Thread: Политические дискуссии на разные темы (оф-топик от темы "The crisis in Syria")

Originally Posted by Hanna

That's disgusting if it's true. He claims to be a Christian as well. Maybe he should pick up his Bible and take a look at the ten commandments for starters! And while I'm at it; the rest of the people in Russia might want to read the bit where Jesus tells people to actually pay their taxes. ("Render unto Ceasar...")
Rather than stealing from their own country and moving the money abroad. Serves them right to have lost money in Cyprus in that case!

Moscow looks so affluent on TV though! Seems you can have a very glamorous lifestyle in Russia nowadays, so why are they looking abroad? Looking at news shots from there, people look more glamorous than any capital city in Western Europe. Or maybe they just shoot the nice parts and the good looking people (?!)

However -- I live in a very affluent part of South West London, and there are definitely some extremely wealth Russians living here. No idea what they might be doing in London. The women seem very materialistic and superficial and they stand out because they dress much better than anyone. Not a lot of people, but a few. You need to be extremely rich to rent or own a house here (I just rent a small flat right now). There is a small Russian nursery school.

And like you say, a lot of Russian people send their children to boarding school in the UK. There was a long article in the paper about it recently. (silly, pretentious and not necessary - I pity the kids. It's an illusion and it gives people a very skewed worldview. Plus, it's much better for children to live with their families. I know what I'm talking about in this respect)

Sounds a lot like the way America's most wealthy people live. They are in a world completely separate from the majority of us who can barely scrape together enough money to pay our mortgages, keep the electricity running, and feed and clothe our children.

It seems to be a human condition that wealthy people like to FLAUNT their wealth rather than help their neighbors. And while I certainly agree with the sentiment of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" - unfortunately, at least here in America, it is the Christians who tend to be the biggest opponents of paying their fair share! They are the judgmental ones who live high on the hog and show off their mansions and fine clothing, while judging those who have not been as fortunate and doing everything in their vast power to take away the few scraps and social nets the poor have to cling to. And then they have the audacity to claim that taxes which pay for social services are a form of "robbery." Their motto seems to be "I got mine, screw you."

The wealthiest Russians made their millions during the 1990's by buying up all the factories and state-run stores and then investing their profits to make even more, while neglecting to help those who were starving and dying during the economic crisis. And where did they have the money to invest in the first place, I often wonder...

Originally Posted by Deborski

Sounds a lot like the way America's most wealthy people live. They are in a world completely separate from the majority of us who can barely scrape together enough money to pay our mortgages, keep the electricity running, and feed and clothe our children.

It seems to be a human condition that wealthy people like to FLAUNT their wealth rather than help their neighbors. And while I certainly agree with the sentiment of "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" - unfortunately, at least here in America, it is the Christians who tend to be the biggest opponents of paying their fair share! They are the judgmental ones who live high on the hog and show off their mansions and fine clothing, while judging those who have not been as fortunate and doing everything in their vast power to take away the few scraps and social nets the poor have to cling to. And then they have the audacity to claim that taxes which pay for social services are a form of "robbery." Their motto seems to be "I got mine, screw you."

The wealthiest Russians made their millions during the 1990's by buying up all the factories and state-run stores and then investing their profits to make even more, while neglecting to help those who were starving and dying during the economic crisis. And where did they have the money to invest in the first place, I often wonder...

Yeah exactly. What these Russians and some Americans are forgetting though, is that it's a bit tacky to flaunt your wealth too much if you have it. It's much more stylish to be understated about it. "Noblesse oblige" and all that. I'm not saying that I think old money is somehow better than new - I don't like uber rich people either way. But it's particularly bad if they rub it in other people's faces and are vulgar about it.

As for American Christians (the right wing people) I think they are nuts -- they mix up their politics with religion, and they don't even get it right. Where in the bible does it say that people should carry weapons and go bankrupt if they get sick?
It's obvious from the gospels that Jesus, while not a revolutionary or political activist, was in favour of social equality, inclusion and helping the poor. Acts and Paul's letters are really clear that the disciples as well as the early church were practically living in communes with no private possessions; sharing their incomes between them. Sometimes I wonder whether these right wing Christians in the USA are reading some other bible than me. I don't know where they get their crazy ideas from. They are living in a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah spreading it's values by every means available force across the world since WW2. Serving Mammon... and at the same time pointing fingers at Russia, the EU and demonising Moslems. And for people so keen on seeing the Apocalypse/Armageddon just around the corner, I'd be VERY careful to start any new wars in the the Middle East, rather than cheering them on and many of these Christians seem to be doing. [end rant]

sorry I'm being a horrible today, I have a headache and I have served Mammon all day today myself...... And it's giving me a very hard time.