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57 SECTS REGISTERED IN ARMENIA
Lragir.am
19 April 06
On April 19 there was a meeting at the Hayeli Club to discuss the
problems of sects in Armenia. Sects have become rather active recently,
causing divide within families. The problem worries the Armenian
Apostolic Church, however the clergy refuse to discuss it with sects,
for according to father Mkhitar, "the issue of the millennium could
hardly be settled at the table of negotiations." And the Apostolic
Church is not entitled to control the activity of sects which divide
the society. Which is the best way of struggle against sects then?
The head of the Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of the Destructive
Cult Alexander Amaryan suggests setting up an agency that would
control the activity of sects. Moreover, he says such an agency is
a requirements of the Council of Europe. Alexander Amaryan adds that
another stipulation of the Council of Europe is government sanctions
against sects which violate human rights.
Sects are funded from outside; "we are registering an organization
which is banned abroad," says Alexander Amaryan. Presently there
are 350 thousand members of different sects in Armenia. 80 percent
are in Yerevan, they tend to grow in number in the adjacent rural
areas. Alexander Amaryan says it would take 2-5 years to convert
them back to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Father Mkhitar says it is
important to have a priest in each village to struggle sects. "Over
centuries Muslims have been unable to convert Armenians to Islam,
but in the past 10 years 10 per cent of Armenians deviated from the
Armenian Apostolic Church," says Alexander Amaryan.
Lragir.am
19 April 06
On April 19 there was a meeting at the Hayeli Club to discuss the
problems of sects in Armenia. Sects have become rather active recently,
causing divide within families. The problem worries the Armenian
Apostolic Church, however the clergy refuse to discuss it with sects,
for according to father Mkhitar, "the issue of the millennium could
hardly be settled at the table of negotiations." And the Apostolic
Church is not entitled to control the activity of sects which divide
the society. Which is the best way of struggle against sects then?
The head of the Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of the Destructive
Cult Alexander Amaryan suggests setting up an agency that would
control the activity of sects. Moreover, he says such an agency is
a requirements of the Council of Europe. Alexander Amaryan adds that
another stipulation of the Council of Europe is government sanctions
against sects which violate human rights.
Sects are funded from outside; "we are registering an organization
which is banned abroad," says Alexander Amaryan. Presently there
are 350 thousand members of different sects in Armenia. 80 percent
are in Yerevan, they tend to grow in number in the adjacent rural
areas. Alexander Amaryan says it would take 2-5 years to convert
them back to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Father Mkhitar says it is
important to have a priest in each village to struggle sects. "Over
centuries Muslims have been unable to convert Armenians to Islam,
but in the past 10 years 10 per cent of Armenians deviated from the
Armenian Apostolic Church," says Alexander Amaryan.