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Ignore SDA’s call for a change of 2024 Election Day

Why 2024 Election Day and the SDA call for a change should be ignored

2024 Election Day and the SDA for change of election day: Will you do the same for Muslims and other Christian Sunday worshippers?

“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matthew 22:21 (NIV)

In Ghana’s election year, December 7th is not always a Sunday, nor is it always a Saturday or a Friday. This renders the Seventh Day Adventist Church’s call for the day’s change futile from the start.

No group of Ghanaians should create the impression that elections on their day of worship will make them less religious or worshippers because they must fulfill their civic duties.

All other denominations in the Christian faith worship on Sunday, except the SDA. If their request is granted, what happens if elections fall on Sunday?

It is highly likely that some security officers and party leaders in various political parties are members of the SDA, yet they continue to work on Saturdays due to their professional and personal obligations. In fact, some of them would be at the post providing security on election day, December 7th, 2024.

It’s regrettable that the SDAs’ day of worship coincided with the election date, as the 2008 elections took place on Sunday, December 7th.

All Christians who worship on Sundays either went to church and closed early or not at all to allow members to vote in the general elections.

While it was not an ideal situation for these churches, they still found a way around it, and that did not make them less Christian.

The 2024 election in Ghana will fall on Saturday. We will hold the 2028 and 2032 elections on Thursday and Tuesday, respectively, and the 2036 election on Sunday, December 7th.

The SDA church’s call does not present a compelling argument for altering Ghana’s constitution.

What should our Muslim brothers say if an election falls on a Friday dedicated to their worship at the mosque? In 2012, the presidential and parliamentary elections took place on a Friday, but no one deemed it wise to shift them to a Saturday. Presumably, the SDA did not find any issue with the election taking place on a Friday.

Making a case for a holiday on any election day in favour of a particular faith or religion or moving the constitution-binding activity to another will only create room for other faiths to call for the same favours if an election day falls on their day of worship. Back to the earlier quote from Matthew 22:21.

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So give back to Ghana what is Ghana’s on election day on December 7th, 2024 and to God what is God’s.

Tags: 2024 Election Day and the SDA call