Doukhobor

The Doukhobors (also Dukhobors, Russian Духоборы or Духоборцы, " Spirit fighters" ) are a Russian native, deviating from the Russian Orthodox Church Christian religious community.

The Doukhobors reject a secular government, the divine inspiration of the Bible and the divinity of Jesus from ( Nichttrinitarier ). Moreover, they are strict pacifists, refuse military service as well as the oath.

History

The Doukhobors were initially under the Tsar Peter the Great and to the Empress Anna in Moscow and other cities. The Guard corporal Kapustin, who was regarded by the faithful as an incarnation of the Saviour, gave them a solid municipal code. Under Catherine II and Paul I. They were fought hard while they were more tolerated by Alexander I.. He pointed them in 1804 the government Taurien as a settled area of.

Because they honored the Tsar and paid taxes on time, the government initially not mixed into their lives. From the common people, but they have been accused of secret abominations and acts of violence that should take place during their secret meetings. A subsequent investigation initiated resulted called for the punishment of their community leaders, apostles and angels. Under the reign of Tsar Nicholas I in 1841 was a large number in the Ujesden Akhalkalaki, Kars ( also since 1921 for Turkey) relocated ( since 1921 for Turkey) and Ardahan after Transcaucasia. In southwest Georgia, in today's region of Samtskhe - Javakheti, they formed a closed community with 18 villages and 11,000 inhabitants ( including Bogdanowka, today Ninotsminda ), which bore the name Duchoborje. It resembled in many ways the communities of Hutterites.

In 1887 there were internal conflicts in the community, which led to a split. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century there were discrimination and expulsion measures against the Doukhobors. Many emigrated to Canada and the United States or were deported by the Russian government to Eastern Siberia. Only a few remained in their homeland. The writer Leo Tolstoy collected money for the Doukhobors. He built a school and an orphanage and funded in 2000 emigrants the ship's passage to America. They received more support from the Anglo-Saxon Quakers, a religious community of the Historic Peace Churches. In Canada, there were internal disputes with the most radical group called "Sons of Freedom" and set fire to, among other schools, which were attended by Duchoborzenkindern.

At the beginning of the 1990s were still alive 7500 Doukhobors in Georgia. After the election of President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, a nationalist, there was a renewed wave of migration because an attempt was made to oust them from their land. Many Doukhobors went to Russia, settled there in the Northern Caucasus as well as in the areas of Tula, Rostov and Bryansk. In 1991, the Union of Doukhobors of Russia was founded in Rostov-on- Don. In a special resolution of 9 December 1998, the Russian government guaranteed the Doukhobors special rights.