Growing up in Romania and later in serving as an evangelical minister, I experienced first hand this split-level Christianity (double allegiance) of the Romanians between Christianity and local folk beliefs and practices…while going to school in the 1970's and 80' s during the period of communist rule and ideology, my friends and I were taught that God does not exist, that religion is only a "crutch for the poor and uneducated," and that socialism will create the perfect society. However, at home our parents, relatives, and neighbors taught us that God does exist, that praying to Him is beneficial, and that we as Romanians are a Christian nation. Yet, they also taught us that each one's fate is decided at birth by Fairies, that Friday the 13 is a bad luck day, or to turn back if a black cat cuts across our way, and other such superstitions, as well as that different people have the ability to communicate with the souls of dead people, bind or unbind misfortunes, and predict the future.
F.P. Botica
