Raising awareness among young people against strange heresies and religions

Ninh Binh has two main religious organizations: Buddhism and Catholicism. Of these,

Buddhism has over 72,000 followers, accounting for 7.65% of the province's population, Catholicism has over 162,000 followers, accounting for 16% of the province's population.

In recent years, the religious situation in the province has been stable, with no complicated hot spots related to religion. The people of the two religions are united, have good relations, and have actively contributed to the overall development of the province.

However, taking advantage of the attention and policies of the Party and State on religious issues, recently a number of new illegal religious phenomena (also known as "evil religions") have sought to form, develop, and attract members and followers.

Comrade Mai Xuan Thuy, Deputy Head of the Department of Mass Mobilization of State Agencies, Ethnicity and Religion, Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Committee said: In Ninh Binh province, according to current statistics, there are about 8 types of new religious phenomena attracting about 219 participants, appearing in all 8 districts and cities. Those new religious types are Ho Chi Minh Jade Buddha with about 160 participants, Vietnamese Bronze Drum Original Energy with 23 participants, Church of God the Mother with 16 participants, Sant Mat Zen with 7 participants, Dieu Am Dharma with 6 participants, Long Hoa Maitreya with 3 participants, Diep Diep Thien with 3 participants, Nhat Quan Dao with 1 participant, Hoang Thien Long with 1 participant.

In addition to the above 8 types of illegal religious phenomena, currently many people, including young people, participate in organizing Falun Gong activities. This organization originated from China, entered Vietnam through overseas students, overseas Vietnamese, tourists from the US and Taiwan entering Vietnam and through the media and the Internet. Falun Gong has many reactionary colors, potentially destabilizing security and order, and disrupting social discipline in many countries.

In Ninh Binh, Falun Gong began to appear around 2013, and has so far attracted nearly 200 people to practice. What is worrying is that recently, these subjects often focus on propaganda in famous tourist areas, places with many people passing by such as Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An Eco-tourism Area, Dinh Tien Hoang De Square, Hoa Lu Ancient Town... potentially affecting tourism activities and security, order and safety in tourist areas in general.

According to comrade Mai Xuan Thuy, Deputy Head of the Department of Mass Mobilization of State Agencies, Ethnicity and Religion, Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Committee, in general, these organizations are identified as being extremist, anti-cultural, anti-scientific, and dividing national and religious solidarity. For example, not worshiping ancestors, destroying ancestral incense bowls, not using medicine, not examining or treating at medical facilities when sick, ill, etc. Regarding the initiators, the majority are women with low cultural level, sick or in difficult economic circumstances, showing abnormal psychological symptoms.

Currently, the rate of young people participating in religious activities is increasing and tends to be younger. Organizations such as the Church of God the Mother and the Heavenly Message are mostly initiated and participated by young people. Taking advantage of social platforms, these organizations are trying to find ways to attract and entice young people in the province to participate.

Therefore, correctly identifying "evil religions" and "strange religions" is a very necessary requirement, contributing to raising awareness for each young person. Thereby helping young people understand clearly what is the right path, not to be seduced, incited or commit illegal acts.

In particular, with correct awareness, young people will be an important force in propagating, detecting, and helping relatives, families, and neighbors to distinguish and stay away from illegal religious activities and taking advantage of religion to cause insecurity and disorder.

According to the representative of Ninh Binh Provincial Youth Union, in recent times, implementing Resolution No. 25-NQ/TW dated March 12, 2003, the 7th Conference of the Party Central Committee (9th term) on religious work, Ninh Binh Provincial Youth Union has focused on implementing many solutions to effectively carry out ethnic and religious work in the area.

In particular, we focus on propaganda, training, improving knowledge and understanding for cadres, union members and youth; strengthening education on cultural lifestyle, fighting to eliminate backward customs and superstitions, preventing decadent and reactionary cultural products that affect the development of ethnic youth and religious youth.

At the same time, assign key cadres to regularly stay close to the locality, survey, grasp the developments, situations and thoughts of young people in order to promptly encourage, detect and prevent uncivilized manifestations or abuse of religious policies. In addition, Youth Union chapters at all levels in the province also actively participate in practical projects and tasks to improve the material, cultural and spiritual life of the people such as the movement to build new rural areas, build and sponsor sports equipment at cultural houses in villages and hamlets. Thereby helping people live happily, live healthily, stay away from bad customs and superstitions.

In recent times, the emergence of "evil cults" disguised as religions has violated national security, social order and safety, disrupting the religious life of a segment of the population. In particular, in the trend of integration and openness, religions have promoted missionary activities; in addition, the number of Vietnamese people residing abroad returning to the country and foreigners coming to Vietnam to live and work has increased, so there will be many new sects and religious organizations abroad spreading into Vietnam. Meanwhile, religious organizations have increased cross-border proselytizing, using the Internet to train clergy, preach without a location and without permission... Therefore, propaganda, education, and raising awareness of beliefs and religions for the younger generation is extremely necessary, contributing to consolidating knowledge and beautiful ideals for young people, building an increasingly civilized and developed homeland.

Article and photos: Hoang Bach

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/nang-cao-canh-giac-cho-thanh-nien-truoc-ta-dao-dao-la-/d20240701142555810.htm