The Institute for Freedom of Conscience presented the book “The problem of implementing freedom of conscience and trends in relations between the state and religious associations in Russia”

On October 18, in Moscow, the co-chairs of the Institute for Freedom of Conscience Sergey Buryanov and Sergey Mozgovoy presented their book "The problem of realizing freedom of conscience and trends in relations between the state and religious associations in Russia." This is an informational and analytical report on the activities of the Institute for the period from the end of 2001 to September 2004. The book deals with the issues of "anti-constitutional religious policy based on self-sufficing state-church relations", and also criticizes "incorrect from a legal and scientific point of view the terms" spiritual security", "socially dangerous religions", "totalitarian sects", "destructive cults", "traditional" and "non-traditional religions".

"Our state is secular, which means that it should be equidistant from both atheism and religion," S. Mozgovoy said at a press conference. He stressed that "the religious factor can contribute not only to democratization, but also to no lesser extent to the establishment of the total dominance of one ideology," and called on politicians and religious figures "to separate religion and politics in the legal field."

S. Buryanov in his speech emphasized: "We are against control in the worldview sphere, because there is a criminal code. We must be judged not for the way of thinking, but for the committed act." He also expressed concern about the desire of the ROC MP to become a "spiritual monopoly." "During the last Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, President Vladimir Putin spoke about supporting traditional religious confessions in our country, but there is no such term in the Russian Constitution," S. Buryanov said.

The Institute for Freedom of Conscience published the book "The problem of realizing freedom of conscience and trends in relations between the state and religious associations in Russia" // Blagovest-info. 2004. October 18.