I won’t be surprised when I take the lead to hell, they will follow – Bainimarama

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I won’t be surprised when I take the lead to hell, they will follow – Bainimarama

FijiFirst party leader Voreqe Bainimarama this week said he would not be surprised that when he “takes the lead to hell” Christian church ministers (talatala) will follow him, “one by one”.

He said this in the iTaukei language during a rally in Vanua Levu — while attacking Christian clergies who kept bringing up the issue of Fiji being a secular state.

Mr Bainimarama said under the 2013 Constitution, Fiji was a secular state, which meant that people had the freedom to practise any religion they wanted.

He said the Government would not restrict people from practising the religion of their choice.

Mr Bainimarama said there was a church minister in Bua who said Fiji becoming a secular state had compromised Christian doctrine.

“It has been eight years since the 2013 Constitution came in. Have some of you pushed away the God you serve?” Mr Bainimarama said.

“Have some of you changed your religion?

“Some ‘talatala‘ they don’t want Hinduism or Islam in this country and other religions in this country, but only Christianity.

“That cannot happen anymore.

“Our country has accepted all religions and races.”

He said Christians should just focus on their spiritual lives, stop gossiping and degrading other people like some of their church ministers were doing.

“These ‘talatala‘ who are saying all these things, I won’t be surprised that when I take the lead to hell, they will follow me, one by one.”

  • When contacted for comment yesterday, Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma president the Rev Ili Vunisuwai said he was not aware of Mr Bainimarama’s statement.
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