The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodia's government has issued a directive limiting proselytizing and other activities by Christians, officials said Tuesday.
Christians are not allowed to promote their religion in public places, or use money or other means to persuade people to convert, the directive says. It does not mention other religions.
"They can do any activity inside their institutions, but are not allowed to go door-to-door," said Sun Kim Hun, deputy minister of cult and religion.
He said the directive, dated June 26 but distributed Tuesday, follows similar proclamations in 1999 and 2003 and is a reminder to Christian groups not to conduct activities against the law.
There were fewer than 70,000 Christians and about 170 churches in Cambodia in 2006, according to government figures. More than 90 percent of Cambodia's nearly 14 million people are Buddhist.
Cambodian Buddhists are generally tolerant of other religions. But last year, about 300 Buddhist villagers, apparently angered by a rival faith within their community, razed a partially built Christian church.
The mob chanted "Destroy the church!" and "Long live Buddhism!" as it descended upon the unfinished Protestant church near Phnom Penh.
Also last year, a group of Christian worshippers was caught distributing candy and cakes to young poor people in the countryside and trying to convert them, Sun Kim Hun said. Such activities are illegal under the directive.
Nhean Song, a Cambodian pastor with the Union Church in Phnom Penh, said none of its 300 members has broken the directive, but he knows members of other churches have.
"We will follow the directive, we have no purpose to do anything against the Cambodian government," he said.
Christians are not allowed to promote their religion in public places, or use money or other means to persuade people to convert, the directive says. It does not mention other religions.
"They can do any activity inside their institutions, but are not allowed to go door-to-door," said Sun Kim Hun, deputy minister of cult and religion.
He said the directive, dated June 26 but distributed Tuesday, follows similar proclamations in 1999 and 2003 and is a reminder to Christian groups not to conduct activities against the law.
There were fewer than 70,000 Christians and about 170 churches in Cambodia in 2006, according to government figures. More than 90 percent of Cambodia's nearly 14 million people are Buddhist.
Cambodian Buddhists are generally tolerant of other religions. But last year, about 300 Buddhist villagers, apparently angered by a rival faith within their community, razed a partially built Christian church.
The mob chanted "Destroy the church!" and "Long live Buddhism!" as it descended upon the unfinished Protestant church near Phnom Penh.
Also last year, a group of Christian worshippers was caught distributing candy and cakes to young poor people in the countryside and trying to convert them, Sun Kim Hun said. Such activities are illegal under the directive.
Nhean Song, a Cambodian pastor with the Union Church in Phnom Penh, said none of its 300 members has broken the directive, but he knows members of other churches have.
"We will follow the directive, we have no purpose to do anything against the Cambodian government," he said.
16 comments:
What do you expect from undercover communist group?
This is what Christians don't understand. People do not want to be converted and if they do it is by sheer misunderstanding of Christian religion - no matter which denomination. And then they use tricks like handing out chocolate to children to come and attend their indoctrination sessions. Christianity has brought the most evil on mankind - it is a bad religion. Just look at Bush who professes to be a born-again Christian but starts a war for no reason and sends tens of thousands of people both American and Iraqi to their death. I can only praise this directive and it should be strictly enforced.
11:30 PM you are not representing all the people!
People are not children, let them hear other opinion and make it own decission! not a communist world fool!
Bush not represent all free world or christian fool not like the Ho claimed to represent all Viet even after he drop dead!
Is your fucking master Vietname Youn or Chinese do any good thing to humanity compaire to America?
Only you communist is evil!!!
"I know i'm gonna get in trouble for this one".
Seems like its the Christian are the one who brings relief to the poor when they're hungry, raining season, natural disators, schooling, orphananged, medical etc... most of these missions are run by Christians. When was the last time you see a temple do any of this? I'm always hearing a "ceremony" to raise money for the temple. Donation goes in, but very little comes out.
The temple today have changed. In cambodia there are more temple than school or hospital. Cambodia is a nation of beggers. There are so many college grad that can do better, but as you can see. The governments, the monks beg, therefor the people beg.
So its ok to take things from the Christian? but don't try to convert into Christianity ?
NOTE: I'm no fan of Christianity, but at least be appreciative of their efforts.
Frequently, I understand the aggressive missionaries of Christianity to convert people. They can use every tactics to lure and proselytize the people.
