Interest in the occult flourishes in Russia.
So much so that citizens spend as much money on fortune telling, tarot cards and astrology as they do on food.
Now several members of the State Duma want to curb the spiritual activities – which they believe contribute to a dangerous “mass psychosis” of society.
One in four Russians believe that mediums can effectively predict the future, while two in three state that they have visited a fortune teller at some point. It appears in a recently published survey from a Russian opinion institute, reports Kyiv Post.
The boost for the occult is reinforced by the fact that the citizens of the country are now estimated to spend almost as much money on these activities as on food.
The development can be explained by increased feelings of insecurity and helplessness, which is a possible side effect of the war in Ukraine and the result of the sanctions imposed on Russia.
– In times of crisis, people seek spiritual guidance. It helps them maintain a sense of control over the situation and allows them to understand and deal with change better, says Mara Danina, co-founder of the Russian site “Psychodemiya”.
The proposal: Send them to prison
But the newfound interest is not welcomed by everyone. Russian politician Vitaly Milonov, a member of Putin’s United Russia party, calls the trend dangerous, describing fortune-telling as a “satanic rite” and tarot cards as “pictures of the devil.”
Milonov believes that number magicians and other “wizards” should be sent to prison, as they are guilty of acts of a pseudo-religious nature.
– This is unacceptable and should be totally banned for everyone. If someone is so stupid and has tarot cards at home – burn them, he says in an interview with Russian Gazeta.
“Some levels of mass psychosis”
The image is shared by many in Russian politics. Boris Chernyshov, deputy speaker of the State Duma, would like the country to be inspired by Egypt, where it is forbidden for TV and radio stations to invite astrologers and other pseudo-scientific “experts”.
A draft bill is now available, in which it is proposed to ban the advertising of divination and tarot cards.
– Tarot interest in Russia has reached levels of mass psychosis. It has gone from harmless entertainment to an industry driven only by making money. The businesses are based on fiction and fraud, says Andrei Svintsov, who is behind the bill.