Russian Church concerned about the probability of religious minorities' "dictatorship" in Europe

Archpriest Georgy Ryabykh, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, urges European religious leaders to pursue protection of their believers' rights at the legislative level to offset the dominant influence of new religious movements.

"Sometimes, we can even witness the minorities' dictatorship. They demand more rights and benefits for themselves than the major religions have in the public sector in many European countries," Fr. Georgy said at a meeting of the European Council of Religious Leaders in Lille, France.

According to him, today's new religious movements use the "ultraliberal" law applicable to religious sector to wage a war on traditional religions. However, Fr. Georgy believes that "the freedom of conscience and tolerance do not mean indifference."

"Certainly, personal freedom to change religion should be respected. But we can support no such deliberate strategies aimed at conversion through manipulating people's conscience," Fr. Georgy said.

According to him, "many world cultural concepts lack respect to the existing religious balance, both in the world and in a separate community; they fail to demand fair missionary methods."

Fr. Georgy urged the representatives of traditional European religions to highlight his important statement in their oral and written addresses to people.

Source: Interfax religion