Four serious questions for our country

Dear Editor,

There are many problematic attacks and defamations against E.F.K.S. and there are many new twist editions of Christianity and democracy coming in from everywhere in order to lift the Government’s position about the tax issue but it only deepens E.F.K.S.’s loyalty to God and the truth. 

The highlight and aim of different inconvenient attempts by the Government’s supporters is just about invalidation and humiliation of the E.F.K.S.’s petition. Unfortunately for the Government and its supporters, their actions have strengthened E.F.K.S.’s foundation. E.F.K.S.’s loyal to God is extremely intact and E.F.K.S.’s love for God is unshakable. 

I understand that there is legal protection for defamation and wrong accusation but it is worthless about the E.F.K.S.’s case because the person who reinstated the Criminal Libel law was also the main person who led from the front about defamation and wrong accusation against the E.F.K.S. That really shows the importance of the reintroduction of the Criminal Libel law.    

All Government supporters who have been involved in this big mess, they don’t care about facts and truth, the government’s mistake, government corruption, the Constitution of Samoa, Christianity and Samoan custom and tradition. They don’t care about anything. They don’t care about what they have been doing, about the people they have hurt and the ways they hurt them.    

Some of the attacks and defamation are very dangerous including childish and twist responses from the Prime Minister about the tax issue. The serious attack and defamation which caught my attention the most is the one that was said by the Prime Minister in Parliament.

He took advantage of privileges in Parliament to attack and defame Church Members of the E.F.K.S. but he did not have any evidences to prove what he said: “Church’s decision is like someone putting a gun on the Government’s head.” 

As fact of the matter, he blamed E.F.K.S. with the crime that he committed. It was a crime that he created together with the Minister of Revenue. He denied accountability and responsibility for the big mess that he started. Accordingly I have provided through this conversation some serious questions for our country to think about. We should never let this go without getting to the root of the problem and get it fixed. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Revenue, they’ve got to ask themselves these serious questions.

1. What is cult? 

2. What is dictatorship? 

3. What is the qualification for membership (Member of Parliament)? 

4. What is the Constitution?

Christianity defines cult as anything that deviates from the historical person and the finished work of Jesus Christ or adds to and detracts from each teachings of Christ and the Bible and is generally at the instruction of one individual who dictates that belief, it is certainly and immediately cultic at that time. 

Dictatorship is governing with absolute rules and absolute authority. There is no transparency and accountability. No moralities, no freedom and no human rights protections. It is all about injustice, conspiracy, spreading corruption and covering up corruption with corruption. It is not Democracy and it is against Christianity. 

Qualifications for membership or the qualification for being a Member of Parliament is clearly explained in (Article 45) of the Constitution. Part 1 – “(a) is a citizen of Samoa”  “(b) is not disqualified under the provisions of this Constitution or of any Act.” Those are the main qualifications why the current Members of Parliament qualified. Part 2 –“If a person other than a person qualified under the provisions of clause (1) is elected as a Member of Parliament, the election of that person shall be void.” 

The Constitution of Samoa is still in force. This means, the Constitution is still exist. Given the enactment date of the Constitution on the preamble and the context of the Constitution (enactment date and approval by General Assembly of the United Nations - Article 113) therefore the Constitution was an “existing law” before independence.

And therefore all the rights, obligations and liabilities of the existing law plus their continuation, recognition and enforcement are covering under (Article 114 / Transitional provision) of the Constitution.  

The Constitution of Samoa has three parts but not one (cover, preamble and body). It states very clearly in (Article 2) that the Constitution is the Supreme law of Samoa. So it is very, very important for the Parliament to consider all three parts of the Constitution but not just the body of the Constitution when they make laws (Article 43). 

The Supreme law in (Article 2) is referring to the whole Constitution but not just one part or the body. 

Also, the same article (Article 2) states that “Any existing law and any law passed after the date of coming into force of this Constitution which is inconsistent with this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.” 

In that regard, I am saying this out of great respect for information. The majority (almost 100%) of “Founding Fathers” who framed the Constitution are members of the E.F.K.S. or Protestant denomination. They put those guidelines in the Constitution for the government to follow, to recognize and to enforce.

