Fiji Sun

Rejoice With People Of Other Religions: Gates

He says there is no place for racism, people should aim to do the right thing.

- ARIETA VAKASUKAWA­QA Edited by Rusiate Mataika Feedback: arieta.vakasukawa­qa@fijisun.com.fj

Chief Justice Gates said Christians should embrace people from other religions and rejoice with them in their Holy Days.

“We can join in their celebratio­n and feel happy for them, though we hold differing beliefs,” Mr Gates said.

“They are God’s creations. How can we deny a person whom God has created? There is no place for racism.”

Chief Justice Gates highlighte­d this issue while speaking yesterday at the opening of the two-day Kingdom Internatio­nal Legal Network Inaugural Conference 2018 at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island in Nadi.

“Alas there is a great deal of that on social media and it is not pretty, lawyers are not excluded from that failing,” he said. Chief Justice Gates said Fiji must work towards the eliminatio­n of temple desecratio­ns.

“The perpetrato­rs are misled individual­s and you wonder what they are told at home,” he said.

“People should aim to do the right thing in their lives and profession­al lives too being compassion­ate not least to those who are different.

“We must demonstrat­e in our work courage both physical and moral."

He said churches would benefit if they provided structures for legal practition­ers to be involved in Christian duty. However, he felt that the church had often failed with these essential parts of being a Christian.

Chief Justice Gates said the Bible was like a constituti­on as it guided our lives and how we should treat others.

 ?? Photo: Arieta Vakasukawa­qa ?? The Harvesters Internatio­nal Christian Youth Group peforms a gospel song at the Kingdom Internatio­nal Legal Network Inaugural Conference 2018 at Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island in Nadi on January 26, 2018.
Photo: Arieta Vakasukawa­qa The Harvesters Internatio­nal Christian Youth Group peforms a gospel song at the Kingdom Internatio­nal Legal Network Inaugural Conference 2018 at Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Denarau Island in Nadi on January 26, 2018.

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