Does the Eastern Orthodox church oppose communism?

[andrewstx]

they murdered the bishop in cold blood… and the ramifications may still exist? Interesting.

if putin ever loses power, these guys will fill the vacuum en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_the_Russian_Federation Russia has the largest Orthodox Church. Russia’s largest and only viable political opposition now is the Communist Party. So I think it is safe to say Orthodoxy’s relationship with communism is a pretty big deal.

Likewise in eastern Ukraine these guys en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_of_Ukraine are number 2 after party of regions

From what I read on the 'net, the bishop drowned. He was not murdered at all. And I am was speaking of Russia no longer the USSR.

 

[andrewstx]

I do not support Communism in the least. I also do not support laissez faire Capitalism either. Neither does the CC. There is a middle ground, which I do support. It is called distributism.

 

[Nine_Two]

Given that communism famously holds that “religion is the opiate of the masses” (i.e. that its purpose is to keep the people down) I do not think it is possible to subscribe to both Communism and any form of Christianity.

However one must keep in mind the nostalgia factor - things were always better in the past, and since in Russia that was Communism, people may feel a nostalgic feeling toward it.

It should also be remembered that not everything in Communism was necessarily bad, and people may hearken for those elements. However as Andrew pointed out, Distributism (a very Christian friendly system) tends to answer to those needs while cutting out the rampant anti-freedom, anti-religion of Communism.

 

[andrewstx]

Given that communism famously holds that “religion is the opiate of the masses” (i.e. that its purpose is to keep the people down) I do not think it is possible to subscribe to both Communism and any form of Christianity.

However one must keep in mind the nostalgia factor - things were always better in the past, and since in Russia that was Communism, people may feel a nostalgic feeling toward it.

It should also be remembered that not everything in Communism was necessarily bad, and people may hearken for those elements. However as Andrew pointed out, Distributism (a very Christian friendly system) tends to answer to those needs while cutting out the rampant anti-freedom, anti-religion of Communism.

I tend to think that before the Revolution things were very bad for the Russians. The newly freed serfs actually starved in a lot of cases, while the nobility feasted on caviar and champagne. At least after 1917 people did not starve until Stalin got power.

 

[celestialhost]

I tend to think that before the Revolution things were very bad for the Russians. The newly freed serfs actually starved in a lot of cases, while the nobility feasted on caviar and champagne. At least after 1917 people did not starve until Stalin got power.

Abolishing serfdom was probably a bad idea. People today think of slavery as the worst evil ever, but serfdom was central to the stability of Russia. Once it was gone, the old society started to break down.

Of course, it’s difficult to see how Alexander II could have avoided abolishing serfdom. The Tsars were obsessed with matching the military strength of the west and serfdom stood in the way of creating a mass army with universal conscription.

 

[Nine_Two]

Abolishing serfdom was probably a bad idea. People today think of slavery as the worst evil ever, but serfdom was central to the stability of Russia. Once it was gone, the old society started to break down.

Of course, it’s difficult to see how Alexander II could have avoided abolishing serfdom. The Tsars were obsessed with matching the military strength of the west and serfdom stood in the way of creating a mass army with universal conscription.

The change itself was necessary - but it was a big change and when done suddenly became a destabilizing force.

 

[celestialhost]

The change itself was necessary - but it was a big change and when done suddenly became a destabilizing force.

What would you have done differently had you been the Tsar? Would you have turned all the serfs into state peasants? Or emancipated the serfs in some regions but not others?

 

[Nine_Two]

What would you have done differently had you been the Tsar? Would you have turned all the serfs into state peasants? Or emancipated the serfs in some regions but not others?

I’m not sure what I would have done, I am quite glad that I was not in that position.