Patrick, I'm not trying to say that Russia is like a great democracy or something. I don't think they have any true freedom of religion there, for example. The persecution of Jehova's Witnesses does not surprise me in the slightest. My point was that the Soviet Union was an officially atheist nation, where churches were closed down by authorities and turned into museums, club houses etcetera. Russia of today is not atheist at all, but rather quite pro-religious. However, the only religion that is really approved of is the Russian Orthodox Church. But Natasha the cosmonaut would certainly not get into any sort of trouble with Russain authorities for showing her (presumably Russian Orthodox) faith by praying.
Ann
