Some have commented that I have a bit a nasty under tone of Anti-Christian. No actually love Christianity as philosophy I consider Jesus as one if the not the greatest philosophers of human history. But the truth is I’m Latvian too. Latvians, Lithuanians and Estonians (our sister nations) were a peaceful pre-Christian nature worshiping, sun worshiping Tribal Pagan Culture. To the 1200s ad when Christianity As a Institution arrived in our lands. What followed was 400 years of what history terms as the “The Baltic Crusade” when Christians set about to convert us to their religion. Conversion by the Sword. Convert or Die. By the 1600s The Crusades ended in a truce with 30% of the population remaining Pagan and 70% forced into Christianity. From the 1600s Latvians were reduced to peasant surfs for their landlords (Former Christian Knights that were rewarded with great great estates) Though out the territory that was conquered Latvians were forbidden to speak their own language, celebrate their customs and traditions, in some cases forbidden an education. Even up to early 1900s Latvians were Surfs Peasents while the rest of Europe had left the middle ages far behind. Even the Christian Popes of the 1700s and 1800s regularly commented on the plight of Baltic Peoples and the state of abject poverty they were kept in by their German and Russian landlords. It was only in 1800s Latvian Nationalists and Patriots even dared to dream one day of their Independence and that dream came in being in the War of Independence in 1918. Like most Latvians. I have mixed feelings and beliefs about Christianity and “The Church” the institution with their dogmas and smug self righteousness of being “The Only Way.”Because this is Latvian History… Because this how Christianity came to us in 1200s and to this day many Latvian folk stories and folk songs are Laments songs of sorrow that was brought upon our people by the Chrisitian Crusaders and by the Cross. So yes I have mixed feelings. Somedays I do see the beautify of Christian philosophy and but other days when I see the cross. I see slavery, blind obedience to a FOREGIN religion and foreign church that has conquered the European heart and soul! And enslaved generations. A soul of a freeborn free-living peoples and lands. Somedays I see the cross very much the same way a Jew might see a swastika as a symbol of hate and oppression. Believe it or not According the Roman Catholic Church in Rome. The Baltic Crusades are not officially over. But in a state of truce.. Since we haven’t officially accepted their God.. During his rule Pope John Paul II“A Pole and Fellow Balt” made 3 trips to Baltic States of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. To ask that we formally sign the 1600s truce papers and declare on their paperwork our acceptance of Christianity. Odd really since today 70% of Balts are of one Christian Sect or Another.. But Christian or Not we also remember the History ‘The Church” does not dare teach in Sunday Schools across the globe. And formally politely we declined his request… This is our History with “The Church” .. and it still hurts somedays not always.. Some things are hard to forget even after hundreds of years..
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 20:50:46 +0000
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