Poland`s aid to Ukraine if Russia invades - part 10

Paradoxically, some of our neighbors were so wild - still folllowing Tengriism - that many policymakers felt that encouraging their Islamization was in line with the interests of the Russian state. Making them Orthodox seemed out of reach, and unnecessary.

Islam had a civilizing impact on the nomads of the Steppe. The Tatars, as the guys that moved in the avant-garde, showed the other nomads that there was nothing shameful in embracing the religion of the Arab. With it came a script, fancy dietary restrictions which could be used to flaunt your social class, trips to Mecca, and just the opportunity to throw in an "inshallah" or "bismillah" here and there and make your fellow Kyrgyz feel like utter peasants.

The Mullahs and Muftis could also be controlled, unlike the shamans.

Indeed. Not only the diet and road trips to Mecca but also higher discipline (try consistently praying 5 times a day), personal hygiene and women rights (yip, those who want to protest had better learn about the position of women in pre-Islamic Arab/Asian societies).


:D

You laugh, but I'm convinced that that's how Christianity and Islam first spread.

That is, top down, and not from the bottom up.

It's only today when they are the "religions of the downtrodden".

In the past, I think it was the most forward way of somebody showing that "I am this", and that man over there "is not this".

If you look at the history of Islam's encroachment into West Africa, or the spread of Christianity in the Baltic - you will see this pattern.

"Oh, you eat pork?" - "We don't do that in my family".

"Can you read this book?" - "Then you will never share in the glory of God. Haha - good luck!"

People are jealous and competitive as*holes.

Alas.

There may be a grain of truth in what you say about the spread of religion but your theory entails a measure of oversimplification. People may be snobs but they are very rarely willing to die for their snobbery. Christians were murdered and tortured to death and still they refused to renounce their faith. They walked into lions' mouths with song and prayer on their lips, so at least initially it was honest, genuine faith. That it deteriorated later, and that motivations for conversion became more base, I won't deny.

Modern historians treat this as somewhat apocryphal stories. During certain, especially anti-Christian emperors - the persecution was over the top - but for most of the period before Constantine's mother embraced Christianity - the believers had a relatively peaceful existence.

But back to Constantine's mother... how did the Roman Empire become Christian again? Because of the proselytizations of a "pure" individual, or because the family member of the most powerful person within the system started to look favorably upon it?

Religion starts with rich snobs - if we talk about its massive expansion towards the people.

No need to discuss Christianity and Islam, we can even discuss the Ancient Egyptian religion.

Religion starts with God's revelation, burning bushes, archangels, prophets, miracles and all the drama.

Rich snobs come later.

Talking about rich snobs (have you read Brideshead Revisited?) - it never ceases to make me smile when I think that in England Catholicism was for a very long time considered an aristocratic religion.

I do not consider myself a poor man.

When I enter a Protestant church - I cannot help but feel that God is absent. Such a simple, and pathetic sinner I am.

When I enter a Church belonging to the Holy See, then... something begins to wiggle in my heart.

When I enter an Orthodox cathedral - then, and only then, do I feel as though I am in God's presence.

I'm a wh*re, weak for gold, for myrrh, and the color purple.

Yes, you guys were always suckers for pomp. But then again, who deserves pomp and ceremony if not God?

Have you ever been in the Hagia Sophia? Even though Jihadist banners have hung on the walls for 5 centuries, and the frescas have been painted over - you can still feel the power of the place.

I don't feel that in St. Peter's Basilica.

At the end of the day religion is not about feelings but about faith, not about your heart and emotions but about trusting the Word and promise of God.

There is something that the Orthodox and the Catholics share: faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharistic bread and wine (something that protestants lack). If you believe that the wine is blood of Christ, then every Communion chalice, in every tiny wooden parish church, becomes the Holy Grail; every host box the Ark of the Covenant.

Christians bowing down to muslims....

I foresee a rebirth of paganism! :)

Once, I had this. It was a feeling better than heroin, cocaine, and sex combined.

But at the same time that is what scared me.

A truly powerful opium for the people.

In the end, it was my own father, that pointed out my secret doubt of a fanatic, which I had hidden deep within my heart.

Well, if the current demographic trends continue, the future belongs to muslims anyway.


How many children (on average) do the pagans have? ;)


Give up the marxist talk and embrace your Lord and Saviour, Bobi! :)

Torqi....I wonder that you put the power of a belief onto the ability of a women to give birth!

I mean, how many children had Jesus? Christianity should never have made the waves if we count the children to begin with....

