EurasianStudies_0110..

January-March 2010 JOURNAL OF EURASIAN STUDIES Volume II., Issue 1.
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collapse of communism is supported by the HCBC, if and only if it is Christian, otherwise it is not even
Hungarian in their view.
Thirdly, it is explicitly stated in the letter that the sciences in Hungary are also subject to these set of
doctrines. This implies that a research agenda and the results of scientific research are accepted only by
the Hungarian bishops, if and only if they are in accordance with the above doctrines. Claims on
Hungarian culture, even if argued for scientifically, are considered illegitimate and false, if they are not
supported by the Catholic faith.
Fourthly, although no definition of ‘neo-paganism’ is given it is clear that neo-paganism is considered
an ideological mind-setting and that this is true for the activities related to it outside the framework
dictated in the Episcopal letter. The line of reasoning is as follows. ‘Neo-paganism’ is a violation of
Hungarian identity because it is not Christian and it is a violation of Christianity because it has nothing
to do with the correct Catholic faith defended by the HCBC. Neo-paganism is referred to by the HCBC as
an ancient Hungarian syncretism represented by shamans (the Hungarian word for shaman is táltos
‘seer’) and pagan Hungarian religions. Actually neo-paganism is considered by the bishops as a sort of
mix of ideological activities and practices like occultism, spiritualism and fetishism whose goal is to
confuse the true Catholic faith of ordinary followers of the Catholic Church. According to the HCBC, a
number of NGOs fostering traditional Hungarian culture are infiltrated by those followers of
neo-paganism that want to disturb the true Catholic faith. In particular the HCBC refers to studies on the
ancestry and identity of Mary, the Holy Virgin and the identity of Jesus as a Partian Prince. All these
studies are considered by the HCBC unscientific not in accordance with true Catholic faith.
It is clear from the above doctrines that the Catholic Church claims to possess the truth alone and it is
the only true representative of Hungarian identity. Its ideological enemies that are not defined precisely
but including ideologies like communism, modern liberalism, globalization and what the Hungarian
bishops call neo-paganism have nothing to do with the Hungarian culture or identity. Hence, Hungarian
ancient history and the study of it before St. Stephen is not only considered anti-Christian but it has
nothing to do with the Hungarian culture at all. It cannot be called Hungarian because it is not Christian,
according to the HCBC.
Furthermore, ancient Hungarian culture cannot be studied a priori because it is unscientific, for the
Catholic Church claims the right to monopolize its doctrines also in the field of sciences. Hence, the
studies on the ancestry of the mother of Jesus, Mary is not considered scientific. Here the HCBC is clearly
referring to the books by Ferenc Badiny Jós on this issue that have appeared in recent years concluding
that Mary was a Partian princess. Nowhere in the Episcopal letter is however Badiny’s name spelled out.
The references to the activities of the neo-pagan, shaman religions are questionable because we do not
know who the HCBC is referring to. Is this the so-called Táltos school of Kovács András (www.taltos7.hu)
or the Kurultaj association (www.kurultaj.com) organizing a cultural event each year to foster ancient
Hungarian culture and ties with peoples from Central Asia that are considered to be related peoples, in
any case in the cultural field? We do not know.
To begin with the term ‘neo-pagan’ is not very illuminating. Because the people and movements
under gun-fire by the Hungarian bishops, like Badiny Jós consider themselves Christians. Actually they
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