And first off I only argued ONE THING, which is that assertion that Christianity is now embraced there more than it is here - not who has the most persecution. But that the most Christian country bans sharing of faith except for a state church, with a KBG past, voting for an oppressor of them, is contrary to your careless claim.
You post articles by the BBC about critics of Putin dying, which those articles hint at Putin's likely involvement, but again do not accuse him of direct involvement. These are no facts, they are merely accusations that you buy as facts.
Rather, it is your denial of such that is a mere accusation. You really think you can absolve Putin of this on the basis of unproven direct involvement? As if direct involvement is necessary for such, and as if this elected dictator would allow investigation? Be realistic.
When I said that Christianity was embraced there more than here, I wasn't talking numbers. We have 3 times the population that Russia has. I was talking about being embraced by governments of all types in this nation of ours.
Neither was I talking numbers, but PERCENTAGES. Approx. 66% professing Christianity.
The government honoring the rights of the citizens of this nation are under constant attack. In red states the governments are better, but when you go into the blue cities in those red states things become more shaky.
Indeed I live and evangelize in MA - about as liberal as it gets - yet which is in stark contrast to Russia in which I would be arrested for doing so.
I find that little tidbit to be amusing, because I am always reading articles about little old ladies quietly standing within 500 feet of an abortion center with her head bowed, and a cop coming up to them asking what they are doing, her responding praying, and the cop arresting her
No, you always reading articles about that, which deplorable arrest was in the UK, and a Northern Irish MP has decried that arrest and English police apologized to her later and she will not be prosecuted, but it suppression of that within the bubble is wrong.
As abortion is, which ROs' are only marginally more opposed (48 percent) to in contrast to evangelicals, whom Putin - whom Orthodox elected - muzzles within the "bubble" called Russia
As for all of your irrelevant, comments they too are disingenuous in many places where you get into abortion numbers etc. to point out morality differences.
Rather, it is your support of Putin that is sophistry, as if research shows that Russia as embracing Christianity more than the US, and as if Russian Orthodox are actually Christian in practice (only 18% said they pray daily 55% of self-declared Orthodox believers affirmed fornication could be justified, and 30 percent of those who ID as RO did not even believe in the existence of God), which is like saying mainline Prots are mostly Christian
. At best, both countries equally profess Christianity, but about 24% of U.S. adults describe themselves as born-again or evangelical Protestant (though less are truly so), whom Putin muzzles even though they are conservative.
That said, if Putin ran for President here, if upholding the Constitution, then about 76-80% of evangelicals (at least over 24) would vote for him vs a Hillary of Biden, etc., as they did even for Romney and Mcain (and Trump), so opposed to the Left are they. I myself think the voting age should be raised to 25, and only for those with some proof of citizenship and residency.
But if the Left had the power of Putin, evangelicals who express opposition to him (as we do to the Left) and evangelize would already be hunted down as if they were Jan. 6 protesters (which is practice). When I made this comment: 'At least I haven't heard that Putin in stopping elections or religions.' Your retort back was: What? Do you just get your news from pro-Russia propagandists?. None of those refute my comment which specifically mentioned elections & religion,
What??? Are your serious? You mean Putin outlawing sharing of any faith aside from RO and elimination of serious political challenges to him is OK since it does not mean he actually stopped elections or religions?! Pure sophistry. Saddam Hussein also could make that claim.
and again all are accusations or insinuations hinting at Putin's involvement, they are not facts. The facts are these people died, but there is no proof of who did these killings,
More desperate defense of your hero. As if real investigation would be allowed if it incriminated him. Maybe you think Epstein's suicide is not be suspected as being induced or allowed, nor certain events related to the Clinton's due to lack of actual proof from official sources.
I never brought about abortions,
You mean you actually think such evidences as justifying fornication, broad support of abortion and suppression of the most conservative religious class under the Christian banner is not related to your assertion of Russia being more Christian than the US? Absurd.
I made statements regarding the deteriorating conditions that used to exist in the USSR, that are becoming more of a concern, in this ntion in this current time.
and Actually, there are still many deteriorating conditions in Russia that were a constant in the USSR, like suicide, that are becoming more of a concern in this nation in this current time, but which are only relevant as regards how they relate to that claim of having embraced Christianity.
As relates to that, no nation which votes for an oppressor of the most conservative major religious group under the title of Christianity (not that I think Catholics, mainline Prots or cults are truly so, nor all who are classed evangelical, are) can claim to be predominately Christian. Which neither Russia or the US are. Tragically so. And as America has been given more, so its judgment will be, and if the question was to be asked, would you rather be ruled by Russia or China", I dare say most evangelicals would choose Russia.
Both are fighting against God, but if you want to see some of my (somewhat dated ) stats on this, there are REVEALING STATISTICS (or, Present Costs of the War Against God)
Utter BS, and here is the evidence destroying that false claim you made above:
In 1988, the country registered an abortion rate of 92.6 abortions/1000 women aged 15-49 (or 118 abortions/100 births). The yearly number of abortions in the USSR, some 6.5 million (according to official figures), accounts for 10-20% of all abortions performed worldwide. Independent sources put the yearly number of abortions at 10-11 million. - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12222340/
Note: the above is but one small example of what you actually brought to the discussion with regards to the abortion issue, which has zero to do with the various governments within the US embracing of religion and religious rights of citizens vs. Russian's embrace of their Christianity of choice, which you claimed above was the only thing you argued. You can make the argument that this topic has significance as to morality, but not to the topic of embracing Christianity.. But you offer no numbers for the US. When I brought up that Ukraine was no better than Russia on this topic you introduced, you claimed was irrelevant, as if you were not only a participant, but have now declared yourself as the moderator who has the power to decide what it relevant or not. Sorry, but you do not get to claim that role at all. I do not have the right to claim to that role either, but I haven't tried to lay claim that role.
