The rise of Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe
The rise of Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe
“John the second showed us that a free society is
possible only for a moral and religious people. Both are required for a society
to remain free. Without a religious foundation, there is nothing to anchor the
idea of morals.”
Background
The USSR was formed in 1922, five years after the Bolshevik Revolution of Vladimir Lenin. This revolution brought in an age of Socialism upon Eastern and Central Europe. After World War 2, Russia increased the influence of its Socialist ideology onto countries in Eastern Europe and parts of Central Europe.
Countries like Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, while never part of the USSR, were now directly under Soviet control. The book ‘The Eleventh Arrow’ is a true story and provides a fascinating insight into life under Soviet control in Hungary. The books focus is the 1956 Hungarian uprising against Socialism.
Countries like Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, while never part of the USSR, were now directly under Soviet control. The book ‘The Eleventh Arrow’ is a true story and provides a fascinating insight into life under Soviet control in Hungary. The books focus is the 1956 Hungarian uprising against Socialism.
For over fifty years after the Second World War, Socialism was in control. This control included a suppression of religion, nationalism, and identity. In 1989 the grip of Soviet control was diminishing. All of the countries under Soviet control were able to begin the process of leaving their Socialist history behind and re-build their identity and new future. The USSR was officially disbanded in 1991.
Western Europe and Western culture were able to finally sit back and examine the horrors that Marxist ideology inflicted in the 20th Century, to make sure it never happened again. Only, instead of running from it, Western Europe and culture did the opposite. It has embraced it. The embrace has been subtle, however, it has been steadily building since the likes of Thatcher and Raegan have left the political scene. The embrace has also included the suppression of Christianity which has been increasingly rejected till this day.
Western Europe and Western culture were able to finally sit back and examine the horrors that Marxist ideology inflicted in the 20th Century, to make sure it never happened again. Only, instead of running from it, Western Europe and culture did the opposite. It has embraced it. The embrace has been subtle, however, it has been steadily building since the likes of Thatcher and Raegan have left the political scene. The embrace has also included the suppression of Christianity which has been increasingly rejected till this day.
Globalism
Globalism is the mechanism that is been used to undermine Europe, as well as other Western cultures like the United States and Canada. Globalism needs to be differentiated from Globalisation, as the two are very different. The idea of globalisation dates back to the medieval times when trade routes were established along land trade paths and sea routes. Through this process, cultures began to experience other cultures, foods, and goods, opening up the world.
Globalism is about centralising power through removing national autonomy and removing national borders, essentially to remove the concept of country. The removing of individual national culture is another important aspect of Globalism, as is the eradication of Christianity. In fact, it should be noted that the death of cultural religious heritage is one of the pillars of Globalism, and wherever Globalist belief exists, religion, particularly Christianity, does not exist, or at a minimum, is suppressed.
Globalism is really only a recent phenomenon, with its origins dating back to the 1940s. The idea of Globalism was certainly behind the idea of the UN. However, the European Union, since its formation in 1993, has really taken on the true definition of Globalism, threatening to militarily enforce its ruling on member countries if they do not abide by its decisions.
In recent years, Angela Merkel’s decision to invite hundreds of thousands of mostly Syrian refugees into Germany has played a large role in the EU’s Globalist policies. As hundreds of thousands of refugees took up the invitation to take the route through Turkey into Greece up through Central Europe into Germany. Millions of economic migrants saw this as an opportunity for a new life as well, many Islamic terrorists also saw this as an opportunity to wreak havoc. And so began a period of mass migration and increasing terror in Europe. Douglas Murray's book The strange death of Europe is an essential reading to understand the scope of the migration movement.
To avoid the clash of cultures, many countries have shut their borders and built walls, however, the European Union is now attempting to force all member countries to accept quotas of the migrants. However, there are many countries who have now turned back to their Christian roots, refusing to have their culture diluted. Making it clear that they believe the answer is not in open borders, and that the promise from the EU of a better life is an empty promise. Instead, saying that the solution is to fix the issues in their home countries. These beliefs have proven correct in many European countries where migrants have settled, reporting an 80% unemployment rate for these migrants, and increasing cultural conflict.
The wind of change
Professor Jordan Peterson talks about the critical importance of a belief system, particularly within a society. It is the shared belief systems that allow us to relate to each other, to create laws and social customs for the benefit of all of those within that society, based on those shared beliefs. The loss of those shared belief systems can be catastrophic to a society, even when the underlying belief systems are evil. The opposite, of course, is also true. If a society builds a strong belief system built on moral values, the end result will be an unbelievably positive society, which will only grow stronger if it is passed down to the next generation. It is this building of a strong moral culture that can now be seen in parts of Central and Eastern Europe.
