"The atheist's feelings are offended!"

The fact that representatives of the Petropavlovsk and Kamchatka diocese plan to make trips to all children's health camps of the region, it became known on August 13, when the corresponding news was published on the church institution. The note reported that the first such visit to the Voskhod children's healing camp was made on August 10, Priest Boris Murzin.

The meeting with children took place as part of a joint project of the diocese and the Ministry of Education and Youth Policy of the Kamchatka Territory "Bell Ring over Kamchatka." The news reports that "the purpose of the trip was to introduce pupils of the children's camp to the origins of the bell ringing, to introduce the history of the emergence of bells in church and public use." After a review lecture, the priest held a master class on the bell ringing.

My child in the camp priests was introduced to something. It excited me

A week after this, a resident of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Alexei Nikolaev , learning that the Orthodox priest came to the “Voskhod” camp, where his 10-year-old daughter was resting and talked with the children, complained to the prosecutor's office. In his statement, he asks to bring to justice representatives of the diocese and officials who allowed the priest to meet with children. Read more about the situation, Alexei told the correspondent "Siberia. Reali".

- How did you find out that representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church came to the camp?

- I'm an atheist. I saw several publications on Kam24, this is a local resource that the priests in the children's camp "Metallurg" massively baptized children. There were publications that the Russian Guard kissed the relics there, the prosecutor's office kissed. I do not know what exactly, but some bones were carried by all institutions. I calmly treated it until I personally hooked me. My child in the camp priests was introduced to something. It excited me. I found out about this first in Kam24, a local information agency, and then, of course, asked the child.

“Did you call her?”

- No, my wife went there. She is baptized, but she has God inside. She believes that these priests, the church, are far from religion. She observes some holidays, and I am a complete atheist. We have officials who are living at the expense of the people, but there is also a church, which also lives at the expense of the people. I have extremely critical views on religion, at the church, and not only the Orthodox, but also on all denominations in general.

Atheism is also a feeling. And they should know that these feelings can also be offended

- And that is why you wrote a complaint to the prosecutor's office ...

- Yes, because for me this is unacceptable in principle. I indicated in the complaint that this violates the law of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, since article 5.26 clearly spells out the places where missionary activities can be carried out. Children's camps are not indicated there. I wanted to submit a sign of our Russian Orthodox Church by my statement that they ensured that they would bring an article to the law about insulting the feelings of believers. But the fact is that atheism is also a feeling. And they should know that these feelings can also be offended. I went by this principle. It is clearly indicated in my statement: to punish the church, the priest who conducted these rites there.

- What rituals do you mean?

- They went around several camps. In one camp, mass baptism was carried out - this is the Metallurg camp ( the baptism of the baptism of 14 children from the correctional orphanage No. 3, who rested in Metalist, was carried out in agreement with the leadership of the camp. - approx. SR). In our camp, not so much a rite was held, but a bell ringing. They were given the lessons of the bell ringing and told the story where it all came from, why bells appeared in the churches, and so on. The procedure itself is uninteresting to me, but in any case it is a missionary work. They are not the first camp. Their themes are diverse. This is a specific appeal of minor children to the Orthodox religion. I am categorically against this. From church topics, I completely protect my child, from any denomination. If some other religion arrived, my reaction would be the same.

- Is the Voskhod an ordinary children's camp? Where did you get a ticket?

- This is a children's health camp. I bought a ticket through my wife's work. 70% paid for the enterprise at which it works, and 10%, it was 11 thousand rubles, I paid. And when I personally paid them, I hoped that the child would swim in the pool, rest under the sun, some entertainment events would be. But I did not expect that there they would preach some religious moments.

- Having learned about this, you tried to contact the Ministry of Education, with the camp administration to clarify why they make such decisions without the consent of their parents? You were not warned about the visit of the Orthodox priest?

- No, they did not warn. I found out about this today, immediately broke off work, wrote a complaint, printed and ran to the prosecutor. In addition, I turned to the editorial office of Kam24, what they know. Because they did several publications about this. I saw an article dated August 14, where they write that the initiator of all this action was the Ministry of Education and Youth Policy. In our Constitution, the state is separated from the church. I wrote in my appeal to check for the compliance of the post of Minister of Education. I myself did not check, did not call, did not ask. It was enough for me that the official media wrote about this.

We have few parasites we feed! Officials, so they also stuck

- How did you meet you with your statement in the prosecutor's office?

- The fact is that I am an oppositionist Yarem, one of the few. I constantly carry complaints to the prosecutor's office. Both the prosecutor’s office and the authorities are neglecting to me. I am not a journalist, I am a blogger. I have a bunch of publications, on YouTube issues. The prosecutor's office constantly gives me unsubscribes or does not answer at all, that is, the letter was lost on the way. And today I was in shock! It seems that the prosecutor was just waiting for me. She reacted extremely respectfully to me, although we have already met a thousand times with her. Gave a personal phone to the one who will conduct the audit. It never happened. I told her: "We have few parasites, whom we feed! Officials, so they also stuck." It seems that the prosecutor’s office was waiting for someone with this appeal. Apparently, they themselves do not like it, but for some reason they did not act in any way.

- What outrages you most in this situation?

