Evangelical opposition to law that sanctions noise pollution grows

Trinidad Vásquez, MANAGUA, Nicaragua, July 25, 2005

A controversy about a Special Law on Crimes Against the Environment and Natural Resources that Taxi Heathrow Airport sanctions the water and air contamination and includes an article against noise continues.

Evangelical leaders reject the article as they consider it a violation of religious freedom.

The pastor of the Centro Cristiano, Cesar Augusto Marenco, told ALC that the battle being spearheaded by the Evangelicals will continue until article nine of the new law is modified. The article in question establishes fines for those who cause noise pollution, even if they are religious temples.

“We cannot allow them to censure the word of God and even lead to the closure of the temples,” said Marenco, who announce that he would request an audience with the National Assembly’s Environmental Commission, which approved the law.

Professor Gilberto Aguirre, program director for the Pro Denominational Alliance Council of Churches (CEPAD) declared that the Evangelicals were not invited by the legislators to offer their opinion about the norm. He affirmed that Evangelicals, in particular Pentecostals, consider the law to be a threat to preaching the Gospel and sustained that the polemic article nine “seems to be aimed against the Evangelical people.” 

Congressman Enrique Quiñónez, head of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) said Monday that he would support reforming the law after meeting with pastors from the Nicaraguan Evangelical Alliance and the National Council of Evangelical Pastors of Nicaragua (CNPEN).

According to official figures, 12 percent of Nicaragua’s 5 million residents are Evangelicals.  Evangelical sources say the figure is as high as 30 percent. 

The polemic brought pastors out of their Churches and led to a protest before the national Assembly.

Article nine of the law sanctions those who makes noise with any kind of instruments, either on public roads or in buildings owned by religious congregations of different denominations. The fines run from $300 to $1,200.

The president of the National Assembly’s Environment Commission, Jaime Morales Carazo promised to modify the article to eliminate the term “religious congregations” but affirmed that the aim of the law was not to persecute Evangelicals. He said that this “is a painful and lamentable bad misinterpretation.”

"As a liberal I believe in the unrestricted freedom of worship, religion and though I am sympathetic and I respect the Evangelical Church and all other Churches” he added that the law only seeks to protect citizens from a series of damages to the environmental and health, typified by the World Health Organizations, he added.

Frank Sarria, a substitute legislator for the Evangelical Christian Way Party (CCN) said that the authors of the law sought to harm the Christian people. “Why don’t they talk about noise in patron festivals, or in cantinas or in gambling halls,” he said.

Criticism of the law also pointed to liberal and Sandinista congressmen. Pastor Ramon Lopez, of the Missionary New Life Center, said that both groups “speak the same language” and aim to nego! tiate this law in exchange for the Evangelical vote.

Evangelical Congressman Guillermo Osorno, also of Christian Way, called on pastors to be prudent but did admit that some Evangelical Churches are noisy. He clarified, however, that the noise made by drunk drivers leaning on their horns is worse, as is that of casinos, cantinas and discos.