Russia's "Pussy Riot" On Trial for Cathedral Protest

Reuters.com

(Reuters) - Three women who protested against Vladimir Putin in a "punk prayer" on the altar of Russia's main cathedral went on trial on Monday in a case seen as a test of the longtime leader's treatment of dissent during a new presidential term. The women from the band "Pussy Riot" face up to seven years in prison for an unsanctioned performance in February in which they entered Moscow's Christ the Savior Cathedral, ascended the altar and called on the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out!"

Why would they do this?

The stunt was designed to highlight the close relationship between the dominant Russian Orthodox Church and former KGB officer Putin, then prime minister, whose campaign to return to the presidency in a March election was backed clearly, if informally, by the leader of the church, Patriarch Kirill.

I think they did a great thing. It takes a lot of guts as a Russian Citizen to stand up to their government and call attention to the corruption within.

I feel that we see a lot of the same thing going on here in the United States with our elections. If only more of our citizens would do the same and take a stand like this, more attention could be brought to the wrongs that occur in our political system.

Not exactly what I had hoped for.....
But still a good thread!

reply to post by mikemck1976


The women in question...I am thinking must have realized going in; that they may do prison time...and yet they proceeded with their protest anyway..this is where I think they are foolish.

I applaud them for standing up for what they believe in; but I do think they should have legally planned their event; instead of going down the illegal road that they chose.

The only 'sacrilege' that was done was the Orthordox Church's bootlicking to the dictator Putin.

What had that rock group done? Did they hurt or harm anyone?

Heck!, they even profess enough faith to encourage praying to Mary, to end the enslavement that they, russian citizens themselves, had felt Putin is putting around their necks.

And the Orthordox Church condemns them????!!!!

It is expected that Putin, the senile old fool and ancient relic of a long past cold war era, a kneeling student worshiper of the mass murderer devil Stalin and his methods, would had prefer slaughtering those rockers, but the Church - an agency of love, mercy of compassion, to do and expect the same if not more than the old fossil Putin?

This Russian Church had brought great shame to EVERY christian on Earth. But that's common nowadays, as we see how far MANY churches, though not ALL, of all denomination had slavered for wealth, power and greed at the expense of the common man. They had became the Pharisees and Sadducees of the jews in the time of our Messiah's presence.......

reply to post by caladonea

yet they proceeded with their protest anyway..this is where I think they are foolish.

I forgot, Civil disobedience has become civil Obedience...

Imagine if the Civil rights leaders in the 60's had your same views.

reply to post by mikemck1976


I watched a short documentary on this band somewhere. I kinda fell in love with Nadezhda Tolokonnikova.

They video all their stunts so you can see the people freaking out when they start performing in the church and you can see them locked up later.
Video: LINK

reply to post by GuidedKill


No, it probably wasn't what you expected, I have to say it wasn't what I expected when I read the headline ether. But that's besides the point.

After I read the article, I realized that they are a group of gals with some guts that wasn't afraid to take a stand for what they believed even with the threat of facing time in a Russian Prison. I find very few here that would be willing to do the same.

reply to post by GogoVicMorrow


Thanks for the link.
It was very informative little documentary.
Here's the corrected link.

telegra ph.co.uk

For those who don't know, this is Pussy Riot....



This is the song they did in the church...

(Chorus)
St. Maria, Virgin, Drive away Putin
Drive away! Drive away Putin!
(end chorus)

Black robe, golden epaulettes
All parishioners are crawling and bowing
The ghost of freedom is in heaven
Gay pride sent to Siberia in chains

The head of the KGB is their chief saint
Leads protesters to prison under escort
In order not to offend the Holy Women have to give birth and to love
Holy sh**, sh**, Lord's sh**! Holy sh**, sh**, Lord's sh**!

(Chorus)
St. Maria, Virgin, become a feminist
Become a feminist, Become a feminist
(end chorus)

Church praises the rotten dictators
The cross-bearer procession of black limousines
In school you are going to meet with a teacher-preacher
Go to class - bring him money!
Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin
Bitch, you better believed in God
Belt of the Virgin is no substitute for mass-meetings
In protest of our Ever-Virgin Mary!

(Chorus)
St. Maria, Virgin, Drive away Putin
Drive away! Drive away Putin!
(end chorus)

Very misleading......

Originally posted by dayve
Very misleading......

No it's not. It's the name of the band. Most Russian punk rockers can't stand living in a communist state. The ones who enjoy the socialism are fascists, literally. The fascist party has a sizable following within the Rodina.

