The call by the Methodist Church in Fiji for a month of prayer and fasting to address the current explosion in drug use tells us a great deal about the intellectual as well as the moral vacuum at the top of national life.
The President of the Methodist Church, the Reverend Dr Semisi Turagavou, undoubtedly means well and there is clearly nothing wrong with any Christian turning to the Almighty for solace in a crisis. God knows the drug threat in Fiji is deteriorating by the month and there is a general wringing of hands on the part of the well meaning about the appropriate response.
But God helps those who help themselves and prayer isn’t going to fix the drug threat any more than it can fix any of the nation’s ills. Neither is going without food.
As is well known, I grew up in the Methodist Church in Fiji as a luveni talatala and my late father, the Reverend Peter Davis, once held the position Dr Turagavou holds of president. And never once do I recall anyone in the church in those days refer to fasting as a solution to anything. It simply wasn’t a part of mainstream Christian life in Fiji and is a modern-day practice that has arisen from the growth of fundamentalism and a more literal interpretation of the Gospel.
There are multiple references to fasting in the Bible, some 70 in the Old Testament alone. But choosing not to eat as an expression of faith is regarded by most Christian leaders as a personal choice, not a group solution to confronting social challenges. Christians, like everyone, need sustenance to deal effectively with life. And in my personal opinion at least, choosing to embrace fasting and prayer in the way that Dr Turagavou advocates is more a sign of surrender than resolve, as in “Please God, help us because we have no idea what to do”.
It would be far better for the Methodist Church – plus the other denominations that make up the Fiji Council of Churches, which was founded in my father’s day in 1963 – to start taking a much more assertive role across the board on issues of morality and ethics. With the drug trade as with almost every other social ill, the rot in Fiji flows from the top. We all know that the “Mr Bigs” of the drug trade have been able to flourish because in too many instances, our leaders have turned a bind eye to their activities.
Take a look at where we are right now. We have a Minister for Women and Children in the form of Lynda Tabuya who boasted of being “high on weed” – marijuana – during her squalid sexual encounter with Aseri Radrodro in Melbourne. We have a businessman identified by western intelligence agencies as a kingpin in the regional drug trade seemingly able to conduct himself with impunity. We have a police force that has been so corrupted that individual police officers steal drugs that have been seized and put them back onto the market. Is all this going to go away because Methodists stop eating for the month of April?
There is a cancer at the heart of national life that Christians are not calling out. And that is the shocking deterioration in public standards of conduct on the part of our leaders. That Lynda Tabuya can survive as a minister having had the allegations against her of sexual misconduct and drug-taking accepted by the PAP to the extent of being stripped of the party’s deputy leadership is a case in point. That Tabuya’s sexual plaything, Aseri Radrodro, was appointed minister for education when he had almost killed the Prime Minister’s daughter in a domestic violence attack a decade before is another. That four of the most senior ministers in the Coalition have been referred to FICAC for allegedly giving false information about their financial assets before the last election is yet another. And the list goes on.
Where have the Methodist Church and other Christian denominations been in all of this? Nowhere to be seen. There is no point in preaching about proper standards of conduct if you are willing to turn a blind eye to misconduct on an industrial scale. And certainly no point in dropping to your knees in prayer or skipping meals as a means of avoiding the tough calls that have to be made by our church leaders to reassert their position as moral arbiters and tell their congregations clearly and precisely the difference between right and wrong.
We currently have a nation gripped by Christian piety and far too much sanctimonious claptrap masking a great deal of squalid conduct – domestic violence, child abuse, chronic dishonesty and corruption. We know that even the Methodist Church is grappling within its own ranks with the problem of clergymen saying one thing from the pulpit and doing another when they are out of their Sunday best – adultery, excessive kava use and other sins of the flesh. It is arguably all part of the human condition. But how can anyone expect the Fijian people to raise their own standards of conduct when their leaders are setting such an abysmal example?
As I said at the start, Dr Turagavou undoubtedly means well. But instead of calling for fasting as a means to address the drug threat, he would be better advised to join forces with his fellow church leaders to persuade the Coalition to call a national drug summit to get a grip on the actual extent of the crisis and come up with a comprehensive and holistic plan to tackle it. And to start doing a lot more to call out bad behaviour when they see it in every facet of national life.
A wise judge in a current defamation trial in Sydney said something last week that applies to the churches in Fiji as much as it does in any other context: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant”. We cannot hope to clean up the current rot in national life without shining a light on its causes. And the churches are uniquely placed to do so, especially when our politicians are failing so badly to lead.
