Liberian Presidential Candidate Vows to Turn His Country Into a 'Christian State' If Elected

By Manuella Lamorena, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, May 31, 2017

A leader of a political party in Liberia vowed to turn his country into a Christian state if he gets elected in the presidential election this October.

MacDonald Wento, the leader of the United People's Party (UPP), promised religious leaders that if gets elected, his government would push for a law to make the country a Christian state, the Liberian Observer reported.

Wento spoked with the leaders of the Trumpet Baptist Church in Ganta and told them of his plan. The opposition presidential candidate also shared with them his disappointment towards other "religious leaders who denied their faith by not supporting Proposition 24," the legislative proposal to declare Liberia a Christian state.

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"As Christians, we need to stand firm and defend our faith to the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," Wento told his audience. "What makes one a religious leader when such person cannot defend his/her faith?"

He lamented that "bishops and pastors who are supposed to be telling the people of their congregation to support Liberia being a Christian state are the ones who are preaching against it."

In 2016, the Liberia Council of Churches said  a majority of its members do not support the proposition to turn the country into a Christian nation, reported Front Page Africa.

A statement by Epsicopal Bishop Jonathan B.B. Hart read at a press conference revealed that the council's decision not to support the proposition was due to its "sensitivity" and "implications on national security."

Instead, Hart urged members of the church to "respect freedom of conscience with those who claim no religious identification."

Wento also criticized the Liberian government for not allotting a budget for churches to "share the Gospel."

"In Saudi Arabia, the government allots budgetary support for Muslims to spread Islam," said the UPP leader.

Meanwhile, the proposition was not included in the committee report the House of Representatives submitted to Speaker Alex Tyler in 2016, reported All Africa. Rumors swirled around that the reason behind its removal from the report is for the proposition not to head into a referendum.