Dictator condemns consumerism cult of Belarusians

Lukashenka, who is known for his love of luxury, condemns the “consumerism cult”.

“Globalisaton has both positive and negative consequences. Many western countries are marked with moral degradation of society, rejection of Christian moral principles and destruction of traditional family structures,” Lukashenka said Tuesday in Minsk at a meeting with participants of the European Orthodox-Catholic Forum “Religion and Cultural Diversity: The Challenges for Christian Churches in Europe”.

“The cult of consumerism and the chase of pleasures are becoming the real threats of spiritual degradation of people and defective transformation of countries,” Interfax-West quotes Lukashenka.

The dictator said the moral deformations had affected the Belarusians.

“Like everywhere in the world, the manifestations of the global economic crisis cause humanitarian problems in our country. Unfortunately, the rapidly progressing moral deformations did not pass by our people,” Lukashenka said.

According to Lukashenka, Belarusian society has faced the same serious problems as any European country. “We need to strengthen morality and spirituality. We are concerned about the increasing alcohol abuse and drug addition, problems of social orphanhood and other hideous phenomena of today,” he said.

“It's time to recall that it is Christian worldview that has always formed the European civilisation,” the thinks. “Solving many vital issues seems impossible without active participation of Eastern Orthodox and Catholic believers,” he is confident. “It is very important and encouraging that both the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church in Europe are trying to find new forms of inter-Christian solidarity,” Lukashenka emphasised.