THE IMPACT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION ON FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES IN UKRAINE

IFR ^ | February 2024 | Dr. Maksym Vasin

[tlozo]

The Summary of the Report

Background 2014-2021

Since the first months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2014, faith-based communities of various denominations have fully experienced the brutality and ruthlessness of Russia’s repressive policy in the occupied territories of Crimea and the Donbas region. Russian troops and Russian- backed separatists have targeted religious leaders and individual believers of most faiths, except the Orthodox parishes affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate. Representatives of religious minorities were arbitrarily arrested, threatened, beaten, illegally imprisoned, tortured, and some were deliberately killed. The repressive policy in the self-proclaimed “people’s republics,” in those parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by Russia, was aimed at strengthening the Russian regime and preventing resistance. The occupying authorities have eradicated dissent and all manifestations of Ukrainian identity, brutally persecuted pro-Ukrainian movements and any form of opposition, and introduced full control over the civilian population, similar to the situation in Russia itself.

One of the tools to repress Ukrainian religious communities in the Donbas region was the introduction of Russian legislation, which was entirely copied. Believers have faced demands from the occupying authorities for mandatory re-registration, acceptance of Russian citizenship, submission of lists of members of religious communities, etc.

However, even fulfillment of all these requirements did not guarantee re-registration under Russian law. After all, the real goal of the occupation authorities was to encourage religious communities and their leaders to collaborate and support the Russian regime. Disloyal religious leaders and denominations were persecuted through arbitrary accusations of spying for Ukrainian or Western intelligence services, sectarianism, extremism, or illegal missionary activities.

The evangelical churches (Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists, etc.), as well as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, suffered particularly from Russian repression. In addition, the occupying authorities have declared the faithful of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and Jehovah’s Witnesses to be “enemies of the people” and “extremists.” Religious communities on the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, have also been subjected to targeted repression. In particular, many representatives of Muslim communities of pro-Ukrainian Crimean Tatars and Jehovah’s Witnesses were sentenced to long prison terms on trumped-up extremism charges.

At least 630 religious sites were damaged or looted due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

* As of December 1, 2023

Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine Previously, the Kremlin tried to disguise its direct military intervention in the events in the Donbas region from the international community. However, since February 24, 2022, President Vladimir Putin’s desire to completely conquer Ukraine and destroy Ukrainian statehood, national identity, culture, history, language, and religious pluralism became apparent. Hiding behind the slogans of protecting the Russian language, “denazification,” and “desatanization” of Ukraine, the Kremlin was actually implementing the ideology of the “Russkiy Mir” (Russian World). As interpreted by Russian propagandists, this ideology meant the physical destruction (genocide) of the Ukrainian people as a nation, the elimination of any mention of their cultural heritage, the overthrow of the Ukrainian government, and the disappearance of the Ukrainian state. For the sake of Putin’s imperial ambitions, Russian soldiers continue to die on Ukrainian land. During the 21 months of the full-scale invasion, Russian troops have wholly destroyed or damaged at least 630 religious facilities in Ukraine. Most were damaged by Russian missiles, kamikaze drones, and artillery, including targeted attacks on civilian objects. In addition, some places of worship have been deliberately looted by the Russian military, closed, or converted by the occupation authorities into administrative buildings. The Institute for Religious Freedom has also documented numerous cases of seizure of places of worship by the Russian military, which used them as military bases or as cover for their firing positions. This tactic of the Russian army resulted in an increase of destruction of religious sites in Ukraine.

Most churches, prayer houses, synagogues, and mosques were destroyed in Donetsk region (at least 146), Luhansk region (at least 83), and Kherson region (at least 78). The destruction in Kyiv region was also enormous (73) when Russian troops attempted to capture the capital of Ukraine in February-March 2022. Due to the ongoing hostilities, the number of destroyed buildings is increasing in Kharkiv region (at least 62), Zaporizhzhia region (at least 51), and Mykolaiv region (at least 41).

About authors and methodology

The Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF) is a human rights NGO, founded in 2001 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Our goal is to protect and promote religious freedom and other related human rights, facilitate inter- faith dialogue and church-state cooperation, strengthen democratic foundations and civil society in Ukraine. For this research, IRF conducted a written questionnaire and an oral survey of representatives of most churches and religious associations in Ukraine, as well as recorded video testimonies and documented specific Russian war crimes against religious leaders and faith-based communities

Website: irf.in.ua

Full Report:

https://irf.in.ua/files/publications/2024.03-IRF-Ukraine-report-ENG-web.pdf

[Navy Patriot]

This is Nazi good news you think it is.

