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 Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: PNG , sharp increase in people rejecting Christianity and |
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PNG turns to Islam
PM - Monday, 17 November , 2008 18:42:00
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2422121.htm
Reporter: Steve Marshall
..
MARK COLVIN: In Papua New Guinea a growing number of people are now
choosing to pray at a mosque rather than a church.
PNG is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people turning
their backs on Christianity and converting to Islam.
PNG correspondent Steve Marshall has the story.
(Sound of Call To Prayer)
STEVE MARSHALL: A Call To Prayer in the heart of Port Moresby. This
mosque built with the help of Malaysian and Saudi Muslims is home to a
growing number of Papua New Guinean converts who have chosen Islam
over Christianity.
KHALID: A lot of Papua New Guineans are converting to Islam not
because they don't like the other religion. It's just they've become,
they feel comfortable in there.
Mark Epa (phonetic) used to be a champion amateur boxer. He's now
known as Khalid, an Imam who received his training in Malaysia.
KHALID: The practice of Islam is much easier than the other religions
whereas in the religion of Islam you are your own preacher. You learn
how to pray. God is not only in the mosque. It's everywhere. So if I
don't come into the mosque, the house of prayer, I can pray under the
trees, in the house, anywhere.
STEVE MARSHALL: Papua New Guineans began converting to Islam in the
early 1980s. There are now more than 4,000 followers with recent
reports of entire villages converting at the same time.
..
Many are drawn to Islam because of the similarities the religion has
with Melanesian customs, says Isa Teine, the General Secretary for
PNG's Islamic Society.
ISA TEINE: We eat, we dance. This is Islam.
When we greet people we hug them. This is Islam.
We don't shake hands and leave them. So most of our cultures are
Islamic.
Polygamy. This is Islam. Islam encourages four wives. Before Islam
came in, people already had two, three, four wives. This is Islam.
So when the religion came in and said, oh we have to do this, this,
our Islamic culture, we have to do this and that, oh people fit in
easily.
So it's very easy for Papua New Guineans to embrace Islam.
..
Once the religion itself spread I tell you, I'm just predicting in 20,
30 years' time, all Papua New Guinea will submit to Islam.
STEVE MARSHALL: Church leaders like Pastor Joseph Walters say they
don't feel threatened by the rapid growth of Islam.
(Sound of Islam prayer)
STEVE MARSHALL: But not everyone has embraced the religion with
incidents of discrimination and Islam phobia quite common. The mosque
in downtown Port Moresby has been fire bombed, there is a bullet hole
in one of the windows, and a senior PNG Government minister once said
that Islam was dangerous and a serious threat to peace and unity here.
PNG Muslim Khalid again:
KHALID: There is not much understanding. There is not adequate
understanding by the people of this country about Islam because the
more negative pictures are painted on the religion of Islam,I also
believed like that , but when I came into the Deen [ knowledge], I
saw the different side of the religion of Islam.
STEVE MARSHALL: Khalid says attitudes will change as the number of
Papua New Guineans converting to Islam continues to increase.
In Port Moresby this is Steve Marshall for PM. |
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