Zam. the head of the Synodal missionary Department, member of the inter-Council presence of the Russian Orthodox Church Hegumen Serapion made the initiative to discuss the introduction of the concept of "foreign agent" for religious organizations.
"If we now put the question about "foreign agents" -NGOs, maybe we should study the issue and in relation to religious organizations?" said the Abbot Serapion, reports RIA " Novosti ".
according to his statement, it is necessary that Authorized religious organizations " received only spiritual feeding from their leaders, not any political instructions "." I believe that the state is obliged to regulate certain parties of religious life. It always has been, and is, after all, This is unacceptable, is a kind of liberal myth of the early 90's, and was shown to be ineffective, " he noted. The Abbot Serapion said that the law is developing together with the development of society." currently we are seeing that the events of several years, and most importantly the events in Ukraine, the subsequent anti-Russian punishment, and what is happening in the middle East, forcing us to take a fresh look at the processes. So, for example, it is difficult to see in the activities of religious organizations purely religious activities, " he added." I very difficult to imagine that a religious organization of which the centre is located in a country that is openly anti-Russian policy, that religious organization will be limited to only religious activities, " said the Abbot Serapion. Entered into force in November 2012, the NGO law obliges any organization dealing with political activity and having foreign funding, to register with the justice Ministry as foreign agents. In 2014 the justice Ministry has authorized its forces to include NGOs in the registry " foreign agents."

sections: Politics