Christian fundamentalism or religious syncretism? The picture of the Star of David seen on the back of a utility truck during Papua New Guineas Independence Day celebrations is just the tip of the iceberg in an evolving drama in this country. There are superstitiously-inclined groups in this country who are readily claiming that they are the so-called Lost Tribe of Israel. It is innocuous in the sense but must be monitored. In some areas of this country as well millenarian, pyramid schemes or cargo cult groups are also jumping on the bandwagon with this Israeli phenomenon. All this talk of PNG as a Christian country and the signing of the Covenant with the God of Israel or the increased engagement with Israel can have unintended consequences for a country such as PNG with a high illiteracy rate. Most Papua New Guineans are still steeped in myth-driven and non-pragmatic worldviews! So political elites and educated Papua New Guineans need to be cautious about the messages we disseminate concerning the symbolic attachments we have with the nation of Israel!
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 00:04:00 +0000