Rasputin's feelings

[Geshtahl]

Did Rasputin truly care about Alexei? Or was Alexei just a means of getting to Alexandra?







--Geshtahl

[Johnny]

Oh, I am sure that he really cared. He was a compassionate person after all. The fact that it kept him closer to the Empress didn't hurt either. I also think that although he destroyed many a family by seducing wives of otherwise happy families, he didn't believe that he was doing it for selfish reasons. Or at least he needed an altruistic justification for it, the kind with which he brilliantly managed to come up after all.

[helenazar]

I don't think Rasputin's was one big dramatic act where he pretended that he was compassionate while not actually feeling it. At the very least, I think that he believed that his powers really did come from God and that it was his role in life to help others. I think he sincerely tried to heal these people and help them in other ways. I think that he was sincere in what he told Alexandra and that he believed what he told others as well. One thing he didn't seem to be was underhanded, this is probably what got him in trouble in the end, his unwillingness or inability to pretend to be something he wasn't, even when it may have been in his best interest to do so.

[hissunnywife]

I don't think Rasputin's was one big dramatic act where he pretended that he was compassionate while not actually feeling it. At the very least, I think that he believed that his powers really did come from God and that it was his role in life to help others. I think he sincerely tried to heal these people and help them in other ways. I think that he was sincere in what he told Alexandra and that he believed what he told others as well. One thing he didn't seem to be was underhanded, this is probably what got him in trouble in the end, his unwillingness or inability to pretend to be something he wasn't, even when it may have been in his best interest to do so.

Could not agree more on this. With spiritual growth one attains supernatural powers as a side effect. This is a blessing as well as a curse as sometimes the ego of person subtly and slyly takes over and he starts using these powers (one of them is a healing power). Once he starts doing that, the accrued spiritual energy from years of spiritual practice starts oosing out and the spiritual level of the person starts dropping. To prevent this, spiritual guides who are evolved enough to know this, advise people against using of such powers. On the other hand, once one reaches Sainthood, it is safe to do this as the purification of ego is to such extent that the will of a Saint is the will of God and hence the drainage of energy does not happen.

While Rasputin's intentions were noble and compassionate, he has lost through it. But i also beleive that in God's infinite play, this too was meant to be. God is taking care of Rasputin also.

[Konstantine]

 With spiritual growth one attains supernatural powers as a side effect. This is a blessing as well as a curse as sometimes the ego of person subtly and slyly takes over and he starts using these powers (one of them is a healing power). Once he starts doing that, the accrued spiritual energy from years of spiritual practice starts oozing out and the spiritual level of the person starts dropping. To prevent this, spiritual guides who are evolved enough to know this, advise people against using of such powers. On the other hand, once one reaches Sainthood, it is safe to do this as the purification of ego is to such extent that the will of a Saint is the will of God and hence the drainage of energy does not happen.
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I think a lot of people forget that, despite what his accusers would have us believe, Rasputin was first and foremost an Orthodox Christian. To those unfamiliar with the faith, some of the things that Rasputin said and did may seem strange.  But what needs to be remembered is that he did not actually himself possess supernatural powers. He couldn't just lay his hands on an afflicted person and heal their wounds. What he would do is simply kneel or stand before the person and ask God to heal them. That's all there was to it. If you read accounts by his daughter Maria, Anna Vyrubova, or Lili Dehn you will also begin see that, while he could very often determine a persons character upon first meeting them, there is no truth to the reports of him being clairvoyant or having powers of persuasion and hypnosis.