Posted on 05/13/2017 11:07:26 AM PDT by marshmallow
A new study by the Pew Research Center shows that religion has returned as an essential part of identity -- both individual and national -- in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. According to the study, there are now majorities in the countries of the region that profess a belief in God, while identifying with a particular faith tradition. Just as they were 100 years ago, Orthodox and Catholic churches are the most prevalent affiliations in countries once ruled by the Russian czar or the Austro-Hungarian emperor, respectively.
The report, titled “Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe,” found that religious observance is low, however. Few people pray daily or attend religious services. For example, only 10 percent of Orthodox Christians do so. However, the return of religion in the lands of the European East has been striking, especially in those countries where Orthodox Christian churches are prevalent. The level of religious affiliation in those countries has risen in those countries since the fall of the Soviet Union.
However, affiliation with the Catholic Church in Eastern and Central Europe has not seen the same level of increase. According to Pew, “Catholicism in Central and Eastern Europe, meanwhile, has not experienced the same upsurge as Orthodox Christianity. In part, this may be because much of the population in countries such as Poland and Hungary retained a Catholic identity during the communist era, leaving less of a religious vacuum to be filled when the USSR fell.”
(Excerpt) Read more at speroforum.com ...
With luck, or perhaps with God’s help, the West will also reject communism and socialism and will also see a resurgence of Christian identity.
As Islam overtakes Europe, Russia will invade and destroy them.
The Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church (one of 22 rites)is most similar to Orthodoxy. Catholics who wish to stay faithful to the Church but long for a more elaborate and worshipful liturgy should explore the option. If I remember correctly, however, the Byzantine Rite was forbidden in Russia for exactly that reason: Because it was so similar in appearance to Russian Orthodoxy. I am only citing what I recall, and do not wish to cause offense here.
Orthodoxy has always been simpatico(mostly) with its client state. With the state usually dominant. Its not called the Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Polish, Cyprus , Albania,... for nothing.
These Orthodox churches are not entirely Catholic or Universal, as they basically do not engage in Evangelism
and have little to no presence outside of their host countries.
Europe is the sick man of Europe.
Amen - Hope this is true and not the watered down PC version of Christianity.
I KNEW IT WAS COMING.
Eastern Europe has two choices: A somewhat dictatorial Russia, but nothing close to what the Soviet Union was - or being flooded with Muslims, with a likely civil war within a generation.
Hard to argue against the decision of the Eastern Europeans.
Let God’s Spirit move all across Europe.
I hope the missionary zeal will seize believers everywhere—and the hope of Jesus will spread across the nations.
Look, there is a move of God’s spirit even among “majority Muslim” nations. People who grew up under the oppression of Islam are turning to Christ. Praise God!
Putin will defend Christianity in his country. Europe is willingly giving in to *slam. Putin is not happy with Europe and is serious about eliminating the threat from *slam. Possible connection?
I don’t know that Eastern European countries need any “protection” from Russia but they certainly may increasingly play the EU off against Russia to block EU pressures over Muslim immigration etc.
It’s a clear and necessary maneuver: when EU clowns push for Muslim immigration, Poland, Hungary, et al. can respond by (1) refusing, and (2) making noises about getting closer to Russia. Crazy that EUtards would actually risk pushing Eastern Europe back toward Mother Russia, but that is the situation.
There is no antidemocratic or oligarchal situation found in Russia that is not found in spades in the EU.
...if not worse.
One of Reagan’s best ‘jokes’ about the Soviet Union was the scenario where an American says “We have total freedom - we can say that Ronald Reagan sucks, and no harm will come to us”. The Russian replies by saying “Well, we too have total freedom, we can say that Ronald Reagan sucks, and no harm will come to us”.
Sounds almost the same, in this case.
Yes, Russia appears to be emerging as the custodian of Western Civilization, now that Europe is in free fall and North America is trying to decide whether to join them in it or not.
One of my best friends is writing a scholarly history book about Spanish royalty and was in Russia visiting a monastery in between doing research at libraries. She entered this famous Russian Orthodox monastery chapel and viewed these very ornate candelabras hanging from the ceiling. She read each name tag noting the party who had given it to the monastery. The gift givers were kings and queens all over the world throughout many centuries. However, she noticed one that looked rather modern and she read the tag. It was given to the monastery as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Vladimir Putin.
Russia will invade and destroy them.
________________
Yeah? With who? Unless they team with the Chinese, they just don’t have the population chops to do that.
The good news is that with Trump as President, he has pull America back from the brink.
Yes, the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency was America's pull back from the brink.
We must make sure that he succeeds. There is no alternative.
Good luck with that.
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