It’s all there in the scriptures in Matthew 5:16 ” In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. So a personal plea to church leaders: kana vinaka for the strength you need to grab that light and go for it. Because God knows we need as much disinfectant as possible right now.
Now this is something that really put me off my breakfast – the sight of Lynda Tabuya’s “brutal” sexual plaything and the brute who almost killed the Prime Minister’s daughter appointed Deputy Chair of the International Democracy Union.
The fact that the Coalition would put Aseri Radrodro forward for such a role is a complete disgrace and ample demonstration in itself that Sitiveni Rabuka and his gaggle of Coalition cronies have totally lost the plot. In fact, it is perverse to the point of evil.
Do these other nice people in the photo know the sacked minister’s record? Domestic violence abuser, adulterer and insubordinate? Of course they don’t. But they soon will.
No wonder democracy is in such trouble around the world and the forces of dictatorship are on the march. Vomit-inducing.
Coming soon on Grubsheet, we shine our own light on the increasingly bizarre conduct of the Acting Chief Justice, Salesi Temo.
If I remember rightly a certain SLR told the country to fast and pray when Covid hit…. a real Trumpian solution.
Tell Lynda Tabuya to fast for a month. The country will see miracles.
She needs God in her life.
Amen, Graham.
What a shambles this coalition government is. As soon as they are held to account? Swap the hood for a stooge. Will that happen to the PM if he gets caught out? Will they, whoever the faceless people are, send someone else in to be PM. Please honourable ministers, do what you were elected to do! And that was to serve the people! Not your own interests!!
These faith-based organisations can be held in high regard if they start voicing their concerns on all the above that you mentioned Graham.
They like to sit quietly and comfortably when the President of the church could address the drug abuse by Minister Tabuya. But no. These will be the same churches that will hold her in high regard. She is the Madam that they give reverence to.
I have not heard them talk about the abuse women face in general. The 3 DPMs now under FICAC investigation. The PM abusing the constitution.
But who can hold faith in the methodist church in Fiji? They have had a corrupt leadership and have become part of Fiji’s racist right wing i-taukei movement.
Will do the President good to look after his herd within his church. They can fast for a whole year if they want to.
Fasting? What a joke. From my personal experience, I had neighbour’s who when I asked them over for breakfast would have a forlorn and pious look and tell me that they were fasting for xyz reason that they were praying for. Oh OK, I thought. I felt a bit sorry for them, especially the kids because they lived next door to the church so would be discovered if they broke their fast, and shunned by the community. Until one day I cottoned on. It was eventually revealed that they could actually come over at lunch, or afternoon tea, or dinner. As they would break their “fast” at mid day or 3pm depending on the pastor’s edict. THAT’S NOT FASTING, IT’S JUST SKIPPING BREAKFAST
yep ! missing breakfast aka intermittent fasting, every morning ! am I going to heaven ?
People are blinded by their faith and biases.
There is no morality, sense of reality and decency.
I have said it before Graham.
Fijians need to speak up.
Get on the streets and put a no confidence in government move. March if they have to. Sad days ahead Fiji.
We all heard the Prime Minister publicly state he has referred two Ministers to FICAC for investigations and these being Minister for Youth and Sports and Minister for Fisheries!
Similarly we know Biman Prasad has been reported to FICAC for various matters including his conflict of interest with his friend Ganesh Chand awarding them a few million from the Government coffers. Not declaring he had another property in Nadi as well as the $200,000 given to his wife’s resurrected company to manage the Girmit Celebrations and this done without a tender.
Yet these 3 names were left out in the Fiji Sun yesterday !
Tsk tsk lorry awe …
As long as kava is still allowed eh. Some form of drug is OK but not food. OK got it.
Fasting enhances the effect of brainwashing. Fiji needs the masses to have more cognitive impairment/brain dullness to turn a blind eye to what is happening.
These young substance abusers are crying out for help. God has no hands but ours . These kids are crying for indivudual parenting , parents attention to the needs of the children are crucial here.Children need love,affection, food,clothing etc. then realisation of Gods presence and conversion will make its way . Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs are very much applicable.
The Methodists are the PAP at prayer.
Well said and one hundred percent agree.
After my first criminal experience in Fiji after 38 years in the country, I was horrified to see the drug issue in my face. A back pack full of needles and foils of substance was more than I could handle.
So sad. Horrific.
Fiji is not our safe haven. I wasn’t expecting to be car jacked and robbed in Nasau.
I put it on social media but pulled it down. I have no idea who I’m dealing with. And that’s scary. The police are corrupt. That’s frightening.
They obviously stole from me for drugs. Sad and a waste of lives.
Shockingly-in Fiji.
Our beloved Fiji
Dr Rabuka has got all the answers.
