WHY IS THE PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW BACKING THE RUSSIAN WAR ON UKRAINE?

IT'S STILL HUMAN RIGHTS, STUPID.

One of the most shocking aspects of the war in Ukraine is the outspoken support for the invasion coming from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus. How could the leader of a major Christian denomination incite, or even support, such a war?

Here is a helpful article from an expert who explains it better than anyone else could.

As it turns out, Kirill's war mongering is more complicated than one might think at first glance when it appears simply to be a naked power grab to regain lost control over the Orthodox churches of Ukraine. Kirill's actions should be seen in the big picture of the culture war. The war in Ukraine is part and parcel of the revolution, and counter-revolution, for human rights in the contemporary world. And guess what bothers Kirill a lot? Homosexuality. In a big way, the war in Ukraine is a war against human rights for gays. It is really a small world, after all.

Putin and Kirill are not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes in their heinous war of aggression. Virtually the entire western world has united to defend democracy and human rights in the face of this totally unwarranted and murderous assault on an innocent victim. Everybody knows this is a war between the forces of democracy and those of anti-democracy. Kirill has thrown down the gauntlet against what he sees as alien and dangerous effects of democracy. He and Putin are on the wrong side of history and they are likely to pay for their choices in time to come. Unfortunately, Christianity in Russia may pay too.

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NOTE. News broke this afternoon of the death of Madeleine Albright, first female Secretary of State and a hero in the struggle for democracy and human rights in the world. She was also an active Episcopalian. She fought the good fight, all of her life against the likes of Putin and deserves a grand funeral in the National Cathedral. RIP, Madame, la sécretaire d'état extraordinaire.