- I repeat: atheism is also a feeling. He can also be offended. You, believers, defend your rights, your feelings, offend you, you even forced the State Duma to introduce the law that your feelings are insulting. People are planted for this. But you yourself insult the feelings of other people purposefully, intentionally, while believing that this is a completely normal phenomenon. I don't think so.

- In your opinion, how will other parents react to this situation?

- In Kam24 more than 30 comments. And there are only two comments that act in defense of the church. Moreover, in 2010, when there was a census of the population, we have only 5% of Russia truly believers. Guys, why are we so tearing the ass because of these 5%?! In fact, we have many more problems, and they are more significant than the construction of the church, poor Christians and so on. A few years ago, we already had a similar precedent when parents were massively outraged. The priests went to schools and preached. People were indignant, wrote to the prosecutor's office, and that’s it! The priests stopped going to schools. Now they are walking around the camps. They do not stop. They zombie minor children, attracting to their religion.

- Does your daughter have the study of the Orthodox culture in the list of options or mandatory subjects?

- Yes, last year we had letters sent to our parents last year, they were heard at school meetings. There we were offered to choose one of the religions in order to conduct additional classes with children. There were 6 or 7 faiths. And there was one point - the foundations of secular ethics. Here we have chosen this particular subject, because I protect the child from any religions. I think that when she is 18 years old, she will determine for herself what is important to her.

- In your class, many study precisely the basics of secular ethics?

- Of the 28 people 21 - secular ethics. We have several children who are supporters of Islam, and not one goes to Orthodoxy, which confirms that our religion is not in the first place.

In accordance with Article 3 of the Law on Freedom of Conscience, it is forbidden to involve minors in the activities of religious associations

The legal assessment of the visits of the Orthodox priests to children's camps at the request of the correspondent "Siberia. Reali" was given by an lawyer, a specialist in the field of state-confessional relations, Inna Zagrebin .

- Our church is separated from the state, and in this case, children are minors. In accordance with Article 3 of the Law on Freedom of Conscience, it is forbidden to involve minors in the activities of religious associations. Minors, in accordance with the Civil Code, are children under 14 years of age. But we have a convention on the rights of the child and a lot of other regulatory legal acts, where a person under 18 is considered a child. The law formed a kind of vacuum from 14 to 18 years old. And, despite this, if the parents of children under the age of 18 file a complaint, the bodies will still be required to respond. As for the missionary activity itself. In our country, it is strictly regulated by Article 24.1 of the Law on Freedom of Conscience. Firstly, missionary activities in this camp could not be carried out. Another thing is that in this particular case we can not talk about missionary activities, but about the introduction of children to historical and cultural values. In any case, when conducting an audit by the prosecutor's office, the latter will be required to check the legal status of this event, qualify it, check the availability of a joint activity agreement between this camp and, in particular, a diocese. Secondly, whether the parents of the children agreed on this program or not.

If it turns out the presence of missionary activities, then the prosecutor's office will be forced to check the compliance with the procedure for carrying out missionary activities. That is, the availability of documents for clergymen for the implementation of missionary activities, a documented right to carry out the consent of children and parents in this camp. Let me remind you that missionary activity can freely be carried out only in cult premises, buildings and structures belonging to religious organizations on the right of ownership or other property law, in places of pilgrimage, in cemeteries, in crematoriums, in the premises of educational organizations historically used for religious rites.

- How did the parents should arrange consent - in writing or oral enough?

- The current legislation does not contain an indication of the application form. Nevertheless, now the father filed a complaint, and it seems that representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the camp have no confirmation that all parents agreed. Therefore, we always recommend that in the implementation of religious activities among children to take the written consent of parents.

In the understanding of modern officials, everything that is done in the framework of the Russian Orthodox Church is legitimate

- The Ministry of Education was also involved in this - they initiated the initiators along with the diocese.

- In principle, it is now in the trend so -called. Introduction to historical traditions. I don’t see anything bad in this if the rights of citizens are respected. But, the actions of some modern officials on the principle: “If this is the Russian Orthodox Church, then everything is possible, but everyone else can’t” - I don’t like it. The law should be applied to everyone the same, not selectively.

-Based on the results of the audit, some response measures will have to take in relation to officials, including?

- If, according to the results of the audit, a violation of the law is revealed, the prosecutor’s office will undoubtedly take measures of prosecutorial response.

During the conversation, even the word "Orthodoxy" was not mentioned

Our publication failed to get an operational commentary in the local diocese and the Ministry of Education. According to Olga Petukhova , director of the Voskhod children's health camp, the Ministry of Education of the Kamchatka Territory proposed to hold a meeting with the priest. The conversation was called the "bell and its story."

- I personally attended the lecture. Priest Boris Murzin came to the children and talked about the bells of Russia and gave the children the opportunity to call the bell. I do not understand why the parent has such a reaction, because this is a story, part of our life. During the conversation, even the word "Orthodoxy" was not mentioned, it was only a question of the historical side of the issue, ”said Olga Petukova.

On the official website of the diocese, nevertheless, Boris Murzin’s trip to the Voskhod camp is called the missionary. Explanatory dictionaries define the term "missionaryness" as the activity of religious organizations aimed at spreading their creed and cult among Gentiles.