Russia preparing imminent incursion into Ukraine?

[eastcoast_bsc]

I’m in general agreement; I think the Metropolitan said it best.
The Russian actions now are wrong. But unless people understand that they did not come out of the blue, that there was in fact Western provocation to this, there’s nothing to stop such provocation from causing indefinite repeat of these situations. The trillions of dollars spent on “defense” are too sweet to give up, and reestablishing Russia as an enemy we can afford to arm against (unlike China) has long been the goal of the banking and financing families of plutocrats who benefit from never-ending war.

So you agree that Russia is slaughtering the innocents but yet try to shift some of the blame on to others? The US are not angels by any stretch of the imagination but lets understand here that Putin is and has always been a stone KGB guy who would put a bullet in your head in a second. He has used the gullible populace of quite a few Orthodox Christians in to thinking he was a Christian leader.

It is time to focus on Christ and stop trying to protect those who deserve no protection.

 

[prodromos]

Right now the Russian Orthodox Church is in schism with the rest of the orthodox world due to the recognization of the right for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to be autocephalous

The break is only between Moscow Patriarchate and Constantinople. Moscow is in communion with everyone else.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The break is only between Moscow Patriarchate and Constantinople. Moscow is in communion with everyone else.

and the laity can still commune at either I believe

 

[Nick1000]

Putin, the Kremlin, and the Russian News Agency keep emphasizing that they are performing "a special military operation to liberate Ukraine."

So that brings to mind the liberation of Paris. Is tomorrow the day that we will see people weeping for joy in the streets for being liberated and all the women kissing the soldiers?

In reality, Putin is getting ready to go full Aleppo.

Deep shame. Full disgrace for Russia.

 

[truefiction1]

I'm floored at some of the outright garbage being peddled here in order to justify Russia's aggression- including coopting some alleged prophecies to bolster that view- as if it has anything to do with the faith.

I had wondered about some sketchy Orthodox youtube channels posting some stuff about the 'return of the Czar' et cetera a few weeks back- and was super confused as to what their vague posturing was about. Now I know and it sickens me. I'll outright state that I think there is an awful lot of spiritual delusion going on in the minds of some of these wanna be neo-Crusaders for their 'Third Rome'.

I believe there's more spiritual delusion going on in the democracy/freedom mantra we constantly hear. Might look good on the surface, but just beneath is the rotting stench of spiritual death and corruption. Our government kills families and children too, in a variety of ways. They just don't broadcast it. This is largely on account of how greatly we serve mammon, rather than serving God.

So you agree that Russia is slaughtering the innocents but yet try to shift some of the blame on to others?

Rusmeister is calling us (US) hypocrites, and he would be correct.

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

The break is only between Moscow Patriarchate and Constantinople. Moscow is in communion with everyone else.

I didn’t know that; thank you!

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

and the laity can still commune at either I believe

I didn’t know that; thank you!

 

[Platina]

I didn’t know that; thank you!

Not to be a Debby Downer, but if the Russian Synodal decision is strictly followed, then ROC laity cannot commune in EP churches.

 

[Platina]

Is a report by Orthochristian forthcoming?

A number of Ukrainian dioceses call for question of autocephaly to be raised ... took a while to research it all

 

[tapi]

A number of Ukrainian dioceses call for question of autocephaly to be raised ... took a while to research it all

Good to see a report, although it is sad (and disingenuous, I dare say, for you surely know better) that Kirill's role in the case at hand is not properly addressed but rather the whole thing is at the outset pretty much chalked up to "aggression of Ukrainian nationalists", without even mentioning the root cause -- the Russian invasion, of any possible current tensions. I say this without malice; the report itself is a commendable thing considering that the concept of "free press" does not exactly exist in Russia or even the Russian Church.

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

Not to be a Debby Downer, but if the Russian Synodal decision is strictly followed, then ROC laity cannot commune in EP churches.

Again, I’m not too sure. I’m at kinda a lost. I’m a convert who converted in the midst of all of this so I don’t really know too much more than the major details.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Not to be a Debby Downer, but if the Russian Synodal decision is strictly followed, then ROC laity cannot commune in EP churches.

I know here in the States, if a Greek layman moves and the only parish is MP, then they usually do commune and vice versa.

 

[rusmeister]

Rusmeister is calling us (US) hypocrites, and he would be correct.

I think our hypocrisy is primarily from ignorance and indifference, rather than consciously knowing that we hold a double standard. Those places are far away, most of us don’t know the history or the languages or the cultures involved, and have little sense of how our foreign policy impacts other nations - we don’t generally experience the reverse, where what another nation does severely impacts us, so we have no basis for empathy. Not having that empathy, we don’t FEEL what our political and cultural exports do.

It’s more of a cultural example, but you could say that I fled halfway around the world in part to escape Spider-Man underwear (as a symbol, not only of the entertainment, but of the cultural attitudes promoted that we cannot escape), and yet it followed me, and so I walk into a supermarket here and see a huge cardboard Spider-Man (or whoever) selling cheap trash Marvel toys, and I could not protect my children from it. Our influence is everywhere in a way that we simply don’t experience reciprocally. When it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct and brutal.

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

I think our hypocrisy is primarily from ignorance and indifference, rather than consciously knowing that we hold a double standard. Those places are far away, most of us don’t know the history or the languages or the cultures involved, and have little sense of how our foreign policy impacts other nations - we don’t generally experience the reverse, where what another nation does severely impacts us, so we have no basis for empathy. Not having that empathy, we don’t FEEL what our political and cultural exports do.

