B1010 <=> B1012 [BTG XLII Beelzebub in America, p. 1011]

“’And even this one surviving good custom is either already fading completely out of the ordinary life of the followers of this religion, or its observance is so changing year by year that no shock is obtained from it for the fasters, though it was just for that shock that this “fast” was established.

“’The changes now taking place in the process of this Christian custom of fasting are very characteristic and provide an excellent example for understanding how in general all the “good Christian customs” have little by little undergone change, until they have finally entirely ceased to exist.

“’A good illustration is the present-day observance of this fast by those called the Russian “Orthodox Christians.”

“’These Russian Orthodox Christians took their religion entirely from those called the “Orthodox Greeks,” from whom, together with many other Christian customs, this same custom of “fasting” also passed to them.

“’Most of the millions of these Russian Orthodox Christians still continue to fast as is said “rigorously,” in conformity with what is called the “orthodox code” now existing there.

“’But as to the manner of their fasting, one cannot help recalling the saying of our dear Mullah Nassr Eddin in such cases:

“’”Isn’t it all the same if I sing like a donkey as long as they call me a nightingale.”

“’The fasting of these Russian Orthodox Christians is just a case of this kind.

“’As long as they are called Christians and moreover Orthodox – even though they receive no shock whatever from the fast, is it not all the same?