Methinks some of you boys had minds in the gutter. It's understandable! I just knew it was a bands name!

Originally posted by benrl
reply to post by caladonea

 

yet they proceeded with their protest anyway..this is where I think they are foolish.

I forgot, Civil disobedience has become civil Obedience...

Imagine if the Civil rights leaders in the 60's had your same views.

I am for protests...as long as they are planned legally. Why?...because then the people involved can continue to get their message out there...and continue to help change things...instead of being locked up in jail.

You don't agree with me...so be it.

reply to post by caladonea


I am not so sure there is such a thing as legal protest in Russia... Certainly not when it was the Soviet Union.

People tend to forget that Stalin killed more Russians, his own people, than Hitler did during the entirety of the Hollocaust. I'm not trying to negate the Hollocaust in any way AT ALL. But it's important to remember the history of democide and injustice Russian governments have laid to their own.

I have a feeling protesting in an Orthodox church is even worse... All in all a pretty dumb move on their part, even though I admire them for doing it still.

reply to post by caladonea

I am for protests...as long as they are planned legally. Why?...because then the people involved can continue to get their message out there...and continue to help change things...instead of being locked up in jail. You don't agree with me...so be it.

Many would, including Gandhi

Civil disobedience presupposes willing obedience of our self-imposed rules, and without it civil disobedience would be cruel joke.

The whole purpose is to put aside your adherence to law...

reply to post by W3RLIED2


How can you protest when you don't have the right to do so?

Pussy Riot is doing what it takes to get their message out in a country that makes it hard for anyone to have any message heard, unless it's something that their government wants you to hear.

I think it's sad we are heading the same way.

Go get'm girls!

reply to post by mikemck1976


Which is the reason why I admire them for doing this.

Perhaps the girls singing was ...bad?

I mean..I have heard of lousy singers, but I most certainly had not seen anyone being threatened or thrown into jail FOR 7 YEARS!!! let alone get tossed into the slammer for 5 months as they girls had been!

Admittedly, some of the lyrics were rather coarse, and the pious might find it distasteful, but heck! since when had the orthodox, or ANY church lock up humans for coarse lingo?

Furthermore, being christians, aren't we all suppose to excercise patience, and to show ourselves as better moral forces of good by being examples, rather than come down hard with an iron fist on others as the ancient repressive catholic church had done in the past and sent many humans to the burning stake, many whom were even innocent?

Have we christians learnt nothing at all?

No. That's not fair. I know of many better christians worldwide. It's just that the bootlicking russian orthodox clergy pretenders that had learnt nothing. Nothing at all, except how to grovel, kneel and pander to prince and principalities of our mortal world, slaughter the sheeps instead of protecting and guiding them.

It also goes to show that in Russia under Putin, there is no sanctuary even within the hallowed sacred grounds of the Church, nor defended by supposed 'christians', even if one speaks the truth there.

Good on them.

They have the time and will gain the following reagrdless of the outcome.

Siting back and doing nothing is the reason the world is heading down the toilet.

Russian prosecutor demands 3 year jail terms for Pussy Riot

A Russian state prosecutor asked a Moscow court on Tuesday to impose three-year jail sentences on three women from the Pussy Riot punk band who performed a "punk prayer" in a church.

"The actions of the accomplices clearly show religious hatred and enmity," state prosecutor Alexei Nikiforov said in closing arguments. "Using swear words in a church is an abuse of God.

1. Using swear words in a church is most definately not right, but NOT an unforgivable sin in a congregation if that congregation is made up of TRUE Christians whom are taught and capable of compassion, love and mercy. That song may had been badly sung, but nevertheless still a prayer, and had hurt or harm no one.

Would our common Creator whom loved us all, care about mere words or care more for the life of his creations?

Furthermore, that prayer was made in desperation, for there was no other avenue for them to express their plight under the current regime in Putin's Russia.


2 May those commie atheist not use religion as and when they like to prosecute honest humans. The repression of the dark ages by the past Catholic Church ARE OVER. Have we this generation learnt nothing?


3. Best that commie atheist bootlicker prosecutor specify WHICH god had been abused - our common Creator or Putin the dictator.

Same for the foolish sunni hamas, radical Islamists posing as the long dead Al Queda, the retarded Taliban brigands and the devious pro-Iranian crowd here, whom had recieved funding by the arab states destabilizer Persian apostate leader, ask themselves - which god had they been fighting and dying for - Allah or the apostate god-on-earth wannabe with deluded dominion over life and death,Khameni.