BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/08/2007

Modern Belarusian delusions

Belarus is country with blue lakes, small rivers, pine forests and very peaceful people. You can read a lot of information about Belarus in internet. Now local authors prepared o lot of colored books about Belarus in English and foreigners might have a lot of options to have.. But Belarus is country with modern delusions.

Majority of Belarusian's are adherents of Russian Orthodocs church. Nowadays it's popular to visit a church. It's became part of culture. Can we say that Belarusian's become more moral and spiritual? No, it's just show visits. The Russian Orthodocs church became a part of society life. In cabinets of powerful bosses you can see Lukashenka's portraits and icons. A "not - traditional" faith's competing with Russian Orthodocs church. "Not - traditional" faith's gives to believers opportunity to think about Jesus, to deliberate, to discuss. I meet with some preachers from Russian Orthodocs churches and I recognize, there was God in his speech. At the same time some "not - traditional" very week, very mercantile. It seems to me that everyone has his own God in his heart. Expansion of Russian Orthodocs church is a step forward in future moral revolution in Belarus. But it's a big problem when we observe icons everywhere. People buy icons, crucifixes, visiting churches but in their hearts nothing changes. People confuse morals with different Christians attribute. Ok, try to imagine. Tomorrow in all cabinets on all walls someone will hang icons. How it can help to decrease crime, poverty, false, envy? I do not think so.

Now it's popular to bear some opposition symbols. Our readers can say, its good, its can expand ideas of democracy. It's great delusion. In the Soviet period it was popular to collect baggies with US symbols. Majority of people who bear this symbol haven't any idea what this symbol means. It was just simply attributing of modern culture like ear ring or jeans. People didn't thinks about contents of this symbol. Now in Belarus I observe the same situation. A lot of young people wear symbols in favor of democracy just to be modern. Everything what is forbidden is popular but at the same time we can observe depression of ideas of Belarusian revolution. Idea of Belarusian revolution lost its value. Unfortunately, it's a fact. Due to different reasons, but it's existing. Young people with badges in Belarusian language don't belong to revolutionary movement. In this case it only part of culture. We can compare existing situation with period, when in the Soviet period people who bear long hair and beard was democrats. Yes it was in our history but until now it's extremely difficult to understand how long hair influence preferences in political choice. I think no how.

Some time ago, when I arrived to Minsk for a study in law, a lot of people spoken in Belarusian language in transport. Now nobody speaks Belarusian. Now, if you are speak in the Belarusian language, people think that you are against regime. Its looks likewise like long hair interfering for a political choice. People confusing options with politics. Why? It's due to deceptive policy of some political parties and NGO's. In every interview, everywhere, opposition political leaders repeating, that they working in revival of Belarus. Population began to identify Belarusian culture, Belarusian language, all Belarusian with something opposed to regime. If you are talking that you are against regime and in the same time you are working in favor of Belarusian culture - in consciousness of majority people this two, absolutely different point, became totally identical. It's not invention but its big problem. Now, young generation identifying Belarusian language, as an opposition political attributes. Very funny but international organizations community believes in it too. Some political leaders in Belarus altered idea of political strategy for a foal, indirect ways. They curing not there course of malady but only some indirect consequence. It's too peaty, that a lot of programs for Belarus elaborated by people, who never was in Belarus, who have no idea where it is. A lot of programs for Belarus based on groundless delusion. Ok, lets imagine, tomorrow everyone will speak in Belarusian. How it will influence the political life and situation. Yes, no how.

Aspiration rooted in our heart, not in attribute of.

Nicolas Kalinin
National minority expert

Source:

http://www.dzeno.cz/?c_id=15380