'Hindu Vatican' in Moscow

[Natasha]

Orthodox Russians see red over plans for 'Hindu Vatican' in Moscow

http://www.guardian.co.uk -
Nick Paton Walsh, Wednesday October 22, 2003 - The Guardian

Alfred Ford, a great-grandson of the motoring legend, Henry, has outraged the conservative Russian Orthodox
Church with his plans to build a huge centre for Hare Krishna and Vedic religion worshippers in the centre of
Moscow.
The Orthodox Church, whose influence in Russia is rocketing since the fall of Communism eased religious worship,
is furious at the prospect that a building big enough to hold 8,000 Hindu worshippers would be built, a few miles
from Red Square. The first stone was supposed to be laid in November when the Indian prime minister, Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, visits Moscow. However, that ceremony is in doubt because of the outcry over the centre.
Prominent Russian Orthodox figures have called the church "open religious expansion".
Valentin Lebedev, head of the Union of Orthodox Citizens of Russia, said: "We know that in India, Christianity
is persecuted.
"According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, Hinduism is considered one of the most anti-Christian cults
and we do not understand why such an enormous church and cultural centre is necessary in Moscow."
He said the Vedic religion already had one centre in Moscow and that was enough.
Yesterday the union wrote to the Moscow mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, demanding that plans for the centre be scrapped. Mr
Lebedev launched a personal attack on the centre's financier, Mr Ford, who is expected to spend about $10m (?6m)
on the domed structure, which would be the largest of its kind in Europe and has already been nick-named by some
the "Hindu Vatican".
Father Mikhail Dudko, secretary of the Commission for Church and Society for the Orthodox Church, said the
church did not react to "declarations of intent". But he added that the union's position would closely resemble
that of the public, and that the church "always takes into account the positions of the public".
The head of the executive committee of the Krishna Consciousness of Russia, Sergei Zuyev, said Mr Ford had
lobbied for the project with Moscow government officials. "He told us that he would like to support the building
of such a cultural centre in Moscow." Yet Mr Zuyev said as soon as Mr Ford had made his intentions known, "the
Orthodox groups made a fuss".
He added: "The Orthodox Church, from our point of view, is one of the most totalitarian sects in the world which
in Russia disguises itself as a state religion.
"It is the source of intolerance and mixing the Orthodox belief with nationalism is a really explosive and
dangerous mixture."
Vedic believers say they are 90,000 strong in Russia.
Mr Ford, during a visit to Moscow last week, said: "For me the most important thing is to spread the Hindu
knowledge about the soul. This is more important than any other knowledge and is my main priority".

[Seeker]

Disgusting...

[rebecca]

Are there a lot of Hindus in Moscow, or is that what they're hoping to achieve?

[ania]

I don't know if there's are many, but over the past year I have met many Hindus who have some kind of connection to Russia, for example, my room-mate's boyfriend (who was born, raised in Moscow) is 1/2 Indian, 1/2 Russian, he's Orthodox, his father is Hindi. A Nepalise friend's father studied in Moscow universities for many years. Several of the Hindus in my building are businessmen/women who often go there. It was very surprising to me when I would find these things out.
Of course Mr. Ford's idea is disgusting... if they already have one center in Moscow, why make a fuss & try to build this one...??? seriously, rich folk tend to have the most wacked out ideas.
As for them saying Orthodoxy is a totolitarian sect... geez, it's ok for Arial Sharron to rule Isreal by Jewish law, but for Orthodoxy to have any say in the way Russia is run... oh no sarcasm.

[bogoliubtsy]

Mr. Ford was a disciple of the now deceased Bhaktivedanta Swami who brought the Hare Krishna movement to the West in the 1960's. The temple that he would like to build would be a Hare Krishna temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness which preaches a particular strand of Hinduism (called Vaishnavism actually, with devotion to the "god" Krishna or Vishnu). This group, while meeting the "spritual" needs of many regular Indian Hindus, is focused on missionary work and the conversion of Westerners. Almost all of this group's "gurus" are Western converts. There are a decent number of Russian converts to this faith and they already have smaller temples in Moscow. A friend of mine, Dmitri, now living in the US but from Moscow, converted to this particular branch of Hinduism while in Russia. After the spiritual fall of his "guru" he's had many doubts and ended up visiting the ROCOR parish in Boston with me. He liked it quite a bit, but since the fall of his "guru" is very wary of any kind of spiritual men or spiritual leadership/organization.
The spirituality of this group is extremely dangerous. They preach that Christ was a "divinely inspired" messenger of God who preached a message specific to His time and culture. They don't believe though, as may have already been assumed, that Christ is the only begotten Son of God and the only way to salvation. They also believe in reincarnation, absolute submission to a guru(ususally an unqualified ex-hippy who converted in the 60's or 70's), and many other strange teachings. They promise spiritual experiences, which they do provide. However, these spiritual experiences are straight from the demons. I had a good number of friends involved with this group who told me of being "attacked" by "ghosts" while sleeping- a feeling of complete helplessness came over them as they struggled to breath or move their bodies. This was happening to normal American youth who have never heard of spiritual deception and categorize life into two areas- the "spiritual" and the "material". The "spiritual", however, is a spirituality coming not from God but from demonic powers. This dualistic way of thinking(material vs. spiritual) has somehow lead these people to believe that anything "spiritual" must be good and holy. Through these ghost stories, it's obvious that the spirituality they're practicing is opening wide the gates for any demonic powers to enter and control their lives.

[Savva24]

Thank you Peter for such interesting and informative words on the topic. I am very glad to see you back here.

In Christ,

Nick

[mwoerl]

-uh- i think this one belongs a few categories back-something about the ridiculous.....
first of all, since hinduism is fragmented beyond even what WE know in orthodoxy, a center for the hare krishnas would be nothing even remotely connected to a "hindu vatican."
secondly, russia today is hardly what one would describe as an "orthodox" country, in the sense that the great majority of people in the country are orthodox. it is also a country struggling to overcome seventy years of totalitarian government. even if this was not the case-would anyone really want all religions other than orthodoxy "banned" by law from russia?
this topic, to my way of thinking, goes with "banning halloween in russia," the "homosexual episcopalian bishop," whether catholics would baptise or commune a retarded child (a recent topic on the indiana list)-basically-who cares? if the episcopalians and the latins are not part of the true church, are not part of the body of christ-what do you expect from them? a certain
parish website of rocor has a really "cute" little story about "bishop sunflower," how the anglicans, episcopalians, whatever, made a jackass or
a horse a bishop. how very nice! gee, i am so glad we feel so perfect as to be able to throw around our poorly thought out criticism in such a mature way!
of course, when the ill winds blow our way, oh well, then we hear "shut your mouth, dont talk about it it will help our enemies," and other choice little ditties guaranteed to make you question who is afraid of what...
so, to all those who dont think we have enough problems to worry about ourselves...before you get all indignant, shocked, outraged, and-the very best-"scandalized" (oh my!!!!!)-by what some heretical religion does or does not do-think again!
michael woerl

whatever you think its more than that, more than that...