Fasting and praying to get rid of drugs and disease.
Free for all Intercourse allowed if Ministers are looking to hook up outside their marriage.
Win or lose Hong Kong just support your sevens rugby team. But if lose LA sevens conduct a full investigation and fire the Vulagi coach.
Get wet in rain to fake respect for chiefs and elders.
A bit of self awareness Dr Rabuka will do you good in being a bit more discreet about your fakeness.
If this government fasted, they wouldn’t need to keep buying those flashy new suits we see them in every time.
If that fails, fasting has been known to qualm those lecherous desires which saw Aseri bite into Lynda’s forbidden fruit…
Unless I’m mistaken – there may have been calls previously for National Prayer and Fasting in Fiji…….by devotees of the National 15s and 7s Rugby teams – to win major tournaments. At least this current call for fasting and prayer shows some awareness of the iceberg ahead and redirection of priorities!
Generally the piety displayed is for show and is peer influenced and mob group behavior. Isolate the individual and examine the behaviour they display in everyday actions – there is a surprising lack of personal integrity in what is considered a “deeply religious” society….and this applies from the bottom to the top.
Filthy rags is a fitting description.
Fiji The way the world should be ?? Certainly not – there are far more non-religious people who display a lot more ethical and moral / civil behavior in developed western societies.
From the looks of things from outside, now only God can save Fiji.
Her politicians are eating and raping and selling her and her values for pennies and so they can pause for a few photos on the beach and elsewhere. Fiji is not well.
I dont know if God even listens to those that pray with darkness in their hearts coz for certain the new norm among Fijians under this government is hate your neighbors if they look different to you. Sack them if they tell the truth. Procecute them if they threaten your establishment.
You cant pray in silence and hope God helps. God helps those that help themselves.
Certainly there may be some genuine people, some statesman that can stand up to this circus and call the government out for what it is.
It’s scary in Fiji and it’s getting worse. When people start praying, you know it, all hope is lost and all efforts have failed.
It’s not prayer time, it’s time to beg God to save Fiji.
They have lost the plot entirely. He should instead call on his members to quit grog, smoking and bonking people they’re not wedded to.
Interesting comments by AR’s wife on Joe Ratu’s FB page on a shared Pacific Newsroom post about the appointment of her husband.
Pray tell? I am banned from Facebook courtesy of the Great Temptress.
When you do not have any answers you pray and fast and seek divine intervention. That is what the government does as well. But one thing they are adamant about is they formed government through praying and fasting. It is such a vulagi tradition which has been taken up with such passion in the last 100 or so years. The stupidity and the idiocy is then perpetuated by teaching our “churen” this rubbish.
Have you seen that idiot pastor on TV everyday. Why is such rubbish even allowed on TV day in day out?
“Vulagi tradition?” Since when? Religion plays a very minor (if any) part in the democratic processes of our near neighbors, Australia and NZ. Likewise Europe.
This fasting and praying to change a government comes from the lunatic fringe elements of “Christianity” based in the USA. It is not mainstream. The Taukei appear to be susceptible to this lunatic version of “Christianity”. Perhaps because they have no leadership and no answers. And perhaps because little has been done to encourage logical thought over emotions, i.e. keeping the amygdala (the “caveman brain”) caged.
Well written Graham…
Thank you, Chris. Divine inspiration. 😉
Spot on Graham. Very well written.
Remember guys, these are the chosen people. God gave them this chosen land. All the rest of us are vulagis.
Their God speaks to them and tells them what to do. They seem to have a far more sophisticated network which is better than the 5G.
I’m not sure which God they are referring to because Christianity does not teach us hatred, discrimination, and labeling one race superior over another.
Anyway, what’s the point in going to Church every Sunday, dress the best, learn the scriptures and words of God about love, peace and unity. Come out of that church and do the total opposite.
With State land next on their agenda to be siphoned for purposes of native use, the next item on the list is the air we breath.
We are truly being f#$ked by these clowns.
Qase Levu sees fasting as a means to the solution for the problem of drugs.
I strongly support his call because of my own experiences.
People who are deep in the mire of drugs want to walk out but the evil spirit of drugs holds them imprisoned and is driving them to condemnation. If they go alone on that path, good (no Jesus wants everybody to be saved) …but they also entice others and get new recruits into the trade. For that we need a stronger spirit to fight the spirit of drugs.
The only strong spirit that can face the evil spIrit of drugs and come out winner is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hades tried to bind Him but He walked out and He is still working hard to save lost souls into His Kingdom. I KNOW FOR I WAS THERE.
As such, let’s heed the Qase Levu’s call.
With Love.
Jesus wept. I know. I was there.