Free Pussy Riot

Amos Ch 5: 24 "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream..."

"On the 21st of February 2012, 5 members of the Russian feminist punk rock band 'Pussy Riot' took part in a demonstration as part of the protests against the re-election of Vladimir Putin. The women, all in their twenties, are alleged to have donned neon balaclavas and performed as part of Pussy Riot the song 'Virgin Mary redeem us of Putin' in Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral, criticising the church and Vladimir Putin. This led to the arrest of Nadezhda, Maria and Ekaterina, three alleged members of the band on the 3rd of March and their trial on the 30th July 2012 on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. All three were convicted and sentenced to two years in a penal colony on August 17, 2012"

Responses to the performance of Pussy Riot, and the trial and convictions of Nadezhda, Maria and Ekaterina have been divided and wide-spread. They range from being described as a "bitter blow for the freedom of expression" by Amnesty International, to condemnation from Patriarch Kirill , leader of the Russian Orthodox Church as "blasphemy and sacrilege". Mr Putin was elected for a third term as president in May 2012.

And my response to all of this?  This blog is to sort of outline what and why that is......

On surface value, I could wonder why Pussy Riot has attracted so much support and their convictions so much condemnation. Surely a such a demonstration, firstly in a church, and secondly, with it's lyrics criticising the Russian Orthodox church, and thirdly, by an unashamedly feminist punk rock group, rightly deserves the title of "blasphemy and sacrilege".

But I want to look deeper at this....

 My first question is 'what is this protest really about'? Yes, the venue was in a Cathedral and the lyrics critical of the institution. But Pussy Riot stated that the reasons behind this protest were politically, not religiously motivated.  Looking at the lyrics that were sang, the record was seems to be mainly aimed against the re-election of President Vladimir Putin, who has served as President from 2000 to 2008, as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000, and again from 2008 to 2012. 

Knowing very little about Putin, I decided to do some research. Unfortunately, in regards to human rights, freedom of speech and equality, Putin's record did not come back clean. Since Putin's election in 2000, at least 14 journalists have been murdered because of their work. None of these murders have been solved. Increasingly, political opponents of the state, and more worryingly, ordinary citizens who are  standing up for their rights, are disappearing.  None are ever found; they simply vanish. The situation in Chechnya has attracted international concern, with the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society which collected and distributed information about the human rights situation in Chechnya and other parts of Russia, closing down in October 2006. This closure was justified on the basis that Stanislav Dmitrievskii, the RCFS director, had been found guilty of inciting racial and ethnic enmity. And these are only a few examples. The list of restrictive laws,  murders, harassments of women, human rights abuses, lack of freedom of speech under Putin goes on and on and on.....if I were a member of Pussy Riot, then I would wear a balaclava to mask my identity too....

So the anti-Putin lyrics have credibility. What about the venue? What about the church? I need to go back to the part where Pussy Riot stated that this was a political protest, not religious. A venue as high profile as the Russian Orthodox Church is bound to attract attention on an international scale. Performing such a song in such a place was like spitting right in the face of Putin. Surely one of the aims of protesting is to be heard. For those who you are protesting against, and others around the world who are watching to sit up and take notice, resulting in positive change happening. By choosing the Russian Orthodox church in central Moscow, this was aim was almost certainly going to be fulfilled. 

Finally, what about the lyrics directly criticising the Orthodox church? As a Christian, I am part of the international church, and so that includes the Russian Orthodox church also. But the thing about Pussy Riot's lyrics is that they do not criticise Christianity directly.  They highlight the support by the church's leader, Patriarch Kirill, of Putin and therefore the fact that the church is condoning the repression that is of an increasing scale in Russia. They criticise the corruption of the institution, and call for the ties between the church and the state to cease.  I would not really describe this as "blasphemy", looking at the evidence stacked against Putin and the fact that the Russian Orthodox church continues in it's support of a seemingly one party state. 

So, as a Christian, my response to Pussy Riot.  Let me be clear, I don't agree with all aspects of this protest. I don't agree with the fact that that the performance was  held in the Russian Orthodox church, despite the allegations of corruption within the institution and the fact that Kirill supports Putin. I understand the motivations behind the choice of venue, and as non-followers of Christianity, Pussy Riot would have no qualms about that, but that does not make it any less disrespectful. I think the protest could have been carried out in perhaps more amenable way. I don't even like punk rock music.

But I chose the verse in Amos Ch5v24 for a reason. As Christians we are commanded to stand up against the evil that is in this world. I am to love and actively seek justice just as my Father in heaven loves justice. Just as Jesus loved and gave justice.  Just as he stood up against the wrongs in society, against the corrupt, and injustice. As the church we are Christ's salt and light, the hope on this earth. We are and should be the "righteousness like an ever-flowing stream...". So, my concern is on the bigger issues here; not that I might have been offended by the venue and style of protest but by the more important issues behind the song itself that are bigger than me and my feelings. By the murder, the corruption and the denial of human rights that is so blatantly happening in Russia and that it is not being addressed by the Russian church, by the world, or by me.  And the fact that Pussy Riot is being imprisoned for bringing these injustice's to the world's attention and the countless others who are suffering for the same reasons is not justice is not righteous. The question is now the attention has been given, the spotlight is on, and such crimes are being pushed out into limelight, what will I do. Will I stand against injustice and be righteousness like an ever-flowing stream?

Yes. My response? Free Pussy Riot.