Kalashnikov regretted his invention.

[doremon]

The inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle apparently wrote to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church before he died expressing fears he was personally responsible for the people it killed.

Mikhail Kalashnikov, who died last month aged 94, wrote a long emotional letter to Patriarch Kirill in May 2012, church officials say.

He said he was suffering "spiritual pain" over the many deaths it caused.

Kalashnikov had previously refused to accept responsibility for those killed.

'Devilish desires'

But in a letter, published in Russia's pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia, he wrote: "My spiritual pain is unbearable.

"I keep having the same unsolved question: if my rifle claimed people's lives, then can it be that I... a Christian and an Orthodox believer, was to blame for their deaths?" he asked.

"The longer I live," he continued, "the more this question drills itself into my brain and the more I wonder why the Lord allowed man to have the devilish desires of envy, greed and aggression".

The letter is typed on Kalashnikov's personal writing paper, and is signed with a wavering hand by the man who describes himself as "a slave of God, the designer Mikhail Kalashnikov".

The Kalashnikov, or AK-47, is one of the world's most familiar and widely used weapons.

Its comparative simplicity made it cheap to manufacture, as well as reliable and easy to maintain.

It is thought that more than 100 million Kalashnikov rifles have been sold worldwide.

Kalashnikov refused to accept responsibility for the many people killed by his weapon, blaming the policies of other countries that acquired it.


In his letter to Patriarch Kirill, Kalashnikov said that he first went into a church at the age of 91 and was later baptised.

The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says it is unclear how much of it he wrote himself. Izvestia quotes Kalashnikov's daughter, Elena, as saying she believes a priest helped her father compose the letter.

The press secretary for the Russian Patriarch, Cyril Alexander Volkov, told the paper the religious leader had received Kalashnikov's letter and had written a reply.

"The Church has a very definite position: when weapons serve to protect the Fatherland, the Church supports both its creators and the soldiers who use it," Mr Volkov was quoted as saying.

"He designed this rifle to defend his country, not so terrorists could use it in Saudi Arabia."

Kalashnikov received many Russian state honours, including the Order of Lenin and the Hero of Socialist Labour, but made little money from his gun.

He died on 23 December after being admitted to hospital a month earlier with internal bleeding.

BBC News - Kalashnikov 'feared he was to blame' for AK-47 rifle deaths

 

[Falcon29]

I would do the same...this is good of him....

 

[Desertfalcon]

It is good of him, but it was not his rifle that killed so many, but those who wielded it unjustly. He was a Russian patriot and a genius, (Although I suspect he would reject being called a genius.), but that genius was in having the mind of a brilliant designer who never forgot what it was like to be a simple soldier, and the AK-47 is reflective of that. Best assault rifle, ever.

I am personally touched and gladdened however, that he sought out reconciliation and forgiveness from Christ and His Church. It was not his invention that was evil. It was the Godless communism that so many used his invention in advancing, that was evil.

 

[Falcon29]

It is good of him, but it was not his rifle that killed so many, but those who wielded it unjustly. He was a Russian patriot and a genius, (Although I suspect he would reject being called a genius.), but that genius was in having the mind of a brilliant designer who never forgot what it was like to be a simple soldier, and the AK-47 is reflective of that. Best assault rifle, ever.

I am personally touched and gladdened however, that he sought out reconciliation and forgiveness from Christ and His Church. It was not his invention that was evil. It was the Godless communism that so many used his invention in advancing, that was evil.

America is Godless too buddy, LMAO!

 

[JanjaWeed]

Maybe he should have taken inspiration from Robert Oppenheimer!

 

[Desertfalcon]

America is Godless too buddy, LMAO!

1. And yet you live there.
2. Why would you assume that I am not critical of my own country's failings in that regard?
3. While America certainly has many aspects of "Godlessness" in our culture, if you think we are Godless, I think you need to get out more and find out a bit more about the country you live in. The America I live in has very high church attendance, a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc., on every other block, and religion plays a great part in the average American's life. Where do you live in America, that you do not know that?

 

[Falcon29]

1. And yet you live there.
2. Why would you assume that I am not critical of my own country's failings in that regard?
3. While America certainly has many aspects of "Godlessness" in our culture, if you think we are Godless, I think you need to get out more and find out a bit more about the country you live in. The America I live in has very high church attendance, a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc., on every other block, and religion plays a great part in the average American's life. Where do you live in America, that you do not know that?

I do live here yes, that's not my complaint. I'm not assuming anything against you.

We do have mosques, temples and churches, but, we only see these people around us so we'd think its a half half thing.

