Poland
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*Religious education in schools, which is actually blatant Catholic indoctrination and often taught by priests or nuns. Parents who want to opt their children out of these lessons often face discrimination, especially in smaller towns and villages. | *Religious education in schools, which is actually blatant Catholic indoctrination and often taught by priests or nuns. Parents who want to opt their children out of these lessons often face discrimination, especially in smaller towns and villages. | ||
*The cross hanging in the main hall of the parliament, despite the constitution saying that the country is neutral in the matter of religion and worldview. Catholic defenders of this cross claim it is a 'cultural symbol' rather than a religious one.{{lie}} | *The cross hanging in the main hall of the parliament, despite the constitution saying that the country is neutral in the matter of religion and worldview. Catholic defenders of this cross claim it is a 'cultural symbol' rather than a religious one.{{lie}} | ||
| − | *Blasphemy law. It allows suing people for a vaguely defined 'insult of religious feelings', and the possible punishments include jail time. | + | *Blasphemy law. It allows suing people for a vaguely defined 'insult of religious feelings', and the possible punishments include jail time.The article 196 of the Polish Penal Code states that "Whoever offends the religious fealings of other persons by disrespecting in public the objects of religious worship or the place intended for performing the religious ceremonies in public can be fined,sentenced to perform community service or sentenced up to 2 years in prison." |
**When a pop star called the authors of the [[Bible]] heavy drinkers and potheads, she faced prison for up to two years,<ref>[http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2010/05/08/polish-pop-star-faces-two-years-prison-for-blasphemy/ Polish pop star faces two years’ prison for blasphemy]</ref> though it ended with a 5000 PLN (roughly $1500) fine.<ref>[http://wpolityce.pl/wydarzenia/21570-5-tys-grzywny-dla-dody-za-obraze-uczuc-religijnych-autorow-biblii-okreslila-jako-naprutych-winem-i-palacych-jakies-ziola 5 tys. grzywny dla Dody za obrazę uczuć religijnych. Autorów Biblii określiła jako "naprutych winem i palących jakieś zioła"] (in Polish)</ref> | **When a pop star called the authors of the [[Bible]] heavy drinkers and potheads, she faced prison for up to two years,<ref>[http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2010/05/08/polish-pop-star-faces-two-years-prison-for-blasphemy/ Polish pop star faces two years’ prison for blasphemy]</ref> though it ended with a 5000 PLN (roughly $1500) fine.<ref>[http://wpolityce.pl/wydarzenia/21570-5-tys-grzywny-dla-dody-za-obraze-uczuc-religijnych-autorow-biblii-okreslila-jako-naprutych-winem-i-palacych-jakies-ziola 5 tys. grzywny dla Dody za obrazę uczuć religijnych. Autorów Biblii określiła jako "naprutych winem i palących jakieś zioła"] (in Polish)</ref> | ||
**On the other hand, the leader of the metal band Behemoth tore apart a Bible during a concert, calling it a book of lies, and was found not guilty.<ref>[http://www.tvn24.pl/12690,1714382,0,1,nergal-niewinny-darcie-biblii-forma-sztuki,wiadomosc.html "Nergal" niewinny. Darcie Biblii "formą sztuki"]</ref> | **On the other hand, the leader of the metal band Behemoth tore apart a Bible during a concert, calling it a book of lies, and was found not guilty.<ref>[http://www.tvn24.pl/12690,1714382,0,1,nergal-niewinny-darcie-biblii-forma-sztuki,wiadomosc.html "Nergal" niewinny. Darcie Biblii "formą sztuki"]</ref> | ||
Revision as of 13:11, 7 July 2012
Poland is a country in central Europe, east of Germany. Poland's territory, and even existence, has been highly variable throughout history, from being a mere backwater of various empires to the stable, democratic republic we see today. The majority of Poles would identify themselves as being Roman Catholic (whether practicing or by cultural background), and the late Pope John Paul II was himself Polish.
Contents |
History
Poland has been invaded by Germany, Russia, Sweden and every other country that could get there, which has resulted in abnormally high concentrations of badassery in the surviving populace.[1] Even Shakespeare has Denmark at war with Poland in Hamlet. Poland was the location of several concentration camps under Nazi occupation, of which Auschwitz and Treblinka are perhaps the most notorious. Since World War II, however, Poland has been at peace; apart from those anti-government protests and riots in the fifties, seventies and the eighties. Eventually the Communists, after holding power for 40 years, saw sense and agreed to share power with other parties in 1989. This peaceful revolution initiated a collapse of communist regimes in the Soviet bloc. Lech Wałęsa, leader of the trade union Solidarity, the primary political force opposing communism, became President and won the Nobel Prize for peace, He once boasted that he had never read a book.
