Orthodoxy and Islam Rise in Russia, Atheism Declines

[Jetan]

Far from it. Russia is moving backwards.

Far from it, this is an important step foward towards social and political normalization in Russia.

1) Social normalisation does not need religion. 2) Religion hinders political normalisation. It has no place in politics.

[Benuty]

1) The majority of them haven't operated in such fashion but they most certainly can.
2) Control over wealth allows you to influence all others ergo defacto control over people.

1) A sword can be used to make firewood, but that is not what it was designed for.
2) But not having control of the wealth doesn't one one cannot have the control over the people. For most of our history church has had an monopoly on many things, like education and marriage.

1) Yet that doesn't mean it cannot be used for other things.
2) Thanks in part to the backing of mercantile unions, wealthy families, and secular authorities willing to make money off complacency.

[Kadolha]

Lol, I'm Serbian Orthodox.

[Benuty]

Far from it, this is an important step foward towards social and political normalization in Russia.

1) Social normalisation does not need religion. 2) Religion hinders political normalisation. It has no place in politics.

Religion only hinders politics when it actively enrolls itself within the system (debating about political choices, protests, organizing, and running campaigns about issues are not the same as putting candidates in the fold for a purpose.).

[OMGeverynameistaken]

1) Social normalisation does not need religion. 2) Religion hinders political normalisation. It has no place in politics.

Religion only hinders politics when it actively enrolls itself within the system (debating about political choices, protests, organizing, and running campaigns about issues are not the same as putting candidates in the fold for a purpose.).

Historically speaking, politics as generally dominated religion in Russia, rather than the reverse. Ever since Peter I essentially abolished the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the pope and created the Holy Synod (essentially a religious legislature with appointed members.) Funny thing, one of his first acts after assuming power was to require priests to report confessions relating to crimes against the state.

[The North Polish Union]

Religion only hinders politics when it actively enrolls itself within the system (debating about political choices, protests, organizing, and running campaigns about issues are not the same as putting candidates in the fold for a purpose.).

Historically speaking, politics as generally dominated religion in Russia, rather than the reverse. Ever since Peter I essentially abolished the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the pope and created the Holy Synod (essentially a religious legislature with appointed members.) Funny thing, one of his first acts after assuming power was to require priests to report confessions relating to crimes against the state.

Exactly. And the modern Russian Orthodox Church recognizes that, hence why it has rejected allegations of a possible official union between itself and the state.

I don't see what a discussion of the separation of church and state has to do with this situation in any way, unless it is a discussion of potential state interference in church affairs.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

Historically speaking, politics as generally dominated religion in Russia, rather than the reverse. Ever since Peter I essentially abolished the Russian Orthodox equivalent of the pope and created the Holy Synod (essentially a religious legislature with appointed members.) Funny thing, one of his first acts after assuming power was to require priests to report confessions relating to crimes against the state.

Exactly. And the modern Russian Orthodox Church recognizes that, hence why it has rejected allegations of a possible official union between itself and the state.

I don't see what a discussion of the separation of church and state has to do with this situation in any way, unless it is a discussion of potential state interference in church affairs.

Because NSG automatically assumes that any rise in religiosity is a sure sign of a religious coup in the making. Russia is about to explode into an orgy of Christian-motivated violence. Books will be burned. Jews and heretics will be stoned. Buildings more than two stories high will be demolished and replaced with gigantic effigies of Jesus.

[Benuty]

Exactly. And the modern Russian Orthodox Church recognizes that, hence why it has rejected allegations of a possible official union between itself and the state.

I don't see what a discussion of the separation of church and state has to do with this situation in any way, unless it is a discussion of potential state interference in church affairs.

Because NSG automatically assumes that any rise in religiosity is a sure sign of a religious coup in the making. Russia is about to explode into an orgy of Christian-motivated violence. Books will be burned. Jews and heretics will be stoned. Buildings more than two stories high will be demolished and replaced with gigantic effigies of Jesus.

I think Brazil has the effigies covered.

[Menassa]

Exactly. And the modern Russian Orthodox Church recognizes that, hence why it has rejected allegations of a possible official union between itself and the state.

I don't see what a discussion of the separation of church and state has to do with this situation in any way, unless it is a discussion of potential state interference in church affairs.

Because NSG automatically assumes that any rise in religiosity is a sure sign of a religious coup in the making. Russia is about to explode into an orgy of Christian-motivated violence. Books will be burned. Jews and heretics will be stoned. Buildings more than two stories high will be demolished and replaced with gigantic effigies of Jesus.

Oh God not again!
I thought we were done with Jewish persecution Russia?
I thought we were friends!
Relevant

[Geilinor]

The number of nonbelievers dipped, from 32 percent to 19 percent.

How can there be such a dramatic dip?

[Herskerstad]

The number of nonbelievers dipped, from 32 percent to 19 percent.

How can there be such a dramatic dip?

Post-soviet religious repression fading away could be one factor. Religion now being able to pursue a more public role could be the other.

[Othelos]

I feel like Russian society is inching closer and closer to a dangerous form of extreme conservatism. They're fundamentally unhappy with the state of their place in the world, and they're only going to become more and more resentful of other nations.

Any society that chooses an ideology incompatible with humanity is going down a bad path. In this case, Russia is choosing fundamentalist religion.

[The Scientific States]

How can there be such a dramatic dip?

