Modrý kríž (Slovak for ''Blue Cross'') was a "

teetotaler Teetotalism is the practice or promotion of total personal abstinence from the psychoactive drug alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler or teetotaller, or i ...

s' society" originating in

Stará Turá Stará Turá (german: Alt-Turn, hu, Ótura) is a town in the Trenčín Region in western Slovakia. Geography It is located in the Myjava Hills close to the Little Carpathians as well as the White Carpathians. It is situated from Nové Mesto nad ...

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. It was founded by sisters

Kristína Royová Kristína Royová (18 August 1860, in Stará Turá – 27 December 1936, in Stará Turá) was a Slovakia, Slovak Protestantism, Protestant activist, thinker, revivalist, novelist and poet. She was founder of the Modrý kríž, Blue Cross and ...

and Mária Royová and initiated a movement in the spiritual, cultural and social life of the mainly ''peasant'' people of the surrounding region who traditionally belonged to the

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

. The sisters were also active as authors and in charitable work. The society encouraged its members to become

born-again Christian Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...

s by means of everyday prayers and

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

study, while forbidding the consumption of alcohol, smoking, playing cards and

dice Dice (singular die or dice) are small, throwable objects with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. They are used for generating random values, commonly as part of tabletop games, including dice games, board games, role-playing g ...

, blasphemous speech, and obsessions of a sexual or other kind. After becoming member of the society, individuals are taught to read the bible intensively, listen to authorities in group and live their life according to subjective interpretation of bible explained by leaders (respected and self-presented as "experienced" holy people). Society helps its members to interrupt their unhealthy lifestyle with alcohol, passion for money and sexual enjoyment. On the other hand, they act as sect in various ways, for example explain bible without sufficient knowledge according to rules in society and manage the lives of the members with massive manipulation similar to Charismatic movement. Leaders manipulate members to achieve their loyalty to leaders, presented as will of God. Furthermore, members advised to read the bible are forced to foresee the future according to their subjective feelings after random reading of bible on opened page. Modrý kríž can be a benefit for an addicted person, but also dangerous in a negative psychological effect of inadequate controversial "sectarian" denomination practices on critical perception of reality and spiritual life of a member.

References

* Lutheran organizations Religious organisations based in Slovakia Temperance organizations Alcohol in Slovakia {{lutheran-stub

See also

References