About beliefs and religions in the new era
(Baonghean.vn) - The Ordinance on Belief and Religion passed by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2004 clearly defines the Party's viewpoint: "Belief and religion are spiritual needs of a part of the people, and are and will exist with the Vietnamese people in the process of building a democratic, civilized, modern, prosperous and beautiful Vietnam."
Nowadays, in the context of globalization and increasingly deep international integration, with new advantages and challenges when each country's socio-economic background is different, culture and customs have their own characteristics. Each country must have a way and method of management that is suitable to the will and aspirations of the people to serve the people better and better.
The Platform for National Construction in the Transitional Period to Socialism (Supplemented and Developed in 2011) clearly states: "Respect and ensure the people's freedom of belief, religion and non-belief in accordance with the law. Fight against and strictly handle all acts of violating freedom of belief and religion and taking advantage of religious beliefs to harm the interests of the Fatherland and the people" (1).
The 11th Party Congress documents have specified the relevant contents of the Platform and affirmed: "Continue to perfect policies and laws on religious beliefs in accordance with the Party's viewpoints. Promote the good cultural and ethical values of religions; encourage religious organizations, dignitaries and followers to live a good life and practice their religion, and actively contribute to the cause of national construction and defense. Pay attention to and create all conditions for religious organizations to operate according to the Charter and regulations of religious organizations recognized by the State, in accordance with the law. At the same time, proactively prevent and resolutely fight against acts of taking advantage of beliefs and religions to confuse, divide and destroy the great national unity bloc" (2).
Thus, compared to the contents of previous Party Congresses, the basic and consistent content is that the State respects the people's freedom of belief and freedom of non-belief. However, regarding the issue of fighting against acts of taking advantage of religious beliefs, the 11th Congress mentioned more clearly and specifically: "Proactively preventing" and "resolutely fighting" against acts of taking advantage of beliefs and religions to confuse, divide, and destroy the great national unity bloc.
Therefore, in the process of building our homeland and country, we must correctly perceive the Party's guidelines, policies and the State's laws. "Citizens have the right to freedom of belief and religion, to follow or not to follow any religion". The State creates conditions for people to exercise their rights and obligations as citizens, and to build a great national unity bloc. Political and social organizations... and all citizens are equal before the Law. Authorities at all levels have the duty to ensure the genuine freedom of belief of our compatriots, and on the other hand, to manage religious and belief activities by the State's laws in order to prevent bad people from taking advantage of beliefs and religions to disrupt social order or sabotage the common interests of the nation.
Respecting freedom of belief and non-belief, religion is aimed at each citizen, each believer must achieve: "Both fulfilling religious duties and beautifying worldly affairs", that is the consistent content in the guidelines and policies of our Party and State. That is also the requirement of: General Letter 1980 of the Vietnamese Bishops' Council
I think that implementing the above content well for Catholics is not only a natural sentiment but also a requirement of the Gospel living in the heart of the nation, in one's Fatherland, in one's own origin. It is also the humane tradition of our nation: "Love others as you love yourself" and the spirit: "Compassion, joy, renunciation", "Selflessness and altruism" of Buddhism rich in sacrifice with the awareness: "Dharma is closely linked to the nation and Socialism".
That is also the content in line with the morality: "I am for everyone, everyone is for me". This is the content, the consensus ideology, the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people, the core of the spirit of national solidarity for stability and development to bring a prosperous and happy life to each person, each family. In that spirit, all levels, sectors, political and social organizations need to promptly disseminate the Party's guidelines, policies, and the State's laws to each citizen to encourage and motivate each person to clearly see their practical rights and obligations in building and protecting the homeland and the country.
(1).(2) Communist Party of Vietnam - Documents of the 11th National Congress of Delegates, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, pp. 81, 245.
Ho Minh Duc