[daniel1212]

Like most everything else Zeepers post about Russia, what you're propaganda.

Like most everything else PutinFRZeepers post about Russia, what you're posting is propaganda. And have provided refutation of the testimonies and research I provided, while resorting to making this about Western liberalism (which I attack abundantly) and Russia.

Putin has spent billions constructing churches in Russia.

Which refutes Nothing I posted, and these would be RO state churches/organs.

The Russian government has outlawed the LGBT agenda. Marriage is a between a man and woman in Russia. Sex changes and gender transiting are not allowed on ANYONE, let alone on children

Good!!!! Yet which also refutes Nothing I posted, since the issue is what the people themselves say, not just laws.

the globalists at war with Russia that IS spreading their sick, moral depraved agenda to Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

True, and so Russia criminalizes the sharing of faith by the most conservative anti-LGBTQ major (in the West) religious group as per their personal views (aside from maybe Muslims)! It's about state control/power.

Russia has banned George Soros,

Good!

Russia has protestant and Catholic churches, synagogues and mosques.

So also China boasts.For show. While in Russia,

the Yarovaya law forbids outside approved churches and other religious sites "the activity of a religious association aimed at disseminating information about its beliefs among people who are not participants (members, followers) in that religious association, with the purpose of involving these people as participants and its results"

and thus requires

"telecom providers to store the content of voice calls, data, images and text messages for 6 months, and their metadata (e.g. time, location and message sender and recipients) for 3 years,"

If Russia cracks down on "religious freedom" is it to crack down on the Western perverted version of Christianity that accepts homosexuality, abortion, etc. And, obvious cults like the Jehovah Witnesses.

Wrong. It is far from being that narrow, and I provided the testimony to the contrary of your premise.

Russia is infinitely more Christian nation that we are as a whole.

"Infinitely?" In NE at least, while even if true, that also refutes Nothing I posted (which is not about defending the Western liberalism), while the gospel of Catholicism is not that of the NT church, along with other distinctive teachings, resulting widespread false confidence of conversion (likewise Joel Osteen-type churches), which basically extends to the Orthodox.

Your lies and propaganda are an abomination to God.

Rather, calling my posting of substantiated testimony and reports "an abomination to God" is just that. Even in effect calling persecuted believers liars thereby! And thus your sophistry and uncritical devotion to Putin. Support of Western liberalism also is sinful by those who do.

May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:25)

[Steven Tyler]

May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

[daniel1212]

Christians in Russia are now banned from discussing their faith outside of churches and other designated places under new anti-terror laws.
Wed 20 Jul 2016 by Antony Bushfield Russia:

From Wednesday onwards it is illegal to preach, teach or share faith outside state-controlled settings. Senior Protestant church leader in Russia, Sergei Ryakhovsky, said the law 'creates the basis for the mass persecution of believers'. The new law was passed almost unanimously by Russian MPs and means anyone caught sharing their faith outside church faces a fine of at least £600. Some fear it's a way of clamping down on the growing number of house churches across the country. Currently there are around 1,000 in Moscow alone.

Sergey Vdovin, from the Russia Evangelical Alliance, said he'd considered leaving the country because of the new law....I'm staying here no matter what and the Lord is greater than anything people can do, so if you're under His protection what can be people do to you? "What can this law do against real Christians? Nothing. They will just continuing serving together and be more purified, more united and more dedicated." - https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/russia-christians-banned-from-discussing-faith-outside-church

LIVING AS A PERSECUTED CHRISTIAN IN RUSSIA
November 21, 2019

Andrei was a youth pastor and contractor in Russia. An oppressive law that passed in 2016 banned the public sharing of one’s Christian faith. After receiving threats from Russian officials on the lives of his two children, Andrei, his wife Galina and their children fled from Russia as refugees, and arrived in Minnesota in 2019. We interviewed Andrei about life in Russia and the persecution he left behind:....

(The Yarovaya law increases regulation of evangelism, including a ban on the performance of “missionary activities” in non-religious settings.) Based on this law, which is active right now, if you declare that you belief this or that or if you publically invite someone to church, of if you share an invitation to a Christian conference or service on facebook, sometimes even if you just attend church you will receive a huge fine or you can be jailed for up to 3 years. If you represent a church as a pastor or leader, then the fine is $1M rubles ($15,700) and up to 5 years in jail, if they can prove that you were promoting your faith....