In 1988 the USSR was still in existence, and abortion has nothing to do with embracing Christianity, but how many embrace abortion in the various sects of Christianity that exist in this nation? You also provide the numbers for the USSR, but conveniently omit any mention of the number of abortions in this country. Putin may have been in the KGB at that time, but he was not the Russian leader. That wouldn't come until December 21, 1999, when Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned and, according to the Constitution of Russia, Putin became Acting President of the Russian Federation. 2000-2004 was his first term as the elected president.
My point is, like so many others you mix USSR history and present it as Russian history under Putin's reign. It's aa patently dishonest argument.
Rather, it is your denial of such that is a mere accusation. You really think you can absolve Putin of this on the basis of unproven direct involvement? As if direct involvement is necessary for such, and as if this elected dictator would allow investigation? Be realistic.
You really are a person who thinks accusations are prima facia evidence of guilt. I sincerely hope you do not sit on juries in the US. You would make an excellent jurist in the Soviet Union where Soviet secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria proclaimed show me the person & I will give you the crime against him. Even more so, I hope you are never accused of a crime, and people who think like you, do not sit as jurists against you, especially if you are actually innocent. Because I believe in due process, here as apparently if you believe him to be unworthy of due process, due process should play no role in the determination of guilt or innocence. Just convict hm & move on. It sounds like you support the two-tiered justice system that Democrats operate under. Orange man (Trump) = Hitler, therefore it's okay to deny him due process. Can't find a crime against him, invent it to subvert the process and indict based upon bias. After all, it is necessary to keep Hitler out of the White House, especially since we escaped his presence during his first term. we had to steal the lection in 2020, but the ends justify the means to save Democracy.
For many people, however, “Orthodox” is basically a cultural identification label and does not necessarily imply adherence to specific religious doctrines—a Levada poll found that 30 percent of those who saw themselves as “Orthodox” did not even believe in the existence of God.
I have known several priests & pastors who were constantly questioning their own faith. There are many more who attend church who struggle with t their belief as well, in this country. You seem quite content to studies & such to bolster your argument, wile you totally ignore the realities. For example, religion has been removed from the entire education system, and in many ways speaking about Jesus in the public square has become suppressed.
I'll return to this which you provided, but this time I will include the entire text you provided:
Note: These are not presented as links. They are just bolded & underlined.
12/9/2022, 8:46:33 AM · by Timber Rattler · 2 replies The Guardian ^ | December 9, 2022 | Andrew Roth Russia's Newest Law: No Evangelizing Outside of Church | News ...
Christians are Severely Persecuted in Putin's Russia – But That Could ...
Christian Persecution Increasing in Russia - Christian News Headlines
Report: Non-Orthodox Christians Face 'Strong Discrimination' in Russia
Russia, other former Soviet republics persecuting Christians, new ...
Once again this is to prove that you introduce the topic of persecution to make your case of how bad Russian Christianity is. This has nothing to do with the embracing atopic at all. Like I said it is a presented to downplay Christianity as practiced in Russia. To argue otherwise, is totally disingenuous.
Following are links to stories detailing how Christianity is under attack with the targets being those who reject the push to normalize deviant sexual practices.
Attacks on Christians double since 2017
How long will I be allowed to remain a Christian?
Tracker: Over 350 Attacks on U.S. Catholic Churches Since May 2020
So, as we can see that in the US even the government is participating in the attacks upon Christianity. there are numerous examples of the same thing occurring in our northern neighbor Canada, as well as, the UK, Australia and other so-called western nations. In fact this has been occurring in nations around the world.
As for Russia, they are trying to keep out the elements who are trying to force Russia to accept the push being spread across the globe to normalize perversion & those who practice it. Africa is doing the same, as is the Middle East. Religions are caving & are accepting the push. However, within sects, there are those who are pushing back against this newly adopted trend.
But again, this is yet another example of how you ignore what is happening, except when it comes to being able to demonize Russia. It's almost as if you are willing to bear false witness if it involves Russia. Furthermore you refuse to find the context for their actions. In other words, you are quick to condemn before you even understand why they are doing what the press, the democrat arm of the Democrat Party, are wailing in anguish about. It makes me wonder if you even hold Christianity's historical teaching over the warped Christianity these false religious & national political leaders are trying to push upon the entire world.
In reality, you are a pretty scary person. You are not a person I would hold up as a model to fashion oneself as.
You are obviously free to provide your response, but I have seen more than enough to know you are not worth debating. I say this because I will not read your response, nor will I respond to it, for it is not worth my time to do so.
Have a blessed life, but you may want to reexamine how your view of Christianity really comports with the Bible. Not telling you what to do either, I offer it only as a suggestion.