Brännvin
10-22-2009, 03:17 PM
http://www.viceland.com/int/v13n10/htdocs/pregnant/main_large.jpg
Laestadians are a Scandinavian version of the Amish. Modern life and all the deliciously sinful things that belong in it, like music (apart from hymns), dancing, TV, radio, the internet, and magazines are strictly verboten. Laestadians don’t register themselves anywhere, so nobody knows how many believers there are, but in the north of Sweden, Finland, and Norway there are entire communities consisting of nothing but 15-headed Laestadian families. And due to their apparent allergy to condoms, Laestadian strongholds are the only places in Sweden that are growing instead of depopulating.
I grew up in the North of Sweden and remember the Laestadian girls in school sitting on a bench at the side of the pitch during gym class (they weren’t allowed to participate). And even though they all look perfectly modern on the street, in church they all wear veils. That creeps me out.
I recently travelled back north to spend a day in the Laestadian city of Pajala and hang out with Rakel, Emilia, and Maria. They are all around 18 and in their last year at the Laestadius Graduate School.
Vice: Do people ever act weird around you because of your faith?
Emilia: People assume we have no curtains, no flowers, and wear veils and have long hair.
Rakel: And that we have no future and walk around all depressed and aren’t allowed to do anything. People imagine a woman in old clothes, dressed in black. I mean, there are some people in the congregation that live like that, but I don’t think my faith should be built on what I wear. I suppose that some of my views could be considered old fashioned, like how I feel about marriage for example.
How do you feel about marriage?
Rakel: A man and a woman, that’s it. I think God intended marriage for a man and a woman. I find homosexuality wrong.
Emilia: In these parts it’s common to form a family early. If you want to go out with a person, the next natural step is to marry him or her.
So you’ll never have boyfriends?
Rakel: I haven’t had a boyfriend… but Maria has had one.
Maria: I want the next boy I meet to be the one.
Would you ever sleep with someone if you weren’t married?
Maria: No, I don’t think you should. I mean, just take a look at what the society looks like today and you’ll understand why you shouldn’t have sex outside of marriage. You know, with rapes and everything. If everyone just had sex within marriage that kind of stuff wouldn’t exist.
Rakel: People are influenced by how the society looks right now. Maybe they don’t even realise how inappropriate sex outside of marriage is.
What about abortion and contraceptives?
Rakel: It’s all connected. With contraceptives you’ll control what happens and you’ll stop a child from being created.
Emilia: Totally. It’s like eliminating a life. God is standing there with this great gift, and you’ll go, “No thanks, I’m good.”
But you’re all probably going to be pregnant for about a decade. That’s not at all an uncommon thing in Laestadian families. Doesn’t that feel kind of heavy?
Rakel: Yeah, sometimes it does. But life in general isn’t exactly idyllic.
Emilia: We will refrain from doing certain things, but it’s not like we’re not allowed, or that those things are right or wrong. We CHOOSE not to do those things. Like not getting drunk for example.
Maria: And not cussing.
But what will you do for fun?
Emilia: We’ll attend prayer meetings.
Maria: You can go to prayer when you’re up for it. If I missed prayer one weekend I’d feel really empty.
Maria: Sometimes it’s more like a conversation with God. No clasped hands or anything.
Emilia: And it’s OK to have a TV at home. It just depends on what you choose to watch.
Maria: I can listen to other music too, but I still feel like the hymns are more important to me. A hymn can make me cry.
I’ve been hearing a lot about Laestadians flying into fits of ecstasy during meetings.
Rakel: Sure, it’s a big thing. We get filled with a great gratitude towards Jesus. Imagine a football game where your team wins. You’ll be consumed by joy because it’s such a great thing that happened. That’s how a Christian will feel, but times a million.
Where will you be in ten years time?
Rakel: Personally, I really just want to get to heaven. That’s the most important thing. That’s the goal. Oh by the way, did you know that Maria is related to Laestadius [the founder or the Laestadian movement]?
Emilia: You ARE? I didn’t know that!
Maria: Yeah, in the sixth or seventh generation.
