Russians feel less positive towards religion now than they did in 1990

[rug]

Jul 31st 2015, 14:09 by ERASMUS

OVER the quarter-century since the collapse of the Soviet system, Russian feelings about religion have changed a lot, as one might imagine. In Soviet times, the state expected and encouraged citizens to be atheists. Now a loose affiliation to a religious faith has become the national default mode; a plurality of Russians tell pollsters they are Russian Orthodox, while significant minorities identify with Islam, Buddhism or Judaism.

But a survey published a few days ago (link in Russian) by one of Russia's best-known pollsters, VTSIOM, showed something unexpected in its comparison of present-day attitudes in Russia with those of 1990. Although there is a jump (from 23% to 55%) in the share of people who say they are sometimes "helped" by religion in their own lives, the general effect of religion on human welfare is viewed in much bleaker terms than before. The proportion of people who think religion does more good than harm to society has slumped from 61% to 36% while the share detecting more harm than good has risen from 5% to 23%.

One can guess at least part of what is going on here. In 1990, many Russians saw religion in the same rosy glow in which they saw everything non-Soviet, from rock music to fast food to monarchism. If the Soviet Union had been against it, they were for it—or thought it at least worth a try. Religion seemed daring, different and exotic. The Soviet system did tolerate religious structures, including the Russian Orthodox hierarchy, as long as they were loyal to the state, but they were pretty weak. Since then the visible strength and privilege of officially-blessed faiths (mainly but not only Orthodox Christianity) has grown enormously. Religion is viewed as a partner in power, and not in any sense counter-cultural.

In presenting the figures, the pollster observed that around 1990, religion had for a time become a "widespread social fashion" after the limits on its practice were lifted. Since then, people have learned to distinguish faith as such, which many still find personally meaningful, from religion as an institution, which many view critically. The fact that radical Islamist movements, barely on Russians' radar in 1990, have since become a major security threat may also play a role.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/07/religion-russia

TL/DR: "Religion is viewed as a partner in power"

[HFRN]

1. when Coors beer was unavailable in parts of the US, some people went to extremes to get it

but many of the same people, once it showed up in every store they visited, never bought it again

[rug]

2. That observation fits nicely.

[Silent3]

5. Quite a come down from the opiate of the masses to the cheap, weak beer of the masses. n/t

[pinto]

3. I wonder how much Putin plays in this. I think he'd love to see an offical Russian Orthodox state.

While a whole new post Soviet generation looks to the West, especially Europe, as a model for the future, the Orthodox church remains extremely conservative, nationalistic and isolationist. They may be taking a hard second or third look at the role the church has in relation to the state.

[rug]

4. The closer Kirill gets to Putin, the further the people step back.

He's a big proponent of symphonia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonia_(theology)