MOSCOW. April 4 (Interfax) – The Russian Orthodox Church should develop a universal approach to human rights based on moral norms andcombining various traditions, said Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kirill.
“Orthodox believers are prepared to accept the world view of othe rnations. However, they cannot keep silent when alien norms contradicting the basis of the Orthodox faith are being imposed upon them. It is necessary to carry out intensive harmonization of various views of the world,” he said at the 10th World Russian Popular Council in Moscow on Tuesday.
Freedom and human rights are a great achievement of human civilization, however, “it is necessary to prepare citizens to use these rights, taking into account the moral norms,” he said.
This is the reason why the Russian Orthodox Church is against attempts to legalize homosexual relations and the advertisement ofgambling ventures, he said.
A European parliament resolution adopted this January proposes thatchildren be educated to accept homosexuality and establishes a fight against homophobia, he said.
An approach which is not balanced by moral norms should not pretend to be a unique understanding of human rights, he said. Unfortunately, “such an approach is steadily making its way into modern international legislation,” he said.
