“I am Russian, I am Orthodox”

The case is private and secular, but interesting and, like everything in our time, leading to generalizations and heights of spirituality.

The Ryazan construction company advertised its new building in a non-trivial way. Come to the sales office and say the code... no, not a code phrase, but a motto! “I am Russian, I am Orthodox”! And get a discount.

The FAS recognized the advertisement as incorrect and illegal, saying that it contrasted people of different faiths and different nationalities.

Deacon Kuraev was indignant in response to this. He wrote that a private company can give discounts to whomever it wants (which is true), that Jewish organizations often help only Jews (which is also true), and gave several fantastic everyday examples such as a grandmother giving a discount on radishes at the market to a nice buyer, and a citizen who does not want to rent out an apartment to Tajiks in order to avoid it (the apartment) being “rubberized” (Kuraev’s examples are unsuccessful).

The main message of both the Ryazan builders and the Moscow clergyman is clear. It is, in fact, contained in the advertising slogan-password: I am Russian, I am Orthodox. Like: why is it possible for others, but not for Russians? But implicitly it’s even simpler: Russians can do it, but others can’t. Because we are Russians, we are Orthodox.

I myself am a man, albeit with a now hostile Ukrainian admixture, but Russian. Although without any impurities, alas, it is not very Orthodox. Although he treats Orthodoxy with respect - as well as other religions and believers, along with their feelings. However, let’s not lump together construction, radishes, Tajiks and “rubber apartments” with Jewish organizations in addition. Discounts and discounts, but there are things that are unacceptable in public space. Namely: any division of people on religious or national grounds. Whether we are talking about providing someone with preferences or, conversely, not providing them.

You can help fellow believers, but through religious associations. Develop the culture of your people through cultural centers. But if a representative of another nation wants to study your culture, will you refuse him? This would be pure discrimination based on nationality. As well as discounts for Russians or extra charges for non-Russians.

Discounts as such are truly a private matter of the company. But the criterion of nationality or faith when providing discounts is no longer a private matter, because the company lives by the laws of the state and conducts business according to the same laws, and not according to its own whims.

Yes, at the everyday level I may not rent out an apartment to Tajiks. Just don't give up, that's all. These will be the costs of my internal prejudices and fears. But if I put up an advertisement for renting an apartment with the words “I don’t rent to Tajiks,” this, in my opinion, is already illegal. And it doesn’t matter that such advertisements are nevertheless placed everywhere. The level of denseness of our people is such that we do not see anything wrong with it. But at the level of not just individuals, but organizations, the state is definitely obliged to monitor this closely.

Not only for those who are “Russian and Orthodox,” but also for those who advertise services only for Muslims, or Jews, or anyone else. After all, if now someone is allowed to use nationality and faith as a password, then tomorrow someone will use “beat the Jews” or “fuck the Caucasus, fuck” as a password - and will also receive a discount on the apartment.

And I wanted to say one more thing. This is what both the Ryazan construction company itself and deacon Andrei Kuraev believe: what percentage of those who come for a discount with the words “I am Russian, I am Orthodox” will really be both? And what percentage will be not so much Russian as dexterous, not so much Orthodox as resourceful? Who will be driven by the sole desire to get something for free.

Photo ITAR-TASS/Anton Butsenko