Representatives of the cultural community ask the governor of the Tver region "to prevent slanderous publications and public appearances by Deacon Kuraev in the Tver region"

newspaper Interview of Deacon Andrei Kuraev to the Tverskaya Zhizn , in which he sharply criticized the activities of the Roerichs and connected them with the occult ("... if we often, blindly, breathlessly repeat the names of the Roerichs, and not knowing and not understanding their teachings , this will eventually make the ideas of the occult socially prestigious, respectable and acceptable in the educational system"), prompted a group of representatives of the cultural community to send an open letter to the governor of the Tver region D.V. Zelenin. The authors of the appeal state that "relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roerich movement would certainly not have been so tense if some representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, such as Deacon Andrei Kuraev, had not spread sophisticated slander against the Roerichs' heritage." Members of the public ask the governor of the region not to allow slanderous publications and public speeches by deacon Kuraev in the Tver region. "We quote the text of this document, originally published in the newspaper "Veche Tver" , in full:

"Appeal of the cultural community in connection with the publication of an interview with deacon A. Kuraev in the newspaper Tverskaya Zhizn"

Governor of the Tver Region

D.V. Zelenin

Head of Tver

O.S. Lebedev

To public authorities

Tver and Tver region

general public

In the media of Tver and the Tver region

About the phenomenon of Kuraev, his shamelessness, cynicism and deceit, who just did not write. Academicians, priests, Orthodox publicists, figures of science and culture write... In the entire history of the church, there has never been a similar example where the "lower church rank" could spit on well-known figures of culture and science with such impunity, provoking confrontation between the patriarchate and culture and science, restore against Orthodoxy with their blasphemy, not only many new religions and new spiritual movements, but even traditional religions, professed for thousands of years and established among many peoples over vast expanses.

A. Vladimirov.

In Search of Orthodoxy.

The cultural community is extremely concerned about the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in some cases classifies the humanistic philosophical heritage of the Roerich family, which is of value to world and national culture, as sectarianism, and declares cultural and educational Roerich organizations to be sects.

We know that among sincerely believing Orthodox Christians there are quite a few people who have a benevolent attitude towards the work of the Roerich family. Relations between the ROC and the Roerich movement would certainly not have been so tense if some representatives of the ROC, such as Deacon Andrei Kuraev, had not spread sophisticated slander against the Roerichs' heritage.

Touring around the country and neighboring countries, this infamous theologian erects a wall of lies around great people, whose life and work affirm high moral values, which are so necessary for society in our time.

So, before his speeches in Tver on October 3 of this year, Deacon Kuraev gave an interview to the Tverskaya Zhizn newspaper (No. 178 of September 28, 2005), where he once again slandered our outstanding compatriots.

At the same time, the deacon was true to himself - he did not name a single reliable source to prove his words. And I could not name it, because there are simply no such sources. But there is the dedication of a unique family that has dedicated its life to serving Russia. And evidence of this is the numerous articles, paintings and huge social activities of the Roerich family, aimed at protecting culture.

Kuraev with cynical ease equates Roerich's philosophical heritage, which has a huge cultural potential, and dubious occult practices. Although everyone who is familiar with the works of the Roerich family is well aware that they themselves condemned and criticized these practices. Their philosophical works have nothing to do with extrasensory perception, magic, spiritualism, low gross occultism.

It should be noted that for his accusatory activities A. Kuraev chooses a completely unscientific method of analysis. He considers philosophical systems from the point of view of the dogmas of the Christian religion.

Not only does Kuraev use dishonest methods of conducting controversy in his public speeches (gluing together disparate quotes; distorting the original author's meaning; separating documents from the historical context; playing with semantic intonations and nuances, etc.), he does not hesitate to supplement his fabrications with vulgar humor and anecdotes. An Orthodox priest, a spokesman for the views of the Russian clergy, allows himself statements like "Man is such a beast, he can spoil everywhere", "There is something scandalous in the very essence of Christianity." The Jesus Prayer "Our Father", according to the concepts of the deacon, "a dry enumeration of needs", etc.

The use of bits of heterogeneous information mixed with sophistry and stupid rhetoric, the vulgar expressions that Kuraev uses in his speeches, raise doubts that this person believes in God at all. If Orthodoxy were the way Kuraev represents it, then one could only pity the Orthodox Church and its parishioners.

It is characteristic that Kuraev, being a great lover of arguing, never gets involved in disputes with professional religious scholars or ideologists of other faiths. This is explained simply: all serious opponents of Kuraev note his extreme ignorance, illiteracy even in elementary issues of religious studies, adherence to verbal balancing act, which, of course, does not command respect from professionals.

The question arises: for what purpose does deacon Kuraev deliberately lie, infect the audience with his nihilism and aggression? The answer can be found in his fundamental attitude: only Orthodoxy is true, all other religions and teachings are from the devil, and everyone who does not agree with this is sectarians. Thus, speaking on behalf of the ROC, Kuraev actually deprives people of the opportunity to choose, blocks any attempts to exercise freedom of religion. Of course, this scandalous reputation of Kuraev leads to a natural result: not only individual organizations, but entire cities and even regions refuse to speak to him. Reading his lectures, for example, is prohibited in St. Petersburg and the Kaluga region. In Optina Hermitage, in the Slavyanogorsk Monastery, even the sale of books by this false theologian is prohibited.

Unfortunately, the works of Kuraev are sometimes irresponsibly used by some government officials to assess the philosophical heritage of the Roerich family and the cultural and educational activities of Roerich organizations. Meanwhile, such a world-famous cultural and scientific center as the International Center-Museum named after N.K. Roerich (ICR), has numerous documents and materials that make it possible to refute any slander regarding the life and work of the Roerich family and their philosophical heritage. The scientists of the center can give answers to all questions concerning the creativity of the Roerichs and their works. In addition, the Roerich organization has been working in Tver for many years, which actively cooperates with the ICR, embodies the ideas of the Roerichs in its cultural and educational work and is ready to provide reliable information on the Roerich theme.

We are convinced that ignorant attacks on well-known figures of Russian culture can lead to the destruction of culture as such. The destructive activity of Kuraev, incompatible with Christian principles, contributes to the growth of civil tension in society and can lead to the most unexpected negative consequences.

In connection with all of the above, we appeal to the governor of the Tver region with a demand to take measures in order to prevent further slanderous publications and public speeches of deacon Kuraev in the Tver region.

T.V. Zhitkova, journalist, member of the International Association of Writers and Publicists, Riga

Sh.A. Amonashvili, Doctor of Psychology, Academician, Russian Academy of Education, Head of Laboratory, Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow

L.V. Kudryashova, Doctor of Philosophy, Consultant-Expert of the Permanent Commission on Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports under the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Simferopol

(Total 50 signatures)."

Sources

• Apologetics of common sense. Continuation // Tverskaya life. 2005. September 28.
• Appeal of the cultural community in connection with the publication of an interview with deacon A. Kuraev in the newspaper "Tverskaya Zhizn" // Veche Tver. 2005. October 18.