Russia is attacking Christians in the Russian-occupied Ukraine because they do not see themselves as a part of the Russian Orthodox Church. Members of the clergy are being rounded up and arrested, pastors beaten, and killed for practicing a different Christian faith from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Reports of rebels threatening churches with firing squads, storming church services and holding pastors hostage are just some of the stories that have emerged from rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine in recent months.
The threat to Ukraine's evangelical churches is a lesser-known aspect of the ongoing political struggle between the pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian government in Kiev.
Russia does not believe in the right of Christians to practice their faith in their homes, having banned them from doing so in Russia, and has effectively driven Christians and other religious minorities underground.
Despite prayers and protests from religious leaders and human rights advocates, the Kremlin announced Putin’s approval yesterday. The amendments, including laws against sharing faith in homes, online, or anywhere but recognized church buildings, go into effect July 20.
…..
Proposed by United Russia party lawmaker Irina Yarovaya, the law appears to target religious groups outside the Russian Orthodox church. Because it defines missionary activities as religious practices to spread a faith beyond its members, “if that is interpreted as the Moscow Patriarchate is likely to, it will mean the Orthodox Church can go after ethnic Russians but that no other church will be allowed to,” according to Frank Goble, an expert on religious and ethnic issues in the region.
Russian nationalist identity remains tied up with the Russian Orthodox church.
Russia is no friend to religious minorities, and Putin is using the Russian Orthodox Church to advance his nationalist extremist agenda. And Trump is willing to look the other way while Russia persecutes Christians and religious minorities within its own country and in the occupied Ukraine territory.
American Evangelicals need to speak out on this and stand up for their persecuted Christian brothers and sisters. Otherwise their silence aids complicity in the murder of Christian clergy and members.
Please share this with any Christian you know because Russia is NO friend to Christianity outside of the Russian Orthodox Church, and has killed Jews, Christians, and Muslims for believing differently and speaking out in favor of their faith.