Is the Russian Orthodox Church doing anything about this? (Protestant persecution)

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Hello everyone.

I just finished watching a video on what’s currently going on in Donetsk.

Now I know to take everything with a grain of salt, and things could be exaggerated. I also know that there’s a lot of political strife going on in that area, so there may not be much that can be done. And I actually do assume that the Russian Orthodox have spoken out against what’s happening to their Protestant brothers there. But I would like confirmation of any facts that are taking place right now, and what the Orthodox are doing to help restore the Church’s that were forcefully converted into Orthodox Church’s, and allow them again to practice their faith in public (if indeed the facts in this Vice News report are correct).

Thanks:

youtube.com/watch?v=mhEe2PSaEW0

Near the end, the “Metropolitan who was leading the largest Cathedral’s service was too afraid to speak on the topic because he was afraid of what it would do to relations with his followers and the parts of the region controlled by Ukraine and the parts controlled by the DPR”

A “lower ranking Priest” then denied knowing anything about the situation. He claimed that if any appeal were to be made to restore the Protestant Church’s it should come from higher ranking Church authorities.

The reporter then finishes with this sentence; and I agree with him:

"It’s really hard to blame the Russian Orthodox Church for what’s happened to the Protestants, but I find it hard to believe that the leadership here hasn’t heard anything about what has happened to the Protestant Church’s and I really think it’s their role to speak up on behalf of their fellow Christians here.
 
As an Orthodox, i watched this and i have really, really tried to feel empathy for these Protestants, but their theology is just too wrong for me to feel empathy for their cause.

LOL
 
Proton said:
As an Orthodox, i watched this and i have really, really tried to feel empathy for these Protestants, but their theology is just too wrong for me to feel empathy for their cause.

LOL
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Is threatening to murder people that disagree with your sect something that you commonly laugh about?
 
SalusaSecondus said:
Is threatening to murder people that disagree with your sect something that you commonly laugh about?
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I didn’t see any death threats. They are fine, they just do their Bible reading section and rock band concerts in apartments instead. You must understand me, we in East Europe don’t get Protestants seriously.
 
Proton said:
I didn’t see any death threats. They are fine, they just do their Bible reading section and rock band concerts in apartments instead. You must understand me, we in East Europe don’t get Protestants seriously.
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You didn’t see the part when the minister said men with guns threatened to murder them?

I suppose if gun toting Protestants showed up at your church and threatened to murder you if you gathered again for worship you might just shrug that off too?

After all, you can just worship in some apartment instead right!
 
No matter where in the world, there is always persecution. In Indonesia, several churches have been destroyed by Muslims because they want an Islamic state and there are Catholics who are not allowed to enter their churches to pray. In the USA you don’t see churches being destroyed, but there are always those who mock other Christians in their preaches.

I don’t say i’m supporting Ukraine or Russian Orthodox Church for not allowing Protestants to have their services at their churches. Every believer, be it Orthodox, Protestant, Jews, etc generally thinks his/her belief is the right one…
 
I stand with every Christian who is being persecuted! Be they Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox. We are brothers and sisters in Christ! Sad to see what happened in Ukraine.
 
SalusaSecondus said:
You didn’t see the part when the minister said men with guns threatened to murder them?

I suppose if gun toting Protestants showed up at your church and threatened to murder you if you gathered again for worship you might just shrug that off too?

After all, you can just worship in some apartment instead right!
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We Orthodox are masters of being persecuted, that is our golden era. We love to be persecuted. :cool:

This is not persecution, persecution is when ustashe come, you are 5 years old, they tell you to cross yourself, you cross yourself in Orthodox way as your pious farmer parents taught you, then they take you to death camp and use you in their slaughter competitions.

This, this is civil war mess that will end when immature radicals are removed from the Army/Police and full rule of law is restored.
 
Proton said:
We Orthodox are masters of being persecuted, that is our golden era. We love to be persecuted. :cool:
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Apparently you guys are also on the supply side of persecution as well.
This is not persecution, persecution is when ustashe come, you are 5 years old, they tell you to cross yourself, you cross yourself in Orthodox way as your pious farmer parents taught you, then they take you to death camp and use you in their slaughter competitions.
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This, this is civil war mess that will end when immature radicals are removed from the Army/Police and full rule of law is restored.
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Unless persecution rises to the level of the Ustase then you won’t be bothered to care.
 
