1988. december (307-326. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
j {'CH^NSARIAN Ufe(3)|2Sl” a^Q ©Mi, Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street ‘ London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 315/1988 (E) Hth December, 1988 Christians Demand the Abolition of the Office fór Church Affairs — 46O Christians sent a letter to the Prime Minister Miklós Németh concerning recent news in the press about a new church affairs bili which the govemment wish to pút before Parliament. The letter’s signatories stress that the country’s affairs can only be rectified if the words of society’s many millions of believers are taken seriously. They make a proposal to the ministers vhose task it is to enforce the vili of the people. The signatories say that they do nőt demand because as Jesus’s disciples they reject coercion and they do nőt ask because by doing so they would sanction the omnipotence of the state, they merely propose. There is no need fór a new law, continues the letter, the constitution which States that state and church are separate is satisfactory. The state must observe the constitution, it must renounce the disregard it has shown the constitution fór the pást forty years, in which time it has abolished the institutes of the church, has taken control of episcopal and parish organisations and has succed- ed in making church leaders lose face before the nation’s believers. "Christians believe that it is nőt a church affairs law which is necessary bút the abolition of the State Office fór Churcn Affairs and an end to various state administration organisations interfering in church mattéra." The state cannot remedy the cruel destruction of the pást forty years bút it can do one thing: let the church live and blossom once more. Thus states the letter signed by 460 Christians and sent to the Prime Minister Miklós Németh on December 12th 1988. The authenticity of the signatures was verified by Tamás Butkay mathematieian, Károly Hampel engin- eer and Ildikó Túrják laboratory assistant. Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
