Pussy Riot in the sanctuary.
Just about every religious blogger has covered the story already, so what can I say? The women got a stiff sentence, but hey, the Russian Church pardoned them - extending its forgiveness to the women who knew not what they did. The women were protesting Putin and did so in Christ the Savior Cathedral - an action which is sacrilegious to begin with. The courts sentenced them to two years in a penal colony for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred". Tough sentence - but that's Russia. Others around the world face far worse fates than that. Although one blogger warned:
Maybe.Unfortunately the prosecution has not read its history to know that such an extreme reaction to a protest only vindicates and fuels the growth of the movement and ideology, and creates a deeper controversy than what could have been prevented. - Mystagogy
I found a really great quote in the com box of the same blog however - about athiests - real ones I mean:
"Atheism, true 'existential' atheism burning with hatred of a seemingly unjust or unmerciful God, is a spiritual state; it is a real attempt to grapple with the true God Whose ways are so inexplicable even to the most believing of men, and it has been more than once be known to end in an vision of Him Whom the real atheist truly seeks...The Antichrist is not to be found in the deniers, but in the small affirmers, whose Christ is only on the lips."
-Fr. Seraphim Rose
[Yes, Seraphim Rose was a controversial figure - I can't vouch for him. I just think the insight expressed in his quote is quite good.]
One other thing: It looks like it's okay to say 'pussy' now, huh? Get over it Dotty Hinkle.
