ASIA/INDIA - HOW TO PROTECT THE ASIAN FAMILY: VARIOUS RELIGIONS AND ORGANISATIONS ATTEND STUDY WEEK

Chennai (Fides Service ) – How to protect families in Asia from fragmentation and threats such as abortion, divorce, superficial and temporary relationships. This was the objective of a study week promoted by the Service and Research Foundation of Asia on Family and Culture SERFAC, held Chennai, Tamil Nadu state. Participants, representing different religions, including the local Catholic community, and NGOs, discussed the family and culture from various points of view.
About 50 participants from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Sri Lanka discussed how two elements of globalisation, technology and religions, can provide a basis for building stable marriages, happy families and harmonious communities. Main negative effects of globalisation identified by the participants, included loss of identity, forced migration and exploitation.
A major question debated was the use of technology applied in sectors of industry, medicine and media. It was agreed that technological progress brings many advantages but that many rural communities in Asian countries are denied this progress. Technological progress can be used for the good of humanity – the participants affirmed – but it can also be used for evil when put at the service of a culture of death promoting abortion and cloning.
The participants agreed that Information Technology also poses moral challenges and that it must always be at the service of justice, peace, social equality and harmony among peoples. (PA) (Fides Service 9/12/2003 lines 27 words 283)