Religious intolerance is a “poison for society,” which has doing
severe damage in Asia, according to Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon,
Myanmar.In a message to the Fides news agency, Cardinal Bo remarked that Asia is the birthplace of the world’s great religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
But today, he said, there is widespread hostility to religious faiths in Asia:
The freedom to believe and follow conscience in determining one’s faith is a sacred principle that is violated today in Asia, not only in theocratic society, but also in democratic countries where there are persecutions against minorities.Cardinal Bo said that the defense of religious freedom is a top priority in his pastoral work, in a country where non-Buddhists have frequently complained about unequal treatment.