This is until I grew up in high school and into college. I'm sorry brother, I like you wish we had have a moral society. But, this is not the case and the future will be even scarier. If you want me to tell you how high school life is you would be disturbed.

Most of teens in this country above 18 have already done disturbing sexual acts, drug use, alcohol consumption. Life now seems centered around sexuality in this country and girls try to fit in. I know many girls who had parties at their homes and brought several guys to have sex with them one after another.

Not all girls are like this, but secretly with close friends people do these things. It's the way we allow popular media to take a toll on our society.

I know practicing Christians, one of my really good friends is one and me and him are very similar, we never got into drugs or drinking or dated a girl.

And I want to stress that sexuality is looked down upon in Abrahamic religions, I know some people claim it's okay. It's not. Religion is not a game, what Jesus's society was like was like a conservative Muslim nation today. Our foundation needs to be based upon moral values. Sadly, it is based around industry and profit.

I would say 6% of the new generation is not as I described. The rest are. I've seen it in my own eyes. We do have people who believe in God but we don't live a religious way of life, most of this nation. Popular media lifestyle is promoted and it's taken a toll.

 

[Armstrong]

It is good of him, but it was not his rifle that killed so many, but those who wielded it unjustly. He was a Russian patriot and a genius, (Although I suspect he would reject being called a genius.), but that genius was in having the mind of a brilliant designer who never forgot what it was like to be a simple soldier, and the AK-47 is reflective of that. Best assault rifle, ever.

I am personally touched and gladdened however, that he sought out reconciliation and forgiveness from Christ and His Church. It was not his invention that was evil. It was the Godless communism that so many used his invention in advancing, that was evil.

What ?

Communism was a beautiful dream led by unworthy people !

 

[Sriram]

I do live here yes, that's not my complaint. I'm not assuming anything against you.

We do have mosques, temples and churches, but, we only see these people around us so we'd think its a half half thing.

This is until I grew up in high school and into college. I'm sorry brother, I like you wish we had have a moral society. But, this is not the case and the future will be even scarier. If you want me to tell you how high school life is you would be disturbed.

Most of teens in this country above 18 have already done disturbing sexual acts, drug use, alcohol consumption. Life now seems centered around sexuality in this country and girls try to fit in. I know many girls who had parties at their homes and brought several guys to have sex with them one after another.

Not all girls are like this, but secretly with close friends people do these things. It's the way we allow popular media to take a toll on our society.

I know practicing Christians, one of my really good friends is one and me and him are very similar, we never got into drugs or drinking or dated a girl.

And I want to stress that sexuality is looked down upon in Abrahamic religions, I know some people claim it's okay. It's not. Religion is not a game, what Jesus's society was like was like a conservative Muslim nation today. Our foundation needs to be based upon moral values. Sadly, it is based around industry and profit.

I would say 6% of the new generation is not as I described. The rest are. I've seen it in my own eyes. We do have people who believe in God but we don't live a religious way of life, most of this nation. Popular media lifestyle is promoted and it's taken a toll.

But look at the bright side.. no more religious wars, no more instances of spanish or arab conquering/plundering new lands in the name of spreading spread faith... drinks/drugs exist even in time when religion controlled world... i guess peace is worth the reduction in religiosity

 

[Falcon29]

But look at the bright side.. no more religious wars, no more instances of spanish or arab conquering/plundering new lands in the name of spreading spread faith... drinks/drugs exist even in time when religion controlled world... i guess peace is worth the reduction in religiosity

This world will never be peaceful and it was never about religion. Today's world is in a terrible state when it comes to violence. Only luxury people in the west who enjoy life at expense of poor residents of different regions don't feel it or feel affected by it.

There's really no bright side to it, a complete breakdown of society to me is the worst thing that could possibly happen. And it's happened in the west and living in the west is like living as zombie thanks to this breakdown, you take samples from horrible celebrities, advocate their examples, spread this among youth, accept the elite industry, spread hatred to support wars elite wants you to support. People here are mind controlled its retarded.

I'd rather live a life of poverty as long as I don't have such factors affecting me.

 

[Sriram]

This world will never be peaceful and it was never about religion. Today's world is in a terrible state when it comes to violence. Only luxury people in the west who enjoy life at expense of poor residents of different regions don't feel it or feel affected by it.

There's really no bright side to it, a complete breakdown of society to me is the worst thing that could possibly happen. And it's happened in the west and living in the west is like living as zombie thanks to this breakdown, you take samples from horrible celebrities, advocate their examples, spread this among youth, accept the elite industry, spread hatred to support wars elite wants you to support. People here are mind controlled its retarded.

