Irén Rab: Devil in black

This word structure was included in a hate comment, which was hurled at the evangelical pastor who was conducting the closing service by the embittered German believers. True to tradition, their church invited them for the 38th time this June to get together, talk, and discuss world affairs from the point of view of religious morality. However, the tradition is no longer what it was started in 1949 in the name of purification. The German Lutheran Church has re-entered the field of politics for quite some time. The majority of pastors do not preach the word of God from the pulpit, but rather bombard their followers with current political issues. Those who are looking for reassurance and peace of mind in religion are increasingly rarely found in the church.

The motto of this year's Protestant church festival is from Mark's Gospel, 1.15. section: The time is fulfilled. De Maiziere, a trusted minister in Angela Merkel's government, was asked to be the main patron. During his ministry of the interior, there was a great wave of migration, at that time he smoked a lot, his face was parchment-colored, and his fingers were yellow from nicotine. I wouldn't have given two pennies that he would have a long life. But de Maiziere has been reborn since he got out of daily politics, athletic, tanned and supremely confident. It is also thanks to him that all political potentates were invited to the five-day church celebration, with the tempting promise of personal conversations. The head of state, the chancellor, the main members of the current government, greens and reds, and even the party president of the opposition CDU and its former presidents (except Mrs. Merkel) all appeared.

Only the AfD had no children, despite the official request, they were not allowed even a tiny information stand, even though the party has a church wing. Civil society organizations, climate-concerned Friday for Future representatives, Letzte Generation activists sticking themselves to asphalt and everything else, and NGOs helping uncontrolled migration could come in their place.

Gypsies were represented by a photo exhibition, Ukrainians by musicians from the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra, and self-revealing conversations about violence against women. There was also talk of the war, because, despite all reservations, the church has a dogged obligation to support the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. The "hybrid church" offered about a thousand different programs, theater performances, pop concerts in all genres, podium discussions, games, cultural events. Of course, there were also Bible circles and services.

The highlight of the event was the closing service, on Sunday morning in the June light, on the main square of Nuremberg. Eighteen thousand or so people attended, and when the camera panned through the crowd, only the sunglasses gleamed black. On the podium of the ceremony, the participating musicians, the choir and the two priests all looked pure German. I do not dare to use the term altar, just as what was said there in this hour as a glorification of God is also foreign to me. The performance character of the service was reinforced by the fact that the conductor blew giant soap bubbles while conducting, girls danced in front of the rainbow-colored altar cloth, just like in a gospel. Nowhere is the strictness and moral standards of religion, nor the traditional liturgy.

The devil in black appeared in the middle of the ceremony, and he was chosen to deliver the sermon.

He reminded me of Jimi Hendrix, although his thick black hair ended not in coils, but in parting curls shaped into a point. The pastor of a church in northern Germany, Quinton Caesar, who in one person embodied everything that this year's festival of the Lutheran Church was about: African, i.e. black and at the same time a migrant in this country, admittedly an activist of the last generation and after speaking on behalf of gender diversity, apparently in that is also involved in the issue. He is a self-described Pastor-Gangsta-Rapper.

The sermon was not long, only twelve minutes. Some of the statements of those present (I dare not say believers) were received with applause and cheers.

They especially liked the part that everyone highlights today, namely that God is queer. It's just plain blasphemy, though it's certainly more from the mouth of a pastor.

His other messages were at least as alarming to me. "Jesus loves us equally," said Reverend Caesar, "he doesn't care about gender, skin color or anything else." Jesus' love sets me free. But let's face the truth: you preach about love that conquers all and meanwhile you discriminate against me and my brothers because of our origin, skin color, any disadvantage, or our gender identity! But we are the church, me and my brothers, and we don't need neighborly love!

We don't trust your love, we don't feel safe in your church. It is time to say that we are the church!

We are the church and we are the last generation. It's time to say that black lives always matter, it's time to say that God is queer, and that we send a ship and take people in, help those who seek refuge. Jesus, who was himself a refugee, an asylum seeker, open your hearts, open your borders. God always stands by those who need help, those who are not noticed, heard or named."

A green creed was spoken at the closing service: praise of the climate, BLM and gender diversity. There were those who were not enthusiastic after hearing this incendiary-sounding political speech. They stood stunned or sat at home in front of the TV screen because the public service TV broadcast the entire service live. The sky didn't fall on Nuremberg's main square, the patron-general thanked him, and the press couldn't keep silent about what happened.

Who are you and who are we? Who is lying and who is honest? Why is this division in the church, between people? Why do only black lives matter? What was Reverend Quinton Caesar's purpose with this speech?

"Everyone gives God the attributes they want, God is what the individual thinks he is"

said his superior in Caesar's defense. He himself has now withdrawn a little from the public, because he is being insulted a lot. He should bear it a bit if he has advanced to become a political public figure with his sensitive soul. And to understand those who leave the church because of him. At least that's what most of the "hateful" comments are about.

We do not yet know the current withdrawal statistics, but German official statistics clearly show a decrease in the number of believers. However, leaving the church is quite a process, you have to swear in front of an official (precisely at the registry office) that you are leaving your church and there is no going back. Nonetheless

In 2022, 380,000 believers left the Lutheran Church, and more than half a million left the Catholic Church.

Both are record numbers, and it is not only a financial consideration, but rather the trust in the churches that is behind it. The number of baptisms and confirmations also decreased significantly.

According to the Eurobarometer's 2010 research, only 44 percent of Germans believe in some deity, a quarter in spiritual forces that control life (for example, in voodoo or the Rosicrucians), and 27 percent (that's 22 million people!) in none of them, they are simply unbelievers.

From the data of the German Statista, it can be seen that the number of Catholic believers has decreased by six million in the last twenty years, and that of Lutherans by six million in ten (!) years. Churches are being closed, five and a half percent of the current twenty million Catholics go to church regularly.

If the trend continues, the next twenty to thirty years will be enough for the Christian churches to pull down the curtain,

because if there are no believers, there is no donation, no church tax, from which they can grow. (And just in parentheses about the increase in the number of Muslims, which increased from three million to five and a half in the last twenty years.)

But Quinton Caesar's false prophets will always find an audience.

Let us listen to our common sense and read the appropriate passage from the Gospel of Mark: The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is near, Repent and believe in the good news of salvation.

Author: historian Irén Rab

Source: Magyar Hírlap

Cover image and photos: evangelikus.hu