Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

http://www.k-istine.ru/sects/sects_rostislav.htm
Sects / Sektovedenie - the general questions

The archbishop Tomsk and Asinovsky Rostislav: If we show spiritual indifference Tomsk can become not only university, but the sectarian centre of Siberia

Already after end of an official part of press conference in "Interfax-Siberia" (on January, 16th) the archbishop of Tomsk and Asinovsky Rostislava in a corridor was surrounded with journalists and have set considerable quantity of the questions devoted to one more burning topic – to last apologetic performances of the Tomsk diocese against activity of various sects.

Questions correspondents of news agency "Interfax-Siberia" set, RIA Novosti news agency, radio stations "Echo Moscow in Tomsk". Some questions of journalists were answered also with the head of Missionary department of the Tomsk diocese Maxim Stepanenko.

- That you can tell about Maxim Stepanenko's position on the Karma-kagju: it any time gave out the opinion as opinion of Russian Orthodox Church?

- Maxim Stepanenko is the head of Missionary department of the Tomsk diocese, and he expressed not the personal opinion - it sounded a position of Russian Orthodox Church and not only in the Tomsk diocese, but a Russian Orthodox Church position as a whole. Sometimes in local mass-media our position incorrectly consecrate. Ostensibly the Russian Orthodox Church opposes traditional religions, in particular against the Buddhism. The religious organisation about which there is a speech has no relation to the traditional Buddhism, Karma Kagju school of Dane Ole Nidala is Neobuddhist sect.

- On Karma Kagju what basis it is carried to sects?

Is not only our personal position concerning the organisation created by Ole Nidalom. There are in this respect researches of some experts-religiovedov including orthodox, and they are published in the press, including the Internet (for example, www.sektoved.ru) for a long time already. And the Association of the Buddhism of the Diamond way of school the Karma-kagju (the official name of sect of Ole Nidala) in polemic on these materials did not enter Russia.

- Then why they here are registered as the official traditional Buddhist centre?

- The matter is that the present legislation in Russia is that that if you will gather tomorrow, and will create "Not a message what Church" it will necessarily register under condition of observance by this "church" of the Russian legislation. Therefore at us it is much registered religious the organisations which are sects … dangerous totalitarian sects.

Far it is not necessary to go. In Krasnoyarsk region, near Minusinsk, there is a totalitarian sect лжехриста Vissariona, which real name Sergey Torop. He has created huge settlement where from all country there have arrived people in a taiga, deserting the families, children, selling apartments and property. He/she is the person, богохульно got a false idea second "embodiment" of Lord Jesus Christ learnt душегубительной to spirituality, with activity of its dangerous sect coherently many by human tragedies, however for some reason the state to it has no official claims.

Alas, many religious organisations to which categorically refuse registration abroad, at us sometimes they find the state goodwill and devoted adherents.

Why the such occurs? It is possible to speak about it much. I consider that ours the legislation has appeared in it the relation too liberal. It has got to us by right of succession from times of the ninetieth years when at the head of our state there was Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin who under pressure of the USA in every possible way braked adoption of law about a freedom of worship. Eventually, when it has been accepted with the big delay, the country have already captivated and destructive sects have taken root.

- How you consider, whether it is necessary to toughen existing norm of the law, regulating activity of the religious organisations?

- There is a necessity of acceptance of the certain amendments complicating activity of "new religions", i.e. foreign and domestic destructive sects. Though now it to make more difficult, than earlier since sects had local defenders.

- The Tomsk diocese will initiate any amendments to the Law "About the Freedom of worship" and in other laws through the Moscow Patriarchy in the State Duma because in the Tomsk region sects actively operate?

- While is not present. However, the Moscow Patriarchy in diocesan reports from places receives every year data on activity in regions of sects and developed межконфессиональных relations. We always shine in the annual report submitted addressed to the Most holy Patriarch, all problem points in this question and we give the vision of the arising situations connected about activity of sects in the Tomsk region.

Usually, and if any problem such is beyond one region and to become scale it gives the grounds of the Moscow Patriarchy to address in corresponding state and legislative institutes.

- Will write now something following the results of the past year? About a situation, for example, with кришнаитами?

