★阿修羅♪ > カルト3 > 326.html ★阿修羅♪ |
Tweet |
「朝日新聞」から貼り付けます。
http://www.asahi.com/paper/editorial20060818.html
(貼り付け開始)
【社説】2006年08月18日(金曜日)付
摂理 教団のワナにはまるな
韓国で生まれた新興宗教集団「摂理」が、日本でも深刻な問題を起こしている。
鄭明析(チョンミョンソク)教祖は、女性信者に対する強姦(ごうかん)容疑で韓国から国際手配されている。それ以前に鄭教祖はたびたび来日し、国内でも女子学生らに性的暴力を繰り返していた。脱会した信者らはそう証言している。
信教の自由はもとより尊重しなければならない。宗教に、世俗とは異なる世界観や価値観があることも認めるべきだ。
しかし、いくら宗教団体であっても、法を犯す行為は許されない。女性信者への性的暴力を繰り返していたとなれば、悪質な犯罪である。
日本の信者の脱会を支援している弁護士らは、国内にいる韓国人幹部ら3人を出入国管理法違反などの容疑で警察に告発した。教祖による性的被害についても刑事責任を追及するという。
警察は徹底的に捜査してもらいたい。同じような被害を二度と出さないためには、違法な行為を厳しく取り締まる必要がある。
「摂理」はキリスト教の聖書を独自に解釈した教義を掲げ、日本の信者は約2千人とみられている。教祖に絶対的な服従を誓い、共同生活をしたり、信者同士の合同結婚式に参加させられたりしているという。
献金は金額が大きいほど評価されるといい、その結果、生活に困る若者も目立つ。「子どもを取り返したい」という親たちからの相談は急増している。
合同結婚や献金は信者を救済するためだ、と教団は反論するだろう。しかし、実態を冷静に見れば、信者の心を操り、金を巻き上げる反社会的な集団というしかない。
こんないかがわしい組織に若者たちが引き込まれたのはなぜか。
勧誘の手口は目新しいものではない。大学を舞台に、スポーツや文化のサークル活動を装って学生に近づく。濃密な人間関係を築いたところで、宗教団体であることを明かし、教義を教え込む。
家庭や学校で自分の居場所がないと悩み、これまでの人生を変えたいと願う。そんなまじめな若者が狙われやすい。
オウム真理教による一連の犯罪を通じて、多くの学生や若者が反社会的な集団に取り込まれる現実を目の当たりにしたばかりだ。いったん入信した若者を脱会させるのは簡単なことではない。
怪しげな教団や偽装サークルがあることについて、大学が注意を呼びかけることは大切だ。とくに社会生活に不慣れな新入生への配慮が欠かせない。
ただ、大学だけに責任を負わせて済む話ではない。問題のある集団の情報を集め、早めに発信する。家族の相談に応じ、脱会を支援する。そうした活動を、さまざまな団体や行政が連携して進めることも欠かせない。
とりわけ既存の宗教団体は深刻に受けとめるべきだ。若者を反社会的な集団から守る活動に率先して加わってほしい。
(貼り付け終了)
「朝日新聞・英語版」から貼り付けます。
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200608190106.html
(貼り付け開始)
Editorial/ Another problem cult
08/19/2006
A religious sect known as Setsuri (providence), which originated in South Korea, is causing serious social problems in Japan. The 61-year-old founder of the cult, Jung Myung Seok, is named in an Interpol rape warrant for his alleged sexual assaults on female followers in South Korea. Even before he was put on the wanted list, Jung visited Japan frequently and was suspected of sexual violence against many Japanese female students, according to former followers who have fled the group.
Freedom of religion should, of course, be respected. And it should be recognized that religions often have views and values that are different from secular ones.
But religious organizations should not be allowed to operate outside the boundary of law. The cult founder is a brutish criminal if he has repeatedly committed sexual assaults against his female followers.
A group of lawyers trying to help Japanese members leave the sect has filed a criminal complaint with police against three people in Japan, including a South Korean woman who is a close aide of the founder, on suspicion of visa offenses and other crimes related to the sect's activities. The lawyers say they will also seek to hold the founder criminally liable for his alleged rapes.
Police need to launch an exhaustive investigation into all these allegations against the cult and its founder. A strict crackdown on illegal practices is essential for preventing further victimization of cult followers.
Preaching a doctrine based on unorthodox interpretations of the Bible, Setsuri has gained a sizable following in many countries, including some 2,000 members in Japan. The followers are required to pledge absolute submission to the founder and are forced to live communally and take part in mass weddings among members.
Followers are evaluated according to the amount of money they donate to the sect. Many young members fall into financial trouble because of their large contributions to the group. The number of parents seeking advice on how to extract their children from the cult is growing rapidly.
The sect would say collective marriages and donations are designed for the salvation of the followers. But a close look at the sect's activities would show it is nothing but an antisocial group that tries to manipulate the followers' mind and bamboozle them out of their money.
Why have so many young people been lured into such a group?
The gimmicks the sect uses to increase its membership are nothing new. At university campuses, the sect's recruiters first approach students under the guise of a sports or cultural circle. After building close personal relationships with these students, the members reveal the religious nature of their group and start indoctrinating them. The favorite targets are serious-minded young people who feel alienated from their families and schools and wish to change their lives.
The tales of the sect chillingly evoke memories of Aum Shinrikyo, which perpetrated a series of loathsome crimes. The grim saga of the doomsday cult showed how so many students and young people were ensnared by that deeply antisocial group. It also showed how difficult it is to pull young people out of such a group once they become cult members.
Universities should warn their students about the operations of such dubious religious groups and fake circles. It is especially important to pay close attention to freshmen who are not well informed about the seamy side of society.
But the responsibility for dealing with the social problem of pernicious cults should not be placed entirely on universities. It is crucial for various organizations to work together in tackling this threat to society.
They should cooperate in efforts to gather and swiftly disseminate information about dangerous groups, provide counseling to the families of the victims and help members withdraw from the cult.
In particular, existing religious organizations should take the problem very seriously. They should join the efforts to protect innocent young people from such antisocial groups.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 18(IHT/Asahi: August 19,2006)
(貼り付け終了)
Coments: Famous cults in Japan as follows; Soka(SGI), Moonie, kenshokai and etc.