In Cambodia, poverty and uneducated can be easily lured and deceived by Christian organization. Only looks at the strong orgs of Christian, we can assume their hidden agenda to make advantages from the people - Christian orgs are not different from other businesses corporates.
They use charity as the banner to his their mission to convert people...I can say Christian has no true hearted kind to provide services to mankind...their intention is to convert only...from day to day they count the increasing number of adherences.
And the teaching of believing in one God in bible creates only division and religious conflicts especially for multi-theistic belief in Cambodia.
KY
Thanks KY for your insight. I appreciate a good intellectual conversation. And yes, I do agree that Christian are somewhat too agressive in their methods. They don't seem to understand that besides Jesus, there's also Buddha,And of cousrse Mohammad. I've seen radical Christian, that is, if you don't believe in their Jesus Christ you're going to hell.
Buddha says if you are poor or urgly because what you did in your previous lives. Buddha preach not to KILL but eating meat and smoke like hell. There have been Chritianity preaching and luring many years in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand..etc These countries did not create this law to block freedom of preaching other religious concepts. These countries are democratic and respecting human rights. On the contrary Cambodia, Vietnam, China, China-Tibet, Burma,.. are communist dictators? Buddhish is allowed because they are passive and accepted/endured their oppression (based on previous live's karma)... That is why communists accept Buddhism. They are a perfect married couple..
We wait to see what happen next?
Khmeng wat's observation, some Christian has extremist views with Buddhist. As assumed most of former Buddhist who were converted to Christians has always complained that they were suffering and poor because they believe on the Buddha and the Buddha never help them from suffering and poor. Since they changed to Christian, they look themselves like a better life. Bud these folks never reflect themselves on what they did and why happen? how to grow life? Stupid new Khmer Christian mẻn!
Oh my God! I can't believe why some Cambodian people or even stupid Cambodian leader would want to blame the Christian for spreading their religion! I praise the Christian for their hard work ethic for helping those dirt poor Cambodian people in need! I can only admire the Christian people for what they done far more good then harm!
Cambodian people had been brainwashed by the communist for so long to kill one another and now it is a time for Cambodian people to have a new perspective the way they view their religion or change for a better one!
Wrong, they haven't done more good than harm. You need to look at history. Christianity has only brought evil on mankind. Yes, they do help and do charity work but as has been mentioned above only to proselytize because it says in their bible to spread the gospel. And it is especially true that all Christian churches are mega-enterprises with full koffers. Their charity is a facade, and mostly it is individuals who feel a calling to help poor people. Do you see any great relief effort from the Catholic church in Cambodia? Yes, poor Cambodia was brainwashed by the Communists but they do not need another brainwashing because if they follow their Buddhist principles that should be more than enough. They do not need any Christian doctrine in their lives.
Kamma means action including past, present and intention to act in the future. But some Christians manipulated and degraded Buddhist principles more than word I can describe here.
The aggressive of Christian organization is harmful and dangerous for Cambodia.
Christian monotheistic theory is so divisive to current Cambodia diverse of superstitious that those believes are not basing on Buddha's principles.
So let it is preached and let Cambodian people find out which one or both are hypocritique religious by themselve. If you stop other religions, you let Buddhish lives in the dark.
There's no doubt the world has seen much evil at the hands of Christians. I myself am a Christian, and of course, also a human, and as such I've done things which I'm not proud of. This is precisely why I need Jesus, there's no way I am good enough to meet God without forgiveness of the wrongs I've committed. Having said that, the sad truth is that many "Christians" are so in name only, they are not true followers of Jesus. Anyone who truly follows the ways of Jesus will benefit mankind, rather than bring evil to society. As a Christian, people judge Jesus by what they see in me. Unfortunately, there are plenty of bad examples out there, because selfishness often seems to crowd out faith.
The Christians only intention is to increase their numbers. Otherwise they can do charity without trying to convert the poor. It is bad for Cambodia. Chistianity's beliefs is already proven wrong by science.There is no benefit. www.godisimaginary.com
To the person that said that Christianity is a bad religion. I have to disagree... don't blame Christianity for Bush's foolish decisions. He does not represent the majority of true Christians. And think about it a moment, what is Buddhism in Cambodia doing to improve their situation, with countless children being trafficked from Vietnam into Svay Pak to be sodomized, raped, as young as 5 years old! So will I blame the Buddhist religion for some foolish and ignorant people that are blind in their choices as they rape a 5 year old girl? I don't think so. Religion has nothing to do with what pervades in the human heart.
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