Calls by the country’s largest Christian denomination to
regulate the registration of religious groups have been supported by the
Government.
General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma Reverend Jione
Lagi made the call last week while expressing concern over the increasing
number of religious sects that have sprung up all over the country.
Their doctrines and beliefs have been blamed by the church for the split and
dissension experienced in some rural areas especially in villages.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Qoriniasi Bale has indicated that
part of the Law Reform Commission’s work programme for the next few months
included introducing new legislation that would tighten the loopholes in the
Religious Bodies Registration Act Cap 68.
"It will include the consideration of the registration of religious bodies
legislation we now have with the view of reviewing that," Mr Bale said.
"Now if we review that legislation what will come out of it is yet to be
determined."
"I can’t, on one hand, reserve that subject for the commission for a review but
on the other hand tell them what they should come up with because that is their
job," Mr Bale said.
His comments are indicative of the Government’s determination to toughen, if
not totally put a stop to, the ease with which religious groups - mainly from
minor Christian denominations - establish themselves in Fiji.
Isolated cases of rifts within families and communities, resulting from clashes
of religious doctrines and tradition, have been reported from time to time but
the increasing incidents of its occurrence has raised eyebrows within the
established churches like the Catholic Church and the Methodist Church.
While these churches would not admit it, it is understood that a major part of
their concern is the loss of their members to these new groups and with it the
loss of potential dollars that would normally go into their coffers.
The Minister for Justice has said that the existing Act needed a review "for
the reason that there is far too many religious bodies and religions in the
country".
Whether too many religious bodies is good or bad for Fiji we can’t be sure, but
one thing is definite and that is more and more members of the established
churches are leaving in numbers for the other ones that offer alternative
vibrant styles of worship.