A conservative picture of the Poles.

Rzeczpospolita (in Polish only) ^ | 24.05.2005

[lizol]

A conservative picture of the Poles.

There is no other nation within European Union, which would be so much attached to religion, so much opposing homosexual couples, and not opposing bringing back death penalty as the Poles.

These are results of public opinion poll conducted among 10.000 people living in 10 largest countries of united Europe by leading public opinion polling agency Sofres.

First diagram:
Should a woman be allowed to have an abortion?

Secong diagram:
Absolute opponents of death penalty

Third diagram:
Religion plays fundamental role in life

[Barney Gumble]

But you referenced "Bohemian lifestyle" which comes from French views of the gypies expelled from Bohemia. You can't use the term "Bohemian lifestyle" to explain why Czechs tend to be unreligious as compared to their northern neighbours.

Poland has the same percentage of people in cities as do the Czechs, so I don't think that is factor either.

[monday]

"Sort of like The Sudan. "Sudan" all along doesn't work."

Actually plain "Sudan" is correct. Another country people often add a 'the' to when it is unnecessary is "Ukraine". The only place names that I am aware of that require a 'the' is The Hague and The Netherlands.

[KMJames]

Cechy (pronounced "chechy"...) as in Cechy Cheese?

[XJarhead]

I think I'm going to report you for abusively bad puns.

[Aquinasfan]

In Poland Catholicism actually has always been a part of national identity. So influence of the Church on Poles' moral views is tremendous.

Polish/Catholic bump!

Poland, Spain Ireland seem to have been the european countries least affected by the so-called Reformation, at least until recently. Only Poland has survived Modernism, and seems to be as strong as ever.

[monday]

"But you referenced "Bohemian lifestyle" which comes from French views of the gypies expelled from Bohemia. You can't use the term "Bohemian lifestyle" to explain why Czechs tend to be unreligious as compared to their northern neighbours."

lol.... I can't? I just did. You are hung up on Bohemian's being Gypsies. Perhaps that was true originally, but I am using a different interpretation. When someone refers to a Bohemian Poet or writer, I don't assume he is a Gypsy, I assume he is a hippie who's favorite writer is Karl Marx. You can reject my definition if you want. I don't care. I was just trying to be helpful.

The truth is I don't know why Czechs are more liberal than Poles, but they most definitely are. I think it may have something to do with historical trends. They were, I believe, a religiously tolerant society during the dark ages when most other European societies were extremely intolerant. Czechs seem to be rather proud of their liberal history.

[Publius6961]

My favorite pole is the south pole.
I like penguins.

[Pomian]

Hahahahah!!! Very funny, very funny,indeed!

Regards
A Pole
(not from the South pole but from the very heart of Europe)

[Pomian]

Only Poland has survived Modernism, and seems to be as strong as ever.


Yep, that's for sure. I think it was no less than John Paul II who prevented us from that evil. Faith is very strong in Poland, while in Czech Rep. unfortunately, churches are empty.

[dfwgator]

Czechland would work for me.

[Polak z Polski]

"I'm surprised the Czechs fared so opposite of the Poles. Culturally they have a lot in common. Both are Slavic predominately Catholic countries (since the counter-reformation) and both had Soviet athiest domination for 45 years. I wonder the cause of the disparity? "


Czechs have never really liked Poles, not that I really care. in 1920, when Poland's back was to the wall, and the Soviet hordes(meant to take over all of Europe) looked to be about to deliver the final annihilating blow to Poland's army, the Czechs attacked poland from the south and took some land, claiming it was rightfully Czech anyways. It came as an unwelcome shock to them as well as to the soviets when Pilsudski routed the Russian armies just outside of Warszawa and drove them back to Russia, retaking large pieces of Polish land. He then took the land the Czech opportunists stole back for Poland.
To this day, Czechs and their supporters call Poles thieves, that Poles stole land from the Czechs, instead of being their allies, and because of that, hitler took Czechoslovakia. These people also blame Poland for Germany invading it in 1939.

Funny, how news groups, like BBC often paint the picture that Czechs were so very brave when facing hitler, even though they surrendered without any fighting, and that Poles were incompetent, almost cowardly, and had only themselves to blame.
Well, if left-wing media groups say this, I know that any smart person will at least be suspicious of their reports.

If most Czechs want to be so leftist, than I am glad they don't like Poles or Poland. Remember, though, that there are many who are good, God-loving people.

[Atlantic Bridge]

To me it is a good and amazing sign that religion plays a fundamental role in 56 % of the German population. Since there are probably only 15 % of the east Germans religious (much valued) it must exist a proportion of roundabout 70 % (!) godly west Germans. Because my home is in the most religious part of Germany, the deep south, I look forward to a crammed and overcrowded church on the feast of Corpus Christi tomorrow. ;-)

Of course we are still no match to the most christian nation in this world - Poland...

BTW - the vast majority of the populace of east Germany is not religious at all. This is a sad fact. Although you can find real and warm Christianity there. Last sunday I attended a church service in a small village (Lommatzsch) near Dresden, since we visited some relatives in that area. Maybe because it was no mass-event I could feel the very special friendlyness and commonness of a fold in the diaspora.

[macel]

Well, there is a link. If you look up in a dictionary "bohema" means artistic community with liberal, eccentric life style opposing existing social etiquette. In Poland in XIXth century we called local bohemians "cyganeria" and "cygan" means gypsy (they were called like that despite there were no gypsies among them).

As for being liberal it's an old tradition in Czechy (remember Jan Hus), funny when you remember they became Chrstians prior to Poland.

[lizol]

Because my home is in the most religious part of Germany, the deep south

So you must have had a real celebration several weeks ago, after the good news from Vatican :-)))

[lizol]

In fact - Christianity came to Poland through Czech missionaries.

[Atlantic Bridge]

Yep!

:-)

[j23]

"How about "Czechovia"?
"Czechistan" seems a little harsh."

The proper name is Bohemia. It is the old, mediaevel-Latin name of that country. Czechistan? Oh, please! What about Englishstan?

[j23]

Being Catholic and in favor of death penalty is a bit of a contradiction, don't you think? I know some people claim that the Catechism of CC allows capital punishment, but it's just bullshit. It allows it in "extreme" circumstances, like war etc. In peace time- no way. (To be clear: I'm Polish, Catholic and against death penalty)

[Vicomte13]

To be Catholic and in favor of the death penalty in certain circumstances is not a contradiction. However, certainly a Catholic who is in favor of the death penalty must take very seriously and consider carefully what the Popes and the theological leaders of the Church have had to say. The onus of justification of the death penalty, for a Catholic, lies upon him, and he must shape his arguments carefully and respectfully in light of what the Church teaches. The presumption is against the death penalty, and a Catholic who wishes to argue in favor of the death penalty must carefully limit the circumstances and conditions, and not simply ignore the presumption and push back that the death penalty is good, period. To do so is to be defiant of the spiritual authority of the Church.

[j23]

"a Catholic who is in favor of the death penalty must take very seriously and consider carefully what the Popes and the theological leaders of the Church have had to say"

Certainly, but what Catechism says is binding for a Catholic, and what it says about death penalty is very clear to my mind:

--- CC 2267 "Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically non-existent."-----


Now, interesting question is this: are all Catholics who favour death penalty heretics? And is their salvation in peril? I don't know the answer. I think I'll have to deepen my theological knowledge. You are allowed to disagree with the Church on various questions (like war in Irag, Pope was against it, I was for it - no problem), but are you allowed to disagree with the opinions stated in Catechism?