Excellent summary of some of the Putin cheerleaders on FR (who claim "I'm not defending Putin" while defending him tooth and nail by starting a whisper campaign that anyone who disagrees with Vlad is pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage)
Ironically, Russia has one of the highest abortion rates in the world (In 2001, 1.31 million children were born in Russia, while 2.11 million abortions were performed). I've never seen Putin even claim to be "pro-life" or make a statement that abortion should be illegal, though he may have given some lip service about reducing abortions. The only thing that be definitely shown about the Russian government is that Prime Minister Medvedev's WIFE Svetlana Medvedeva publicly identifies as "pro-life" , but of course, the same can be said of Harry Reid.
Putin's never claimed to be "conservative" either, and his political party, United Russia, describes themselves as "centrist" on the political spectrum. He's to the right of Obama, but again, since we're talking about Obama, just about everyone in Russia besides outright communists is to Obama's right.
The Russian Orthodox Church is, of course, "pro-life" and "pro-traditional marriage" on paper, but they're also in bed with the Russia government, and has been so for centuries, long before Putin, and even the USSR, they were in bed with the corrupt Czars. There's even talk of making Ivan the Terrible a "saint" in the Russian Orthodox Church. During the communist era, any Russian priest or bishop who didn't tow the party line was liquidated and whole churches were shut down. Although they're "officially" divorced from the Communist Party today, Communists continue to remain inside the ROC and influence the government.
It's interesting how Vlad claims to support "religious freedom" for Christians be such a good Christian in public, while bullying and oppressing other Christians in neighboring countries and trying to force them to join Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. It's a well known fact that the ROC has been trying to eliminate the Ukrainian Catholic Church for decades (again, especially in the Soviet era, since they were under papal rule and not communist puppets like the ROC was at the time). Anyone who is not a member of the ROC gets discriminated against. And the Christian leaders in the Ukraine that Friendofgeorge "speculated" about being pro-abortion and pro-gay marriage are actually some of the most outspoken church leaders in eastern Europe for traditional values.
Saying Putin comes across as more of a leader than Obama is one thing. Sympathizing with the KGB thug because he gives lip service about traditional marriage (which, a decade ago, EVERY politician did) is beyond the pale.
Yes you unfairly singled me out ^$%# quit judging what you dont know, waiting for your apology
I asked strictly because it`s always the first question I ask.
I dont buy that The Pope is really pro life, nor Popes in recent history, and NO I am not now attacking the Pope either, was just an example.
When I hear liberal preachers in the US lecturing anybody, I first look to see if they are even pro life before I take them seriously as even being Christian
Correction I dont believe in Liberal Christianity, the term is a oxymoron
So NO was NOT defending Putin at all, I thought Putin showed his true colors many years ago when he allowed the submarine crew to die in the Kursk...I think it was called
Funny I was singled out by another as somehow defending Putin,. I HAPPEN TO BE A CHRISTIAN and would NOT support Putin on anything
Yes you unfairly singled me out ^$%# quit judging what you dont know, waiting for your apology
I asked strictly because it`s always the first question I ask.
I dont buy that The Pope is really pro life, nor Popes in recent history, and NO I am not now attacking the Pope either, was just an example.
When I hear liberal preachers in the US lecturing anybody, I first look to see if they are even pro life before I take them seriously as even being Christian
Correction I dont believe in Liberal Christianity, the term is a oxymoron
So NO was NOT defending Putin at all, I thought Putin showed his true colors many years ago when he allowed the submarine crew to die in the Kursk...I think it was called
Funny I was singled out by another as somehow defending Putin,. I HAPPEN TO BE A CHRISTIAN and would NOT support Putin on anything
I agree with you. And when did STRENGTH become a virtue that trumped virtue. Everything about Putin’s rule in Russia is about pursuit of autocracy and empire. If that’s so great, why did the founding father’s leave British rule? By comparison, King George III was a swell fellow. I find so many of the people who speak up for Putin are either dilettantes, philistines, dupes, or propagandists. They’re not conservatives in any real sense of the word.
“Putin’s never claimed to be “conservative” either”
Nevertheless, he is conserving many traditional Russian values...