The Kaczyński brothers. Seeing double?
In 2005-2007 Poland was one of the few countries in which the head of state and prime minister were not only brothers, but identical twins. The Kaczynski brothers, occupying the top-two slots in government have raised some questions, specifically, how does one know who is who?
Since 2007 Jarosław Kaczyński is no longer Poland's prime minister, and since 2010 Lech Kaczyński is no longer the president alive.
Smolensk catastrophe
On 10 April 2010 a plane carrying the President and some 90 other top Polish officials crashed at an airport near Smolensk (Russia) while going to the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Katyn Massacre, killing all on board.[2] This event is probably the most important one in Polish history after 1989, and is commonly called the "Smolensk catastrophe" (katastrofa smoleńska).
Reports of the Russian and Polish investigations, although differing in details, essentially agree that the crash was caused by a combination of bad weather, error on part of the pilots and bad technical state of the Smolensk airport. Despite this, the Law and Justice party connected with the late president Lech and headed by his brother Jarosław continues to promote conspiracy theories about the cause, which state that the plane was sabotaged by the Russians. A variety of means are proposed, ranging from artificial fog created with the help of liquid helium to an explosion of a thermobaric weapon above the aircraft. None of these theories are supported by concrete evidence, and there does not appear to be any credible motivation for the Russians.
Accusations of sabotage are something of a shibboleth for radical supporters of Law and Justice. Jarosław Kaczyński is frequently accused of exploiting the national tragedy for scoring political points, although ultimately he failed to gather enough support to be elected the next President or to form a ruling coalition after the 2011 parliamentary election.
Cool Polish stuff
- Sauerkraut. Dunno about you lot, but I love it. (It's common in German cuisine as well; the name used in English and German literally means "sour cabbage" in German.)
- Pierogies - stuffed dumplings. Poland's answer to ravioli, but nicer.
- Mead. There are four types, differing by the ratio of water to honey used in fermentation: czwórniak (3:1), trójniak (2:1), dwójniak (1:1) and półtorak (1:2). Highly appreciated abroad.[3][4]
- Stanisław Lem
- Madame Curie[5]
- Frederic Chopin
- Nicolaus Copernicus
- The Cinema of Poland
- Movie posters -- literally, unlike anything you'd see in the US or the rest of Europe.
- The Three Colours film trilogy.
- Dekalog
- Ashes and Diamonds
- Knife in the Water -- Roman Polanski's first film.
- The Battle of Wizna, which inspired this song.
- Anna Grodzka
Uncool Polish stuff
- Tadeusz Rydzyk, fundamentalist Catholic priest, owner of Catholic media outlets Radio Maryja an TV Trwam which often display prejudice against Jews and Europe (particularly Germany).
- Religious education in schools, which is actually blatant Catholic indoctrination and often taught by priests or nuns. Parents who want to opt their children out of these lessons often face discrimination, especially in smaller towns and villages.
- The cross hanging in the main hall of the parliament, despite the constitution saying that the country is neutral in the matter of religion and worldview. Catholic defenders of this cross claim it is a 'cultural symbol' rather than a religious one.Do You Believe That?
- Blasphemy law. It allows suing people for a vaguely defined 'insult of religious feelings', and the possible punishments include jail time.The article 196 of the Polish Penal Code states that "Whoever offends the religious fealings of other persons by disrespecting in public the objects of religious worship or the place intended for performing the religious ceremonies in public can be fined,sentenced to perform community service or sentenced up to 2 years in prison."
- When a pop star called the authors of the Bible heavy drinkers and potheads, she faced prison for up to two years,[6] though it ended with a 5000 PLN (roughly $1500) fine.[7]
- On the other hand, the leader of the metal band Behemoth tore apart a Bible during a concert, calling it a book of lies, and was found not guilty.[8]
- Examples of family values like Maciej Giertych and Roman Giertych
- Most Poles like to complain a lot, and the remainder likes to complain that others are always complaining.
Przypisy
- ↑ This is actually an American stereotype. In 1610, Poland became the only foreign power to capture Moscow.
- ↑ Polish President Lech Kaczynski dies in plane crash - BBC News
- ↑ RateBeer: Top 25 Meads
- ↑ http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/apis-poltorak-jadwiga/24026/
- ↑ This territorial claim is sometimes contested by France.
- ↑ Polish pop star faces two years’ prison for blasphemy
- ↑ 5 tys. grzywny dla Dody za obrazę uczuć religijnych. Autorów Biblii określiła jako "naprutych winem i palących jakieś zioła" (in Polish)
- ↑ "Nergal" niewinny. Darcie Biblii "formą sztuki"