Post-soviet religious repression fading away could be one factor. Religion now being able to pursue a more public role could be the other.

Indeed. The Religious has been on the rise in other former soviet states.

[The North Polish Union]

I feel like Russian society is inching closer and closer to a dangerous form of extreme conservatism. They're fundamentally unhappy with the state of their place in the world, and they're only going to become more and more resentful of other nations.

Any society that chooses an ideology incompatible with humanity is going down a bad path. In this case, Russia is choosing fundamentalist religion.

Id like a source on the majority of the Russian population being either religious fundamentalists or that they will likely soon be, please.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

I feel like Russian society is inching closer and closer to a dangerous form of extreme conservatism. They're fundamentally unhappy with the state of their place in the world, and they're only going to become more and more resentful of other nations.

Any society that chooses an ideology incompatible with humanity is going down a bad path. In this case, Russia is choosing fundamentalist religion.

Id like a source on the majority of the Russian population being either religious fundamentalists or that they will likely soon be, please.

Sources are not needed.

It is a well known fact that Russians are mutant offshoots of the Evil Muslim Hivemind.

[Jamjai]

Actually islam is not really rising its mostly because of higher bite rates

[Herskerstad]

Actually islam is not really rising its mostly because of higher bite rates

Those damn mutts, one bite and later you may find yourself on your knees facing Mecca.

[US NORTHCOM]

http://rbth.ru/news/2013/12/24/number_of_orthodox_christians_muslims_grows_in_russia_-_poll_32876.html

Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion in Russia (68 percent) and 7 percent of the country's population is Muslim. No more than 1 percent of residents define themselves as Catholics, Protestants, Judaists and others, Levada Center said.

There were 50 percent of Orthodox Christians and 4 percent of Muslims in the country a decade ago, Levada Center told Interfax, referring to a poll of 1,600 Russians in November. The number of nonbelievers dipped, from 32 percent to 19 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of churchgoers is growing. Forty-three percent of the respondents admitted six years ago that they never went to church; there are 35 percent of them now. The number of people who go to church weekly has grown by 4 percent. Six percent of citizens go to church monthly, 3 percent do that twice or thrice a month, 16 percent once a year, and 17 percent several times a year.

The number of Christians who never made their communion has decreased from 78 percent in 2007 to 65 percent, Levada center said, adding that the number of Christians making their communion once a week or monthly had doubled, from 3 percent to 6 percent.

IMO, I have to congratulate russia, as I believe this is a sign that the genocidal damages and persecutions brought as a result of the USSR's state atheism are slowly but surely being healed in baby steps. Make no mistake, if someone wants to be an atheist they should have the right to do so, but this is a step in the right direction and a sign of rebirth for russia.

It's a step, a baby step, but much more recovery is still needed. I think it's way too soon to bring out the champagne and start celebrating (most people, I suspect, would agree) and we have to admit to ourselves that the path for Russia or any country wanting to see some growth in religious freedom as it was, for example and in Russia's case, before the October Revolution will take a long time, if ever.

I am partly grateful to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who is faithful and very supportive of Orthodox Church and other religions in the nation. Without the support of the (powerful) presidency, churches and mosques that were once being demolished and had their parishioners butchered or sent to asylums not a few decades ago are beginning to help the community again. The rebirth of russia is truly amazing!

Putin's a crook, man. At this point, he is just holding Russia back.

As for Islam rising.... that presents many challenges to Russia. Especially considering the nature of the ethnic and religious conflicts that exist in the former USSR Muslim regions, the rise of Islamic religion (especially with modern zeal) is a bad thing that will likely cause more tension, and possibly even warfare in the future.

As for a rebirth of Christian faith.... I can't really comment there too much, though I quite honestly think the media greatly overplays the rise in numbers.

[Baltenstein]

Actually islam is not really rising its mostly because of higher bite rates

Muslims are vampires?

[Siaos]

Actually islam is not really rising its mostly because of higher bite rates

Muslims are vampires?

Well DUUHH! You didn't know that?

Why do you think neither of them like Christian crosses or Christian Holy Water?

[Nervium]

Muslims are vampires?

Well DUUHH! You didn't know that?

Why do you think neither of them like Christian crosses or Christian Holy Water?

Because they're Muslims, and generally don't believe that Jesus died on the cross.

[Siaos]

Well DUUHH! You didn't know that?

Why do you think neither of them like Christian crosses or Christian Holy Water?

Because they're Muslims, and generally don't believe that Jesus died on the cross.

So why don't vampires like it?

Because they're MUSLIM!
Disclaimer: Yes, I am joking

[Baltenstein]

Muslims are vampires?

Well DUUHH! You didn't know that?

Why do you think neither of them like Christian crosses or Christian Holy Water?

So that's why they have a moon as their symbol
and only feast at night during Ramadan

ohmygoditallmakessensenow

[Siaos]

Well DUUHH! You didn't know that?

Why do you think neither of them like Christian crosses or Christian Holy Water?

So that's why they have a moon as their symbol
and only feast at night during Ramadan

ohmygoditallmakessensenow

See, it IS true!

But wait, would that make the crusaders vampire hunters?

[Risottia]

While I agree that it is not the brightest crystal in the grand chandelier of churches, I will administer some forgiveness on the grounds that it is from San Fransisco.

Err, no.
The first one is the "Motorway Church" near Firenze. The second one is "San Francesco al Fopponino" (Saint Francis at Fopponino), in Milano.