Dear Editor, William Framhein is the Interim Secretary of Cook Islands Christian Movement Inc (CICMI), William’s most recent public letter talks about the principles of Jesus Christ, about our respect for Christian values.

William wonders if our leaders are bowing to external pressure and prioritising monetary gain over Christian values? William advises that we not falter in the face of worldly temptations. Tells us not to abandon Jesus for financial interests.

Earlier this year a letter writer to this paper asked William if he was going to filter out the pornography from this Kukinet internet provider. William skirted the question. It is time, in this writer’s view, that William comes clean and lives what he preaches. Across the street from Cook Islands News is the home of the Oro Metua of the Cook Islands Christian Church. That’s William’s Oro Metua. And that’s William’s satellite dish (with his logo) smack in the front yard of that Mission House. Looking up to heaven.

William insists the we need a Constitutional Amendment to let the world know we are a Christian Nation. Perhaps William, just perhaps, you and CICMI earn that distinction. And perhaps William, you and the Oro Metua rip that satellite dish out of that Holy Ground and turn off the images that tell our boys and men that it’s okay to physically abuse our women.

Earn the Christian Nation distinction William, or crawl back under your sanctimonious rock and let the practicing Christians get on with following Jesus. The world will then have no doubt of our faith.

(Name and address supplied)

Response – Kia Orana Editor. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to a letter you intend publishing in your paper, which makes baseless and defamatory claims about myself, the Cook Islands Christian Movement Inc (CICMI), and my company. While I welcome constructive dialogue, I cannot remain silent in the face of such unfounded accusations and personal attacks.

First and foremost, the satellite dish located at the home of the Oro Metua of the Avarua Cook Islands Christian Church has been disconnected since December 2023. Any insinuation that it is currently operational or being used to access inappropriate content is categorically false. To suggest otherwise is not only misleading but also deeply disrespectful to the Orometua and the sacred grounds of the Mission House.

The claim that my company facilitates the viewing of violent and degrading content is equally unfounded and slanderous. My company operates with integrity and adheres to all relevant regulations and standards. To infer that the Orometua or anyone associated with the Mission House has engaged with such content is a vile and baseless attack that reflects more on the writer’s intentions than on reality.
As Secretary of CICMI, I stand by the principles of Jesus Christ and the Christian values that guide our movement. Our call for a Constitutional Amendment to declare the Cook Islands a Christian Nation is rooted in faith, unity, and the desire to preserve our cultural and spiritual heritage. This is a matter of national identity and moral conviction, not a platform for personal vendettas or divisive rhetoric.

I urge the writer and others to engage in respectful and fact-based discussions. Let us focus on building a stronger, more united community that reflects the teachings of Christ, rather than resorting to baseless accusations and inflammatory language.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address these matters and set the record straight.

William Framhein