BABEL IN VILNIUS - Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - Comments

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - ismac76

ismac76 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:02:12 +03:00

Far more peoples and cultures have suffered genocide under the cross of Christ worldwide. Terrible irony, by measure of Christ's own words, clearly never his intent. But it happened. Evangelicals are on missions to convert (and destroy indigenous religions) to this very day. Perhaps if we start banning the standard bearers of death, a little bit of perspective would be useful. The swastika is a world wide symbol that was around in Asia, Africa, N & S America, Australia and Europe long before it was co-opted by the Nazis or Christians. I respect all religions that mind their own business, and human rights in general to those whose beliefs I do not agree with. Genocide happened to the Jews, and most Europeans, Africans, Asians, Indigenous Australians and Indigenous N & S. Americans at the hands of different intolerant phases of Christianity, Islam, Mercantile and other forms of Capitalism and State Communism. Maybe the fact that most of the world is stripped from it's roots and it's connection to the earth is part of the reason the world is so screwed up with hate.

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - neSKAnu

neSKAnu — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:57:48 +02:00

First of all I would like to say that I am incredibly sorry that your relatives received that sort of treatment. I suppose it is only natural that non-whites are looked upon with suspicious eyes here in Lithuania. After all the locals are not used to seeing such people. Just ask my grandmother what she thinks should be done with non-whites... I won't continue, but you can imagine what her suggestions are. Incidentally she has always lived in big cities and is an educated woman... With grandparents like that it's not hard to see why present day Lithuanians act the way they do.

In any case the swastika is an ancient symbol and is not used by Lithuanian nationalists. Furthermore, the swastika the members or Romuva wear points leftward (i.e. counterclockwise) whereas the Nazi swastika points to the right. The leftward swastika is perfectly legal in all countries including Germany and the U.S.A.

Incidentally, Lithuanian Nazis use other ancestral Lithuanian symbols - the cross of Vytis (or more often two intersecting crosses) and the columns of Gediminas. Does this mean that we should ban our national symbols, because Nazis use them?

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:57:48 +02:00

that's all very well, and I know about the Indian connection. But in Lithuania it means that anyone can go and tattoo themselves with a swastika on their nexts, say 'Oh, I'm a member of the Romuva' ...
and then go and make monkey noises to, say, black people, attack them, call them names or laugh at them.

Lithuania is not exactly known for tolerance to those who are different. I know because I live there and my dark-skinned relatives have been thus treated in my presence.

If it were up to me, and especially given the history of Lithuania during WW2 - not a proud moment - I would make the swastika illegal in Lithuania, so-called mythology or not.

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - Indre

Indre — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:38:58 +02:00

According to Jonas Trinkūnas, swastika is an Indian tradition word and a swastika as a symbol is very popular in India. It means fortune, happiness. It was known in all cultures and in very old ones too.

This symbol was very common in Lithuania till Christianity. In Kernave (historical capital of Lithuania) archaeologists have found some rings which had swastikas in their eyes. What did they symbolize? This is a sign of fire and Perkūnas - God of Thunder. Lithuanians worshiped fire and Perkūnas, so this sign is also a symbol of idle religion.

Community of Romuva doesn't use square swastika as it was used by upholders of Hitler. Romuva uses a symbol, which is only similar to swastika. It's intercrossed grass-snakes, which is a symbol of fire. The symbol of Romuva means union of fire and water, which in mythology means life. So the symbol of Romuva should be called a symbol of life and happiness.

Romuva: respect for live tradition in XXIst century - violainvilnius

violainvilnius — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:20:54 +02:00

'In all countries of the world the swastika is a sign of fire, light and happiness'

I'm not sure that this would apply to Israel, or Germany these days.

I would have expected some comment relating to current day use of swastikas.