Ukrainian churches warn about the danger of hate speech against evangelical Christians
8 February 2012
A number of false and non-professional publications with fictitious accusations against evangelical churches shows customized company in the media in order to discredit evangelical Christians for putting the public against them.
The Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine (CEPCU) made such a conclusion during the meeting held on February 7 in the main office of Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christian Baptists chaired by the Bishop of the Association of Missionary Churches of Evangelical Christians of Ukraine Vasyl Davydyuk.
Leaders of churches decided to pay attention of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and other authorities to the systematic attempts of the press and other media to stir up religious enmity to evangelical Christians.
The question is a series of publications on "antisectarian" topics in the newspapers "Today", "Facts" and the "Browser" online edition. Some of them directly names particular denominations of evangelical churches, which, according to the authors, allegedly expose society to danger.
According to the senior bishop of the Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of Ukraine Mykhaylo Panochko, the similar information campaign instead of the existing inter-religious understanding and harmony might again return Ukraine in the days of open confrontation on religious grounds and among other things, affects the development of state.
Council of Evangelical Protestant Churches of Ukraine decided to be more open to the dialogue with journalists and the media. Leaders of Churches expressed their willingness to make comments and answer the questions of journalists, for their materials not to be unilateral.
In order to gain this, CEPCU will develop a mechanism for interaction with the media to overcome the stereotype of a closedness of evangelical churches and spread the truthful information about the spiritual, social and charitable ministry of evangelical Christians in society.
CEPCU meeting was attended by leaders and authorized representatives of:
- Ukrainian Union of Associations of Evangelical Christian Baptists;
- Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of Ukraine;
- Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ukraine;
- Ukrainian Christian Evangelic Church;
- Brotherhood of Independent Churches and Missions of Evangelical Christian Baptists of Ukraine;
- Association of Missionary Churches of Evangelical Christians of Ukraine;
- Union of Free Churches of Christians of Evangelical Faith of Ukraine;
- Association of Independent Charismatic Christian Churches of Ukraine (Full Gospel).
Translation by Svitlana Sydorenko
© 2012 The Institute for Religious Freedom – Kyiv, Ukraine
www.irf.in.ua
