Author:
Publication: Fiji Times
Date: March 27, 2005
URL: http://www.christianaggression.org/item_display.php?type=NEWS&id=1112408217
Christians can only accept other
religions in Fiji if their right of worship is not enshrined in the Constitution,
the Methodist Church in Fiji says.
The most powerful of all Christian
denominations in the country, the church was reacting to statements by
Vice President and acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi on Good Friday
at a Sangam function in Suva.
Ratu Joni said crimes against the
Hindu religion in Fiji began after the Methodist Church's endorsement of
Fiji becoming a Christian State after May 1987 coup.
"Because if God does get angry with
the heathens, Christians will be punished because they allowed the worship
of idols and other lesser gods in Fiji," Reverend Ame Tugaue said.
"Sodom and Gomorrah were only destroyed
after the Lord removed the faithful from there and not because of a few
would we allow God's wrath to befall the whole of Fiji," he said.
He said it was clearly stated in
the 10 Commandments that God gave to Moses that Christians were not allowed
to worship any other gods and not to worship idols.
"One thing other religions should
be thankful for is that they are tolerated in Fiji as it's naturally a
peaceful place but their right of worship should never be made into law,"
Mr Tugaue said.
It was the Methodist Church, which
championed the nationalist fervour, which followed the coups of 1987 and
this led to the establishment of the 1990 Constitution, which legally preserved
Fijian supremacy.
Since then, the Methodist Church
has remained active in national politics.
