Russian Orthodox leader says Ukraine invasion is part of struggle against 'gay parades' | TheHill
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By Natalie Prieb Tweet Share More
A Russian Orthodox leader suggested last weekend that the country's invasion of Ukraine is part of an ongoing conflict to resist liberal pressure to hold gay pride parades, sparking backlash from other Orthodox churches in the region.
In a sermon on Sunday, Russian Orthodox bishop Kirill, an ally of Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinRussian-American charged with illegally acting as an agent in the USOvernight Defense & National Security — More help headed Ukraine's wayHoyer says Russian gas ban is worth political costMORE, said that Ukraine was engaging in the "extermination" of Russian loyalists in the Donbas, a breakaway Ukrainian territory held by two Russian-backed separatist groups since 2014 that is now playing a key role in Russia's strategy.
Kirill made no mention of Russia's attacks on civilian areas, The Associated Press reported.
Kirill said that the Donbas separatists were sacrificing themselves for the "fundamental rejection of the so-called values that are offered today by those who claim world power." Kirill further claimed that liberal forces are presenting a "test for the loyalty" of countries by demanding they hold "gay parades" and join a club of nations with different ideas of freedom, according to the AP.
Kirill had previously avoided criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, angering Ukrainian Orthodox churches that had remained loyal to the Orthodox leader even with geopolitical complications in their own country. A number of these churches have now excluded Kirill's name from public prayers and demanded separation from the Moscow church, the AP reported.
The Rev. Mykola Danilevich, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, said days before Kirill's most recent comments that many priests had stopped commemorating Kirill in church services.
"And the reason is obvious," Danilevich wrote before Kirill's sermon this past Sunday, according to the AP. "The treacherous open invasion of Ukraine is a huge mistake of Russia ... People did not hear from the patriarch a clear assessment of this war and his call to stop this madness."
After the religious leader's comments last weekend, officials in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church both in the country and around the world spoke out against the remarks. Clergy in the Lviv and Volodymyr-Volynskaare dioceses called for independence from the Russian Orthodox church on their Facebook pages, according to the AP.
Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA also condemned Kirill's comments, calling them "incomprehensible."
"Regardless of our beliefs and regardless of our stance on social and moral issues, you cannot use that as a propaganda tool to justify the Russian invasion and the slaughter of innocent people," Daniel said, the AP reported.
The comments come after Putin tried to justify the Russian invasion into Ukraine last week by claiming that Russian forces were defending the country from neo-Nazi forces.
Bishop Kirill is the Russian version of Pat Robertson!
conservative xtian hypocrisy is consistent world wide...
The Russian Orthodox Church is essentially another state agency. Kirill was a KGB agent and now allowed to be top dog of Putin's church. He also said this was a 'metaphysical' battle. I guess all those civilian dead don't really exist.
We all already knew that.
Bombing maternity wards is an attack on gay pride? Once again religion shows no respect for life once it has exited the womb.
Killing kids is not exactly respect for life either
I sometimes if they respect any life at all or if everyone is expendable.
The only "life" they respect is the one in the uterus
I don't know if they respect the "life" or if they just enjoy the control over women it grants them.
I think you are right
That asshat is probably telling people that dead babies at least won't grow up to be gay.
They certainly don't grow up to be congregants in his church....
… and that god made sure to only kill the ones that would grow up to be gay.
Sad commentary on the Russian Orthodox Church and Kirill.
At least the remaining orthodox are condemning him.
For some reason gay people seem to make certain people quake in their boots.
Look at that photo....lots of fancy garb. Even Pope Frank doesn't dress that fancy
It almost looks like old military garb.
That would be the 'armor of god'.
Think he is missing the ruby slippers.
I was thinking granny panties...
Now that is stuck in my head - Thanks.
believe me, that's the 3x edited version of my comment...
Religion is burden on society.
At least the Russian Orthodox Klan has impressive uniforms though.
Sounds like he is simply trying to snuggle deeper into Putin's underpants
The Head Asshat must always have the biggest asshat.
So, Kirill is worried about gay Nazi parades...
Putin has made anti-gay propaganda and policies a major part of his autocratic playbook for many years, including the claim that the so-called "gay agenda" is a Western assault on Russian culture. Putin's anti-gay propaganda and policies are a primary reason that he has been so popular with many right-wing evangelicals in America.
This article is especially instructive:
How in the fuck did this become about "the gays"? Not even Putin or Trump said something that retarded.