"Twisted" Clergymen In Papua

Two Papuan parliamentarians claim that “twisted” churchmen in their electorates are spreading “evil and dangerous cults ” from the pulpit.

Mr Yano Belo and Mr Matiabe Yuwi told a meeting of the Southern Highlands Area Authority that corruption and discontent will follow if action is not taken quickly.

The area authority represents councils and government offices over a wide area of PNG’s southern highlands.

Mr Belo and Mr Yuwi said sermons from some rural churches were undermining government policies, traditional customs and Christian principles.

Missionaries had put locally-born pastors in charge of the churches, but the pastors were developing a religion of their own. Mr Belo and Mr Yuwi gave the meeting a list of seven pastors from three established religions operating in the Southern Highlands. All seven were preaching cargo cult sermons, the two men said.

The chairman of the area authority, Mr Posu Ank, supported the allegations.