Out of the ashes of Socialism, where countries were once dominated by a Godless ideology, is rising country after country turning its back on the idea of Globalism, finding their lost sense of nationalism, identity, and Christian faith. Re-establishing their belief systems. Even Russia, the founding country of international Socialism is finding its faith. The European Union is fighting against this tide, but the old Socialist countries are standing firm. They know what Marxism looks like, even if it is coming in a different form. They have lived under it, and they have rejected it.
It is impossible to detail every country that has either returned to Christianity or increased its focus on Christianity, however, this list definitely provides an overview of the state of Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe. What is also interesting to note, is that these countries now also have either flourishing economies or growing economies, they are also now considered some of the safest countries to live.
Hungary
On the 8th of April, 2018, Hungary had its elections. Viktor Orban was attempting to win his third straight election. Orban is a deeply Christian man who believes that the family unit and Christian values are essential to a stable European society. He has written Christianity into the new constitution and has even set up a ministry to help persecuted Christians around the world. Orban is responsible for the turn around in the Hungarian economy, now offering high standards of living to its citizens.
George Soros the Hungarian born billionaire Globalist, poured millions of dollars into the Hungarian elections to try and overthrow Orban. He even had the EU try to influence the results of the election. In the lead up to the election, Orban organised a march which he had hoped ten thousand would attend, over five hundred thousand attended the march in support of Orban. He won the election with an overwhelming majority, winning 133 of the 199 seats. The citizens of Hungary clearly showing their support for traditional Christian values, who as a result are now thriving under the unity and national pride Orban has created.
Orban has rejected the EU’s demands to accept migrants, unafraid to stand up for his country and his Christian values, believing that the EU is pushing a secular agenda.
Poland
Poland is now recognised as the European nation with the biggest percentage of church attendance. Like Hungary, they have rejected the Middle Eastern migration, aware of the clash of cultures that comes with it. The origins for Poland come in 1989 after the fall of Soviet control. Tadeusz Mazowiecki was the first leader of Poland after Soviet control and led the Christian-democratic party, he was also a dedicated Catholic. He made Leszek Balcerowicz the first finance minister of the new regime who faced an astronomical task. Poland’s inflation was at 640% and the country was almost bankrupt. Balcerowicz instituted what would be called Shock Therapy on the economy, opening free enterprise to the nation. Within days inflation had returned to normal, within a year the country was beginning to prosper. Poland now is a country of growing wealth, attracting immigration after years of its people emigrating. The early years set the foundation for the Christian movement in Poland, which is now flourishing.
Slovakia
Slovakia was once part of Czechoslovakia before it was peacefully dissolved to become two separate countries in 1993, the other being the Czech Republic. Like most other countries under Soviet control, religion was suppressed. However, the Slovakian people remained religious. In recent years the Christian faith has grown to become a strong force within the country. It is now estimated that 85% of the nation is Christian, predominantly Catholic. While the push against Islam has also been strong, with the push to introduce laws to effectively strip it of any recognition as an official religion.
Georgia
Georgia is another country where Christianity is also again flourishing. Georgia was once part of the USSR where Christianity was suppressed. In recent years Christianity has seen a revival and is now very much part of the Georgian culture.
Russia
At the dissolution of the USSR, Russia opened up to freedom of speech and democracy. After a long period of Socialism, Russia went through a very dark period trying to find its identity. Then Putin was handed power from Boris Yeltsin in 1999 and subsequently elected in 2000. Since this time, Putin has been a major influence in the rise of Christianity in Russia. Putin himself is an Orthodox Christian and strongly believes that Christianity and the family unit, are needed to build a strong Russia. Putin has also poured over $100 million into building churches throughout the country, in 2013 he signed a new law making Christian education in schools mandatory. Russians have been responding with a return to Christianity, rising from around 10% post-Soviet era to around 50% today and rising.
Much of the conflict between Russia and the west in recent years can be boiled down to Putin’s belief that the west is Godless and morally weak. We often hear a particular viewpoint about Russia and Putin from the media, however, not all we have been told is what it seems.
Final Thoughts
Globalism is a destructive force promoting atheism and a loss of moral value. A side effect of this is the breakdown of the family unit, which has seen a massive breakdown in western culture. The rise of Christianity in Central and Eastern Europe provides hope that Globalism will not succeed. It now also seems that it is starting to catch on in other parts of Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy. Western culture will only survive and maintain its moral integrity if Christianity survives, as Western culture has only become what it is today because of Christianity. So I hope and pray, that the wind of change continues and grows stronger.
“One of the signs of a great society is the diligence with which it passes culture from one generation to the next. This culture is the embodiment of everything the people of that society hold dear. When one generation no longer esteems its own heritage and fails to pass the torch to its children, it is saying in essence that the very foundational principles and experiences that make the society what it is are no longer valid. What is required when this happens and the society has lost its way is for leaders to arise who have not forgotten the discarded legacy and who love it with all their hearts.”
– Winston Churchill
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