Moscow
Aug. 31, 2005
The Public Prosecutor of the city of Moscow of the Cheremushkin Inter-precinct
Prosecutor’s Office, Senior Counselor of the Jurisprudence V. Yu. Smirnov, upon a review
of the application submitted by the director of the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights A. S.
Brod regarding the publication of a book by M. V. Nazarov “Taina Rossii” [“The
Secret of Russia,” interpreter)
has determined:
In 1999, a book “Taina Rossii,” authored by M. Nazarov, was published. In the
opinion of A. S. Brod, the book contents are of xenophobic, chauvinistic nature. Quotes
from works of M. Nazarov are cited as a proof of this claim.
During the review process, the prosecutor’s office asked the Institute of Psychology
of the RAS [Russian Academy of Science, interpreter] to evaluate the sense of
direction of the book mentioned above, and also to determine the presence in the book of
tenets, aimed at the incitement of religious or ethnic hatred or animosity, as well as at
abasement of dignity of a person or a group of individuals on the basis of ethnicity or
religion. In addition, the experts were asked: Are there statements, within the quotes
from the Nazarov’s book “Taina Rossii” submitted by A. S. Brod, aimed at the
incitement of religious or ethnic hatred or animosity, as well as at abasement of dignity
of a person or a group of individuals on the basis of ethnicity or religion.
On the basis of the received expert evaluation, the following may be concluded.
The book contains facts and their interpretations that, by and large, are absent from
the media, and, consequently, are also absent from the social, mass consciousness of
people, from history textbooks, etc., or are present in distorted form. The book by M. V.
Nazarov is recommended as a study, and as an alternative instead of Soviet and Western
books on modern Russian history, sociology, political studies, that can aid in
understanding of world history and the Russian role in it from the point of view of the
historical state-forming spiritual-ideological basis – the Orthodox-Christian world
outlook. The system of social concepts is being constructed as a view on behalf of the
Holy Russia. Concepts concerning the nature of all “anti-Russian acts,” including the
so-called “behind-the-scene world government,” are included as a necessary analytical
element. In this connection, from the spiritual world-outlook point of view, world
cataclysms of the XX century are explained. To this end (as well as for the rest of the
analysis), sources are selected that are cited as trustworthy in the sense of their
influence upon conscience (they cannot be simply ignored on the principle that “this can
never be”).
The book is devoted not to Jewry, but, rather, to the understanding of Russian history.
This is shown by the fact that the book talks about Jews only in those of its parts (a
total of about 10%) where their role in history and modern events is sufficiently obvious
and requires an explanation. Of sufficient interest for social-political monitoring is the
prognostic aspect of the book that consists of substantiation, on the one hand, of the
development of an anti-Christian in its conceptual and world-outlook bases “New World
Order” (in the Orthodox eschatology – this is the so-called “Kingdom of
Antichrist”) and, on the other hand – the “Orthodox world outlook” that holds back
this process.
M. V. Nazarov is a historian and this explains his tendency to examine history without
ignoring inconvenient facts, but studying them. The role of the Jewish nation in the light
of its Old and New-Testament characteristics is among such facts (as well as [relevant,
interpreter] hypotheses and assumptions). Without understanding this role, in his
opinion, the spiritual-religious sense of history may not be understood (which is the main
goal of the book). From the point of view of psychological examination of those inner
conditions of the author that are standing “behind the text,” it is important that the
author, touching upon the Jewish theme, selects a style that approaches scientifically
academic one. Striving for objectivity, the author uses quotes and facts from over 400
sources in four languages. When the author deals with topics in which the role of Jewry
may look negatively in the eyes of a Russian reader, he uses respectable Jewish sources.
The author specifically stays away from sources that might be construed as
“anti-Semitic” from their obvious negative social direction in regard to the Jewish
people as such.
In the philosophical/ideological section of the book, the author proposes an
explanation of the (noted by him) unusual role of Jewry in history exclusively from the
point of view of the Orthodox Church teachings. It [the teaching, interpreter] is
the world-outlook basis of the entire system of ideological, social, political, and other
concepts of M. V. Nazarov related to socio-political reality. The book is based on it. An
individual view of the author outside of the connection to the Orthodox tradition is
absent. Consequently, his treatment of the “fate of the Jewish people” should be
sought in its Orthodox-Christian treatment. This treatment talks (maximally simplifying
this domain of theological issues) about the falling of the “God-chosen people” into
nationalistic arrogance of worldly power over other peoples and the rejection of Messiah
– God’s Son -- Jesus Christ, as not corresponding to these concepts. As a result of
the rejection of true Messiah, and in the expectation of their own nationalistic
“Messiah-Mochiakh,” (in the Orthodoxy – he is the impersonation of Antichrist,
acting against or instead of Christ), Jewish people, without realizing it, essentially are
serving forces of Antichrist (since anti-Christianity cannot be but anti-God because of
its struggle against Christ). The fact of being the “God-chosen people” affects the
subjects of New Testament, i.e., Christians. All these theological notions are illustrated
not only by quotes from the scripture. The Orthodox treatment of the Jewish question is
reinforced by references to Jewish sources.
From a psychological point of view, one can see that non-Christian Jews, without trying
to comprehend the religious meaning of Orthodoxy, may perceive the treatment of the Jewish
question in a negative manner. But in this case it is clear that claims to M. V. Nazarov
are baseless, since the author simply follows Orthodox-Christian teaching – a recognized
world spiritual and moral tradition.
