Solomons church leaders share their views on sorcery
20 November 2013
CHARLEY PIRINGI | Solomon Star
SORCERY IS PART OF CULTURE and it must be addressed and not ignored, a Catholic priest has told the Solomon Islands Law Reform Commission in Honiara.
“Sorcery is very much part of our culture, passed on from generation to generation, through our ancestors,” said Fr Henry Paroi of Henderson Catholic Dominican Society.
“We just cannot ignore it; the thing is to find ways to deal with it. It won’t happen overnight. It takes time”.
Bishop Jonnie Kupper of the Diocese of Central Melanesia said sorcery is a challenge for church leaders and the issue critically needs additional provisions in the law.
Former Solomons Governor-General Sir Nathaniel Waena described sorcery as a symptom of societal decay.
“The rise of sorcery is a wake-up call for church leaders,” Sir Nathaniel said.
The law reform team will be going to provinces for Review of Sorcery Offence consultation paper as of next year.
I believe the supernatural and sorcery played a vital role in the past. It was the moral fabric of society and I would liken it to the roles of Christianity and religion in today’s society.
Posted by: Bernard Sinai | 21 November 2013 at 12:33 PM