- Yes, it will be reflected in the annual diocesan report for last year. If we now do not occupy concerning illegal building of religious settlement of this sect in village Kandinka of a position of principle we will receive that now takes place near Minusinsk, where as it is already mentioned, adherents лжехриста Vissariona have constructed considerable settlement. We will already have at ourselves huge кришнаиткий the missionary centre, and Tomsk becomes not only university, but the sectarian centre of Siberia. The Tomsk region one of rare regions where кришнаиты are very active, and is worse than that their activity finds support at some city and regional officials. In many regions, for example in Moscow, in Kazakhstan where кришнаиты tried to build up thoroughly (a huge temple, religious settlement, etc.) The authorities and the public let them go whistle. And if we in it the relation of this неоиндуистской sects show spiritual indifference and liberal views, that, in my opinion, обретем not a good reputation.

- True Buddhists in Tomsk are not present, how religious organisation so leaves?

Maxim Stepanenko:

- The organisations concerning the present traditional for Russia буддистскому to a current of the Tibetan Lamaism of the Gelug-pas, in the Tomsk region are not present. I will specify, this current of the Buddhism is professed by the people of Kalmykia, Buryatiya and Tuva. It is remarkable that during the January missionary tour across Russia Ole Nidal in these regions for some reason does not call in. Though declares that marginal тантрическое a current of the Buddhism the Karma-kagju which it preaches, have ostensibly appeared in Kalmykia in XII century. All testifies that relations of Ole Nidala with traditional Buddhists in Russia far not iridescent, despite its return statements for full mutual understanding.

- Concerning counteraction to destructive sects the Tomsk diocese has any interactions with authorities. You with the power in this question allies or opponents?

- While, unfortunately, in this respect at us interaction is poorly adjusted. Not always the power understands the importance of a problem of sectarian expansion to Russia. Many consider it as exclusively private affair of people where the state should not interfere. I have faced a similar problem on the former Magadan chair. When I there have arrived, it was the beginning of 90th years and from everywhere from abroad in region leaders of various sects among whom there were also representatives of very dangerous sects simply flocked. Then I have come to administration of the Magadan area with the offer of certain joint actions against destructive sects. But me it has been told that you, probably, pursue the mercantile interests, you are afraid to lose flock, so also incomes, instead of that you are ostensibly baked about Russia and the people. It is necessary to you – preach the, and they the. Has passed two years … And already then to me representatives of different branches of local authorities have started to come from different directions, including And law enforcement bodies because activity of a number the sect has appeared dangerous already for the state. And, at last, steels appears the first sobering criminal cases against those or other leaders of sects. But time is missed and many souls have been crippled because of primary short-sightedness of government officials.

And, despite all aforementioned, we from its part always try to inform all interested persons in the Tomsk region. Interaction of Church with the state on this problem should be.

- Express opinion that actions of Russian Orthodox Church against sects is kindling of religious hatred.

- First, religious break a set kindles nobody. We do not try to result violently the follower of any sect in Orthodoxy. We do not call for fulfilment of any illegal actions against sects. We pay attention that Russia is the state not without an own history, culture and religion. It not we, but they have come on our earth and preach among our people which in the overwhelming majority истерически consisted and now consists of orthodox Christians. We are engaged within the limits of the law in apologetics - protection of the belief and culture, from absolutely alien doctrines and traditions, we defend the originality. And this right is given to us by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the same law "About a freedom of worship".

Our Church, being Church of God живаго, a pillar and the true statement (1Тим.3:15), possesses possibility of recognition of lie, our correctness was proved time and again by history, both last, and modern.

In due time radio and a teleether has been filled all day long by propagation of sect "Aum Sinrike" And it besides that possibility to get there was not orthodox. Officials played democracy, and representatives of mass-media earned money for sectarian sermons. And here adherents of this sect on an order of its leader Seko Asahary have made monstrous acts of terrorism in the Tokyo underground in March, 1995. Soon the sect has been forbidden in Russia. To same the voice of the Orthodox Church condemning activity of this dangerous destructive sect, has not been heard.

Well should not be such in Russia with its thousand-year Christian history! The rights государствообразующего the orthodox Russian people should to be observed first of all. Certainly, everyone is free to profess this or that belief, but meaningly to tolerate destruction of spiritual unity of the people, through indulgence of activity of sects, is inadmissible! It is a dangerous way.

By the way, under action of the criticism stated by Orthodox Church, many sects gradually refuse in due course a number of former really wild lectures and ceremonies … Sensible, constructive criticism yet did not harm to anybody!

- Whether the Tomsk diocese with official protest letters in Office of Public Prosecutor, bodies of local sense of duty in connection with activity кришнаитов or activity of Ole Nidala addressed?

