The existence or otherwise of a supreme being aside I am continually amazed that any reasonably intelligent person cannot see Christianity and its bible for what it is, a human construct of relatively recent antiquity designed as a political ideology for a particular time now well past.

Here's a quote from one of our smarter commentators taken off the exkiap website (reacting to an erroneous and lamentable critique of the kiaps by the speaker):

"[The speaker is] cheerfully willing to trash his own nation's spiritual heritage for the sake of a religion dreamed up by disaffected Judeans living during the early period of the Roman Empire and introduced by the colonial oppressors he evidently holds in contempt.

Also, he has imported an artefact created at the behest of a Scottish King some 400 years ago to replace the symbols of a tradition stemming back to long before the enterprising Judeans ever cobbled together the mixture of Judaism, Platonic philosophy, Zoroastrianism and a few other bits of borrowed mythology that we now call Christianity.

Not much intellectual consistency on display here."

Believe in a god if you must but it thrusting down the throat of a whole nation beggars belief.

Bomai Witne, whilst you are entitled to your opinion you failed to understand the significance and motive of the Speaker's reform initiative. Let me shed some light.

There is no parochial interest as you claim. It has nothing to do with church nor it is an initiative for a faint hearted person can understand.

The reform initiatives which the "National Unity and Identity project" is part of it is bigger than parliament itself. It is an initiative toward shaping an ideological foundation for PNG. PNG has none. If there is, let me know.

The preamble to the constitution provides a split foundation and identity between "Noble traditions" and "Christian principles".

The reception of the 400 years old Bible as a gift contributes to enhancing the unity project initiatives because the Bible and its principles will be the foundation.Biblical principles has and will stand the test of time. Not cultures.

The unity and identity initiative is not enforcing ones religion nor destroying the cultures. Look at USA as an example.

As an individual, citizens are free to worship anything but as a nation they adopted "In God We Trust" and is inscribed into their currency and is protected by legislation. This is the secret of US rise to prominence and global dominance.Is there not something we can learn?

The rational for the Bible as the foundation is given the fact that the Bible is the only common denominator that stitches more than 860 traditions and cultures into one country. What else is the common denominator that unites PNG?

Traditional worships point to the God of the Bible. It enhances our understanding and should not be the object of worship or reverence.

Cultures are diverse and divisive. Cultures are dynamic and not static. Eg, we do not wear our traditional costumes any more.

We cannot offer our children a split identity. We do not want to be subjective in what we offer. Cultures are fast eroding and is challenged by different external forces.

What we should be concerned are noble values and principles of our cultures traditions which needs to be blended with modernity. Look at China as an example.

We need an ideological foundation to influence our systems and structures to build the nation. Even the Vision 2050 clearly clack an ideological foundation.The Speaker is clearly heading in a right direction even it may be radical.

Forty years is a sign of maturity and decisiveness. After 40 years of independence, where do we go from here? What should be our source of inspiration.

In an era of globalization and differing ideologies including capitalism, communism, evolution, humanism, empiricism, rationalism, secularism, materialism etc where do we stand as a nation?

PNG is a Christian Country - The majority are Bible Believing Christian and to have the Bible and its principles to be our foundation is in the interest of the majority. This does not mean that individual religious freedom are violate nor terrorizing our "noble traditions" or cultures.

Its about time we think outside the box and challenge the normal way of doing business.Lets offer a better alternative to chat the development path of our nation for the next 40 years and beyond.

At least we have a leader who is thinking big, thinking beyond the religious sectarian lines and thinking outside the box.

The Parliament House Committee, the Prime Minister and the current government is supporting the initiative.

It is an initiative which all thinking citizens need to contribute to the discussion, offer constructive criticism and be decisive rather than grandstanding.

Bomai,
The Speaker's dream was not a single mission to destroy the 50,000 year old
so-called cultural symbols.

His dream is about the destiny and the national direction of Papua New Guinea.It's a big dream.

It appears you're still eulogizing over the cultural objects without understanding what culture in entirety really means and represents in the wider scheme of things.

Bet you have read the Speaker's report - showing other developments that have taken place under his leadership and the others that are in the pipeline.

The Speaker's role is not confined to making laws only.
He and his colleagues are there to lead as architects of reforms in areas where changes are required.They also set national directions through engagement in business, socio-economic and societal changes .

In reply to your point number 4:
The Word of God that,is contained in the Bible created Papua New Guinea,
the seas, the world and the entire universe even before those carvings and carvers showed up on the face of the earth.So that, 50,000 year old object of mankind pales in comparison with the Word.

"In the beginning was the Word" (Genesis 1:1 & John 1:1)

In the beginning was not the carving, lintel or Papua New Guinea for that matter.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Bomai Witne has his right of opinion on matters concerning PNG but some statements lack clarity or facts to persuade readers .I'll highlight my piece on this line of Bomai's thought.

- Firstly your article portrays to me as a reader that this current speaker has no moral and ethical accountability to the office he holds. His actions by removing those carvings and now accepting an age old bible on behalf of local churches/PNG may to some seem controversial.

