Proposed Law Against Cults in Sri Lanka Threatens Churches
According to Barnabas Aid, which is part of Barnabas Fund, the Religious Affairs Ministry in Sri Lanka has announced that it intends to introduce legislation enabling the authorities to take action against religious groups that are deemed cults in a move that threatens some of the country's churches.
The group says that Sri Lanka's Ministry Secretary M.K.B. Dissanayake said that a dialogue with the relevant stakeholders had been initiated regarding the introduction of such a law. It would be designed to prevent anyone from "distorting the original teachings" of the country's four main religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.
Barnabas Aid's coordinator for South Asia said that this was "a very dangerous proposal as it will affect all Evangelical churches in the country". Evangelical churches are not recognized by the Religious Affairs Ministry and are thus liable to be labeled as...
Paul Fountain | 1/30/2009
