The Russian Orthodox Church, which calls for a "holy" war, as a factor of global terrorism

The Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs compared the Russian Orthodox Church with Islamic terrorists, who also conduct a "holy war against the West." He believes that the church's subordination to Moscow poses a security threat to Estonia. The Estonian Minister of Internal Affairs, Lauri Läänemets, announced his intention to propose to the Estonian parliament to designate the Russian Orthodox Church as a terrorist organization. He stated this on ETV, according to ERR. It's important to add that at the end of March 2024, the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church declared Russia's war against Ukraine as "holy." In other words, they once again supported Putin's policies, effectively calling on and inspiring adherents of the Russian Orthodox Church to continue killing Ukrainians and destroying Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure with missile and artillery strikes.

Photo from the network. Patriarch Kirill and Dictator Putin

A Russian Orthodox religious organization has published an appeal entitled "Order 25 of the World Russian People's Council. The Present and the Future of the Russian World". This happened at a congress of Russian Orthodox clerics held on March 27, 2024, at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, chaired by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. In this essentially political manifesto, Russia's war against Ukraine was declared "holy". That is, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church once again supported Vladimir Putin's policy and spiritually "charged" Russians for war, for killing people and destroying both Ukraine's statehood and its cities and life support systems.

The "Order" approved by the Russian clergy does not recognize the existence of the state of Ukraine in principle. Its text refers to the territory of Ukraine as "the southern Russian lands of Russia". And the text outlines the ultimate goal of the Russian war against Ukraine, which is called, according to the abbreviation commonly used in the Russian Federation, "SVO" or "special military operation". And this goal is the complete absorption of Ukraine and the occupation of Ukraine's entire territory. I quote from the text of this address to the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church around the world: "after the completion of the "special military operation", the entire territory of modern Ukraine should be included in the zone of Russia's exclusive influence".

This, of course, would mean the complete destruction of Ukrainian statehood, its institutions, constitutional foundations, and even its very name. In a scenario that may resemble Russia's takeover of Belarus, but in much more severe forms, as it involves the elimination of the resistance of the Ukrainian people. That is, Russian church leaders officially proclaim that they are supporting the redrawing ofuniversally recognized borders in the interests of Russia. And the instrument of this policy is a "holy war" with all its destructive consequences. In this way, the spiritual center in Moscow assigns itself the right to determine which peoples and countries have the right to exist and which are denied this right by the Russian Orthodox Church. That is, the leader of Russian Orthodoxy and his entourage are trying to take over the functions of God. The leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church declare that from now on they will perform the function of the Creator outside of Russia. The text of the proclaimed "manifesto" does not say exactly how far these religious and military encroachments and the idea of depriving people of life, their country and their own homes, while the Russian army is destroying entire cities, are to extend, a decision the Russian clergy appropriated, at their own discretion. Russian clerics are using vague language that should keep many countries and peoples very wary indeed. We quote from the original text published by the World Russian People's Council: "The borders of the Russian world as a spiritual, cultural, and civilizational phenomenon are significantly wider than the state borders of both the present-day Russian Federation and the larger historical Russia. Along with the representatives of the Russian oikoumene scattered around the world, the Russian world includes all those for whom Russian tradition, the shrines of Russian civilization, and the great Russian culture are the highest value and meaning of life." And this is a signal not only to Ukrainians. It is much worse. Dear citizens of Europe and Asia, one day you may wake up to the sound of Russian missiles and make an extremely unpleasant discovery: your country has already been included in the Russian cultural, religious, and political space. Therefore, in your countries, Russian clergy and politicians have recorded signs of the presence of "Russian traditions" in various forms. This is bad news for you. Because the next stage in the "protection" of Russian values, faith and religion may be the "holy fire of holy war" with which Moscow will burn out any resistance to your home country's accession to the "Russian world," which extends beyond Russia's generally recognized borders.

Of course, it would be possible not to react to the "union" of Russian orthodox clerics who control the religious life of Russia along with the Russian authorities, who have been waging an open war against Ukraine and its people for 10 years. At the same time, they call this war (again referring to the manifesto of the Russian World Council) nothing less than a "national liberation, holy war" of the Russian people against Ukraine and the entire "collective West" that has "fallen into Satanism." In other words, the ideological and religious foundations of Russia's war with Western civilization have already been officially outlined. Russians are being prepared for a war with Satanism. In the minds of Russian Orthodox believers, dropping bombs and firing missiles at your cities is a "Godly" thing to do. You can see how this is happening in Ukraine: in the destruction of cities, civilian infrastructure, and, in general, all life in these cities, both people and animals. In a published document, Russian religious leaders are promoting commandments that are contrary to true Christianity, which begin with the words "Thou shalt not kill!"

Why is this development alarming not only for people in Ukraine but also for people in other countries? Because the ideologues of a fanatical, psychological and religious war do not hide their plans. Just as Vladimir Putin did not hide his intentions at the Munich Security Conference in 2007, when he explained to world leaders what he would do with Ukraine and why it should disappear from the world map. As the Russian leader did not hide when he demanded that NATO countries "roll back" to the borders of 1996 and voluntarily surrender to him the European countries that joined the Alliance after that date.

Now, as we can see, the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church have come out with a justification for the war as a "sacred" global mission. Why is this signal alarming not only for Ukrainians? Because of the global nature of this doctrine. And the threat of spreading the geography of war and Russia's expansion far beyond its existing borders. And this is a revision of all existing international agreements and safeguards created by humanity after World War II. Therefore, civilization must be aware of the existing threats and challenges. And it must be ready to defend its values.

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