Beware of heresies masquerading as religions
The 13th National Party Congress documents affirm: “Promoting good cultural and ethical values and resources of religions for the development of the country”. According to the White Book “Religion and Religious Policy in Vietnam” of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs; currently, in our country there are more than 26.5 million religious followers (accounting for 27% of the country’s population), more than 54,000 dignitaries, 135,000 officials and 29,658 places of worship; there are thousands of concentrated religious groups (including concentrated religious groups of foreigners legally residing in Vietnam). That is the reality of freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam that all organizations and countries in the world cannot deny.
In recent times, the religious situation, religious organizations and the majority of religious dignitaries have basically operated in accordance with the law, stably, and have made positive contributions to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. However, due to the negative side of globalization and the market mechanism, the plot of " politicizing religion" by hostile forces has negatively impacted religious life, posing many potential risks; among which, issues such as: Taking advantage of religion to conduct activities against the Party and the State; violating the law, causing division in national solidarity, causing loss of political security, social order and safety; establishing associations and groups with the name of religion, strange religions; organizing superstitious religious activities, profiteering, deviating from cultural standards, social ethics...
Members of the Church of God illegally proselytize. Photo: VNA
In particular, the emergence of heretical cults disguised as religions such as: The Church of God the Mother, Ba Dien religion, Dua religion, Thanh Hai Supreme Master, Ha Mon heresy, Ba Co Do, De Ga Protestantism, Duong Van Minh illegal organization, Ty religion, Tien Rong religion, Phap ly vo vi khoa occult Buddhism... were established with the purpose of violating national security, social order and safety, disrupting the religious and belief life of a part of the people. These heretical cults are propagated and popularized through many forms of media such as the internet, websites, Facebook, Zalo, vlogs, Twitter, YouTube... even forming "spiritual markets". The activities of heretical cults disguised as religions are constantly increasing, with many forms of transformation such as: Online fortune telling, livestream (broadcast live on social networks), spiritual services, spiritual tourism... In particular, there are heretical cults that take advantage of appropriating personal, corporate, and business assets; luring intellectuals, students, and university students to participate by many tricks to influence the ideology and psychology of the people (including cadres and party members). Therefore, identifying and fighting against heresies disguised as religions is very necessary on an objective, scientific, and revolutionary basis.
Comparing current regulations on religion and religious policies in Vietnam, it can be seen that the above-mentioned heretical religions do not have their own doctrines, canon laws, or organizational structures. Their main purpose of operation is profiteering, which is illegal, so they do not meet the conditions to be granted a registration for collective religious activities or a registration for religious activities. Typically, the activities of the Church of God the Mother in some localities recently such as Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Vinh Phuc, Quang Nam, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City... have seriously violated the prohibitions and regulations in Article 5 of the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion with the following contents: Forcing and bribing others; violating security, order, social safety, and the environment; violating social morality; violating the body, health, life, and property; insulting the honor and dignity of others; obstructing the exercise of citizens' rights and obligations; Taking advantage of religious activities for personal gain... What the Church of God the Mother propagates is completely contrary to the good customs and traditions as well as the moral and cultural standards of the Vietnamese people; not permitted by Vietnamese law; operating with abnormal variations under many names (especially the name of charity, opening classes to guide good deeds); the leaders are mostly abnormal people with bad pasts (gambling, theft, drug addiction...); the main purpose is profit.
Or the incident that happened in 2017, hundreds of ethnic minorities in Dien Bien province were deluded, delusional, lured, seduced, and deceived by the Ba Co Do cult: “Just read the sutras and pray for a better life, the world will be fairer, you don’t have to do anything to have food”, while they themselves are all people in difficult economic circumstances. They were told not to accept help from the Party, the State and local authorities, and to refuse government support to build houses for the poor. Even more dangerous, this cult also incited people to cause conflicts within their own families and clans, attacked other religions and spread the idea of establishing the so-called “Mong State”.
