LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY catvincent)

It'll be interesting to see what they come up with, and how they'd plan to enforce it... and how long before someone gets 'over-zealous', in the literal sense.

' GENEVA - Christian churches are moving closer to a common code of conduct on how they go about winning converts among themselves and from other religions, the World Council of Churches (WCC) said on Monday.

Conversion, sometimes dubbed “sheep-stealing” as it targets another’s flock, is a cause of friction and conflict between religions and among different branches of individual faiths.

Militant groups are often accused of underhand tactics in winning over new adherents.


' The Geneva-based WCC, working with the Vatican on the issue, said a meeting in Toulouse later this week should bring the year-long process of agreeing a conversion rule-book nearer to completion by its target date of 2009.

“Evangelical and Pentecostal representatives will be taking part in the dialogue for the first time, and we see this as a good sign for the eventual success of this project,” said WCC spokesman Juan Michel.

The two strongly proselytizing sects, which have made heavy inroads into membership of other Christian groupings especially in Latin America, Africa and Asia, stood aloof when the effort was launched at a meeting near Rome in May last year.

But this time senior figures from both — German-based philosopher Thomas Schirrmacher of a group called WEA and Bishop Tony Richie of the Church of God in the United States — will attend, although in their personal rather than institutional capacity.

“We have always wanted this process to be inclusive and open, so that all religious partners from Christian faiths and others can make a contribution towards the shaping of the code,” said Michel. '