis article here.

I have to admit I don't know much about the celebrations of these people and here on the Universal Collective Prayer we would like to learn more...so I promise you this next year for sure I'm going to have more live actual on the floor content here on this day about these people and their religion.

But what I can tell you is some of their struggle sounds very similar to the ones Hindus had on the island and so that in itself is already a story in Universal Collective Prayer. They also use coloured flags in their religion that look different to Hindu ones but are coloured flags none the less. Also I've seen interviews already with people of this faith speaking about their spiritual experiences already and get this...they see the Shiv man! :)

So Happy Baptist Liberation Day to all you Spiritual and Shouter Baptists here on the islands and wherever you may be! Have a good one! :) And may we all continue to join in the dance that is Universal Collective Prayer! :)