It’s more of a cultural example, but you could say that I fled halfway around the world in part to escape Spider-Man underwear (as a symbol, not only of the entertainment, but of the cultural attitudes promoted that we cannot escape), and yet it followed me, and so I walk into a supermarket here and see a huge cardboard Spider-Man (or whoever) selling cheap trash Marvel toys, and I could not protect my children from it. Our influence is everywhere in a way that we simply don’t experience reciprocally. When it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct and brutal.

I find it sad mostly.
I still see good in the West and Im not saying that because I am from there.
I spent a lot of my childhood in Japan. I see so much good every where.
I don’t watch much tv really. YouTube I mostly use to watch how-to videos on demand (it’s fantastic for that, I can’t tell you how many times it has helped with my sewing or knitting or insert some other DIY project).
I know I can’t really compare myself to anyone in terms of music because I just find any lyrics distracting and anxiety inducing now unless I am in the mood for it. But I still find great modern music.
Even art, whether film or painting or what have you is still wonderful.
Modern art for example is mostly terrible in the museums but that is due to the curators. You can find better modern art in shops or exhibitions or online (art Instagram).
I do see the want for a more simple life. A less consumer driven life. A less all of these things that you call it life.
But you don’t see it in the media. Which is fine.
Many of my age just do what I do: shrug & turn it off.
And I DO understand why NATO getting anywhere near Ukraine would upset Russia. I truly do. I am very upset that NATO was even toying with the idea.
But at the same time, Russia should leave Ukraine alone.
Free will, yes?
What a mess.

 

[Till Schilling]

When it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct and brutal.

Than whose?

Looking at US foreign policy over a long period this is just simply not true.

Yes, the US took some terrible decisions in the years following 2001. Specifically the Iraq was very, very foolish. But that is all history.

The US never attacked and bombed a country in order to occupy it, install a dictatorship and thus to incorporate it into its sphere of influence. Which is what Russia is doing now. The US tried to turn Iraq and Afghanistan into democracies. That was foolish and naïve. And lead to civil war in Iraq. But it not threatening and brutal.

As for NATO extension into Eastern Europe. Thank goodness we had the courage to do it. We should have been more courageous and make Ukraine a member in 2008 whilst Russia was still weak. None of those countries needed forcing into NATO. They were all eager to join. Because they are all scared of Russia.

 

[Dermoplast]

I think our hypocrisy is primarily from ignorance and indifference, rather than consciously knowing that we hold a double standard. Those places are far away, most of us don’t know the history or the languages or the cultures involved, and have little sense of how our foreign policy impacts other nations - we don’t generally experience the reverse, where what another nation does severely impacts us, so we have no basis for empathy. Not having that empathy, we don’t FEEL what our political and cultural exports do.

It’s more of a cultural example, but you could say that I fled halfway around the world in part to escape Spider-Man underwear (as a symbol, not only of the entertainment, but of the cultural attitudes promoted that we cannot escape), and yet it followed me, and so I walk into a supermarket here and see a huge cardboard Spider-Man (or whoever) selling cheap trash Marvel toys, and I could not protect my children from it. Our influence is everywhere in a way that we simply don’t experience reciprocally. When it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct and brutal.

You frame the issue well, much better than I can. I try to have a conversation about our poor influence here in the States and aboard but free speech only goes so far here now, I get called comrade and traitor is implied because I don't buy into this "We are better and we can do anything and everyone else is bad" stuff that is going around now.

The US never attacked and bombed a country in order to occupy it, install a dictatorship and thus to incorporate it into its sphere of influence.

But the US always tries to undermine countries that it wants on it's side. The US has helped topple regimes it doesn't like by getting the people of those countries to oust their leader. The US doesn't directly attack a country but does indirectly. You can find examples in history where we have

 

[Nick1000]

I think our hypocrisy is primarily from ignorance and indifference, rather than consciously knowing that we hold a double standard. Those places are far away, most of us don’t know the history or the languages or the cultures involved, and have little sense of how our foreign policy impacts other nations - we don’t generally experience the reverse, where what another nation does severely impacts us, so we have no basis for empathy. Not having that empathy, we don’t FEEL what our political and cultural exports do.

It’s more of a cultural example, but you could say that I fled halfway around the world in part to escape Spider-Man underwear (as a symbol, not only of the entertainment, but of the cultural attitudes promoted that we cannot escape), and yet it followed me, and so I walk into a supermarket here and see a huge cardboard Spider-Man (or whoever) selling cheap trash Marvel toys, and I could not protect my children from it. Our influence is everywhere in a way that we simply don’t experience reciprocally. When it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct and brutal.

The Ukranians know the region as well as you do and disagree with almost everything you say and with all of your Putin apologist efforts.

You frame everything with the usual "I know Russia and Americans don't" and get good mileage out of it, for understandable reasons but it has its limits and you have reached them.

You say "when it comes to our foreign policy, it seems more threatening, direct, and brutal." Really. Ask the Ukranians today. Oh, I see, they are Russians on even numbered days according to Putin, and then on odd numbered days, they are not when he wants to kill them.

Putin tried to be Peter the Great and ended out looking like Ivan the Terrible or just the village idiot. You want a better Russia? Stop blaming America and stop defending Putin and break out of the trance state. Russia is now considered to be the moral equivalent of North Korea and it gets worse by the hour.

 

[prodromos]

The Ukranians know the region as well as you do and disagree with almost everything you say and with all of your Putin apologist efforts

I fail to see where Rus has ever acted as an apologist for Putin. Quite the contrary.

 

[Nick1000]

I fail to see where Rus has ever acted as an apologist for Putin.

Yes. You do.

 

[Platina]

Rus tries to see things from both sides and speak calmly and collectedly about it--qualities sorely missing in some here.