Ghost of Christmas Past
I believe that Russia is embracing its past much more so than the western public have been led to believe. With the unmasking of communism in Russia we have seen a rising Eastern Orthodox religion filling in the vaccuum that the religion of atheism left behind. A hunger has existed with the Russian people since the days of Lenin when the Eastern Orthodox religion went essentially underground to survive totatlitarian socialist government but today is now spreading its wings like never before. This in turn is unleashing cultural forces not seen since the days of the Czars.
From RadioFreeEurope:
The debate surrounding the coat of arms first emerged in the predominantly Muslim republic of Tatarstan, when a group of Muslims complained about having to carry passports emblazoned with Christian symbols.
The current coat of arms, which was adopted in November 1993, represents a double-headed eagle with three cross-tipped crowns. A shield on its breast features a horseman slaying a dragon, a figure many identify as St. George.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ashirov said growing numbers of Muslims in Russia are insulted by the religion-tainted emblem. According to Muslim leaders, Russia is home to 20 million Muslims.
Russia has been at war with the Moslem peoples on its southern borders for centuries. Its latest conflict in Chechnya sees no end in sight. Russia has always pushed the envelope of international relations near the spheres of their own interests especially in the Middle East. Even now, if I may be so bold, they are playing Russian Roulette with Iran. They have given Tehran the equipment, logistics and support for building nuclear power plants and ultimately nuclear weapons. This development may come to haunt them down the road, but for now they are pleased that Iran is confident enough to challenge the West which to Moscow is their traditional and most dangerous enemy. By playing off Iran against America the Russians may be able to make their moves against the Mohammedan without interference by the West. They have learned their lesson well since the days of Afghanistan.
RadioFreeEurope continues:
Ashirov went on to tell us that the coat of arms is only one example of a wider tendency to introduce Russian Orthodox symbols and practices into institutions that are, by law, secular.
"There are other issues besides the coat of arms: 20-meter crosses are being installed everywhere, submarines are being blessed," Ashirov said.
"This happens very often now, they've started sending icons into space. In my opinion, this is already irritating the public." As far as the coat of arms goes, authorities deny any wrongdoing.
Don't you just love it when Russians deny anything? You can just see the look on their faces "who me? We are your 'friends' comrade, ha ha!".
The article continues:
Georgii Vilinbakhov, the head of the State Heraldry Office, said the official description of the emblem does not identify the horseman as St. George. Were the rider a saint, Vilinbakhov further argued, he would have a halo around his head.
As for the crosses, Vilinbakhov said that such square crosses used on flags and medals around the world and do not have a particular religious connotation.
Despite their consistent requests that state symbols be reviewed, Muslim leaders say they are simply trying to draw attention to what they describe as a countrywide campaign against Muslims.
"Today Muslims feel just they way they did in the colonial, Tsarist empire -- second-class people who are arrested on the street on the basis of their ethnic characteristics, who are accused of crimes they haven't committed," said Geidar Dzhemal, president of the Islamic Committee of Russia.
"Today, hundreds of young men are being tortured in police detention centers, they are told they are Wahabbis or terrorists. Of course, these issues are a lot more important than the coat of arms -- but you've got to start with the small things." The Beslan hostage tragedy that took place last year in Russia's southern republic of North Ossetia triggered off a wave of trials against Muslims accused of links with the radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which Russia considers terrorist organization.
Russia is the wild card in the poker game of international relations. Is it a bluff? Or have they called our bluff? Russa appears weak and diluted of power, but make no mistake, like an arrow that is pulled tight on the bow, it need only to be released to score its deadly strike. Is the Eastern Orthodox religion the "release" that gives Moscow momentum to move forward in the Middle East? Only time will tell.
From RadioFreeEurope:
The debate surrounding the coat of arms first emerged in the predominantly Muslim republic of Tatarstan, when a group of Muslims complained about having to carry passports emblazoned with Christian symbols.
The current coat of arms, which was adopted in November 1993, represents a double-headed eagle with three cross-tipped crowns. A shield on its breast features a horseman slaying a dragon, a figure many identify as St. George.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Ashirov said growing numbers of Muslims in Russia are insulted by the religion-tainted emblem. According to Muslim leaders, Russia is home to 20 million Muslims.