Within the completed study, it is noted that the author proposes traditional Orthodox
treatment for the Jews as un-enlightened by the New Testament and, therefore, “not
knowing what they are doing,” coupled with the simultaneous necessity to protect “holy
items of faith,” steadfastness to anti-Christian assaults from other psychological
systems (in this case, Judaism). In the book, there is no reliable psychological evidence
as to some personal intolerant attitude of the author to the Jewish people. The rejection
by M. Nazarov, that evolves from certain aspects of [his, interpreter] faith, of
Talmudist Judaism as the expectation of the Kingdom of Antichrist is not projected by M.
Nazarov to Jews as an ethnic group. This is demonstrated both by references to Orthodox
Jews in a positive sense and the offer to Jews to accept Orthodoxy (pages 397, 579, and
others), as well as by the rejection of aggressive ethno-racial treatment of Jewish
question by anti-Semitic pagans (pp. 571-581).
From a psychological point of view it should be noted that the book “Taina Rossii”
not only was allowed in the official church book stores, but was recognized as a
bestseller in 1999. Books, inciting hatred, don’t receive blessings for publication by
Orthodox top hierarchy, on the one hand, and are subconsciously rejected by Orthodox
audience as not corresponding to the spirit of love and the Orthodox tradition of
tolerance to heterodox and the necessity to only pray for them.
On the basis of the completed study and the analysis of specific quotes from the book
“Taina Rossii,” the following was determined.
From the point of view of laws of interpreting of any text, the weight of meaning of
separate sentences, of their ability to form notions of specific content depend upon a
multilevel context – from the preceding text to the meaning of sections, chapters, the
text as a whole, and even to overall works of the author.
Submitted [by A. S. Brod, interpreter] are two quotes from the book proper –
from the chapter “Triumph of the Behind-the-Scene Government,” subsection “Democracy
and ‘Luck of the Jews’.” The expression “Luck of the Jews” was borrowed by M.
Nazarov from the quoted article by a Jewish publicist L. Radzikhovsky titled “Luck of
the Jews” from a Jewish newspaper “Novoye Russkoye Slovo” (New York, Jan. 17, 1996).
Radzikhovsky uses the term “Luck of the Jews” to describe the results of the
democratic revolution [of the 1990s, interpreter], in which he cites the decisive
role of Jews (pp. 394, 441).
Nevertheless, here is what can be said about the submitted [by A. S. Brod,
interpreter] quotes.
The first quote (“the crux of the matter is the fact that throughout the world
Jews have been dominant in the realm of finance since ancient times…”) is based
on cited in the book analogous statements by known Jewish authors: Editor-in-Chief of the
English-language “Jewish encyclopedia” S. Rot (pp. 14-15), sociologist H. Arndt (pp.
15, 394), former president of the European Reconstruction and Development Bank J. Attali
(p. 15). M. Nazarov indicates page numbers where these quotes came from. Since it is
impossible to assume that these authors wanted to incite hatred toward “Jewry,” there
are no psychological bases to ascribe such intentions to M. V. Nazarov, who quotes such
opinions as an illustration. From the point of view of psychology of social concepts and
stereotyping of social perception (by K. Al’bukhanov, S. Moskvich, P. Shikhirev, and
others), the sentence reflects rooted in the collective sub conscience of grouped social
subjects stereotypical images based on facts that are known at the level of common mass
conscience (representation of Jewish capital in world finances, ethnic solidarity of
Jewish people, etc.).
The second quote (“In the manner, Jewish question in today’s Russia – is nor
racial (as they would like us to believe…)),” also reinforced by references to
various sources, should be viewed in the context of the overall Orthodox treatment of
Jewish question. Besides, this quote shows that M. Nazarov views the Jewish question not
as ethno-racial (which is usually related to the possibility of inciting ethnic
animosity and hatred), but as political, moral, and spiritual.
Therefore, from a psychological point of view, it is clear that, in the absence of
“personal ethnic hatred,” projected in the material, any opponents – regardless of
their disagreement with political, moral, and spiritual criteria of M. V. Nazarov in his
work,-- should object to him on the same level, assuming a discussion, more specifically,
of questions of politics and theology (Judaism historically has an anti-Christian
direction and contains tenets which, from the point of view of laws of social perception
may evoke psychologically understandable negative reaction of Orthodox Christians). A
special study of publications concerning the problems of the 1990s will make this obvious
(for instance, facts cited in Orthodox press outside the evaluated works of M. V.
Nazarov).
A deposition by M. V. Nazarov (together with the analysis of the book “Taina
Rossii”) confirms [his, interpreter] the Orthodox-Christian position toward
non-Christian Jews.
Consequently, in the book and in the sentences that were the subject of analysis and
evaluation, there are no tenets aimed at the incitement of religious or ethnic hatred or
animosity, neither at abasement of dignity of a person or a group of individuals on the
basis of ethnicity or religion. The text does not contain information inciting acts
against any nation, race, religion, or individuals as their members. More specifically,
there is no content that could be construed as “anti-Semitism” or “hatred toward the
Jews” and calls to acts against them. There are no bases to appraise the textual
information from the point of view of purposeful incitement of “fight among nations,”
urging them on to bloodshed. No intention on the part of the author to incite negative
social tenets has been established. Neither have there been involuntary
individual-personal projections of hostility into the text.
In consideration of the above and in the view of Article 24, Part 1, Criminal Code of
the Russian Federation
has resolved:
1. To reject the application to initiate a criminal case against M. V. Nazarov in
connection with the publication of the book “Taina Rossii” on the basis of article
282, part 1, Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
2. To notify all concerned about this resolution.
Cheremushkin Inter-precinct
Public Prosecutor of the city of Moscow
Senior Counselor of the Jurisprudence
V. Yu. Smirnov
