(For SIR correspondent in Budapest) On condemning persecutions of Christian communities in India, Pakistan, Iraq and Vietnam (to which he expressed his solidarity sentiments), "until martyrdom, in some cases", Card. Erdõ pointed out that "It is our task to defend our communities from other ‘Christianophobic’ forms as much as possible. The ‘Christianophobic’ forms are subtler, and broadcast by mass media" through "phenomena of denigration", disinformation and "search for sensationalism". "It is fair to require said the cardinal that every kind of discrimination and intolerance with respect to the Christians in Europe and in the world are faced" by the international community and by the people in charge of mass media. And they should be fought "in the same way and with the same determination through which" forms of hate solicitation "against other religious communities are fought". First of all, this must happen "through the defence of the right to religious freedom, an inalienable element of every person". Moreover, "mass media should shoulder responsibility", and that is also urgent. Mass media are actually more and more "influencing attitudes, opinions and behaviours in our societies". (To be continued)
