Orthodox Reflections

Is the Russian Orthodox Church blessing an immoral invasion? Is war always wrong in Christianity? What is the Russian World teaching, and does it support territorial expansionism? Does Putin control the Russian Church?
https://orthodoxreflections.com/what-is-the-russian-world-heresy-is-patriarch-kirill-a-heretic/

In March 2021, three Orthodox scientists from Orthodox Theological Society wrote QA on the jabs, published on Public Orthodoxy, in which they downplayed the risk to pregnant mothers and fertile women. In fact, the Orthodox experts admitted the following about pregnant mothers, “In summary, there is no strong safety evidence but no evidence of harm either. There are plans to include pregnant women in upcoming trials. Pregnant women should discuss vaccination with their physician.”

It is quite stunning that Orthodox Christian medical experts were willing to risk babies and their mothers when they admitted there is no strong safety evidence. One would have thought an abundance of caution would prevail concerning the lives of babies.

The divide is Orthodoxy is fundamental.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-hard-sell-on-covid-vaccines/

Progressives, “Orthodox” or otherwise, do not care about the integrity of democratic processes or even individual rights. They care about policy outcomes. We wrote about this in the context of Ukraine, but it equally applies to the SCOTUS on Roe.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-war-in-ukraine-as-a-tool-for-progressive-revolution-against-orthodoxy/

When we published this, many Americans told us to worry about more important matters. Then a church in Canada went and made a sacrament of a medically assisted death. Anglo countries influence each other more than we often realize. We are not safe.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/medical-assistance-in-dying-is-cheating-death-worth-it/

Minimum wage was $1 an hour in 1955. My father bought a house off $1.25 an hour, and paid for it in 54 months. Why doesn't anyone ever ask why inflation happens, and why is it inevitable? Instead of raising the minimum wage, why not focus on fixing money?
https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-theft-that-theologians-always-overlook/

A protest event organized by Americans on American soil is solely capable, at best, of possibly influencing US government policy and the opinions of American Christians. The Ukrainian policy of the US government, and its allies, has nothing to do with peace in Ukraine. By protesting against Russia in the US, you are protesting in favor of a continuation of this war and the death it brings. Western influence in Kiev is preventing peace negotiations from succeeding. If you want to end the fighting and save Ukrainian lives, then hold signs protesting Western policies and not just condemning Russia. We must put our own house in order. https://orthodoxreflections.com/12-reasons-for-christians-to-avoid-all-pro-war-demonstrations-concerning-ukraine/

If you #standwithukraine, you are part of an outrage mob that has been consciously created and manipulated to manufacture consent for prolonging the War in Ukraine, while preserving the illusion of “liberal democracy” in the West. Russia has been ready to negotiate an end to this war since before it even began. The West has not allowed a peace agreement, because it badly wants this war to continue as long as possible. Western leaders have their own agenda, and the Ukrainians are just so much cannon fodder to them. By posting Western propaganda, by attending pro-war rallies, by lobbying your representatives for more “aid”, you are not saving Ukrainian lives. You are providing cover for an immoral proxy war with Russia. One that the West hopes to fight to the last Ukrainian. https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-weaponization-of-moral-outrage-to-support-the-war-in-ukraine/

None of the Russian peace demands are an “existential” threat to Ukraine. There are no Russian plans for genocide, or even for occupying the bulk of the country. There is no need for Ukraine to keep fighting. Peace is achievable, and on terms that both sides can live with.

However, the West does not want peace. The West sees this war as a chance to bleed Russia. To economically devastate Russia. Perhaps to even “regime change” Russia. Not to mention the billions in earnings for the Military Industrial Complex. From America’s perspective, this war has to go on. Since the West controls Zelensky, the death and destruction will continue, even though this war could end now.

https://orthodoxreflections.com/is-russia-really-fighting-a-holy-war-in-ukraine/

the West does not want peace. The West sees this war as a chance to bleed Russia. To economically devastate Russia. Perhaps to even “regime change” Russia. Not to mention the billions in earnings for the Military Industrial Complex. From America’s perspective, this war has to go on. Since the West controls Zelensky, the death and destruction will continue, even though this war could end now.

Being anti-war as a matter of principle, we are not in favor of this invasion and feel it should end immediately. Who can support war and suffering? However, we also understand that the only chance to end the war is a negotiated settlement. That means NATO (really the US) must stop prolonging this war, and free Zelensky up to make a deal to stop the killing. At the same time it is incumbent on Westerners, particularly Americans, to understand our own complicity in igniting this crisis. This blood is on our hands as well. We also must acknowledge that we encouraged the Ukrainian military escalation against the Donbass on 2/16 that started this phase of what is really an 8 year war. https://orthodoxreflections.com/q-a-on-the-war-in-ukraine/

There is an even deeper hypocrisy than simply decrying every move Russia makes while ignoring the West’s past war crimes. Western (NATO and EU) nations have done more than just encourage Ukraine to act recklessly in regards to its bigger, more powerful neighbor. After Russia finally reacted, instead of seeking peace, the West is actively prolonging the conflict for its own goals. The West keeps feeding money, weapons and supplies to the Ukrainians to keep them fighting a hopeless war from which they can derive no benefit. While they die, the US openly admits it wants to “bleed” Putin and destroy Russia economically in the hopes of stimulating a regime change. To accomplish its goals, the West is willing to fight to the last Ukrainian. https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-war-in-ukraine-as-a-tool-for-progressive-revolution-against-orthodoxy/

