Orthodox Stalinism, or, Conservatism and Religion

Stalin was a vehement atheist who oppressed the Russian church. So why is the resurgent church of contemporary Russia full of priests who like to praise Stalin? Steve Gutterman at an Orthodox conference, for Reuters:

One speaker said Stalin restored national pride, another said he laid the groundwork for a great Russian future, and a third said the nation must be grateful to Stalin for the "sacred victory" over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

"Stalin was no saint, but he was not a monster," said Russian Orthodox priest Alexander Shumsky, accusing Stalin's critics of exaggerating the scale of his crimes. He described assertions that Stalin had been in complete control a myth created by liberals and said the former leader had wanted to stop the process of repression.

This little story tells you all you need to know about why religious conservatives and authoritarians are found on the same side of most political divides. Both revere authority and majesty; both are predisposed to admire strength; both make excuses for the suffering of little people under the reigns of their leaders (God, Stalin); both love rules and hate rule-breakers; both have a tendency to create little gods out of institutions like the church, the nation, or the state. (The last pope liked to lecture about the idolatry of nationalism, but nobody was listening.)