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Sure western and northern European countries like France, the Netherlands, England and Sweden are becoming Godless.. But in eastern and Central European countries like Hungary and Russia, people are building new churches! After the collapse of the Soviet Union, people feel more comfortable to go back to faith... What do you think?
Sure western and northern European countries like France, the Netherlands, England and Sweden are becoming Godless.. But in eastern and Central European countries like Hungary and Russia, people are building new churches! After the collapse of the Soviet Union, people feel more comfortable to go back to faith... What do you think?
Do you think most of those simple people going to the new (or old) churches have any basic knowledge about the faith they nominally belong to? I think most of them are ignorant and go to church only because of conformism and herd mentality. And ofcourse the priests have the interest of building more imposing churches to attract more customers, err .., believers, in order to make more money.
In Romania, these new churches are very ugly and from pictures from other eastern block countries apparently the situation is the same.
I respect and applaud the movement of Christianity in Europe and even the Middle East, but what really
concerns me is that "organized religion" has had an impact in PARTIALLY indoctrinating people seeking a direct relationship with Jesus Christ into religions historically drenched in non biblical doctrines that are contrived, manufactured and authored by men "thinking too much". It is scary and some have mediators icons, men with so-called epiphanies where THEY are the origins of faith substituting Yeshua!! The well intended faiths running around corrupting scripture to naive potential saints in the name of Christianity and their perverted doctrines. It's troubling ,but if they believe in the son of man God may judge their heart and toss out the blasphemies, interpretation errors and pagan ceremonies found in some.
Do you think most of those simple people going to the new (or old) churches have any basic knowledge about the faith they nominally belong to? I think most of them are ignorant and go to church only because of conformism and herd mentality. And ofcourse the priests have the interest of building more imposing churches to attract more customers, err .., believers, in order to make more money.
In Romania, these new churches are very ugly and from pictures from other eastern block countries apparently the situation is the same.
At least in Russia the new churches aren't ugly at all, especially since in orthodox christianity the churches have to follow the standard basic architectural format. Some of them are rebuilds of old churches destroyed by communists.
To answer OPs question, a lot of people in those countries were believers from the very beginning, but it was illegal to practice your religion during commie times.
I believe as a general rule that the better off people are socioeconomically, the less likely they are to turn to God. Jesus said that "It is easier for a rich man to pass thru the eye of a needle than to enter the Knigdom of Heaven.
I believe as a general rule that the better off people are socioeconomically, the less likely they are to turn to God. Jesus said that "It is easier for a rich man to pass thru the eye of a needle than to enter the Knigdom of Heaven.
This would be more well suited for the religion forum. Proselytizing is a bit out of place in the Europe forum.
At least in Russia the new churches aren't ugly at all, especially since in orthodox christianity the churches have to follow the standard basic architectural format. Some of them are rebuilds of old churches destroyed by communists.
To answer OPs question, a lot of people in those countries were believers from the very beginning, but it was illegal to practice your religion during commie times.
No, it was not, ( apart from first few years after the revolution; the repercussions against Russian Orthodox Church with its oppressive role towards the poor were big.)
But churches were definitely reopened and people were allowed to return to prayers during the WWII.
Sure western and northern European countries like France, the Netherlands, England and Sweden are becoming Godless.. But in eastern and Central European countries like Hungary and Russia, people are building new churches! After the collapse of the Soviet Union, people feel more comfortable to go back to faith... What do you think?
Why worry about religion in Europe? The number of believers in Islam is steadily increasing. Buddhist centers have opened everywhere and are thriving...even in the most "godless" countries.
Christianity has suffered losses, but I don't know that religion is dying. Perhaps it is just the religion you are most familiar with or prefer that is having problems, but that is only part of the picture. The religious are here even though they may be Jews, Buddhists and Muslims.
I believe as a general rule that the better off people are socioeconomically, the less likely they are to turn to God. Jesus said that "It is easier for a rich man to pass thru the eye of a needle than to enter the Knigdom of Heaven.
No, it was not, ( apart from first few years after the revolution; the repercussions against Russian Orthodox Church with its oppressive role towards the poor were big.)
But churches were definitely reopened and people were allowed to return to prayers during the WWII.
There definitely were periods of times when religion was illegal, my great grandfather was placed in the gulag for it, but yes after WWII it became legal again and people went to church, but religious people were discriminated against and laughed at and had less job and educational opportunities.
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