The Tula diocese sees the machinations of “sectarians” in the educational program on AIDS prevention

The missionary department of the Tula diocese fears that a "sectarian" course is being taught in the region's schools under the guise of an educational program. This is the AIDS prevention program Life at the Crossroads: Life Skills that Build Character. It is distributed in Russia by the non-profit organization "Youth at the Crossroads", which is a branch of the international educational organization "Crossroads".

Aleksey Yarasov, secretary of the missionary department of the diocese, claims that training seminars for teachers under this program are organized "in cooperation with public organizations established by various neo-Protestant and charismatic sects" and are periodically held in their prayer houses.

"In addition to the dubious methods of moral education of schoolchildren offered by the named program, the clearly traceable goals of its authors to tie students and students to religious organizations of a sectarian nature are unpleasantly surprising," A. Yarasov told Interfax .

In his opinion, the purpose of the program "Life at the Crossroads" is the assimilation of children "the most common Protestant value system in the United States." In addition, according to Yarasov, the program provides for the joint prayer of the teacher and students, which "under certain circumstances contradicts the federal laws" On freedom of conscience "and" On education "".

It should be reminded that in 2007 A.Yarasov's statements caused a serious conflict in the Tula region and, according to local protesters, led to a number of attacks on their prayer houses.

Sources

• Sects infiltrate schools in Tula region under the guise of social programs, local diocese says // Interfax-religion. 2009. February 6. *