He said while people of other faiths should not be worried by the amendment. But it will stop those who create conflict in the name of religion from coming to Samoa.

"It doesn't mean they stop other religions as long as other religions are bringing in good values of Christianity like Christian values."

"Those who carry to the extreme the other teachings that cause troubles, those are the sort of religions that are blocked by this bill."

Fr Fereti is the chancellor of the Archdiocese.

The bill amending the constitution to declare Samoa a Christian nation has received strong support from MPs during its second reading in Parliament.

If the amendment is passed the phrase 'Samoa is founded on God' will no longer be used.

Instead, under the Constitution, it will be, "Samoa is a Christian nation founded on God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

According to the prime minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, the goal of the proposed amendment is to prevent religious wars that have erupted in other nations, especially in the Middle East and Africa.

He says it is intended not to block non-Christians from entering the nation.

Politicians also hope that enshrining Christianity in the constitution will help to defend the country against the destabilising force of liberal pressure from other countries.

"If we make laws and bills, we need to make decisions that will reflect that we are a Christian country," said one parliamentarian.

"So if other countries push us to make laws such as to allow same sex marriage, then we have to say no because that will not show that we are a Christian country. That will never happen in Samoa."

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• pravoslavie.ru
• Image: samoaobserver.ws

Lennon Cihak, 17, was on track to be confirmed at Assumption Church, Barnesville — until parish priest Father Gray LaMoine saw the teenager's photo in a same-sex Facebook post.

The photo showed Lennon beside a defaced sign intended to support a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Lennon had written "NO!" over the "Vote YES" message.

The proposed amendment was defeated in the November 6 ballot.

Lennon's mother, Shana, said she was called into a private conversation with Father LaMoine soon after the same-sex Facebook post was discovered and was told her son wouldn't be allowed to be confirmed.

"You kind of know the Catholic beliefs, but I never thought they would deny somebody confirmation because you weren't 100 per cent. I guess that's what shocks me," she said.

Her husband, Doug Cihak, agreed. "[Father LaMoine] was talking about ‘God doesn't believe in this'. Well, God created Lennon," he said.

Still, Doug Cihak insisted he was not mad at Father LaMoine, calling him just a "messenger" of the Church. The same could not be said for his wife, who told a reporter she didn't plan on returning to the church ever again. Her son nodded in agreement.

At the same time, Lennon said his faith had not faltered. "I don't want the Church to be put down. I don't want the Catholic religion to be put down," he said. "It's just the way the priest has things running. He's so strict. He won't loosen up about things."

In a letter to parishioners, Father LaMoine said Lennon chose to withdraw from confirmation after being confronted about his Facebook post, which rejected a central teaching of the Church.

Furthermore, the priest said, "even if he had not withdrawn from confirmation, there would be no choice but to remove Lennon, given his rejection of marriage as we understand it".

Sources:

Inforum

Park Rapids Enterprise

WDAY TV

Image: San Francisco Chronicle