Religious figures
According to experts, a religious figure is a person who acts in religious interests; such a person considers the rest of the world, its concepts and phenomena in connection with their compliance with religion. What he says and does resonates in the hearts of other people, gives them faith in the best, the transcendental, the beautiful. Religion should help people find real life guidelines when rational skills and knowledge are absent or insufficient.
In different centuries, different states were ruled by religious figures, for example, Augustin Voloshin - Carpathian Ukraine, Makarios III - the Republic of Cyprus. Monuments were erected to religious figures: Martin Luther, Princess Olga, Michael Agricola, and so on. Religious figures whose views the rulers did not like were persecuted, and some were even executed, for example, Spiridon Yevtushenko, Abo Tbilissky, Jose Maria Morelos.
Religious activity and propaganda of religion can also be carried out with the help of literary publications, for example, the philosopher Mikhail Cherenkov wrote 6 books in which he talks about Baptistism and evangelical Protestantism. The clergy translated the Bible and created alphabets. The artists who paint cathedrals and paint icons, for example, the famous creator Viktor Vasnetsov, can also be considered religious figures - he was a believer who came from an Orthodox family and received a spiritual education.
Modern stars are no strangers to existential searches; many of them find support in religion. On the other hand, having chosen a religion, they, as people known to the general public and having hundreds and thousands of fans, become persons promoting a particular faith if they declare their views.
Actor and director Ivan Okhlobystin, as well as a failed candidate for the presidency of Russia, was a clergyman for a long period until he was temporarily removed from serving God. As Ivan says, he himself asked for this “vacation”, but remains a believer and observes all Orthodox fasts, rituals and traditions.
The situation is not so democratic for Tom Cruise, who adheres to Scientology. Because of the requirements of this teaching, Cruz even had difficulties communicating with his daughter.
In Russia, religion is separated from politics, however, the opinions of religious figures are still listened to, clergy regularly speak in the media, many politicians attend church, mosque, and so on.
God must be in the Constitution: Religious leaders of Russia are united in this
The main religious organizations (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish) of the country, who gathered today at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' for a general meeting, discussed amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. As a result of the discussion, a joint communiqué was developed.
God must be returned to the Constitution of the country
In the thirtieth year after the fall of the atheistic state, which expelled God from its documents, representatives of Russian religious associations gathered in Moscow expressed their unanimous opinion on the need to return God to the main legal document of the country - the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
In the communiqué, this is formulated in the following words: “Asserting peace in a multinational and multi-religious country, we support the proposal to include a mention of God in the text of the updated Constitution, we consider this as consolidating the value of the religious beliefs of the peoples of our country, historically and culturally associated with the religions we represent, as well as spiritual continuity in relation to our ancestors."
Now we know the positively formulated opinion of believers in Russia, expressed by the most authoritative leaders of the largest religious associations in Russia: the Russian Orthodox Church, the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Coordination Center for Muslims of the North Caucasus, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, Congress of Jewish Associations and Organizations of Russia, Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia, Armenian Apostolic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia, Roman Catholic Church, Russian Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals), Russian Church of Christians of the Evangelical Faith, Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Church Seventh-day Adventist Christians.
The Russian Federation abolished atheism as the dominant attitude towards religion back in 1997. Then the federal law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations” was adopted. Russia as a state abandoned atheism as its basis and recognized the “special role of Orthodoxy in the history of Russia,” expressing respect for the traditional religions of the peoples of Russia as an integral part of the “historical heritage of the peoples of Russia.”
These changes were the first legal step to normalize the relationship between state and religion. The current debate on amendments to the Constitution should lead to further mutual steps between the state and religious organizations towards each other.
The word “God,” the most precious religious name for the Creator of the world and people, should be included in the main document of our state, thereby emphasizing the importance of Faith for all citizens of Russia. We all need to move away from the old militant atheistic attitudes, moving into a new era when religious faith will occupy a significant, important role in our society. Remembering the massive religious persecutions of the 20th century, we must forever leave behind the disrespectful, atheistic attitude of the state towards the religious views of its citizens.
Believers for marriage as a union of a man and a woman
Another important point of the communiqué signed today was the pan-religious, pro-family position. Leaders of all religious associations expressed their unanimous support for constitutional amendments that enshrine: “The concept of marriage as a union of a man and a woman, norms aimed at protecting traditional family values, including the right of parents to provide such education and training for children as is consistent with their religious and philosophical beliefs, to protect the history and culture of our country, the status of the Russian language, to support compatriots, to preserve the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland."
The religious leaders of believers in our country gave everyone a good lesson in a conservative attitude towards the most important human traditions of family, education, history, and support for compatriots outside of Russia.
By defending traditional family values, we simultaneously support our culture, our language, and our faith. Strong families are the basis of our state; they create and educate future citizens of Russia, multiplying the strength of the state, creating its social stability.
Leaders of all religious associations unanimously support constitutional amendments that enshrine the idea of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Photo: Anton Kardashov / AGN “Moscow”
The communiqué also supported those changes to the Constitution that “will create additional conditions for ensuring the socio-economic well-being of Russians and the unity of the Russian Federation.”
It is they who will have a beneficial effect on supporting our families and will be “an indispensable condition for our country to be prosperous, morally strong and spiritually rich.”
I would like to hope that the participation in the meeting of responsible representatives of the presidential administration indicates that the voice of many millions of believers, professing faith in God in different ways, will not only be heard by the authorities, but also accepted as a guide to action, as the voice of the majority of our country.
Author: Smolin Mikhail
