TOKYO, Japan - A federation of new religions in Japan will on Nov. 1 start providing telephone advice on questions and troubles relating to new religions in an attempt to dispel negative images associated with them, the federation said Friday.
The Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan (Shinshuren), based in Tokyo, comprises 68 religious organizations founded mostly in the 20th century, including Ennokyo, the Church of Perfect Liberty and Rissho Koseikai.
The telephone advice project was conceived after the federation received inquiries and request for advice from people who experienced troubles, the federation said.
Several phone calls were from people interested in learning more about religious groups that invited them to join. Others called to complain about being harassed by members of a cult they had left.
The federation is concerned about negative images generated particularly after a series of incidents involving the AUM Shinrikyo cult, also a new religious group, particularly by its 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. AUM Shinrikyo has renamed itself Aleph.
The federation, which also plans the project to commemorate its 50th anniversary, is also hoping to transform the images the public has about new religions, such as ''terrifying,'' ''untrustworthy,'' and ''money hungry.''
The federation says it will accept any inquiries but will not offer judgments on individual religious groups.
Lawyers and scholars on religions are being consulted in drawing up a guideline that the federation's officials will use in providing guidance over the phone, the federation said.
The federation plans to offer advice for at least three years and will consider whether to continue the service thereafter. More than 50 volunteer workers from various religious groups will respond from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday.
AP-NY-08-10-01 0415EDT
Copyright 2001 The Kyodo News Service.