Petőcz Kálmán (szerk.): National Populism and Slovak - Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006-2009 (Somorja, 2009)
Miroslav Kocúr: For God and Nation: Christian National Populism
Miroslav Kocúr The ambitions of traitors who were willing to collaborate with the pagans were temporarily satisfied as the Lord (i.e. the Highest One) protected his own. The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed in 70 AD and the place of Jewish cult did not exist ever since. Synagogal worship does not have a sacrificial character. Various branches of Judaism have different positions on restoring temple divine services. Numerically, the orthodox branch of Judaism is probably the determining one; however, the external observer finds it difficult to get oriented in the contemporary power ratio of world Judaism. During his public service, Jesus also interacted with authorities of Judaist religious branches as well as with Roman forces of occupation. Only mutual cooperation between the high council and the Roman prefect rendered him unerringly out of the game and onto the cross. The story of resurrection does not compel everyone to pay serious attention anymore. It is the question of ancient Christian tradition and personal conviction; however, Paul the Apostle argued that had the Christ not risen from the dead he would not even have bothered preaching. Thus the social reality began to change against the backdrop of Jesus’s story. The Christians view Jesus’s death as his sacrifice; similarly, congregations at which they celebrate divine services are supposed to commemorate this sacrifice and bring it to mind. Theologians continue to argue about certain interpretations of Masses, Congregations, the Last Supper or other forms of Eucharistic celebrations that are important to individual denominations; however, the determining and the most centralized branch of Christianity is Roman Catholicism. Its doctrinal clarity and compactness has a visible and vocal spokesman in the pope. But non-Catholic Christian denominations recently began to gain the upper hand in South America. In Africa, it differs from one country to another. One thing is for sure, though: the times when Roman Catholics and their kings along with the Pope unflinchingly ruled over the colonies are long gone. ClobAlizATioiN, UiníversaIi'sm ancI CIhrístíaníty All monotheistic religions show a strong tendency to interconnect private and public lives of their followers. That is why it is very desirable to amalgamate religious and social aspects of individuals’ public lives. In this respect, harmonization of social legislation and religious rules seems to be the most viable way. This temptation haunts the Orthodox Rabbinate in Jerusalem, Christian leaders or Muslim politicians. But a modem secular society obviously has a problem with this solution. 234
