God’s place in a humanist society (18) [Locul lui Dumnezeu într-o societate umanistă]

So that the previous episode of this series didn’t seem too biased against Britain’s leaders, I should balance it with a similar inquisitorial tone regarding the equally chameleonic leaders of Romania, and the ‘Christian’ (?!) nation they rule over.

Actually, there’s more honesty in the UK. Leaders, as well as ordinary citizens, may have a perverted acception of Christianity or a clearly atheist outlook on life, however, they are (more or less) openly professing their beliefs.

On the other hand, while ruling over a nation of predominantly Orthodox Christians, Romanian political leaders often find themselves more compelled to become ‘tightrope walkers’ in regards to expressing religious opinion in public.

Almost none would declare themselves nonbelievers, like Nick Clegg, nor would their popularity profit from the sort of ‘political correct Christianity’ shamelessly paraded by Tony Bliar or a bit more decently exibited by David Chameleon.

Anyway, disguising their utter indifference to religion is the least of the ‘crimes’ that Romanian leaders could be guilty of.

Even to a greater extent than politicians in Britain – where there is still a class system in place, denying the acces of ordinary mortals to upper steps on the social ladder – Romanian leaders are the mirror image of Romanians.

Irrespective of the centuries old tradition of regarding the rulers of this land as ‘corrupt’ villains who were (and still are) oppressing a ‘virtuos’ nation, it’s simplistic to judge history in these terms.

It’s very likely that most of the 86.7% self-confessed Orthodox Christians in Romania (making up the second most populous Orhodox Church after that of Russia) resemble more the leaders they despise than the Saints whom they are supposed to immitate.

Self-centered (albeit not spared of a great deal of self-loathing), hedonist, vain, envious, lazy, inconsistent, gossipy, unreliable, complaintful, cowardly – this is how many Romanians (including Orthodox believers, including myself!) are.

Above all these, the greatest sin is our hypocrisy – seeing faults only in political leaders and Church hierarchs, yet almost never within ourselves.

There’s a proverb saying that “the fish rots from the head down,” and countless historical examples seem to support this claim. In spite of this, when it comes to disasters that befall entire nations, it would be reckless to believe that the Lord may be arbitrarily punishing ‘virtuos nations’ with undeserved unworthy leaders. 

An often motivated presumption of guilt has been cast upon all political leaders in Romania, and a definitely unmotivated presumption of innocence was bestowed on the ‘ordinary’ citizens.

Herod was no better than most of the Jewish society at the time when the Son of God was born into this world. Nor were most Jews under Ahab and Jezebel, in Elijah’s days.

To the same degree, most Britons may not be better than the successive ‘chamelelons’ in Downing Street 10, while Romanians surely deserve a mischeivous character like president Traian Băsescu is.

A country soaking with the blood of some 20 million aborted children for the past 20 years, cannot expect anything else then a ‘reckoning day’ that will surely come.  

Any nation  wearing this ‘mark of Cain’ (and so is the case with Russia, UK, France or China) has no moral right whatsoever to hope that a ‘providential leader’ could bring ‘providential solutions’; on the contrary, things will keep turning from bad to worse.

The shameless and self-interested daily deeds of political leaders that outrage us, the ‘law abiding citizens’ and ‘good Christians’, only happen to be in the spotlight (thus more visible), yet they are not worse than our personal sins.

Be it true that the sins of rulers in power have farther reaching consequences than the personal sins of each of us, it is the sum of the latter that has thrown Romania (Britain or any other nation for that matter) into the present spiritual abyss.

[For all the episodes of this series, and all the posts on this blog go to/Pentru toate episoadele din această serie şi toate postările de pe acest blog mergi la: Contents/Cuprins]