Posted on 02/02/2011 2:23:03 AM PST by kronos77
Moscow, February 1, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has said that the Church's interference in secular matters is justified.
Patriarch Kirill was enthroned as the 16th leader of the Russian Orthodox Church exactly two years ago.
The Patriarch conducted a liturgy at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on Tuesday morning.
The present period differs from the past by "the presence of some apocalyptic tension because the power of the force of sin over mankind is stronger today than ever," Patriarch Kirill said.
The Russian Orthodox Church could "not stay indifferent to this multiplication of evil," he said.
"Some politicians are asking us with puzzlement why the church is interfering in spheres that do not fall under its jurisdiction. This is the response to the Church's work to help reduce divorce and abortion rates, to teach people to dress decently," he said.
However, this criticism will not force the church to change its policies, Patriarch Kirill said.
"We will be scolded in the future. We are ready for it. The Church has no words other than: 'Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand,'" he said.
The difference between the Muslims and the Christians is that the Muslims have a ground game, and we Christians don’t.
The Muslims have been preparing the ground diligently for the last hundred years to support the various fundamentalist movements we see throughout the Middle East today. This has been very effective.
Meanwhile, Christian Churches have been in retreat from the public sphere, looking no further than our own front doors, and avoiding interference in political matters. This inward-looking policy has created a vacuum, which is being gleefully exploited by the Muslims.
This should be no contest. We have the Truth, the Way and the Life, and they have their bizarre death cult. We should be winning the people everywhere, but instead we have withdrawn from the field. You can’t fight something with nothing, no matter how unappealing that something is.
So this is good. If the Russian Orthodox Church is going to insist on having influence in the political realm on the matters of divorce, abortion and modesty, it is a good first step. The first of many, I hope.
New Tag Line.
> ... the Church’s work to help reduce divorce and abortion
> rates, to teach people to dress decently,” he said.
Wow. I don’t remember the last time I saw a Christian leader of a large denomination confront the problem of immodest dress.
> ... The Church has no words other than: ‘Repent, for the
> kingdom of God is at hand,’
Hit the nail on the head, Kirill.
Hopefully other denominations will follow suit.
“This is the response to the Church’s work to help reduce divorce and abortion rates,” —> I fully support the Patriarch on this. Religiousness has been growing in Russia, but the abortion rate is still horrendously high. The ones doing the abortion are definitely not believing Orthodox/Catholics
I like this guy. He has courage.
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