Crucea.ro

Reporter Artur Ciechanowicz interviewed the Russian writer and
dissident Vladimir Bukovsky, who is currently living in London.

Artur Ciechanowicz – What will be the consequences in Russia after
the death of Aleksy II?

Vladimir Bukovsky – Why should the death of a government functionary
lead to some consequences?

A.C. – Perhaps because this “functionary”, as you call him, led one
of the more important forces in the country, the Orthodox Church.

V.B. – You’re kidding. It was clear that Aleksy II’s boss was
Vladimir Putin. The Russian Orthodox Church is one of many
government institutions. Stalin, after all, transformed it into a
department of the KGB. And nothing has changed since then.

The real Orthodox Church was destroyed in the 1920′s of the last
century. When World War II broke out, Stalin realized that Russians
will not give their lives for him or the criminal system of the
GULAG. They will die without any doubts for their homeland and to
protect their faith. Notice that Stalin was not a cosmopolitan
communist during the war, but a fervent patriot. Do you know what he
called the citizens during his radio appearances? “Brothers and
sisters.” Not “comrades.” That is why he needed the church. That
is the whole point of it.

A.C. – The war ended, but the church continued to exist.

V.B. – It was a great tool for keeping track of the people. Who
could people trust more than a priest? Only, the majority of these
priests were KGB agents. Just as Aleksy II was. Secondly, it was an
effective means to poison the souls of the believers with communist
propaganda.

A.C. – What role does the Church have in contemporary Russia?

V.B. – The KGB men, who rule Russia today, decided to make the
Orthodoxy one of the props for their government ideology. You see
priests at every celebration, at every meeting, and all the
politicians talk about God every chance they get. That’s a little
strange. Orthodoxy is a soft and liberal religion. It’s not suited
for ideology. Besides, seeing Putin and his gang cross themselves in
churches disgusts me. People who look like unrepentant murderers
should not go to church. It’s unseemly.

Din Orthodox Christian Traditionalist List

Gheorghe Vanau