The (Russian security service) investigators would just show up at a church service and would ask around for more information on specific people. Then they would subtly threaten people by reminding them that kids often use drugs in Russia, and you never know what could happen to your kids. Investigators wanted me to cooperate and inform on other people.

I was refused jobs because I am a Protestant. I was working as a contractor on the house of a Russian parliament member (part of the Russia Unite party); when he found out I was a pastor at a church, he took all of my tools, kicked me out, and refused to pay me for any of the work I did on his house. I hired a lawyer to receive payment, but since the justice system is very much in submission to the government, I was found guilty.

Religious Repression in Putin’s Russia By Antonio Graceffo on January 11, 2023
Under the Russian Constitution, though citizens are guaranteed religious freedom, authorities may suspend religious activity in the name of national security. Although the constitution specifically cites extremism as a cause for the suspension of religious freedom, it does not provide a robust definition of which activities could be considered “extremism.” .

Additionally, Russia has strict laws on the registration of clergy and places of worship in addition to staunch prohibitions against missionary work. The term “missionary work” is broadly applied to “preaching, praying, disseminating religious materials, and answering questions about religion outside of officially designated sites.”...

Russian law technically recognizes Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism as the four “traditional” religions. But, only the Russian Orthodox Church is elevated to the role of representing the ideals and faith of Russia... About 63% of Russia’s population are Orthodox Christian, 7% are Muslim, and 26% identify as agnostic. Buddhists, Jews, other Christians, and animists each comprise about 1% or less of the population. - https://providencemag.com/2023/01/religious-repression-in-putins-russia/

Russian persecution of evangelicals exceeding that of Soviet era, Mission Eurasia president says
By Scott Barkley, posted August 23, 2023 in International News, Persecution

MOSCOW (BP) — The raid by secret police of Russian evangelical leader Yuri Sipko’s home will not silence the former Baptist Union president’s “uncompromised” stance. Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia, promised as much in comments he shared with Baptist Press. (See related story.) “I have personally known Yuri Sipko for a long time,” Rakhuba said. “He is an uncompromised, powerful leader and preacher of the Gospel for whom truth is the most important thing.” Sipko’s home was one of many among prominent evangelical leaders that was raided by the FSB, Russia’s secret police, Mission Eurasia reported on Aug. 8...

Sipko’s opposition to Vladimir Putin extends back to the Russian president’s early days in power, particularly Putin’s past as a KGB officer. Those stances continued with Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. The next year Sipko spoke at a consultation hosted by Mission Eurasia at the Bishop of Canterbury’s headquarters in London to raise awareness over the invasion...

“Most deny that this is the beginning of a new wave of repression by the Russian regime. [But] we are monitoring churches in the occupied territories in Ukraine through our Religious Freedom Initiative and have discovered that more than 500 churches have been seized, many pastors have been deported, some have disappeared and many have been killed by the Russian regime.” A common thread is emerging in those areas, he noted. Only the Russian Orthodox Church is allowed to remain. Religions and “any foreign religious influences” are being removed from the nation.

Russians are Torturing Ukrainian Christians
STEVEN MOORE NOV 27, 2023

Protestants are 4% of Ukraine's population but account for a third of the cases of persecution by the Russians...As one example, a Pentecostal pastor in occupied Kherson region was abducted along with his 19 year old son. Eyewitnesses to the abduction say the soldiers told the pastor “Your church has no right to exist, as it has connections with America.” Their bodies turned up four days later, almost too mutilated to be identified.

An evangelical Christian pastor from Luhansk was held by Russians for 25 days, tortured with electrical shocks and being beaten with a baseball bat. He says a Russian Orthodox priest was present during his torture and tried to cast the demons out of him in an exorcism that included a taser.

Protestants are targeted disproportionately. While Protestants make up about 4% of the Ukrainian population, they comprise more than a third of the documented incidents of Russian persecution.

Baptists are particularly hard hit. The Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary reports the loss of some 400 Baptist congregations since the beginning of the full scale Russian invasion.

