In Ukraine, religion as a weapon is insidious rather than a weapon of last
resort. The whole point of canonicity as a monopoly franchise, limited to those
annointed, is to allow the state or those in charge to claim a legitimacy to
use religion as a weapon in the interests of the state and the exclusive
group.
Stalin reinstated the ROC in Ukraine as an exclusive church group and destroyed the others. The majority of Ukrainians got used to the politicized church which Putin inherited from Stalin. Only now are these lumpen Ukrainians realizing its dangers and how they have been tricked by its claims of pure "religion".
Unfortunately, the UOCC was also tricked into believing in this "all-Orthodox" concept and for decades remained supportive, claiming that this is what the people of Ukraine wanted and so this "reality" had to be accepted as legitimate. Anyone who claimed otherwise, was laughed down by "those who knew better" - clergy and laity alike.
But what ensued as result of such policy was itself laughable -- conferences on the "benefits" of such views, even attempts at teaching us the OCA point of view, that itself was an offshoot of the ROC, with its bishops attending proper schooling in Moscow and earning the proper credentials from the "Dept. of Foreign Affairs".
How many of the UOCC laity fell for that ruse? All along, it was claimed that the UOCC needed even more cooperation with the ROC in Ukraine and Canada. The propaganda began to flow from Moscow, with the Pochaiv Icon, the fake remains of St. Vladimir, etc. We finally had to say "NO" to the Russky Mir, but then continued with the cooperation and the shunning of the schismatic visitor.
Bart is aware that his personal interests and those of Greece are better served with a frienship and cooperation with Russia. But so is Putin, and his gang. So its a mutual thing with Bart, as a symbiotic relationship, to keep the beat and the ball rolling.
The inexperienced UOCC stepped into this pit of canonical partners without proper research, relying on a rosy interpretation of religious history and the altruistic intentions of naive bishops. So here we are reaping the benefits. We need another conference in Edmonton and Toronto to further explain them to the members.
Any other well-run organization would have prevented such a perilous outcome but Ukrainians are like sheep going to the slaughter, even if warned of the future in the 1995 letter. So where is the remedy?
We still cling to Byzantine intrigue and the outdated detrimental franchise that is canonicity, that enables the use of religion as a political weapon in Ukraine and Canada while benefitting the symbiotic relationship of the bebop duo of B and P and their propaganda machine (Kirill in Cuba, Bart in Moscow, Putin visiting the Pope, etc.).
Stalin reinstated the ROC in Ukraine as an exclusive church group and destroyed the others. The majority of Ukrainians got used to the politicized church which Putin inherited from Stalin. Only now are these lumpen Ukrainians realizing its dangers and how they have been tricked by its claims of pure "religion".
Unfortunately, the UOCC was also tricked into believing in this "all-Orthodox" concept and for decades remained supportive, claiming that this is what the people of Ukraine wanted and so this "reality" had to be accepted as legitimate. Anyone who claimed otherwise, was laughed down by "those who knew better" - clergy and laity alike.
But what ensued as result of such policy was itself laughable -- conferences on the "benefits" of such views, even attempts at teaching us the OCA point of view, that itself was an offshoot of the ROC, with its bishops attending proper schooling in Moscow and earning the proper credentials from the "Dept. of Foreign Affairs".
How many of the UOCC laity fell for that ruse? All along, it was claimed that the UOCC needed even more cooperation with the ROC in Ukraine and Canada. The propaganda began to flow from Moscow, with the Pochaiv Icon, the fake remains of St. Vladimir, etc. We finally had to say "NO" to the Russky Mir, but then continued with the cooperation and the shunning of the schismatic visitor.
Bart is aware that his personal interests and those of Greece are better served with a frienship and cooperation with Russia. But so is Putin, and his gang. So its a mutual thing with Bart, as a symbiotic relationship, to keep the beat and the ball rolling.
The inexperienced UOCC stepped into this pit of canonical partners without proper research, relying on a rosy interpretation of religious history and the altruistic intentions of naive bishops. So here we are reaping the benefits. We need another conference in Edmonton and Toronto to further explain them to the members.
Any other well-run organization would have prevented such a perilous outcome but Ukrainians are like sheep going to the slaughter, even if warned of the future in the 1995 letter. So where is the remedy?
We still cling to Byzantine intrigue and the outdated detrimental franchise that is canonicity, that enables the use of religion as a political weapon in Ukraine and Canada while benefitting the symbiotic relationship of the bebop duo of B and P and their propaganda machine (Kirill in Cuba, Bart in Moscow, Putin visiting the Pope, etc.).