There is no cult, no dictatorship and no extremism in the Constitution. They created the foundation of Samoa to be founded on God instead of having God founded on government. It was based on the core beliefs of the E.F.K.S. from the teachings of Christ and the Bible. 

Therefore, the threatening of Church Ministers and Church with absolute rules is “WRONG.” There is no place of absolute rule, extremism, dictatorship and political correctness in our Parliament. So without proud and pride, I can say that E.F.K.S. reserves the right without taken into consideration any opposition to lead the government back in God’s way and to put back the government in the right path according to the Constitution. Where ever it goes and whatever it takes, we are capable of defending the Constitution of Samoa and Christianity with ease in the right way.    

As Christians we defend the teachings of Christ and the Bible from cult and God’s righteousness from immoral. We defend that belief and our Constitution from cultic and extremists at the same time. So be informed by just looking at facts and truth in the Bible and the Constitution in order to confirm that both Christianity and our Constitution are under great threat because of the Government.

We elected our leaders with one expectation of developing the country and providing our country the best moral soil, the moralities of God from Christian principles which freedom works best and truth can ultimately triumph. Our views of ‘election’ and ‘qualifications for membership’ (MP) are based on moral principles of which the lives of our fore-parents fathers and mothers especially the “Founding Fathers” were built on. 

If an elected leader abandoned the teachings of the Bible when making decisions for a law which is currently enacted but it contradicts the teachings of Christ and the Bible and also affects Church Ministers and Church, then that leader should step down and resign. As said before, there is no cult, dictatorship and extremism in the Constitution and there is no place of absolute rule, extremism, dictatorship and political correctness in our Parliament.

Accordingly, we should follow the right processes or facts and truth as explained above to overcome the serious problem we are facing right now. We should never let this go unless we get to the bottom of the problem and get it fixed starting from bottom. If you listen again to the childish responses as quoted below from the Prime Minister, then you can tell from the words the departure of our leaders and Government from Christianity and democracy.

Firstly, “There are thirty five different Christian denominations in Samoa. From that number, thirty four make up 75percent of this country who have not said a thing. They have accepted it,” Tuilaepa reminded.” “Not one of those thirty four churches has bothered to meddle with the issue because they know it is a government matter.”

Without a doubt, the Prime Minister denied the foundation of Samoa in the Constitution, God’s commandments in the Constitution and Christian principles in the Constitution. He also denied the Constitutional process to make laws that he ignored when they establish the new tax law for Church Ministers. So the issue about taxation of Church Ministers is Biblical and Constitutional. It has nothing to do with other denominations. 

According to the E.F.K.S.’s petition as published on the Media, it was free from unrelated points such as the first church accepted in Samoa, the religion of the first Samoan Prime Minister, the specific church of the vast majority of Founding Fathers who framed the constitution, the specific Bibles served as source of information of Christian principles in the Constitution, the biggest denomination in Samoa and others.

Secondly, he said, the Government and the Church have different responsibilities, which have already been demarcated by God. “What are those? The role of churches is to feed people with spiritual food; the responsibility of the government is different. The Government’s responsibility is to feed people with physical food so they are satisfied, happy and that the flock exists peacefully.”

It is not true because it is a lie. Even if it’s true, it doesn’t have anything to do with the message of God about His the law in (Matthew 5:17-18). Which means it doesn’t change anything about the law of God about priesthood and tithes in (Hebrews 7:5) and (Exodus, Levi, Deut and Num). 

The fall of man and the first sin occurred because of physical food. Eve and Adam chose the physical food over the spiritual food; the commandment of God. The temper that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden was the same one that tempted Christ in the New Testament.  

 (Matthew 4: 2- 4) “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ””

It is written in (Romans 14:16-18) “Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” Also, it is written in (1 Corinthians 8:8) “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.”

