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Against proselytizing: Ter Esayi priest explains the demand of youth

It is already the third week that continues the signature against the activities of religious sects, which is initiated by Armenia’s youth foundation in collaboration with student councils of universities  and youth organizations.

The occasion for such signatures became the dispute between Jehovah’s Witnesses  and south-western district pastor of Holy Trinity ChurchTer Esayi priest Artenyan on May 15, which immediately stirred active public discussion.

 Through the  signature  the youth wanted to show that they are with Apostolic Church: a few days before the signature they sent  an open letter addressed to the President of Armenia Serge Sargsyan.

 “It is not we, that started the signature, neither the Church organize it,” noted Ter Esayi priest Artenyan: “This is personal initiative of our faithful people , and signatures are based on our request and demand to the National Assembly and  relevant authorities of Republic of  Armenian to give clear definition of what is proselytizing,” says Ter Esayi.

It is already the third week that continues the signature against the activities of religious sects, which is initiated by Armenia’s youth foundation in collaboration with student councils of universities  and youth organizations.

The occasion for such signatures became the dispute between Jehovah’s Witnesses  and south-western district pastor of Holy Trinity ChurchTer Esayi priest Artenyan on May 15, which immediately stirred active public discussion.

 Through the  signature  the youth wanted to show that they are with Apostolic Church: a few days before the signature they sent  an open letter addressed to the President of Armenia Serge Sargsyan.

 “It is not we, that started the signature, neither the Church organize it,” noted Ter Esayi priest Artenyan: “This is personal initiative of our faithful people , and signatures are based on our request and demand to the National Assembly and  relevant authorities of Republic of  Armenian to give clear definition of what is proselytizing,” says Ter Esayi.

According to him, in the law of “Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations”  of the Republic of Armenia it is only  written that it is prohibited proselytizing in the territory of Armenia, but there is no point about what  proselytizing  means. Ter Esayi  claims that by giving legal definition of the word proselytizing, it will be possible to determine the appropriate punishment in case of any proselytizing applies.

“On the other hand we demand or ask  to state clearly in the law the statement to control the area of the church.The area of our Church  must be  refrain from any kind of abuses,” says the priest.

What about the legal formulation of “proselytizing” word, as the priest says, must give the appropriate specialists.

“Taking into the consideration  the fact that there are conventions,  under which  our country has signed, of course, our requirements must be such that will not interfere with them. For me proselytizing is when  sectarians  preach on the territory of our Church, when you take them outside, they return from the window , and there are many examples.No sectarian is naïve.”

They apply to National Assembly before to demand  clear definition for  proselytizing problem, but the process was suspended: “Of course Europe did not like it. This signature is not a delayed case, this is a link of the chain of the common struggle. If before some concrete organizations were initiated this kind of movement, then the difference is that now people do that,”  Ter Yesayi priest Artenyan thinks .

The priest notes that this time their expectations are more than justified. ” Recently some kind of interesting movement started, or discussion was held  in connection with  signature. It is directed not against the movement of any sectarian or suspension of any religious organization , but  to define concrete term for proselytizing. And suddenly  all  sectarians in  Armenia, led by Evangelicals,  raised a protest movement saying, that it is illegal or is contrary to the requirement of European conventions on human rights.And that is, when they confess that they do not proselytizing, but only do peaceful preaches. If this is true , then why do they worry about the law. ”

Source: JNews.am

Image sources: Henaran.am and Hraparak.am