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15 April 2011, 13:44Russian Church opposes Crescent appearing on Russian state emblem
Moscow, April 15, Interfax - The Moscow Patriarchate opposes the idea of changing the Russian state emblem.
"The Russian state emblem has a history of many centuries and it has stood the test of time. It has not been supplanted by Soviet symbols, which are falling into oblivion at an enormous speed, while the symbols, historically justified, are again finding their due place in Russia's life," Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations, told Interfax-Religion on Friday.
"It would be unfair to revise this symbol from the point of view of Russia's historical heritage, the more so since the Muslim symbols - the Crescent, for instance - could be very well used in the regional emblems in the predominantly Muslim regions - there are such regions in this country," he said.
Father Vsevolod was commenting on head of Russia's Muslim Board Talgat Tajuddin's interview. "We are only asking to crown one head of the double-headed eagle on the state emblem with the Crescent and the other with the Orthodox Cross. And let the Cross and the Crescent be capped by the crown in the middle," Tajuddin said.
The Mufti backed polygamy, saying, "Some are putting this Koran principle into life already, marrying two, three, or four women." "Four lawfully-wedded wives are better than 40 mistresses. Russian men have 40 mistresses, each," he said.
Father Vsevolod said in this connection that he profoundly respects Mufti Tajuddin and the Russian Muslim community.
"However, Orthodox Christians have always cherished the union between one man and one woman as their marriage ideal. This is the choice the religious majority has made in our society. This choice must always be kept in mind, for all respect for traditional exceptions," he said.
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