After 20 years of reform, the policies and guidelines in time of the Party and the State on religious affairs which consolidate the great national unity, religious unity, strengthened the faith of religious and non – religious people on the renovation policy initiated and led by our Party. Thought on religious unity, great national unity by President Ho Chi Minh which was the entire Party and people use it and experiencing the great victory of the Vietnam revolution over the past half century. This confirms the correctness and scientific of Ho Chi Minh ideology through revolutionary practice.
Thought on religious unity is the important content in a heritage of Ho Chi Minh’s thought was formed from the '20s and the '40s of the XX century into a system, developed in association with the practical operation of revolution. Ho Chi Minh thought on religious unity which contribute to building national unity, religious unity and struggle to defeat the wicked plot to "divide to rule" of the hostile forces.
Thought on eligious unity of President Ho Chi Minh is shown on some of the following basic contents:
1. Ho Chi Minh pointed out that was the Vietnam whether religious or non - religious are generally a deep root race "dragon and Lac legend", the same fate of the nation and tied together by a tradition of solidarity. The tradition of national unity has been built on the basis of similarity, agreement on the needs and interests. Benefits are: there must be independent, people must be living in freedom. In the war against France, President Ho wrote: "The resistance has entered the fourth years. Compatriots know that military forces of our enemy stronger than ours. However, we increasingly successful. This is due to the strength of unity of the people and actively took part in the resistance of religious as well as non – religious people"(1). After the Northern was completely liberated and come up socialist construction, become large rear for the Southern to complete the revolution for national liberation in the country. Now, the driving force for national liberation is still leading. Besides, Ho Chi Minh said to the other motivation: "To uniting non – religious and religious people, together build a prosperous life, country to compliance religious policy to respect religious freedom of all religions "(2). He also pointed out: "The Communist Party is not only destroyed religion but also protected religions. Communist Party only destroyed the exploitation of the crime" (3).
2. Religious unity is built on the basis of right combination of fundamental interests of citizens in society as the common denominator.
Religious unity is one of the foundations to build national unity, the integral part leading to victory in Viet Nam’s revolution under the leadership of the Communist Party. However, the gurantee of unity are strong, unified to rely on benefits: combining national interests with the interests of the working classes, including the important part is that religious people.
To implement the strategies of national unity, and religious unity, President Ho Chi Minh City has decided to promote similar elements, used the analogy to overcome these differences, to avoid offending the faith of religious people. He looked for similarities in common goals and ideologies for national unity, religious unity as "nothing more precious than independence and freedom''; It is to build an independent country of Vietnam, peace, unity, democracy and prosperity, prosperous life brings happiness to people, contributing to the common struggle of the world. On Juanary 1946, before the national fall ino difficulties, when the French colonists invaded our country again, President Ho Chi Minh has published a report for National Salvation, he stressed: "the country is not independent , religious is not freedom, so we must make independent country "(4).
To uniting religious, President Ho Chi Minh behavior is very flexible, sensitive to the religious, interested in their daily lives of believers. More than anyone, he always understood that the religious dignitaries who on behalf of God, the Buddha ... "shepherding" the soul of believers, the followers believe them, faith and listen to God, Buddha; So, reputation and their voices for believers is very great. Therefore, President Ho Chi Minh City to express his friendly attitude, cordially unite and collaborate closely with many bishops, priests, Venerable, Managing Attorney ... such as Bishop Le Huu Tu, Hoang Quynh, Priest Pham Ba Truc, the Venerable Thich Mat The, Managing Attorney Cao Trieu Phat ... In his letter Bishop Le Huu Tuon on the occasion of Noel, he wrote: "On the occasion of the Noel, I wish you are always very healthy to serve the God and to lead fellow Catholics who took part in the resistance, the struggle for independence for the Fatherland "(5).
For Buddhism, on major holidays such as Buddha attained enlightenment, President Ho Chi Minh often sent a greeting letter, which made the Buddhist excited. Although he was very busy but still interested in their happy day. Words in the letters were very simple, rustic but closely to the Buddhist sutras. President Ho Chi Minh wrote: "Dear the monks and the believers! The occasion Buddha was enlightened, I cordially sent monks and believers great harmony greetings" (6).
For believers, President Ho Chi Minh was not only interested in their spiritual life but also particularly interested in the daily life of religious people. He regularly reminds staff to regularly take care of all aspects of life of the people, from food, clothing, housing, transportation, studying and treatment. He said religious people could not hungry, hardy to go to church, so they had to care for "the body" prosperous, "the soul" happy; the place of worship of other religions such as pagodas, temples, shrines, churches have been renovated and protected.
As a Communist leader, in his capacity as President Ho Chi Minh always is not very strange with ethnics and religious dignitaries. In contrast, with a sincere attitude, with revolutionary method flexible but very determined, President Ho Chi Minh has become familiar with them... Thich Don Hau was fortunate to meet with President Ho Chi Minh three times, he said sincerity: "I understand why he is a founding leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam, but he still attracts all the other sectors of society around him to do great things for the country... I was a monk involved in revolutionary activities, I wish that all my life will go the way of patriotism that President Ho Chi Minh have outlined ... Thanks to him, nothing is more precious than make his teachings "(7).
