Church repudiates ID conspiracy theories

In response to the conspiracy theories that have led to protests, mostly by very religious people and some clerics, over the new identity cards, the Permanent Holy Synod of Church of Greece said in a statement Wednesday that it is a matter for the country's judiciary and concerns the administrative issue of state-citizen relations.

The new cards have inspired conspiracy theories asserting they contain chips that will allow authorities to pinpoint cardholders' location or even control their minds. 

In its statement, the Synod said it is not "theologically valid" so assert that the doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church is offended by the form and content of the new police IDs. 

"The use of phrases about 'electronic filing' imposed by the 'New World Order' and 'globalization' has an irreligious starting point," it said, noting these phrases imply that the state,...