What he said is another great example of misleading and inconsistency. No wonder why Samoa became like this at where we are nowadays. He was fooling God and he was using God as a joke. It is very embarrassing and very disturbing. [Ua fai pupula mai lava le pepelo a lenei ta’ita’i i lo atunu’u amaise lava lona olegiaina o le Atua i totonu o le Maota Fono sa faia ai a latou tautoga i le Atua]

Third, “In this house are representatives from all over Samoa. There is no government that goes forward, back, forward and back. It doesn’t work like that,” “It is why this country continues to support this party. This is not a government that exists to please people; this Government is not like that. We don’t exist to please people that whoever has an objection we lean towards it. That’s why this Government is recognised and respected in this part of the world.”

That is another lie and that also, is another great example about misleading and inconsistency. There is a government that goes forward, back, forward and back. The H.R.P.P. in 2013 abolished the Criminal Libel Act as it was the right way forward. However, in 2017, the H.R.P.P. went back and reinstated the Criminal Libel Act as the new way forward. That is forward, back and forward. 

Likewise, the Polynesian Airline was brought back again under a different brand which is currently known as Samoa Airways. Apart from that, Titimaea Tafua’s re-appointment as Head Coach of the Manu Samoa is another example of going forward backward and forward.    

According to King Martin Luther Jr. “If we are to go forward we must go back and find God.” It makes sense in Christianity and our Democracy because that is the purpose of Christ, the Bible, born again, resurrection, Churches, Church Ministers, the Constitution, laws, the Court of Justice, Auditing, O.P.C committee, inquiries, petitions, protest march and more.  

The Prime Minister is entitled to his own opinions and that is the same entitlement for all Members of Parliament. He should know that from (Article 59) of the Constitution and from the “Standing Orders for Parliament.” Any Member of Parliament may introduce any bill or propose any motion for debate in the Assembly or present any petition to the Assembly. Also, he should remember, the Cabinet is under the control of Parliament (Article 32) but not the opposite.   

Fourth, “Tuilaepa reminded about Apostle Paul’s teaching that all authorities are from God, which is a point he has made time and time again. On that note, he said Parliament is the final authority on matters of law.”

Again, that is another lie which is another example of misleading and inconsistency. If he was right then what is the point of public referendum in (Article 109) of the Constitution about customary lands? If he was right then what is the point of declarations on the cover and on the preamble of the Constitution? 

Also, it says in the (Article 2) “Any existing law and any law passed after the date of coming into force of this Constitution which is inconsistent with this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.” That’s the instruction from / by the Constitution but not from / by the Parliament or Cabinet or the Prime Minister. 

Therefore the Constitution and our national sovereignty is the final authority when we deal with serious issues like customary lands and taxation of Church Ministers. However, God is above all. God and His commandments is the SUPREME AUTHORITY. Apostle Paul is not Jesus and Apostle Paul is not God. Samoa is founded on God but not the Apostle Paul.  

If all authorities are from God according to the Prime Minister’s interpretation then why did the government bring people in justice about incest, rape and other offences? Why did the government bring fathers who rape their daughters in justice if their authorities are from God? My point is this. All authorities are under the control of the law and commandments of God. 

From cover to cover, the Bible is from Genesis to Revelation. He can’t just take out an interpretation from one leaf and ignore the rest of the Bible and then make a claim that what he said is the truth. Church Ministers are priests according to the law of God, inheriting tithes according to the same law of God in (Hebrews 7:5) and (Exodus, Deut, Levi and Num). In addition, there is no one can change the law of God (Matthew 5:17-18).

That is why our Government is not working anymore because we have immoral in our systems. That also, is the main reason why our freedom including our freedom of expression is actually dis-functioning. If we have immoral in the administration of the Independent State of Samoa, truth is evicted, dictatorship prevailed then we could have lost our country forever. 

As a conclusion, I say, we should never let this go without doing the right thing. The truth will not prevail if we base our judgment on monies and physical food. But the truth will prevail if we base our judgment on God’s righteousness and God’s moralities. That is the only way to eliminate the serious problem that we are facing right now in our country.

Ma lo’u fa’aaloalo tele lava,

Nanai Malonuu Lealaiauloto Nofoaiga   

Samoa Observer

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