4. President Ho Chi Minh always appreciate the human values in religions and distinguished truly religious organizations and individuals with disguise as religious organizations to unite the revolutionary forces. Indeed, Ho Chi Minh had studied in depth all religions in Vietnam and he drawn general comment: the religions in Vietnam, whether native religious or exogenous religious are contained doctrines contained in his advice to do good things, avoid cruel things. With the wording simple, sincere hearts convincing when talking about the founder of the religion, Ho Chi Minh wrote:
Jesus Christ teaches: morality means compassion
Siddhartha Gautama teaches: morality means mercy.
Confucius teaches: morality means humanity.
The doctrine of Confucius have its advantages are the cultivation of personal morality. Religious Jesus has its advantages as high kindness ... "(9).
Besides the great majority of believers righteous, also a part of religion to take advantage of anti-revolutionary activities, break up the reliogious unity. Ho Chi Minh has shown clear to make a different between right - tricky, the just - unjust. He praised the religious dignarities to uphold justice commitment, dedicated resources to fight for the cause of people from slavery, oppression, poverty ... When talking about the role of Catholic duty, President Ho Chi Minh pointed out the true face of Ngo Dinh Diem: "Self-proclaimed is Catholic, but it is a terrorist crackdown, killing the Southern compatriots. So Diem is Satan's minions than followers of the God "(10).
There are some basic contents of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on religious unity. Applying and implementing the basic content above is practically contribute to build the unity of religion as a basis to build the great national unity.
Vietnam is a country with many religions, in which the major world religions such as: Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, Protestanism have been in Vietnam. Besides, some religions arising in Vietnam such as the Cao Dai, Hoa Hao Buddhist ... appeared very early. It makes the "religious picture" of our country more and more colorful. Believers make up large number (about 20% of the national population) (11). The vast majority of religious people are workers, always "accompany" with the country and making great contributions to the national liberation revolution before, as well as the cause of building and defending socialism today.
However, religion is a field of precise and sensitive in social life, these hostile forces always benefit by religion to undermine socialism and practices have proven that when the enemy abandoned religious to oppose the Vietnam’s revolution. In the strategy of "peaceful evolution" of the hostile forces against our country revolution, we always use the issue of "nation, religion" to destabilize the political divisions of national unity, religious unity, in order to weaken and eventually overthrow the socialist regime in Vietnam. Applying Ho Chi Minh’s thought on unity of religion in the current situation, the Communist Party of Vietnam continues to confirm the views and policies are consistent religion: "belivers are important part of the great national unity. Consistent implementation policies of guaranteeing the citizen’s right to enjoy freedom of belief, to follow or not to follow a religion, and to engage in normal religious practices as stipulated by the law. Uniting the people – including religious and non - religious people. Promoting the cultural values, good morals of religion ... "(12).
Therefore, applying and implementing Ho Chi Minh’s thought on religious unity in the implementation of religious policies in Vietnam today, as we need to implement some basic solutions to the following:
Firstly, to strengthen education of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, the Party's views and policies of the State’s legislation on religion, education, patriotism, national traditions and the good cultural values of the country.
These solutions have an important role to raise awareness, the level of knowledge for people, an important basis to better understand the origin and nature of religion, on that basis of proper and fitting activities. Through the education affairs of political, ideological and help shape people's perceptions, helping people understand the value, great location of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought in my life social life of our country. In particular, propagating on the Party’s line and policies of State’s legislation on religion for the people to understand clearly and correctly and make good, make people's beliefs, regardless of religious in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Secondly, to promote the role and responsibilities of the political system to make Ho Chi Minh’s thought on religious unity in the current period. This solution is important, meaningful decision to use effectively the Ho Chi Minh’s thought on religious unity in Vietnam. Because, organize and mobilize people to make religious unity under Ho Chi Minh’s thought depends primarily on the leadership of the Party and State's management and the role and responsibilities of the political organizations - the whole society in the political system at all levels. The Party and State always keep abreast of country practices and promptly set out the guidelines and take appropriate measures to implement the strategy of national unity, religious unity ... to successfully implement the tasks of the revolution.
Thirdly, economic development, cultural, social, and improved gradually people's lives, especially people in remote areas where have many believers
This is the fundamental solution, has brought immediate urgency which reflect long-term strategy for religious affairs. Because, our country with more than two - thirds of the population is farmers, economic - society conditions have improved, but they have many difficults. Especially, religious people are poor laborers (mostly farmers), their life still have more difficult, low-income compared with the average of the whole society. Only stability and economic development, social improvement and gradually improve people's lives, bringing the light of the Party to the remote and ethnic areas that it is the most effective solution, helping people wary of the propaganda and distortion of the enemy, no illegal missionaries tricks deceptive.
Fourthly, preventing timely and determined conspiracy to punish the actions of abusing religion to undermine the great national unity.
The Party and State always consistent respect the right’s citizens to enjoy freedom of religious and non - religious, resolutely punish the actions of abusing religion against revolution of the enemy. In general, The above point is the heritage and creative application of Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts on religion, and religious unity in particular in historical circumstances of our revolution today.
Until now, Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on religious unity has great value, an important basis for the Party and State which have used religious policy in Vietnam today. Implementation of his thought contributes to building and strengthening the great national unity. /.
