UOC Theological Canonical Commission Supports the Right of Believers to Reject E-passports

The Theological Canonical Commission to the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church considered numerous appeals of the UOC believers on the single demographic registry and the introduction into circulation of the so-called e-passports with chips, the Information and Education Department of the UOC reports.

"The state has the right to determine the appropriate accounting methods for citizens. However, the Commission shares the concern of our faithful about the consequences of the introduction of electronic passports, because there is no guarantee that the electronic system of comprehensive control will not lead to the loss of freedom of the human personality and be used to manipulate it, " the statement of the Theological Canonical Commission says following the public discussion.

Therefore, according to committee members, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of rejecting electronic means on religious grounds with a possible alternative and prevent any form of discrimination against citizens.

At the same time, the Commission pointed out that an opinion, widespread among certain believers, that the use of electronic documents is sinful is not true.

"What unacceptable initiatives, from the point of view of Christian morality, would be introduced into the sphere of state-society relations, the Orthodox Christian must remember that if he himself does not disown Christ, nobody will be able to separate him from the love of God," emphasizes the Commission.

At the end of 2015 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the "Concept of a national system of identification of citizens of Ukraine, foreigners and persons without citizenship," which provides for the replacement of passports to all citizens for 2016-2017.

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