Belarus: Church Evicted

Andrew Pauley
10-2-09
3:30pm

Forum 18 News reports that on Aug. 20, New Life Full Gospel Church in Minsk, Moscow, was issued an eviction notice by government officials, forcing them to abandon their church building purchased in 2002. Government authorities have not disclosed why the church is being evicted, but have repeatedly refused to grant the church’s application for registration. In 2002, Belarus passed a restrictive religion law that made all unregistered religious activity illegal. The church is adamant they do not fear the government’s threats. “We’re here praying and believe God will protect us,” Sergei Lukanin, the church’s lawyer told Forum 18 News. “As a lawyer I believe the state could do anything, including the use of force. But as a believer I rely on God.” VOM classifies Belarus as a restricted nation and says believers are living under stringent conditions that do not allow them to worship freely. New Life Full Gospel Church is one of many churches in Belarus facing increased restrictions by the government. Forum 18 News said since July the government has fined two other churches in the western town of Baranovichi.

I submit my response in the form of a question; should any government have control over religious freedoms? Should government and religion go hand-in-hand?
I think that choice of religion should be a freedom that is protected by the government. That is the one way that the government should be involved, and it is in the perfectly indirect way. Another way that the government should be involved, in a way they would already be, is by upholding the laws of a nonviolent practice of religion. This is not a regulation on religion but a further practice of upholding already set laws. The government should encourage non-violent diversity amongst people, this working understanding allows people to learn to get along and therefore makes a country stronger and more efficient.

http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom.aspx?story_ID=MTc1