Rasputin

[jckstraw72]

Hey ya'll, I'm currently reading Nicholas and Alexandra and I was just wondering what ya'll think about Rasputin. The most common story is that he was an immoral man in a condemned sect, but there are others who say that his bad press was either made up or falsely inflated. aaaand discuss.

 

[katherine2001]

Unfortunately, I don't believe it was bad press. I think there is pretty good evidence that he was part of a heretical sect.

 

[Protoevangel]

All I know is what I've read. Most of what I've read speaks to his immoral lifestyle, although I have read stories suggesting that his orgies were staged by a double, and that he was smeared by Freemasons and/or Jews. The "conspiracy theories" sound a bit contrived, beyond that, I'd rather not speculate.

 

[ArmyMatt]

all I have heard was that he was immoral, but I also know that the media can hype stuff, so I dunno

 

[tekiahteruah]

Just an interesting counter-point to Protoevangel's comment about "freemasons and Jews" conspiring against Rasputin (I know Protoevangel wasn't endorsing it, but there are people in the world who do think like that), there is actually a theory I have heard that Rasputin was smeared by the established aristocracy precisely for his association with poor people and Jews (allegedly he supported giving civil rights to Jews at a time when Russia was fiercely anti-semitic both legally and in practice), and his having influenced Nicholas and Alexandra along these lines.

Rasputin Is In - TIME
The New Study - Alexander Palace Time Machine

I'd say that people who blame his bad reputation (as well as everything else in the world) on "freemasons and Jews" are clearly nostalgic reactionaries who think that maintaining none of the creativity, humility, and beauty of 19th century Russia and preserving all of its mundane, obscene prejudices is the way to make the Orthodox world the most Orthodox.

 

[ikonographics]

So we're going to gossip about someone who isn't here to tell his side of the story?

 

[gzt]

Some of the bad stuff is probably true, some of it is probably false. We probably shouldn't hold him up as an examplar of the faith, but I don't think it's wise to dwell too much on the question of, "JUST HOW EVIL WAS HE?!?!??"

 

[buzuxi02]

The doings of Rasputin has been well documented by the Romanovs own security detail. He was a hopeless drunk who had orgies with both men and women. He also abused prostitutes and was prone to taking bribes. And what many dont know is that he was married so he was no monk!

 

[AureateDawn]

I think this sums him up pretty well... and in a catchy tune, too!

YouTube - boney m-rasputin

 

[ikonographics]

Justin , the Russian Queen in question happens to be a SAINT in the Orthodox Church.

BTW, would you either remove your avatar or the Orthodox icon. The two are not mutually compatible.

 

[AureateDawn]

The queen is a saint? ; I had no idea!! D: Oops! (Though the song is still rather amusing, yes? )

 

[Andrew21091]

The queen is a saint? ; I had no idea!! D: Oops! (Though the song is still rather amusing, yes? )

Yes she is a Saint along with St. Tsar Nicholas II and their children. The Russian Church Abroad canonized them as martyrs. The Moscow Patriarchate later canonized them as passion-bearers coming to the decision that their murder wasn't directly for the faith but they died in a Christ like way, with humility and no resistance.

http://www.holy-transfiguration.org/library_en/royal_child.html

 

[ArmyMatt]

yeah I think they were canonized in 2000.

 

[Andrew21091]

yeah I think they were canonized in 2000.

They were canonized in 1981 by the Russian Church Outside Russia and by the Moscow Patriarchate in 2000.