SalusaSecondus said:
Apparently you guys are also on the supply side of persecution as well.

Unless persecution rises to the level of the Ustase then you won’t be bothered to care.
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Our Church never persecuted anyone. If some persecution happened, it would come from the government, not from the Orthodox Church. If persecution is in our favor and is mild, we remain silent. Silence is greatest wisdom, ancient Greeks say. :cool:
 
Proton said:
I didn’t see any death threats. They are fine, they just do their Bible reading section and rock band concerts in apartments instead. You must understand me, we in East Europe don’t get Protestants seriously.
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You should take it seriously. These are our brothers and sisters in Christ we are talking about. Whether you agree with their theology and style of worship or not, they still don’t deserve to be treated like this. Nobody does.
 
Proton said:
Our Church never persecuted anyone. If some persecution happened, it would come from the government, not from the Orthodox Church. If persecution is in our favor and is mild, we remain silent. Silence is greatest wisdom, ancient Greeks say. :cool:
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Why the smirk with the glasses? It comes off as so smug and in this context, downright cruel. So when there is injustice done to others that benefit your church, it’s time to put on your glasses and smirk at them? What kind of fruit is that?
 
Proton said:
Our Church never persecuted anyone. If some persecution happened, it would come from the government, not from the Orthodox Church. If persecution is in our favor and is mild, we remain silent. Silence is greatest wisdom, ancient Greeks say. :cool:
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I think we should establish first whether you do see the protestants being treated this way as brothers. It may be that you don’t see them as Christians at all? Even so, do you think what’s being done to them is at all unjust? If it is in fact unjust, is it righteous to be silent when injustice is “in your favor”?
 
The Orthodox are very insular and slow moving so they are very tied to there ethnic home. If anything were to say disrupt their dominance over there home turf it would spell disaster for them. The Russian orthodox church knows how aggressive (evangelizing) and quick spreading unorganized multi denominational Protestantism can be. It doesn’t take a lot to figure out the way it has ravaged former catholic strongholds like brazil, latin America, or the Ethiopian orthodox church. The orthodox are probably trying to get ahead of the curb to counter it early because I do not think they even feel that they could deal with it effectively if it gets too big.
 
It really is interesting to see people in support of ‘silence’ in the midst of persecution these days. I guess I just always assume people would support their brothers in a call for justice.

Thanks for the responses.
 
dronald said:
It really is interesting to see people in support of ‘silence’ in the midst of persecution these days. I guess I just always assume people would support their brothers in a call for justice.

Thanks for the responses.
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Since when Protestants are brothers of the Orthodox Church? They come, spread heresy and take People away from the Eucharist. They shouldn’t be harmed or their rights should be taken away of course, but we shouldn’t lie each other and call them brothers.
They should go to Iran, Saudi Arabia or place like that and spread their teachings there, not in Russia, which has been baptized long before their rebellion against Apostles existed.
And let’s remind ourselves that emperors of Rome and Constantinople that we celebrate as saints used to persecute heretics when Ecumenical Council condemns them. Great saints of Ecumenical Councils were never eager to call heretics - brothers.
 
Proton said:
Since when Protestants are brothers of the Orthodox Church? They come, spread heresy and take People away from the Eucharist. They shouldn’t be harmed or their rights should be taken away of course, but we shouldn’t lie each other and call them brothers.
They should go to Iran, Saudi Arabia or place like that and spread their teachings there, not in Russia, which has been baptized long before their rebellion against Apostles existed.
And let’s remind ourselves that emperors of Rome and Constantinople that we celebrate as saints used to persecute heretics when Ecumenical Council condemns them. Great saints of Ecumenical Councils were never eager to call heretics - brothers.
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I consider you a brother because I love you; as Christ loves you. Christ loves me as well and teaches us all to love. Us Protestants will work hard to love you no matter how much your Religion causes you to resent us.

So I find peace in your distasteful words, knowing that Christ would command me to respond with love and see you as a brother.
 
dronald said:
I consider you a brother because I love you; as Christ loves you. Christ loves me as well and teaches us all to love. Us Protestants will work hard to love you no matter how much your Religion causes you to resent us.

So I find peace in your distasteful words, knowing that Christ would command me to respond with love and see you as a brother.
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I love you too, but you are not my brother. Just a friend who is not baptized. 😦 Don’t worry, some of my best friends are atheists, and we hang out all the time. 😃
 
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