Joseph Walters, a prominent evangelical church leader in Papua New Guinea, says the Speaker did the right thing, and there are many people who support what he did.

He said ,"Papua New Guinea has basically originated from an animistic society and a lot of ancestral worship and those things that we used to pay homage and respect to were unmystically, paganistically-based and that's where our argument is that carvings and statutes and other stuff that people with their hands actually have connotations and connections through the spirit world that are just as painful."

The speaker, Theo Zurenuoc, removed carved panels from the front of the building, despite a call from prime minister, Peter O'Neill, to stop.

The Post Courier reports that he said he will not be sitting down for a discussion with the PNG Council of Churches over the objects that were removed from the Parliament House.

"I do not want to sit with them, it's not necessary,'' he said, adding that this was because some of them had strong beliefs in some cultures that were not appropriate.

Source

• Radio Australia
• Radio New Zealand Intenational
• Post Courier
• Image: PNGBlogs/Rocky Roe

Conference General Secretary Fr Victor Roche is strongly against the opinion of the Speaker that the traditional carvings and decorations in Parliament are elements of cult and demonic practices and are unworthy of a Christian country.

"What's happening to the Parliament building is really ridiculous if true that behind the move are fundamentalist Christians who cannot distinguish between the novelty of the Gospel and what of the past needs to be preserved and treasured at least for collective and historical memory," said Fr Roche.

Source

• PostCourier
• Image: Aso.typad.com