The Rev. Dr. Merrick 'Al' Miller, pastor of the Fellowship Tabernacle in St. Andrew, has expressed concern at the manner in which prophet Dr. Phillip Phinn has made predictions about future electoral success for Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller.

Last week, Phinn, a prophet of the Word of Life Ministries International, said that God had ordained Simpson Miller to rule for another seven years.

But in a letter to the editor, Miller said Phinn's prophetic declaration could be perceived as "manipulation" of the democratic process.

Miller said: "The problem with Dr. Phinn's prophecy is not primarily one of content of the message as God can and does speak to his people via the prophetic voice. The issue is the wisdom and correctness of public declarations on 'the who' in a democratic society. The danger is that such utterance will invariably be seen as indicating selection by divine edict rather than the people's choice.

Create wrong concepts

"It could also be easily interpreted as the abuse of one's position of privilege to advance personal belief," argued Miller. "It could also confuse and create wrong concepts about the justice of God, especially if there is growing inequity in the practice and performance of the declared leader and or party."

Citing Phinn's declaration as "unwise", Miller noted that the more consistent biblical pattern is for the people to select leadership by observing the guidelines from divine edict.

He said from biblical tradition, the prophet usually divulges the predictions to the person, not to the public.

"If, however, one feels compelled to make public predictive prophecy - motive must be right, just etc., and the reason for God's choice must be made known with the benefits or consequences so that the people are edified," he said.