Archbishop Elpidophoros started a controversy at the 2022 March for Life with his remarks. We would refer to his remarks as “studied ambiguity”. If you read them one way, they are actually an endorsement of abortion rights. Read another way, you can excuse the Archbishop for a “lack of clarity” but argue that he “means well”. This normally works. This time, it didn’t work at all. Four faithful Orthodox hierarchs (Met. Joseph, His Grace Bishop Longin, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph) took Elpidophoros to task precisely because of his ambiguous presentation of Orthodox teaching on life. In a statement published on the Antiochian Archdiocese Website, the four hierarchs state: “The Orthodox Church is, and always has been, unabashedly pro-life, regarding abortion as the killing of another human being.” https://orthodoxreflections.com/orthodox-bishops-correct-pro-abortion-comments-from-archbishop-elpidophoros/

Things to consider before you join the condemnation of the Russian Orthodox Church:
1. Western Propaganda is blinding you.
2. Was this war really an unprovoked act of aggression?
3. Is this really a fight between good and evil?
4. Is Zelensky really a hero for “democracy”?
5. Hypocrisy is a bad look for a Theologian.
6. Your people are getting hammered while you morally posture about a foreign war. https://orthodoxreflections.com/6-reasons-to-stop-before-you-criticize-patriarch-kirill-of-moscow-and-the-russian-orthodox-church/

On March 13, 2022, the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, during his speech at the end of the Liturgy at the Annunciation of the Theotokos Cathedral, on the feast of Sunday of Orthodoxy, frustratingly did not honour this great day at all! He spoke and boasted about his distorted achievement, bare-headed, to treating the church like a “restaurant with a menu”, so that each “customer” can individually line-up in two different rows and choose between a) multiple spoons, or b) from one common spoon for everyone, the holy Lavida. Choose a chalice of your choice, and get it! Oh what grave sacrilege and blasphemy!
https://orthodoxreflections.com/archbishop-sotirios-a-torrent-of-blasphemy-and-lack-of-faith/

The result of all these reinforcing calamities will be hundreds of millions of people (or more) around the world facing starvation and poverty. Lower income workers will be unable to heat their homes in Winter. Goods and services once taken for granted, will be out of reach for large segments of the population. The middle class will get poor, and the already impoverished will be reduced to destitution.

You would think, given the stakes, that NATO would be anxious to broker a peace deal. Not at all. NATO keeps providing weapons, military supplies, and just enough hope to keep the Ukrainians fighting a losing battle. Western Media and social media keep publishing and/or inventing pro-Ukrainian propaganda. All the while, Ukrainians die in a hopeless war while their cities are destroyed. The rest of us will be feeling their pain very soon. https://orthodoxreflections.com/are-you-ready-for-poverty-starvation-and-digital-control/

The result of all these reinforcing calamities will be hundreds of millions of people (or more) around the world facing starvation and poverty. Lower income workers will be unable to heat their homes in Winter. Goods and services once taken for granted, will be out of reach for large segments of the population. The middle class will get poor, and the already impoverished will be reduced to destitution.

You would think, given the stakes, that NATO would be anxious to broker a peace deal. Not at all. NATO keeps providing weapons, military supplies, and just enough hope to keep the Ukrainians fighting a losing battle. Western Media and social media keep publishing and/or inventing pro-Ukrainian propaganda. All the while, Ukrainians die in a hopeless war while their cities are destroyed. The rest of us will be feeling their pain very soon.

The Orthodox Church is the foundation of Western Civilization. Christendom, East and West, for 1,000 years was together in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are ignorant of how important Anglo-Catholicism was to the founding of our nation.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/western-rite-orthodoxy-and-learning-my-own-american-culture/

Lies told about Ukraine:
-The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is Run by Moscow
-Ukraine is a Democracy
-The West is not Pushing LGBTQ and Abortion on Ukraine
-There are Different “Kinds” of Orthodoxy
-The West Should Encourage Ukraine to Fight
https://orthodoxreflections.com/lies-progressive-orthodox-tell-about-ukraine/

The globalist media seems to a have vested interest in obfuscating the religious situation in Ukraine. Besides exaggerating the size and importance of the OCU, the media routinely frames this as a conflict between Russia and Ukraine or the Russian Church and the “Ukrainian” Church. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a conflict between Ukrainians. It is precisely the need to hide this fact that causes everyone to pretend that Metropolitan Onuphry does not exist, while shifting all focus to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/the-war-in-ukraine-is-not-about-religion/

Great powers the world over are the same. Last time the US faced a hostile regime on its border, we occupied its capital and took 1/2 its territory. War is a sin against God. But this is a fallen world, and power is a reality.
https://orthodoxreflections.com/in-ukraine-time-to-start-listening-to-metropolitan-onuphry/