Question
Asked 3 April 2012
Research on religious practices and freedom during the Soviet Era in the USSR.
If anyone, in particular someone familiar with Soviet history, or someone who has lived there could recommend some references.
Most recent answer
no Babak, not saying religious expression is not free in USA, as I pointed out in my comment, Religion is so free that lately, Evangelicals and Conservative Catholic Bishops, along with Mormans have formed an alliance to dictate their version on morals and dogma via the legislative process at the state and national level. And in the realm of foreign policy, the Jews, Catholics, and Evanglicals have this power over our international relations and foreign policy by our dangerous and dogmatic support for the State of Isreal at all costs. Keep in mind Evangelicals believe the "battle of Armmegeddon" at the end times in the Middle East, specifically Isreal is central to their futuristic escalatogical belief system. That one belief system is a grave threat to the national security of the United States because of its power over a good part of our elected officials. Thanks goodness President Obama doesn't believe it.
All Answers (12)
You should be more specific what you are looking for as the 1930s and the 1980s were different as were the policy different in different parts of the USSR.
I guess "Religious Policy in the Soviet Union " (ed by S. Ramet) would be a good book to start with, though it's published in 1993. On more up-to-date discussions and research you should check the journal "Religion, State & Society". You may find something interesting, but you have to check them all ads it's not just on USSR, but you may find interesting stuff.
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University of Oulu
A book that could be worth reading:
Kangaspuro, M. and Smith, J. (eds) (2006) Modernisation in Russia since 1900. Studia Fennica 12. SKS (Finnish Literature Society), Helsinki. ISBN: 951-746-854-7
There are also researchers (like Markku Kangaspunta mentioned above; http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/ajankohtaista/henkilokunta.html) in Aleksanteri Institute, Uni of Helsinki (http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/index.htm) you could consult.
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University of Amsterdam
This may be useful:
(In general Religion was tolerated and there existed much religious freedom in the Soviet Union,. However the sate observed and organized the religious institutions".
Akbarzadeh, Sh. "Islamic Clerical Establishment in Central Asia", South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies, Vol.20, No.2 (December 1997), pp.73-102
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Babak...That is what I have been saying for quite some time regarding religious freedom in the former USSR. That yes religion was allowed but was was observed and monitored enough to keep religion from propagandizing against the states authority. I will do my best to find these links and journals that everyone has provided me....much thanks on that part.
But also here in the United States we have absolutely the opposite of what the USSR had and it is just as harmful. We have many religious entities pushing their religion on all levels of government concerning domestic policy (mostly rightwing conservative religious idealouges)and that is a concern, but what is more problematic is their sway over US foreign policy. This has been going on since the late 1940's and early 1950's when operation "Paper Clip" was going on, while America's clergy and sympathetic politicians were screaming of the "Red Scare", which was not going on anyhow, the US government covertly was bringing in Nazis, and as we have seen many of the Nazi programme for government and governing people was cultish, Darwinian and Vatican based.
The one thing I am proud of the Soviet system for is they realized what religion run amok could do to the security of the state and its undue influence on its foreign policy. I just wish the United States would realize the same thing.
Religion, State and Politics in the Soviet Union and Successor States By John Anderson (1994, Cambridge University Press).
1 Recommendation
University of Amsterdam
@ Christopher,
Are you saying that religious expression is not free in the USA? Can you give concrete examples? I thought that the USA is one of the most liberal countries in the world with almost unlimited freedom of (religious) thought.
no Babak, not saying religious expression is not free in USA, as I pointed out in my comment, Religion is so free that lately, Evangelicals and Conservative Catholic Bishops, along with Mormans have formed an alliance to dictate their version on morals and dogma via the legislative process at the state and national level. And in the realm of foreign policy, the Jews, Catholics, and Evanglicals have this power over our international relations and foreign policy by our dangerous and dogmatic support for the State of Isreal at all costs. Keep in mind Evangelicals believe the "battle of Armmegeddon" at the end times in the Middle East, specifically Isreal is central to their futuristic escalatogical belief system. That one belief system is a grave threat to the national security of the United States because of its power over a good part of our elected officials. Thanks goodness President Obama doesn't believe it.
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