Hungary: Religious bodies seek EU
intervention to restore religious equality
In a remarkable joint
interfaith gesture, Hindus-Buddhists-Jews-Atheists want immediate intervention
of European Union (EU) in Hungary to establish religious equality and freedom.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today,
said that Hinduism and many other religions and denominations were not
officially recognized in Hungary. Should not all religions be equal before the
law in a democracy? Is not Hungary part of the EU which boasts of being the
human rights leader in the world? Zed asked.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society
of Hinduism, pointed out that Hinduism was the oldest and third largest
religion in the world with a rich philosophical thought and about one billion
adherents. Are not these enough qualifications for a religion to be recognized?
Rajan Zed expressed dismay at Hungary’s
recent law on religion, saying that it was a setback to religious equality. The
official recognition process was suffocating, cumbersome, unnecessarily
burdened the Hungary’s minority religions/denominations, smelled of favoritism,
discriminatory against certain faith groups and was without any right to
appeal. It was a step in the wrong and backwards direction, Zed added.
Zed further said that nations should not be
in the business of regulating religion, which was very powerful and complex;
and governments should not tell who was “church” and who was not.
Rajan Zed urged His Holiness Pope Benedict
XVI and other world religious leaders to speak against this recent Hungarian
law and back the minority religions/denominations of Hungary.
Religions/denominations with a major presence in Hungary should also come to
the rescue of religious minorities.
Zed stated that Hungary seemed to have
created its own narrow “definition” of religion which might not be compatible
with European and international religious equality and freedom standards. This
exclusionary approach sent a worrying signal, a cause for concern. Zed stressed
the need for more openness, equality and religious freedom in Hungary; the country of Lake Balaton, romantic Danube
River, Franz Liszt and Bela Bartok.
Meanwhile, Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer, prominent
Jewish leader in Nevada, in a statement today, stressed that Hinduism was one
of the major religions of the world and the Hungarian Parliament was out of
touch with the reality in not granting it recognition in upholding "The
Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches,
Religions and Religious Communities" Law. Rabbi Beyer stated that
the Law created inferior religious status to faiths which had fewer followers
in Hungary, violating the right to be free from religious discrimination.
Beyer noted that the Law, which also stripped liberal Jewish congregations of
their religious status, was flawed and archaic.
Jon Eric Johnson, a well known atheist
scholar belonging to Reno Freethinkers, in a statement today, said: “We are
dismayed and disappointed at the Hungarian government for engaging in the
regulation and exclusionary approach in religion. A free and democratic society
must allow people to worship, or not worship, as they so choose without
restriction, harassment or favoritism.”
Distinguished Buddhist priest in Western
USA, Jikai' Phil Bryan, in a statement in Reno today, urged Hungary to
end discriminatory practices aimed at members of any and all authentic
religious traditions and treat all religions as equal before the law and
government. Bryan stressed the urgent need of ensuring religious equality and
freedom in Hungary.
In a past survey, 44% Hungarians reportedly
replied that they believed that there was a God. Roman Catholics were the
largest group with about 52% Hungarians as followers. Majority of Hungary
became Christian in the 11th century. Budapest synagogue is said to be the
largest in Europe.
Roma virtual Network
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