by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 17, 2013 | news
The first reason is that in Russia, in the early 1990’s, anti-cultism was a marginal and rare occurrence. Then it gained strength and became common and ordinary. To me, as a religious expert concerned with problems related to freedom of conscience, anti¬cultism became a sort of addition to the two main problems in Russia – idiots and roads’. In my point of view, today anti-cultists are enthusiasts who suggest the most harmful and foolish ways of solving problems concerning religious life.The second reason – I like the documentary film by Mikhail Romm Obyknoveniy fashizm [Ordinary Fascise For me, the combination of documentation and logic is the key to solving problems, but we will talk about this later.
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 2, 2013 | news
The most extensive “anti-cult” efforts have been in France. Since 1998, the French government has had a governmental entity specifically tasked with collecting and disseminating official information on groups deemed to be “cults” and coordinating government efforts to oppose such groups. The organization in its current form is called the “Inter-ministerial Mission for Vigilance and to Combat Sectarian Aberrations,” or MIVILUDES
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 2, 2013 | news
Concerned about increasing physical and psychological violence against religious communities throughout the world, the Assembly today called on member States to take account of the situation of these communities in their bilateral political dialogue and to promote in their foreign relations “a policy which takes into consideration the question of the full respect for the fundamental rights of religious minorities”.
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 2, 2013 | news
Vital information on human rights standards provided for the Salles report on ‘Sectarian Influence on Minors’
On 23 April 2013, Mr. Pieter Omtzigt (Netherland, member of PACE, EPP) co-sponsored an event with Lord Dundee (UK, member of PACE, EDG). The European Interreligious Forum for Religious Forum (EIFRF) helped to organise the event during the Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). The main reason for the meeting was to provide information crucial to the discussion of a report in progress on “Sectarian Influence on Minors”, with Mr. Rudy Salles as rapporteur (France, member of the PACE). Mr. Salles, whilst invited to participate, was not able to attend.
Mr. Omtzigt, as the moderator, introduced the panelists by explaining that religious freedom issues were of significant concern in many countries of Europe. He spoke of the unfortunate developments in Hungary with regards to their recent law on the registration of religious groups and also his own country Netherlands, where there were religious tensions. He pointed out that whilst some approaches enabled religious communities to integrate and work together, others had proven to be unworkable. In this last category he identified the widely criticized French approach of isolating and targeting minority religious and made the point that it would not be advisable to export this to other European countries.
The attendees were told that this meeting was to be an open debate and they were free to discuss any points during the meeting. Mr. Omtzigt then gave the floor to Professor Marco Ventura (K.U. Leuven).
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | May 2, 2013 | news
A 45-year old father, Richard Dray, has been fighting for three weeks to be able to make contact with his 12-year old son. According to Mr. Dray, an inhabitant of Toulouse, “social services and the legal system have separated us because of my religious practices.”
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Apr 10, 2013 | news
The France Télévisions Company must pay the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre 6,000 euros for costs and damages and compensation for having undermined the group’s presumption of innocence.
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Mar 30, 2013 | news
A new publication in Bulgaria of top secret documents will shed more light on the historical period under review and will reveal more thoroughly Secret services’ interest in religious organizations. The book “The KGB and the Bulgarian State Security Service – connections and dependences”
by CAP Liberté de Conscience | Mar 28, 2013 | news
Alexander Dvorkin is already well-known for his aggressive speeches and writings against Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Falun Gong practitioners, Hare Krishna devotees and other religious groups that fall outside of his Orthodox world. However, in February 2013, Dvorkin shocked Russia’s leading Islamic authorities, when he gave a lecture at the University of Arkhangelsk on the topic “Origins of Islam – Untold Stories.” During his presentation, he made several hostile and unscientific comments about the Koran and Prophet Mohammad.
