One of the aspects of reforming the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the full implementation of the constitutional rights and freedoms of military personnel, including the freedom of conscience and religion. Although the church is legally separated from the state, we cannot ignore the current ideological climate in society. Moreover, properly organized work in this area can have a positive impact on improving the moral atmosphere in military units.
Recently, the Main Directorate for Educational Work conducted military-sociological research to study the religious situation in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The results of this research suggest that the situation in this area is stable. Currently, the number of military personnel who consider themselves religious has stabilized at around 30%. This relatively high level of religiosity among military personnel can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the desire to alleviate the unfavorable psychological environment caused by the deterioration of social and living conditions, the loss of many important life goals, and the hope for a quick solution to problems. Secondly, the increased influence of religious associations that have the real opportunity to freely spread their ideas in society.
At the same time, it should be noted that the depth of religious teachings in the hearts and minds of young people, including military personnel, seems to be exaggerated. This is more of an external manifestation of religiosity than a deep-seated spiritual and moral commitment. Our data shows that almost half of the military personnel who consider themselves Orthodox Christians have no knowledge of even the basic religious symbols of Orthodoxy. By the way, among military personnel who identify as Muslims, Buddhists, and followers of Protestant churches, the proportion of those who know the basics of their religion is significantly higher (up to 87 percent). This further confirms that for the majority of mil ...
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