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

teetotaler Teetotalism is the practice of voluntarily abstaining from the consumption of alcohol, specifically in alcoholic drinks. A person who practices (and possibly advocates) teetotalism is called a teetotaler (US) or teetotaller (UK), or said to be ...

s' society" originating in

Stará Turá Stará Turá or Stara Rura 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 Váhom to the w ...

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, 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 west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

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 Slovak Protestant activist, thinker, revivalist, novelist and poet. She was founder of the Blue Cross and diaconal centre in Stará Turá. Her ...

and

Mária Royová Mária Royová (26 November 1858 – 25 February 1924) was a Slovak Protestant activist, charity worker and songwriter. She and her sister Kristína Royová founded the Blue Cross Organization and diaconal centre in Stará Turá Stará Turá or ...

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 a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched the Reformation in 15 ...

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

born-again Christian To be born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelical Christianity, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is d ...

s by means of everyday prayers and

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

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

dice A die (: dice, sometimes also used as ) is a small, throwable object with marked sides that can rest in multiple positions. Dice are used for generating random values, commonly as part of tabletop games, including dice games, board games, ro ...

blasphemous Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...

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