Rakel: Cool, huh!?
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Elin-Anna Labba
Laestadians are a Scandinavian version of the Amish. Modern life and all the deliciously sinful things that belong in it, like music (apart from hymns), dancing, TV, radio, the internet, and magazines are strictly verboten. Laestadians don’t register themselves anywhere, so nobody knows how many believers there are, but in the north of Sweden, Finland, and Norway there are entire communities consisting of nothing but 15-headed Laestadian families. And due to their apparent allergy to condoms, Laestadian strongholds are the only places in Sweden that are growing instead of depopulating.
I grew up in the North of Sweden and remember the Laestadian girls in school sitting on a bench at the side of the pitch during gym class (they weren’t allowed to participate). And even though they all look perfectly modern on the street, in church they all wear veils. That creeps me out.
I recently travelled back north to spend a day in the Laestadian city of Pajala and hang out with Rakel, Emilia, and Maria. They are all around 18 and in their last year at the Laestadius Graduate School.
Vice: Do people ever act weird around you because of your faith?
Emilia: People assume we have no curtains, no flowers, and wear veils and have long hair.
Rakel: And that we have no future and walk around all depressed and aren’t allowed to do anything. People imagine a woman in old clothes, dressed in black. I mean, there are some people in the congregation that live like that, but I don’t think my faith should be built on what I wear. I suppose that some of my views could be considered old fashioned, like how I feel about marriage for example.
How do you feel about marriage?
Rakel: A man and a woman, that’s it. I think God intended marriage for a man and a woman. I find homosexuality wrong.
Emilia: In these parts it’s common to form a family early. If you want to go out with a person, the next natural step is to marry him or her.
So you’ll never have boyfriends?
Rakel: I haven’t had a boyfriend… but Maria has had one.
Maria: I want the next boy I meet to be the one.
Would you ever sleep with someone if you weren’t married?
Maria: No, I don’t think you should. I mean, just take a look at what the society looks like today and you’ll understand why you shouldn’t have sex outside of marriage. You know, with rapes and everything. If everyone just had sex within marriage that kind of stuff wouldn’t exist.
Rakel: People are influenced by how the society looks right now. Maybe they don’t even realise how inappropriate sex outside of marriage is.
What about abortion and contraceptives?
Rakel: It’s all connected. With contraceptives you’ll control what happens and you’ll stop a child from being created.
Emilia: Totally. It’s like eliminating a life. God is standing there with this great gift, and you’ll go, “No thanks, I’m good.”
But you’re all probably going to be pregnant for about a decade. That’s not at all an uncommon thing in Laestadian families. Doesn’t that feel kind of heavy?
Rakel: Yeah, sometimes it does. But life in general isn’t exactly idyllic.
Emilia: We will refrain from doing certain things, but it’s not like we’re not allowed, or that those things are right or wrong. We CHOOSE not to do those things. Like not getting drunk for example.
Maria: And not cussing.
But what will you do for fun?
Emilia: We’ll attend prayer meetings.
Maria: You can go to prayer when you’re up for it. If I missed prayer one weekend I’d feel really empty.
Maria: Sometimes it’s more like a conversation with God. No clasped hands or anything.
Emilia: And it’s OK to have a TV at home. It just depends on what you choose to watch.
Maria: I can listen to other music too, but I still feel like the hymns are more important to me. A hymn can make me cry.
I’ve been hearing a lot about Laestadians flying into fits of ecstasy during meetings.
Rakel: Sure, it’s a big thing. We get filled with a great gratitude towards Jesus. Imagine a football game where your team wins. You’ll be consumed by joy because it’s such a great thing that happened. That’s how a Christian will feel, but times a million.
Where will you be in ten years time?
Rakel: Personally, I really just want to get to heaven. That’s the most important thing. That’s the goal. Oh by the way, did you know that Maria is related to Laestadius [the founder or the Laestadian movement]?
Emilia: You ARE? I didn’t know that!
Maria: Yeah, in the sixth or seventh generation.
Rakel: Cool, huh!?
---------
Elin-Anna Labba