It's Time to Prosecute Extremist Priests and Restore Religious Order

(Baonghean.vn)- Human endurance has its limits, the tolerance of the law is also limited, it is time to severely punish the actions of those disguised as priests.

» Priest Dang Huu Nam incites, exploits children and distorts the truth about April 30

» Who is priest Dang Huu Nam really?

» Nghe An parishioners expose the corruption of priest Nguyen Dinh Thuc

» Nguyen Dinh Thuc – 'a horse familiar with the old road'

Currently, Catholicism alone has over 4,518 parish churches nationwide, not to mention the chapels of religious orders (statistics in 2014). In addition, we also have Catholic works of art such as monuments, grottoes, cemeteries, pilgrimage centers, etc.

Thus, it can be said that with about 6,000 churches and chapels, large and small, across the country, we are possessing an extremely important and massive space in terms of Catholic spirituality, playing a role in serving the needs of worship, religious activities and guiding the spiritual life of nearly 7 million Catholic followers, a very large influence in the Vietnamese ethnic community.

Vietnam has about 6,000 churches and chapels, large and small. In the photo, Bao Nham stone church, Bao Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An. Photo courtesy.

All comparisons are lame, but comparing just two aspects is enough to know that this state, this regime has created all conditions for religions, including Catholicism, to develop. All places of worship, churches, and chapels are located in convenient locations for transportation and socio-economic development. Not to mention many places where the land of the farmers has to make way for churches when they are moved from the old location to the new location.

The average area of ​​a church or chapel is at least 300 square meters, while the largest ones are up to tens of hectares. If multiplied by over 6,000 churches and chapels, this number is not small.

The concern does not stop there, the policy of socio-economic development to remote areas is also an urgent task that the state is putting first, compared to ethnic minority areas in the border, island and highland areas, Catholics have socio-economic conditions, infrastructure that is decades behind ethnic minority areas but still cannot catch up. Typically, there are parishes with only more than 30 households, but the state has invested in a lighting system of over 5 billion VND, and roads worth tens of billions of VND, this is what Catholics in those areas are most aware of, most grateful for the policies and attention of our Party and State.

A policy of national reconciliation and a policy of religious freedom have never flourished as much as in the present era that the religious people across Vietnam are enjoying.

However, in recent years, taking advantage of the tolerance of the law and the forgiveness of the Vietnamese people, a number of Catholic dignitaries have defied the law, enticed and incited a number of Catholic compatriots to take advantage of loopholes in the law, colluded with reactionaries abroad to openly carry out activities against the Party, the State and the great national unity bloc.

Two extremist priests Dang Huu Nam and Nguyen Dinh Thuc betrayed God.

Stringing together a number of typical incidents that a group of priests in Vinh Diocese have carried out since 2012, we can clearly see that. From the incidents in Nghi Phuong (Nghi Loc), Yen Khe (Con Cuong) to Nghi Kieu (Nghi Loc), Quang Son, Dai Son (Do Luong); most recently in Song Ngoc (Quynh Ngoc), Phu Yen (An Hoa) Quynh Luu, two priests Nguyen Dinh Thuc and Dang Huu Nam have disregarded discipline and the law, trampled on the dignity of fellow believers, tarnished the reputation of Catholicism, distorted history, gone against the interests of the nation, arrogantly considered themselves kings and lords, brazenly challenged public opinion and the law.

All of these actions, we see, have a common scenario and the leniency of the authorities at all levels has led to this group of priests being allowed to act recklessly. It is time for the country's political system to tighten to restore religious order right in our homeland, our country.

All citizens are equal before the law, and civil rights and civil obligations are inseparable. Article 15 of the 2013 Constitution affirms:“Citizen rights are inseparable from citizen obligations; Everyone has the obligation to respect the rights of others; Citizens have the responsibility to fulfill their obligations to the State and society; The exercise of human rights and citizen rights must not infringe upon national and ethnic interests, and the rights and legitimate interests of others.

Yet these extremist dignitaries do not respect anyone, openly defame and slander leaders at all levels, incite a group of gullible Catholics to resist law enforcement officers, destroy state property and personal property, and consider their religion to be inviolable and to have its own space. Even a parishioner, when given the title of chairman of the parish council, openly challenges public opinion and demands the life of another person...

People are extremely indignant at these actions. But because of the rule of law and the peace of the homeland, people still follow the actions of the State to see how the State will deal with this type of crime.

Article 11 of the Constitution also stipulates“... All acts against the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland will be severely punished." People are waiting for the strictness of the law, isolating elements like Nguyen Dinh Thuc and Dang Huu Nam from society because wherever those extremists go, they spread national hatred. Some Catholics, because of mob mentality, theocracy, and the law of obedience, have to listen to those extremists. They lack knowledge about society, including awareness of the church. When their "shepherd" is isolated from social life, all Catholics can live peacefully in the true sense of a true religion.

It is time for law enforcement agencies to no longer tolerate such treasonous and harmful acts. In this world, there cannot be a priest who preaches the word of God but forgets his missionary duty, using the church as a place to shout slogans, a place to gather and do profane things. I do not understand what the superiors of these priests are thinking, allowing these priests to tarnish and discredit Catholicism, oppose the regime, and go against the interests of the nation, then their superiors must also be held responsible.

We will not let these extremist priests trample on human dignity, morality and revolutionary achievements that our Party and People had to pay with blood and bones to have today, for the sake of so-called democracy and human rights.

The evidence is clear, the Catholic community has suffered enough from these two extremists. “Pain for a moment, cool for a lifetime”, we are ready to welcome international delegations to protect human rights and religious freedom to come and see for themselves in our country. From the highest legal documents of the State to the practical policies on ethnicity and religion taking place in this country, it is enough to prove to the international community the “lies and distortions of the truth” of those extremist priests.

Article 24 of the 2013 Constitution also clearly states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion. Religions are equal before the law; the State respects and protects the right to freedom of belief and religion; No one is allowed to violate the freedom of belief and religion or take advantage of belief and religion to violate the law”. No one is discriminated against in our political, civil, economic, cultural and social life.

We propose that the state, at this time, at this moment, needs to restore order in the religious life of religions in general, and Catholicism in particular, so that all serve the interests of humanity, serve the interests of the nation, because no religion or political party is outside the regulation of the law and political regime of a nation and people.

People's voice