Gorbachev dispels 'closet Christian' rumours; says he is atheist

Sound of Trumpet wrote:

> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1988353/posts
> 
> Former Soviet Leader Admits He is a Christian

<nonsense snipped>

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev made clear this past weekend that 
he is an atheist after European news agencies last week claimed that he 
had confirmed his Christian faith during a visit to the tomb of St 
Francis of Assisi in Italy.

Gorbachev, the last communist leader of the Soviet Union, confronted 
speculations that he had been a closeted Christian during an interview 
with the Russian news agency Interfax.

"Over the last few days some media have been disseminating fantasies – I 
can't use any other word – about my secret Catholicism, citing my visit 
to the Sacro Convento friary, where the remains of St. Francis of Assisi 
lie," Gorbachev said, according to an Interfax article posted Friday.

"To sum up and avoid any misunderstandings, let me say that I have been 
and remain an atheist,” he stated.

Rumours had circulated for decades that Gorbachev was a Christian after 
he moved to loosen restrictions on religious wor****p and expressed to a 
party congress a year before the communist state dissolved that 
“spiritual rebirth is as essential to society as oxygen”, according to 
the Chicago Tribune.

As a result, media agencies had jumped to conclusions when Gorbachev 
visited St Francis’ tomb last Wednesday and was seen kneeling for half 
an hour in silence at the tomb.

But Gorbachev, who was baptised Russian Orthodox as a child, explained 
that his visit to the tomb was as a tourist and not a pilgrim. He 
acknowledged the im****tant role religion plays in society and said he 
looks forward to visiting Orthodox churches in Russia, Catholic and 
Protestant churches in the United States and Europe, synagogues in 
Israel and mosques in the Arab world, according to Interfax.

"But all these years, it has never occurred to anyone to list me among 
followers of any faith on that basis," Gorbachev noted.

Back in Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church seemed unimpressed with 
Gorbachev’s visit to St Francis’ tomb.

"In Italy, he spoke in emotional terms, rather than in terms of faith," 
a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox patriarch Alexei II told the 
Russian media.

"He is still on his way to Christianity. If he arrives, we will welcome 
him."

Christians make up only about 17 to 22 per cent of Russia’s population, 
according to the CIA World Factbook.

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Source:

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/gorbachev.dispels.closet.christian.rumours.says.he.is.atheist/17519.htm

or

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080324/31660_Gorbachev_Dispels_'Closet_Christian'_Rumors;_Says_He_is_Atheist.htm