God’s Army
By Sean at 21 November, 2008, 9:04 am
Here’s a new one. The Moscow Patriarch announced that it plans to create an “Orthodox People’s Militia” under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church. The militia, according to Father Vsevolod Chaplin, will be
Small groups which will literally dominate the street life of districts, small cities, and villages. And here, I think the Orthodox militia can maintain order in their hometowns. Now there exists military-patriotic groups who are physically fit under many church communes and parishes. They could show a good amount of civil activity.
The groups, which seem to already have been created, will make their official debut on 1 December. And what will be their most immediate task? According to Father Kirill Frolov, the leader of the Moscow division of the Union of Orthodox Citizens, the militias will “in some degree be dictated by the possible outcomes of the financial crisis, in particular unemployment. The militiamen will uphold civil peace and prevent the manifestation of extremism.” The Moscow MVD has already expressed interest in the project.
It’s no coincidence that the announcement of an Orthodox militia also coincides with planned Dissenters’ March on 14 December. One assumes that when the good Father speaks of extremism, he means Other Russia. The Dissenters’ March falls on the anniversary of the Decembrist Uprising of 1825. We all know what happened then: the uprising of hopeful nobles was crushed, ushering in the reign of Nicholas I. Nicholas is said to have conducted some of the interrogations personally and a compilation of the usurpers’ testimony is said to have sat on his desk as a reminder. Given the emphasis Nicholas put on Othodoxy as a emblem of Russian nationalism, the potential participation of Orthodox militas as a foil to Other Russia’s plans strikes of a certain historical irony.
What is perhaps less ironic is the fact that the militias are supported by Nashi. Nashi is no stranger to organizing street militias to aid the cops. Readers will remember that Nashi created the Voluntary Youth Militia before the 2007 parlimentary elections to combat disruptions by “extremist organizations.” Now it seems this experience will be taste tested with an added Orthodox flavor.
Indeed, Nashi has been cozying up to the Orthodox Church as of late. Orthodoxy is being more and more incorporated into Nashi’s ideology and identity. Last week, during a meeting with Nashi members, Metropolitan Kirill said that there is a need for an all-Russia youth organization based on “traditional values.” “We used to have a youth organization (i.e. the Komsomol) working all through the country. It did a lot of useful work and many of those who belong to political elite today stepped out of the organization, where they gained administrative experience.” How times have changed.
Nashi is beginning to sound like a perfect template for such an organization. For example, Boris Yakemenko, one of Nashi’s chief ideologists and brother to the movement’s founder Vasili Yakemenko, recently penned a chapter for a textbook on Orthodox culture entitled “Russian Rock and Orthodoxy.” This year Nashi formed an Orthodox cabinet within its organization. According to Yakemenko, this cabinet was created to “attract youth to the church, speak in a language understandable to young people that says that Orthodoxy is not the religion of old people or “losers” (luzery) but a faith for plenty of successful people who love their country, their culture, and their language. That is to say, our Orthodox direction will defend the Church and its culture.”
Now they will also defend Russia streets. And if an article in today’s Vedomosti (Thanks Lyndon!) on the percentage of Russian companies planning cost cutting measures is correct, those Orthodox militias better get on the streets quick. About 30 percent of Russian companies are planning some kind of trimming of labor according to a survey of 371 companies by Ankor. In the words of Ankor representative Natalia Danina,
The financial crisis has forced practically all companies to cut costs in a variety of ways, including the cutting of personnel. Besides dismissal as a measure for cutting costs, they plan on cutting the work day and unpaid vacations for employees, and even cutting pay and lowering financial compensation packages.
The more people not working means potentially more people angry and on the streets. God’s army better get to work.
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“It’s no coincidence that the announcement of an Orthodox militia also coincides with planned Dissenters’ March on 14 December. One assumes that when the good Father speaks of extremism, he means Other Russia.”
There’s a lot of assuming going on in this statement.
Religious militias. Just what the doctor ordered.
Why is Russia’s government so intent on turning into a parody of itself?
This is just plain stupid.
Oh well.
Why is Russia’s government so intent on turning into a parody of itself?
This is not a parody. Look, all societies come through stages of lawlessness that state could not handle. Russia is no exception. We might not like the smell of Taliban in the air but it is probably a natural process.
For sure, It is a dangerous genie to let out of the bottle since vigilante justice is in the eyes of the beholder and (especially knowing peculiar attitudes of the Russian Orthodoxy towards Jews) can fast get ugly.
Whether serious or not I think one of the best defenses against such a move is to, in the words of Khlynov, treat it like a parody and laugh at it. Open ridicule is a great deterrent. If enough people laugh at it with contempt, who would want to join something so manifestedly uncool?
Good God, I agree with Cyrill. Is the world out of joint?
PS. I looked at the Moscow Patriarchate’s website and could find no reference to this. And, I really don’t trust Kommersant. Does anybody have an official church document about this?
“(especially knowing peculiar attitudes of the Russian Orthodoxy towards Jews)”
Ahem, that should be “peculiar attitudes of the radical wing of the Russian Orthodoxy”
Is the fact that Kirill Forlov from the Union of Orthodox Citizens posted an article about it on his LiveJournal evidence enough?
http://kirillfrolov.livejournal.com/437456.html
Sounds like the Black Hundreds and Yellow Shirts revisited.Retreads of history.
“Yellow Shirts”?
I never heard of ‘yellow shirts’ before either, but apparently that was the name of Black Hundreds military wing. I also didn’t know that BHs had a distinct military wing. I thought all they did was ‘pogroms’. Turns out they might have had community outreach programs, promoted education and provided social services, of sorts.
I thought Chernaya sotnya was more of an umbrella term for a bunch of different organizations? (mainly the Union of Russian People)
Turns out they might have had community outreach programs, promoted education and provided social services, of sorts.
All organizations of that type provide social services and education. Why Black Hundred would be different from Al Qaeda, Taliban?
” The militiamen will uphold civil peace and prevent the manifestation of extremism.” The Moscow MVD has already expressed interest in the project.”
sorry guys, but this just begs the question – arent there enough cops and law enforcement people in Russia already?
Orthodox militia?!!! Isn’t the Church supposed to be about peace and love and all that stuff? I’m getting a mental image of priests in black robes toting AK-47s
Perhaps your mental image needs correction. They might change from black robes into yellow shirts prior to toting AK-47s.
First, these militias apparently don’t exist. Second, as everybody who watches Star Trek knows, people in shirts of primary colors are doomed to early deaths anyway.
Please O Master of the Universe,
don’t let this happen!!
Innocent Russians have suffered enough … and those who love them, too …
Never fear, my humble servant. These militias are fictitious.
This idea is a loser itself. Look at the same effort to renew Cossack army wich used to be the most powerfull in Russian Empire era.
My uncle has just dropped his job in Cossack militia. He’s worked for years while paid $60 a month for a dirty and severe sort of work. As a result, he’s became a drunk and lost his family. He’s begged from his mother who’s recieveng a pension of $250. Her health is under serious risk due to lack of drugs. Now all drugs are at the highest price for all. No jobs anywhere. He goes on drinking. They both are dying.
“Nashi” is operating against their people, they wish them die asap.
how many divisions does the patriarch have?