The Russian Orthodox Church refines its human rights conception in the run-up to the Bishops Council

20 June 2008, 16:26

Moscow, June 20, Interfax - The Moscow Patriarchate reprocess the document on human rights position of the Church, which is to be adopted at the coming Bishops Council, deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said.

"Now are the last days to refine the document on the position of the Russian Orthodox Church on human rights, problem of freedom and dignity. We will try to answer the question if right are those who say that a person is originally good and if he is entirely liberated, the society itself will come to a normal life," Fr. Vsevolod said at a round table in Moscow.

However, according to him, "not everything the man likes is good." The priest considers false any talks about possible happiness of people suffering from various vices and governed by sin."

The sinner is always unhappy. All talks about happy life of prostitutes, drug-addicts, homosexuals, promotions of sin as something bringing joy and pleasure are deceitful, while closely connected sin and unhappiness are real," the representative of the Russian Church believes.

According to him, all people who suffer from such diseases usually come to a priest "with deep spiritual wounds and complain on the destroyed relations with relatives."

"Liars are those who claim that a man should be released from morals and other "complexes" and it will do him good. Morality isn't a dull invention of outdated people, it bases on facts and historical experience," Fr. Vsevolod said.

According to him, "the idea of moral values in legislation, mass media and culture is "legitimate" and justified. Public forces both in Russia and in the West should unite "to say clearly to the society that it's impossible to live without moral values," the Moscow Patriarchate representative believes.

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