I'd rather live a life of poverty as long as I don't have such factors affecting me.

I don agree that peace exists only in west, we are living in an era of unprecedented peace, fifty years back europeans were every where exploiting what not... now they have been kicked out of asia and africa think of the political stability, now ppl can safely plan for next fifty years, till a decade back rulers/boundaries/kingdoms never had that stability... wars don happen as often ... its all down to growth in technology especially communications....

 

[Desertfalcon]

This world will never be peaceful and it was never about religion. Today's world is in a terrible state when it comes to violence. Only luxury people in the west who enjoy life at expense of poor residents of different regions don't feel it or feel affected by it.

There's really no bright side to it, a complete breakdown of society to me is the worst thing that could possibly happen. And it's happened in the west and living in the west is like living as zombie thanks to this breakdown, you take samples from horrible celebrities, advocate their examples, spread this among youth, accept the elite industry, spread hatred to support wars elite wants you to support. People here are mind controlled its retarded.

I'd rather live a life of poverty as long as I don't have such factors affecting me.

I think Sriram makes a good point. Yes, in America we have great personal licentiousness. But largely due to the activism of religious people, we also have a society that is much, MUCH more just than the one I was born into in 1963. I have never lived in an America that is more socially at peace and while we may have much more diversity in lifestyles and more libertine behaviour, we also have great religiosity as well. I am a Catholic Christian who is active in my church and it is thriving and does much good in our community. We work for social justice and I teach kids on Sundays in a full classroom of eager young people who are active Catholics. It is in an area that is 50% Mormon, with lots of other religions and with a huge Latino population and it is very peaceful and we mostly get along as neighbours and friends should. As Sriram alluded to, there are lots of much more officially "religious" countries where there is every bit as much bad behaviour and more, with much more violence and injustice which offends God in any worthy religion.

 

[Falcon29]

I think Sriram makes a good point. Yes, in America we have great personal licentiousness. But largely due to the activism of religious people, we also have a society that is much, MUCH more just than the one I was born into in 1963. I have never lived in an America that is more socially at peace and while we may have much more diversity in lifestyles and more libertine behaviour, we also have great religiosity as well. I am a Catholic Christian who is active in my church and it is thriving and does much good in our community. We work for social justice and I teach kids on Sundays in a full classroom of eager young people who are active Catholics. It is in an area that is 50% Mormon, with lots of other religions and with a huge Latino population and it is very peaceful and we mostly get along as neighbours and friends should. As Sriram alluded to, there are lots of much more officially "religious" countries where there is every bit as much bad behaviour and more, with much more violence and injustice which offends God in any worthy religion.

There is bad behavior everywhere but it doesn't come close to the behavior in is country which is very rampant and goes against all tenets of faith.

I don't think just because we are socially at peace means this world is a better place to live in. The world isn't any more peaceful than it was and we never got a better world promised to us after WW2.

Getting along is one aspect of religion that shouldn't be an obstacle. What about every other aspect of religion? We seriously go against it. Sexuality is a serious issue.

God even states this is one of the worst ways a society could become impure.

I don agree that peace exists only in west, we are living in an era of unprecedented peace, fifty years back europeans were every where exploiting what not... now they have been kicked out of asia and africa think of the political stability, now ppl can safely plan for next fifty years, till a decade back rulers/boundaries/kingdoms never had that stability... wars don happen as often ... its all down to growth in technology especially communications....

I see a different world than you see, there's millions of people fighting each other today and thousands get killed each day. Just over the past December over a hundred thousand were killed in Africa.

My point is religion is a way of life and not about social or world peace. If this people view Abrahamic religion they might as well call themselves agnostics.

It's been dumbed down to a belief in someone's head. Yet it's tenets aren't adopted at all.

 

[Sriram]

Sexuality is a serious issue.

Seriously??
All the "excesses" in sexuality has been there since beginning of mankind!!
thanks to internet you know that it exists now... how can u be sure these things never happened in the past??
'God' didn't bother when it happened in the past and she is not now...

 

[Falcon29]

Seriously??
All the "excesses" in sexuality has been there since beginning of mankind!!
thanks to internet you know that it exists now... how can u be sure these things never happened in the past??
'God' didn't bother when it happened in the past and she is not now...

They did happen, what I'm saying is it wasn't rampant and a part of life as it is in the western world today.

Too much money revolves around sexuality so people will damage teens brains over this.

I know the difference because I've gone overseas and asked a few close cousins of mine about this taboo subject and they told me we don't think about sex like your people do over there.

They may one to marry and fall in love with a husband but pre marital sexual thoughts are not common. I've seen how they live.