Mass doesn't equals Quality....or we would be all Hindus by now....or something else Chinese! ;)

(At least Odin belongs to Europe and is nothing imported)

No, sorry.

The only "Orthodox" thing I might do, is do a serious study for the modern reader of the Desert Fathers, or just give up on that, and tend to orange trees in a Greek monastery.

I like the lifestyle of Orthodox monks, even while I consider them the worst form of parasite.

The Desert Fathers, is a different subject - I think there's a lot for a modern reader to learn from these guys that went out into the desert and never returned.

As of today, about 2.4 billion. ;)

And I was only talking about simple maths this time. Demographics is about numbers and numbers are ruthless. :(


Yes, please do that. Probably the best thing to do when looking for true Christian spirit.

In Poland Benedictine monks in Tyniec specialise in the research on Desert Fathers. Maybe in the future this will be the link reconnecting Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

TODAY!

But if you count the children Christianity was a dead birth....

Gotta catch some z's.

Goodnight, atheists and pagans. Or I should rather say - goodnight, Christians in denial. ;)

Interesting

Sleep well...gotta go to:)

*waves*

I'm culturally protestant (though officially agnostic). Growing up I was told by my mother to answer "methodist" when asked about religion (which they used to do in school).

The viral video on different denominations I have to say the Methodists (with their emphasis on faith as a tool to become a better person through good works) is maybe the closest to my personal ethics.

On the other hand the closest things I've had to religious experiences were both in Catholic churches (one in Oaxaca Mexico, one in Malta) in both cases I was still processing deaths (in one case a relative in another the spouse of a close work friend) and that may have had something to do with it. I glimpsed some of what the faithful probably feel...

I've been in three types of orthodox churches (Poland, Greek, Bulgarian, Romanian) and I like the imagery but dont get the rites....

I visited an Armenian church (in Bulgaria) and it was... very weird, very distinct from Bulgarian orthodox churches).

I also find a lot of African American gospel music to be very uplifting... a very different tradition but one that speaks to me....

youtube.com/watch?v=w2YlkpLGkSg

Anglicans believe in God's real presence in the species of bread and wine at the Eucharist.


Sort of me too. I come from the Methodist Heartland, industrial northern England and grew up within walking distance of Epworth where John Wesley came from. In my teens I attended a house group once a week in a 400 year old cottage that had prayed together since Wesley himself had ridden there on his horse and set it up as a cell as part of 'the method' after which Methodism was named. The Methodists I know are generally nice but tight with money and in England it's becoming like a sect; they only seem to socialise with each other.


Same as Roman Catholic but longer.


On paper I'm RC but generally prefer Anglican and half my family are hardcore Spiritualists, table rapping and all. Nevertheless, one of the happiest days in church of my life was the Easter Vigil two years ago in Tunis Cathedral.


A priest I knew (a Lefevrist RC, now dead) used to say that the Holy Spirit lists where he will. Today I was with the Kościół Mocy an unusual Polish denomination for ex-mafia, ex-druggies and ex-homeless. They are good people, if a little scary (and the scariness seems to give them authenticity).

Vlad is on the war path now.
Russian attacks on undersea cables 'threaten 1bn people in EU and US'
This bully needs to go and soon.


That is a bit confusing jon357
Read it out of the Holy Bible
1 Corinthians 11:24

He does, however the threat to undersea cables is nothing new. It's been flagged as a vulnerability for decades.


I'm sure they know what they're doing.

The latest update from the war. Good news.

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@jon357
It seems that the Ukrainians were more effective than Iran.

Latest?... Even Estonians react faster.... ;) It is already forgotten here. The only thing that is still well remembered is a panic tone in which Kazakh special services tried to deny launch of a single drone from Kazakh steppe near border.


The Iranians have burned US$1.6 billion worth of acutely scarce (after partially satisfying Ukraine's appetite) air defense missiles from Israel and the U.S. with cheap drones. Out of 7 hypersonic missiles, 7 reached their target. And 2 more old ballistic missiles passed through the overloaded "iron dome".

Just by repeating such raids several times (and Iran has enough missiles for that and will still have some left) it can completely empty Israel's last stockpile of air defense munitions.

Fewer left for the war in Ukraine. This makes me very happy since I hate when white men die. Everybody else can go to hell...

I am going to guess that someone smart in Israel is ordering some more missiles

I doubt they will walk into the warehouse and just say "oj vej no missiles left"

It's only the dictatorships in the Axis of Incompetence who have a finite supply of computer chips

When enemy missiles come over Israel the U.S. shoots them down but when enemy missiles come over Ukraine the U.S. does not shoot them down ?