- We have very not indifferent public sensitively tracing activity of sects in Tomsk. In the relation кришнаитов the active position was occupied with inhabitants of Kaltajsky rural settlement. They have found out and have given the alarm on illegal building кришнаитами the religious settlement about village Kandinka. Local residents have addressed in regional Office of Public Prosecutor with the request to stop this illegal building, and also in the Tomsk diocese behind spiritual support. The Office of Public Prosecutor and other supervising state structures have confirmed the fact of illegal building. Sectarians have been fined also them have obliged to take down the illegal constructions by June of this year. However, as we know, кришнаиты continue active building, showing to that how much they are "legislative" citizens, and that it will be for the settlement which inhabitants will devil-may-carely concern and opinion local, inhabitants, and to the Russian laws, and to the power.

The Tomsk diocese supports protests of inhabitants of Kaltajsky rural settlement against illegal building destructive неоиндуистской sects "Society of consciousness of Krishna" of religious and missionary settlement.

- And concerning Ole Nidala?

- Here nearby there is a head of Missionary department of the Tomsk diocese Maxim Stepanenko who repeatedly sounded an official position of our diocese which has been quite widely consecrated in a press. We also stated the a position concerning this Neobuddhist sect and before representatives of local authorities.

Maxim Stepanenko:

- The karma-kagju is marginal and малораспространенная even in the Buddhism тантрическая tradition. What is it? the Tantrichesky Buddhism is, first of all, мирянский, not monastic Buddhism which assumes possibility achievement of certain spiritual perfection by means of sexual an expert, i.e. in our understanding – by means of fornication and прелюбодеяния. At recent press conference of Ole Nidala in Tomsk I not casually specified in an official site the Karma-kagju in Russia where interview of Ole Nidala "About love and sex" where it actually propagandised fornication and прелюбодеяние is published and approvingly responded about prostitution under certain conditions.

And as it regularly comes to the Tomsk diocese and preaches here not among Kalmyks and Buryats, and among the Russian-speaking, Christian population the version of the Buddhism which is not excluding an immoral way of life we have a just cause on the indignation of its mission. We cannot be tolerant to the sermon of the fornication proceeding from the leader of sect of Ole Nidala to which all its numerous enough pupils tremblingly listen.

Besides organised in October – November of last year adherents the Karma-kagju ostensibly the cultural exhibition passed in "Year of a family". To us it is not comprehensible that to the sect preaching an immoral way of life, have given for a month all significant cultural platforms of Tomsk, moreover in a year when the state has officially designated necessity family and child-bearing strengthening. It look as mockery!

Besides the sect the Karma-kagju, as well as all Buddhism as a whole preaches godlessness since denies existence of personal God that is not comprehensible to all Christians. Our belief of Ole Nidal considers as "fetters", restriction of its "freedom".

- Maxim Valerievich, you have transferred Ole Nidalu of listing of its lectures whom it has actually renounced in Tomsk, any official reaction from the Russian association of the Buddhism of the Diamond way of school the Karma-kagju has followed?

- After a while I came on a site the Karma-kagju, and the mentioned interview of Ole Nidala "About Love and sex" still there was. Though Ole Nidal has actually renounced at press conference in Tomsk the words stated by it in 1993 in Russia.

The note. Now this bludo-propaganda file nevertheless has been removed from a site the Karma-kagju. But it only is partly pleasant – a material продублирован already on a number of other Internet resources and there it hardly will remove. Whether it is possible to speak about moral progress at Ole Nidala for 15 years or it is made for the sake of kind public opinion and only for the sake of it?

Orthodoxy in Tomsk - 1/24/2009.



Photo - the Archbishop Tomsk and Asinovsky Rostislav at press conference in Interfax-Siberia on January, 16th, 2009 - Maxim Stepanenko

P.S.

"... Today it is possible to tell safely that our people have successfully stood against the strongest прозелитического an impact from the outside. It has occurred thanks to hardness in orthodox belief of millions simple people, and also to an unshakable position and resolute actions of Svjashchennonachalija of the Moscow Patriarchy. Problems in this sphere though also became less sharp, have not disappeared at all, and we still should watch steadfastly an event both in case of need quickly and resolutely to react to any attempts to weaken Orthodoxy position".

Endurances from the report of Mestobljustitelja of the Patriarchal Throne of the metropolitan Smolensk and Kaliningrad Cyril on Pomestnom the Cathedral of Russian Orthodox Church (1/27/2009).