Conference "Totalitarian sects - the path to destabilization of the North Caucasus region" in Stavropol

The scientific-practical conference "Totalitarian sects - the path to the destabilization of the North Caucasus region" was held in Stavropol on September 28. More than 600 people became participants - representatives of "traditional" confessions, officials, teachers, scientists, cultural figures.

Many speakers linked the concepts of "totalitarian sect" and "terrorism". For example, the rector of the Kislovodsk church of Surb Vartan (Armenian Apostolic Church), priest Sargis Poghosyan, stated: “Sectarianism is spiritual terrorism. atrocities."

The prosecutor of the Stavropol Territory, V. Kalugin, reported on the suppression by law enforcement agencies of the activities of "destructive religious organizations", in particular, the Stavropol lyceum "Man", where the educational process was based on occult teachings.

The prosecutor noted that there is no legal concept of "totalitarian sect". Bishop Feofan (Ashurkov) of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz, in this regard, proposed to introduce into the law "On Freedom of Conscience" the definition of a "totalitarian sect" as a "pseudo-religious organization of an extremist nature, not subject to state registration."

Deacon Andrei Kuraev pointed to the "indulgence" of the state to occult and neo-pagan organizations as a factor contributing to the strengthening of the positions of religious extremists.

The conference participants spoke in favor of teaching the basics of "traditional" religions in educational institutions and the participation of expert councils in the process of registering religious associations to counteract "destructive tendencies."

Sources

• PARTICIPANTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE HAVE ASSESSED THE ACTIVITIES OF SECTS IN THE NORTHERN CAUCASUS // Pravoslavie.ru. 2004. September 29.
• Favorskaya L. Bitter fruits of the era of the revival of religion // Kabardino-Balkarian truth. 2004. October 7th.