Everyone have their opinion, that is respected in a society we call democratic PNG. Is the current speaker not performing his duties transparently and accountability, is he underperforming and not to the standards achieved by his predecessor who was in office so many years. (I reckon the previous speaker was chaotic in his duties.)

Evidence is every clear how speaker Theo is transforming the office of the speaker, you can not ignore those facts.

- Other statement you make: Our ancestors worshipped this God in culturally appropriate ways in different societies.

The advent of Christianity and the bible in PNG reaffirmed the existence of God and promoted individual and communal worship. My thought to your statement.

May I also allude that gods worshipped by different societies around the globe is the same god has you mentioned here. You mean the stone god is same God missionaries introduced. That line of thought is a total flaw.

Your thought that Stone/Moon or crocodile or seasons etc Gods equates to the person of Christ is ambiguously flawed.

- Another statement you make:That the Speaker has used his position and funds to pursue his personal interest with the support of a few pastors amounts to an abuse of power and brings his office into disrepute.

My thought to this statement, thank God speaker has not siphoned off millions of kina to buy mansions in Cairns or elsewhere.

How is it his personal interest when he is the presentive of legislature arm of government and what he is doing is not to benefit himself. If the government and bulk of the pastors and PNG council of churches welcome the old bible to its new home - PNG. Give me a name of a church head who does not want this century old book. Your biased statement is contrary to many pastors.

- It is wrong for our government to create an impression that the God of Israel and the oldest King James Bible will bring answers to the multi-dimensional problems facing PNG. My reply - no way in the book the Speaker got says all multi dimensional problems facing png or humanity faces will disappear. This idea that God will eradicate all problems is at your disadvantage. The book tells humanity can live life above the problems by the virtues it presents. Accept and apply the virtues or deny in ignorance is a free will choice.

- It is also wrong for the Speaker to use public funds to pursue his own religious interest and ideals. The parliament doesn’t need an expensive King James Bible. Any Christian church in PNG can easily donate a small bible to place in parliament’s chamber.

My response - provide more clarity on, don't you ever want old century relic if you are presented one. or is the bible so you go up against.

"Change is constant."

Hmm.

I suppose going rapidly backwards to the middle ages is change of sorts?

Reminds me of those images of the ISIL blokes smashing up ancient monuments with sledge hammers and angle grinders.

another edit:

"Yeah right. (A - B = B - C = A - C = 0)

Thanks for your patience Keith - these expressions have meaning.

Some food for thought or fuel for the fire - whichever.

(1) The lintel carvings represent Papua New Guinea because they were carved by Papua New Guineans, at a unique time in our collective history.

The argument that the pillar carvings are “only from the Sepik” is completely irrelevant, since the Sepik is in PNG. (If A = B and B = C, then A = C and A + B = B + C = A + C, I know it gets confusing but it’s all the same really.)

Theo Zurenuoc destroyed an artifact that is beyond his comprehension (See above expression where A = B etcetera).

No amount of justification (good documents, speeches and all) about 'modernizing' Parliament can justify this crime. (That is, arguing that A = A + B + C + A + B + C + A + B + C… to infinity, is a waste of time and resources to get an answer which is just plain wrong.)

If some people have a particular brand of Christian faith and don't think Theo's actions were criminal, that doesn't make it right (A + Oh, never mind, you get the picture!).

The Holy Crusades were fought such a manner.

The thinking of the crusaders was, simply put, "we'll save them for their own good and they don't know it – we’ll convert them or kill them, and either way it's God's will". (A – B = A – C = B – C = 0.)

Yeah, right.

It's surprising that the earlier Roman conquest was also conducted upon a similar premise, where Rome was considered to be the 'light of the world'.

(2) I don't believe the action its outcome was an indication of PNG's "vibrant democracy".

I believe it was an indication of PNG’s rampant hypocrisy - or remove the lintel from your own eye.

No one was informed of this action until it was too late. No proper procedure was followed to canvass public opinion and obtain Parliamentary sanction, the mechanism of our democratic process.

No dignity and respect was afforded these iconic and National artifacts – they were simply hewn down and discarded like waste wood!

These are undeniable facts.

(3) I don't believe this action was done in the spirit of God’s grace, goodwill and communion, i.e. following the Christian ethos.

Is it by the grace of God and His will that we continue to treat with each other in that cruel, ancient spirit of the crusaders (see point 1 above)?

If it was goodwill then why do many disagree so emphatically that the action has put us at odds with each other?

There was no communion.

There was no unity in this action.

This action was divisive, which by Christian reckoning, is the very oldest of evils.

(4) Now Theo & Co. delivers a 400 year old Bible.

Which of our over 850 languages is this King James Version written?

Will I be allowed to read it – hold the pages and turn them myself?

What guarantee is there that the actions of our Members of Parliament will change in the presence of this old book?

If the next action is to organize a Pentecost for the near 120 MP’s then I’d like only one miracle please: That they all confess their crimes before God and man (and woman too – sorry Loujaya and Delilah), willingly go before the tribunals and walk into jail to serve their time without complaint.

This, I believe, was the example of Christ.

The mind boggles.