Russia has been at war with the Moslem peoples on its southern borders for centuries. Its latest conflict in Chechnya sees no end in sight. Russia has always pushed the envelope of international relations near the spheres of their own interests especially in the Middle East. Even now, if I may be so bold, they are playing Russian Roulette with Iran. They have given Tehran the equipment, logistics and support for building nuclear power plants and ultimately nuclear weapons. This development may come to haunt them down the road, but for now they are pleased that Iran is confident enough to challenge the West which to Moscow is their traditional and most dangerous enemy. By playing off Iran against America the Russians may be able to make their moves against the Mohammedan without interference by the West. They have learned their lesson well since the days of Afghanistan.
RadioFreeEurope continues:
Ashirov went on to tell us that the coat of arms is only one example of a wider tendency to introduce Russian Orthodox symbols and practices into institutions that are, by law, secular.
"There are other issues besides the coat of arms: 20-meter crosses are being installed everywhere, submarines are being blessed," Ashirov said.
"This happens very often now, they've started sending icons into space. In my opinion, this is already irritating the public." As far as the coat of arms goes, authorities deny any wrongdoing.
Don't you just love it when Russians deny anything? You can just see the look on their faces "who me? We are your 'friends' comrade, ha ha!".
The article continues:
Georgii Vilinbakhov, the head of the State Heraldry Office, said the official description of the emblem does not identify the horseman as St. George. Were the rider a saint, Vilinbakhov further argued, he would have a halo around his head.
As for the crosses, Vilinbakhov said that such square crosses used on flags and medals around the world and do not have a particular religious connotation.
Despite their consistent requests that state symbols be reviewed, Muslim leaders say they are simply trying to draw attention to what they describe as a countrywide campaign against Muslims.
"Today Muslims feel just they way they did in the colonial, Tsarist empire -- second-class people who are arrested on the street on the basis of their ethnic characteristics, who are accused of crimes they haven't committed," said Geidar Dzhemal, president of the Islamic Committee of Russia.
"Today, hundreds of young men are being tortured in police detention centers, they are told they are Wahabbis or terrorists. Of course, these issues are a lot more important than the coat of arms -- but you've got to start with the small things." The Beslan hostage tragedy that took place last year in Russia's southern republic of North Ossetia triggered off a wave of trials against Muslims accused of links with the radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which Russia considers terrorist organization.
Russia is the wild card in the poker game of international relations. Is it a bluff? Or have they called our bluff? Russa appears weak and diluted of power, but make no mistake, like an arrow that is pulled tight on the bow, it need only to be released to score its deadly strike. Is the Eastern Orthodox religion the "release" that gives Moscow momentum to move forward in the Middle East? Only time will tell.
posted by Bruce R. McConnell | 6:26 AM
4 Comments:
Very interesting post. This is something I haven't heard before and I like to think I keep myself fairly informed. Thanks.
Yeor Velcome.
Bryon you are too funny! LOL.
I agree with your accessment of China. It is interesting to note how China and Russia recently participated in military excercises with a "make-believe" enemy of MOSLEM origin. Curious, indeed.
Will have to further contemplate the reasons for this development.
Interesting topic
Perhaps Russia's form of democracy is different then our brand. The Russians are not like the West and I thank God for that. They deal with things in a Russian way, which is difficult for us to judge here in the West so far removed. The Orthodox Church is an integral part of the Russian life, despite the best attempts at the Bolsheviks to stomp it out by murdering hundreds of millions. This is a promising time for Russia in which it s coming back to its true self with the Holy Orthodox Church being revived back into it previous status. As far as the treatment of the Muslim population, I cannot comment as to if this is true or not. But, it does not seem too different then what the rest of the world is doing in the War on Terrorism. I think Let us not forget that Christians have been living under the yoke of the Muslims through out the world and have accounted numerous numbers of martyrs at the hands of the Mohammedans. Russia gets a lot of flack from the West, which I feel is unnecessary. And when did war games against an opposing Muslim force differ with the times. The one curious part is how the former communist could partner with the Militant Atheist, whose ideals washed Russia with the blood of hundreds of millions of martyrs.
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