[RussianConservative]

Oh don't forget utopian and murderous anabaptists, autocratic Calvinists and also England under Protestants and all N. Europe under Lutherins.

[XBob]

200 - basically, protestants are a bottom up religion and catholics/russian orthodox and communists, and muslims are top down religions.

protestants are generally loose organizations of separate congregations who nominate and elect those who guide their religion - hence a history of independence and self reliance.

russian/greek orthodox are very similar to catholic in structure and organization. - Acceptance of dictates from un-elected monarchs/aristocrats/ditators/popes, who appoint the people below them.

this religious acceptance 'legitimizes' aristocrats and dictators, and ruling over 'peasants', so they are much more prone to accept it. As a result, 'freedom' is much less common and not a normal state.

[XBob]

200 - "Oh don't forget utopian and murderous anabaptists, autocratic Calvinists and also England under Protestants and all N. Europe under Lutherins."

That's why many of the original Americans came here, for religious freedom. In Europe, though they protested the Pope and Catholic church and broke away. They soon established their own 'dictatorships', which were often just as supporting of dictatorships and aristocracies, as those they replaced.

They just replaced one group of dictators for others.

Do you have to pay a 'church tax' in Russia, like they do in Germany?