Just a quick historical note, since today is Reformation day (national holiday), which means that save a tsunami on the river Ljubljanica, a collapse of the government or similar natural disaster… I ain’t doin’ notin’ but chillin’ 😉
Lev Kreft, the man who gave Protestants their holiday
Reformation day was created in memory of Slovene protestants in 1500s, most notably Primož Trubar, who wrote the first ever book in Slovene (he also wrote the second ever book in Slovene). But Slovenia almost forgot this great man and the only indigineous religion of this land. It was up to the man in the picture, Lev Kreft of Social Democrats who – when the parliament was just about to pass the Law on National Holidays, to stand up and note that there is a shitload of Catholic holidays but not a single Protestant one. This was passed and thus, ever since the mid-90s, 31 October is known as Reformation Day.
Funny thing is, that Mr. Kreft is of Jewish faith and it was up to him to stand up for the Protestants. Obivously, noone thought of returning the favour.
Thanks for this bit of history!
Well, how many Protestants are there in Slovenia, anyway? Most of us come from Prekmurje and grew up with questions like “Really? You’re, like, not Christian at all?” 🙂
Well perhaps not that many… however, it’s not quantity but rather quality that matters, right? Some of the most notable figures in Slovenian history sprung from your community. One might say they were the original promoters of relaxed attitude, if you catch my drift. Humm, wonder what JJ’d say to that in reference to MK 😉
PS: as for numbers, the official data per the latest Slovenian census is as follows:
Roman Catholics: 57.8%
Muslims: 2.4%
Orthodox: 2.3%
Evangelican: 0.8%
(w/ Muslims being almost 100% Bosnian and Orthodox being almost 100% Serbian)
It is a funny feeling to live in a country where Protestants are a majority 🙂 Which doesn’t mean I have a holiday today, mind you. Baden-Württ. is officially a Catholic Bundesstaat, so the Protestants here do one thing they really can: work. :-).
Not “we”: I
havestopped going to church years ago and I am also not a Protestant anymore, because I declared myself an Atheist. I thought mine (ours) was a unique case, but did find out soon it wasn’t: there must be great numbers of Protestants who at some point in their lives decide Buddhism is what they were actually looking for. After having renounced their original religion (and having stopped paying the fees (tax) connected to that) we usually take some time for orientation and soul searching, which is what I have been doing ever since officially becoming an Atheist. Also, I am a fake Atheist: any time I wish for something or want to express my care for someone I automatically use God in my thoughts. I have thus reduced her to a …recipient of pleas and giver of services. Not good, this utilitarianism.I stopped, not I have stopped! Pengovsky, I know you deserve your holiday, but could you maybe delete that mistake? 😳
Done! 🙂 Thank the Lord I’m an atheist and as such don’t sin by working on a holiday
@alcessa: Thanks for sharing. I do not consider myself an atheist, but rather an agnostic. Furthermore, I firmly distinguish between religion and faith. Whereas organised religion is – to me – somewhat utalitarian and does serve its purpose as ‘community glue’, which can be fantastic as long as it’s not abused, faith on the other hand is something very personal and something I envy people for. I figure that whoever truly has faith in her or his deity/deities and related peaceful ideas and notions, is blessed.