E/CN.4/2002/73/Add.1 page 12 out lay activities related to the practice of religion, religious denominations may set up other types of foundations, companies and associations. If the bill is adopted, all legally registered denominations will have the rights thus far recognized only to the Catholic Church, such as the non-applicability of liens and attachments to temples and places of worship and sacred objects and the possibility of appointing chaplains in prisons, military premises and hospitals through cooperation agreements with the Government. The bill does not categorically define what is meant by religion or denomination, but its article 7 does provide that entities which exclusively carry out activities such as the study of or experimentation with philosophical and scientific ideas, psychic, parapsychological, astrophysical and astrological phenomena, prophecy and magic and problem solving and personal harmonization through parapsychological and astrological methods, prophecy, magic, physical and mental exercises and alternative diets and medicine are not regarded as churches or religious communities and denominations. So-called satanic cults or rites are also not regarded as religious denominations subject to protection by the law. The bill also provides for the establishment of an advisory council on religious freedom and, by amending some articles of the Penal Code, increases the penalties for offences against freedom of religion or belief. The Secretary of Worship stated that the bill was the result of discussions which have been going on for over 10 years and of broad consultations and that, although it could be improved, it was ultimately a balanced text. He stressed that the objective of the bill was to maintain and increase the level of religious freedom that has characterized Argentine history, primarily through pluralism, tolerance and freedom of conscience. 61. With regard to belief, the Vice-President of the Supreme Court and members of the Advisory Council on Religious Freedom recalled that freedom of religion implies freedom not to believe. As to the specific problem raised by humanists in connection with the tax making non-believers liable for the funding of religious activities, the Secretary of Worship stated that a possible change might take place in future as a result of the amendment of the system of financial support for religious denominations. Although he was of the opinion that religion must not be eliminated from society in view of its positive contribution, he said that very significant progress in respect of equality, especially for non-religious belief, has taken place in recent years and will continue. He recalled, for example, that the cross and sword ideology of the 1930s and 1940s had disappeared from the armed forces, that justice was neutral as far as religion and belief are concerned and that non-believers held Government posts. He also stated that the census of religious denominations, particularly in order to facilitate relations of cooperation, did not mean that non-believers were being rejected. The Minister of Justice said that the presence of Christian religious symbols in public buildings reflected the continuing existence of traditions, but did not constitute discrimination. With regard to religious manifestations that were contrary to the regulations of public schools, such as events beginning with prayers, he indicated that cases continued to be found primarily in rural parts of the country. As to article 199 of the Constitution of Buenos Aires providing that instruction in schools is to be given according to Christian moral principles, the Secretary of Worship said that that provision did not mean that religious teaching was being imposed. The Minister of Education explained that, despite the rules in force, there could be some cases of discrimination in schools, primarily of a non-religious nature and affecting immigrants and indigenous people. In addition to the establishment of days of commemoration, especially of the Holocaust, and the “Day of Coexistence in Cultural Diversity”, the Minister is implementing a training for trainers, ethics and citizenship programme in order to teach citizens to think for themselves and about others and to promote coexistence.