The recent censorship incident against Kostas Gavras’ short film, comes to put on the map a series of “unacceptable and sad” conclusions (these are Gavras’ words on the incident) , concerning not only the current state of our culture, but also the tolerance of us and our policies towards the medieval practices of the hypocritical men of the cloth.
The most important issue is the tolerance towards such incidents, displayed by us and, by implication, by our state. It only allows our “rulers” to distance themselves from their responsibilities. Two individuals (Minister of Culture, Mr. K. Samaras (who was recently elected head of the opposition party), and the President of the Acropolis Museum, Mr. Pantermalis) against all reason decided to conceal the truth about the destruction of one of the most important monuments of human civilization. Two people decided to directly censor the work of a world-famous Greek film director. If we don’t consider this course of action to be directly against Greek interests, then the meaning of patriotism eludes us. And yet, this incident took place during a period [in which] the Government struggles to display a patriotic profile. The conclusion is inescapable: either the state is governed by irrationality, or by illiterate, ignorantistic people of the Church. Maybe both!
Another conclusion is that our political status quo is one of absolute depreciation. The one and only political reaction came from Mrs. Damanaki, member of PASOK (Greek Socialist Party). Unfortunately, instead of directly criticizing the Church, she opted for a typical, political criticism of Mr. Samaras. Underestimating yet again the intelligence of the electorate, and considering Mr. Venizelos’ capers (during the Outlook 2003 Exhibition, when as Minister of Culture, removed a painting Christians found offensive) more or less “water under the bridge”, Mrs. Damanaki returned to her “socialist” conscience, after her stiff rhetoric. Meanwhile, the Greek Left are concerned more about their summer vacations, rather than the petty censoring of an unknown director’s film about an unimportant, little monument.
What is obvious but not less important, is the continuous tolerance of the Greek society towards the Church’s rigorous efforts to conceal historical facts and truths. Does the Church react to the teaching of Evolution by Natural Selection in schools? Let not the children know nothing about the most important achievement in Biology. Does the Church react to historical facts? Let’s try to conceal the truths that are , accidentally, connected to the history of the ancient Greek civilization. Scientific achievements, historical facts, truths, are all blatantly pushed under the rag, under the impervious eye of a religion-doped flock.
This flock donates to churches, keeps practicing Christian voodoo, obsolete rituals, idolatrous practices, the adoration of rotten carcasses and all sorts of metaphysical frenzies. The same flock conveniently prefers to remain silent, indifferent to the dark aged clique that goes on controlling and directly effecting the Greek secular state of the 21st century. The voices of reason and democracy emerge only when a booming embarrassment takes place – such as the one mentioned above. Beyond that, the church and the state continue with their harmonious cooperation, prolonging discriminations, censorships and conveniently keeping the society in the a state of illiteracy.
Lies and irrationality are dominant as social characteristics, so nobody cares that an “insulted” Church rants about Mr. Gavras’ “unacceptable” short film, all the while printing comic strips (such as the one following) to “train” the Greek youth about the relationship between Christianity and ancient Greek civilization.
How St. Nicolas destroyed the temple of Artemis in Ephesus,
according to Orthodox legend.
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