By Lance Polu
APIA: 14 March 2010: The continuing clashes between the Village Councils and the new religions protected by their Constitutional rights, has prompted the Samoan government to establish a Commission of Inquiry to review the issues and recommend a course of action for government.
A Cabinet statement also referred to the issue of non Christian religions already being established in the country and the concerns already raised by the Christian denominations.
Traditionally, Village councils in some villages had allowed only certain Christian religions to be established.
However, with the passing of time, this unwritten 'covenant' had been forced to open up with the advent of new age religions and the non Christian faiths such as the Muslims and the Bahais'.
The ensuing clashes posed danger to human lives and properties with family members being banished from
their villages.
In one case, members of a new religion that started as a Bible study group, were tied up to carrying poles
and left in the midday sun at the roadside after the house belonging to the family that hosted the Bible
studies were burnt down.
The Village Council had instructed and warned the church members to stop and leave the village, until the
drastic decision to burn the houses, tie up the church members and had the young men carry the members
and left them by the roadside.
The new religions way of worship - using electric instruments and turning up the sound systems, has
disrupted many villages. Some mainline churches are finding competition against the amplified services of the neighbouring new churches if the service hours are the same.
One of the main new churches has been instructed by the Court to turn their volume down as they are
disturbing guests at a neighbouring hotel. The church is appealing the court decision.
Several villages have been left in a limbo as their traditional authority have been challenged in the courts with the decision always against the traditional leaders as the court recognizes the individuals' freedom to religion.
The Samoan Constitution however claims the country to be founded on God, Christian values and Samoan
customs and traditions.