From the two heretical sects, the Church of the Mother of God and the Aunt and Aunt, information was collected and it was identified that there are dozens of heretical sects operating in the three most strategic and important areas for national defense and security of the country: the Northwest, the Central Highlands, and the Southwest; many negative factors were found, seriously affecting the economic, political, cultural, and social life; infringing on the freedom of belief, religion, and freedom of non-belief and religion of the people. At the same time, there were signs of reactionary political plots and tricks, and acts of violating Vietnam's national security. Specifically:
Politically, evil cults attract followers through activities against the Party's viewpoints, policies, and guidelines, the State's and local laws; speak ill of the regime, speak ill of officials, and have attitudes that prevent the government from implementing the construction of cultural life in residential areas and the construction of new rural areas. Economically, evil cults advise people to pray diligently, the larger the offering, the more pious they are, wasting money, neglecting production, not going to the hospital when sick but treating them with magic, water, incense ash... leading to many tragic deaths. In terms of culture and society, evil cults cause division in national unity, causing disunity within families, villages, between followers and non-followers, between this "strange religion" and another "strange religion". They often organize large gatherings, hold mass ceremonies at night, dance, sing, light fires, and recite prayers collectively, causing insecurity in rural areas, violating regulations on protecting security and order in residential areas. The activities of some evil cults in strategic and key areas have been exploited by hostile forces in plots to sabotage our country's revolution.
Resolutely fight against heresies disguised as religions
Obviously, stabilizing the situation of beliefs and religions is one of the important factors contributing to the success of the country's renovation, socio-economic development, national unity and ensuring national defense and security. Accordingly, the state management of beliefs and religions and the work of ensuring security in the religious field are important tasks, both ensuring freedom of belief and religion, improving the spiritual life of the people, and limiting the sabotage of hostile forces, contributing to creating stability and sustainable development of the country.
We need to continue to promote information and propaganda work on the Party's viewpoints and policies, the State of Vietnam's policies and laws on freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam; on the achievements in ensuring human rights in Vietnam. In particular, it is necessary to propagate to raise awareness among the people, to make them understand what is righteous and what is evil, and the harmful effects of evil religions on the material and spiritual life of the people and the whole society. From there, mobilize cadres, party members and the people to voluntarily participate in the work of preventing and combating the activities of evil religions.
For cults disguised as religions, resolutely handle and eliminate them. Based on Article 5: "Prohibited acts" in the 2016 Law on Belief and Religion as a basis for resolution. News agencies, newspapers, sectors, and localities provide information widely and do a good job of propaganda and mobilization of people to have correct awareness and raise vigilance. Do not listen, do not believe, do not follow and actively participate in the fight against propaganda, distortion, and incitement of cult leaders, taking advantage of beliefs, faiths, and religions to practice superstition, make illegal profits, and cause social instability. For the masterminds and leaders of cults, the authorities must handle them resolutely, promptly, and thoroughly according to the law; Expose the nature and illegal acts, destabilize politics and society, divide ethnic groups and religions, and take advantage of the name of religion to engage in heretical and superstitious activities of these people before the masses. Timely orient public opinion on "prominent" issues, especially issues related to religion, attracting the deep concern of religious dignitaries and followers. Step up the fight against distorted arguments about the religious situation in Vietnam, aiming to divide the great national unity bloc. Set typical examples for individuals and religious organizations that effectively implement the direction of "living a good life, living a good religion"; actively participate in patriotic emulation movements in localities.
We also need to proactively grasp the situation, promptly forecast all plots and activities to entice and attract people to join new cult groups in order to deploy preventive and combat measures. At the same time, closely monitor and manage all movements of new cult followers, especially those who have been arrested and released and are currently living in the locality, to prevent them from resuming activities. Strictly manage stubborn group leaders who have the ability and conditions to gather forces so as not to have extremist behaviors, complicating the security and order situation. Proactively detect early activities related to cults, especially activities in liaison with opportunistic political opponents and reactionary organizations at home and abroad to prevent and promptly resolve and end complications arising right from the grassroots, when they first appear. Resolutely fight and strictly handle stubborn cult followers who have activities against the government. Along with that, we continue to promote economic, cultural, social development, hunger eradication, poverty reduction... combined with implementing social justice, constantly improving the intellectual level of the people, especially for ethnic minorities, remote areas, border areas, and islands; strengthen national defense and security, ensure political stability, social order and safety. Strengthen the building of a rich and healthy cultural and spiritual life for all people to create strong "resistance" and "immunity" against the activities of evil cults.
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