Freethought & Rationalism Archive

hinduwoman · 11-29-2002, 06:17 PM

I got this from another source, so please check yourself:

Michael Wines
Publication: The New York Times
Date: November 23, 2002
In the last four months, Tatyana and Sergei Akadanovy have been arrested twice, sent to jail for 10 days and fined more than $1,000, an unimaginable sum in impoverished Belarus.
An apartment they help rent has been broken into and vandalized. Mrs. Akadanova has been severely beaten on the steps of their apartment, a fate that separately befell six friends, and the police have issued warnings that the Akadanovys and their friends are all criminals who should be avoided.
In fact, the police may be right: the Akadanovys and their friends are Hindus. And in Belarus, Hindus who gather together in their gods' names are, by definition, almost always in violation of the law.
__________________________________________________

The rest of the article describes how the Russian Orthodox church and the State is hand in hand to make their sect supreme. Lot of laws passed in this regard, because "the Russian Orthodox faith is so intimately woven into Belarussian culture that the state is obligated to protect its leading role from dangerous sects" and "This law is not directed against any religious minority, but at protection of the rights of majority citizens,".
They are persecuting other Christian sects also, but apparently being pagans Hindus get the short end of the stick more. They are denied registration as a religious group, if they march in protest they are arrested.

Give Xianity an inch, and it is the bad old days back again. <img src="graemlins/boohoo.gif" border="0" alt="[Boo Hoo]" />

Splat · 12-01-2002, 12:07 PM

That is absolutely disgusting, though not surprising.

I wonder how atheists are faring in the former soviet states? Anybody know?

12-01-2002, 12:21 PM

The orthodox church is rampant in Russia too and is getting into the schools, where it apparently promotes creationism.

dangin · 12-02-2002, 05:49 AM

Mark Russia off as a place to move when Bush and Ashcroft make america a theocracy.

Oh wait, I wouldn't move there anyway. Russia makes me sad.

Nataraja · 12-02-2002, 06:56 AM

They're becoming aggressive again already? I think it's getting near time for all the sane people to band together and smack them down again. Where will our next stronghold be?

Toto · 12-02-2002, 04:08 PM

<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/78002.html" target="_blank">Link to article</a>

Religious discrimination in most of the Orthodox Christian former Soviet Union was a reaction against American-financed Christian missionaries who flooded to the area after the fall of communism. The Orthodox church saw a well-financed operation to grab converts from its ranks, and turned to state power to enforce its position. So this is Christian vs Christian discrimination in which the Hindus are collateral damage.

Nataraja · 12-02-2002, 09:00 PM

A "civilized" holy war.

Amie · 12-02-2002, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Give Xianity an inch, and it is the bad old days back again.

Generalities are such an ugly thing. There are bad apples in every barrel.
I think it was horrible what happened to those people however I see positives to Christianity. Sure there are negatives as well. Obviously if people manifest their sect into some sort of superior belief system, there are bound to be problems and thats never a good thing...

Toto · 12-02-2002, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Amie:
<strong>
Generalities are such an ugly thing. There are bad apples in every barrel.
I think it was horrible what happened to those people however I see positives to Christianity. Sure there are negatives as well. Obviously if people manifest their sect into some sort of superior belief system, there are bound to be problems and thats never a good thing...</strong>

The problem arises when one religious sect uses the power of government to control other religious sects. That is the evil the First Amendment was designed to avoid.

Shake · 12-03-2002, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Splat:
<strong>That is absolutely disgusting, though not surprising.

I wonder how atheists are faring in the former soviet states? Anybody know?</strong>

Well, Splat, check out <a href="http://www.interfax.ru/one_news_en.html?lang=EN&tz=0&tz_format=MSK&id_new s=5608455" target="_blank">this article from the newswire</a> which states that among Russians:

Quote:

Some 22% are atheists.

Better than in the US!

11-29-2002, 06:17 PM	#1
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	Be afraid of Xianity I got this from another source, so please check yourself: Michael Wines Publication: The New York Times Date: November 23, 2002 In the last four months, Tatyana and Sergei Akadanovy have been arrested twice, sent to jail for 10 days and fined more than $1,000, an unimaginable sum in impoverished Belarus. An apartment they help rent has been broken into and vandalized. Mrs. Akadanova has been severely beaten on the steps of their apartment, a fate that separately befell six friends, and the police have issued warnings that the Akadanovys and their friends are all criminals who should be avoided. In fact, the police may be right: the Akadanovys and their friends are Hindus. And in Belarus, Hindus who gather together in their gods' names are, by definition, almost always in violation of the law. __________________________________________________ The rest of the article describes how the Russian Orthodox church and the State is hand in hand to make their sect supreme. Lot of laws passed in this regard, because "the Russian Orthodox faith is so intimately woven into Belarussian culture that the state is obligated to protect its leading role from dangerous sects" and "This law is not directed against any religious minority, but at protection of the rights of majority citizens,". They are persecuting other Christian sects also, but apparently being pagans Hindus get the short end of the stick more. They are denied registration as a religious group, if they march in protest they are arrested. Give Xianity an inch, and it is the bad old days back again. <img src="graemlins/boohoo.gif" border="0" alt="[Boo Hoo]" />

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

12-01-2002, 12:07 PM	#2
Splat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hell, PA Posts: 599	That is absolutely disgusting, though not surprising. I wonder how atheists are faring in the former soviet states? Anybody know?

12-01-2002, 12:21 PM	#3
DMB Guest Posts: n/a	The orthodox church is rampant in Russia too and is getting into the schools, where it apparently promotes creationism.

12-02-2002, 05:49 AM	#4
dangin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: The Middle, Kansas Posts: 2,637	Mark Russia off as a place to move when Bush and Ashcroft make america a theocracy. Oh wait, I wouldn't move there anyway. Russia makes me sad.

12-02-2002, 06:56 AM	#5
Nataraja Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NC Posts: 433	They're becoming aggressive again already? I think it's getting near time for all the sane people to band together and smack them down again. Where will our next stronghold be?

12-02-2002, 04:08 PM	#6
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/78002.html" target="_blank">Link to article</a> Religious discrimination in most of the Orthodox Christian former Soviet Union was a reaction against American-financed Christian missionaries who flooded to the area after the fall of communism. The Orthodox church saw a well-financed operation to grab converts from its ranks, and turned to state power to enforce its position. So this is Christian vs Christian discrimination in which the Hindus are collateral damage.

12-02-2002, 09:00 PM	#7
Nataraja Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: NC Posts: 433	A "civilized" holy war.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.