Russians associate Protestants, particularly evangelicals, with the United States and think they are American spies. The Russian Orthodox Church is a working arm of the Kremlin, so Russian troops assume that Baptist and Pentecostal ministers are working for the American government. They arrest them, torture them and sometimes murder them. - https://stevenmoore.substack.com/p/russians-are-torturing-ukrainian

Church leader Dimitry is familiar with fleeing from Russian persecution of Christians. During the course of his life it has happened not once, not twice – but on three occasions.The first of these was as a young man, when his family fled from the former Soviet Union. Years later, as a pastor, he was forced to leave the Crimea when the Russians took over that part of Ukraine. Last year it happened again, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine saw him once again suffering for his evangelical faith.

‘Lenin initially thought Christians were an asset; but eventually realised Christians were a problem. It was a difficult time under the Soviet Union; many people were killed. Christians were frequently targeted most because they always think freely: because they know the truth that sets you free. Communism is not just political: it is more of a religion – but a religion that hates God and his Son, Jesus Christ.’...

Charge: https://releaseinternational.org/we-hate-americans-evangelicals-and-nazis-and-you-are-all-three-r125/... in February 2022, Dmitry found himself – for the third time in his life – confronted by hostility, as the Russians began their invasion of Ukraine. ‘At 5.30am rockets came to our city. We all woke up and said, “It’s war.” Everything changed. Within a week our city looked like Armageddon. No gas, groceries, telephone lines, internet, electricity. It was crazy: in the middle of Europe! I had a church of 500 people. I had a business. I was doing good until the Russians came to free us up! They freed us from everything. Now we are completely free – we have nothing!’

In the Russian-dominated regions of Donetsk and Luhansk Dmitry was involved in running a rehabilitation centre. ‘The Russians took all of our workers there and put them in a basement. They spent almost a week there. They beat them and finally let them go, but they took the building, cars, everything.’..

On March 19 Dmitry himself was arrested. ‘ They searched the building; took everything: computers, data, everything. Then they put a black bag over my head and took me away.’...Dmitry spent a total of eight days in prison, in appalling conditions. ‘Every time they took me for interrogation they put a bag back over my head and dragged me through the corridors. Every day I thought it could be the last day of my life.’..

Although he could hear screams when other prisoners were being interrogated, Dmitry said the Lord gave him a peace in his heart during his time in custody. ‘I had no fear. It was supernatural. I began witnessing to them and talked about the Bible to them. I had a sleeping bag and a Bible. They said they had watched my sermons online. I said, “Good, let’s talk!...

”’

After his arrest Christians were praying for him and Dmitry says those prayers were answered with a miracle when he was released. However, the secret police continued coming to his home and so, for his family’s safety, he made the decision to flee the country. ....From Poland Dmitry now serves and supports an underground network of churches in Melitopol where he once lived and pastored...

.

‘If people are to be changed they need Christ. Only Christ can change the problem. Until the end we will have more problems – and then Jesus will come. In the meantime we change a nation by changing a person – one by one. Our goal is not the nation; it is people.’

How Russia persecutes occupied Christians; Myroslava housing complex bombed....

Since the beginning of the war with Russia in 2014, Russian occupiers have put pressure on Protestant communities, while favoring Orthodox churches that were subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate and, in turn, to Moscow.... Church workers and pastors have been regularly summoned for interrogation in places like Donetsk, and there have been numerous cases of people disappearing.

Evangelical Christians, such as those of the Baptist denomination like Tymur, are frequently harassed by Russian authorities who consider them to be spies. Tymur ended up in captivity only because of a desire to help a friend. ...In the days prior, the Russians had repeatedly accused Tymur of being a spy. He knew he was taking a risk by seeking help. But rather than assist his friend, they detained him and began interrogating him.... "They saw my photos from [church] services, they probably realized that I was just an ordinary citizen,” he said. None of the photos would be useful for espionage purposes. “So the Russians just said ‘Run home.”

But one day their church was visited by more Russians. "They stopped the whole service and started checking [our] documents. But at that moment a heavy firefight started right in our yard. Ukrainian snipers shot them. We had dead soldiers lying in our yard for several days after that, and we didn't know what to do with them," Tymur said. "When the Russian soldiers came, they did not see it as a church, but as a kind of cult...

Another person who has experienced Russia’s disdainful attitude towards Protestants is Oleksandr Vaschinin. He has been a Protestant since childhood...."There were times when they said, 'You are Americans, this is an American church, this is not [a Russian] church. We said we have been in Ukraine for almost a hundred years. But no one believed us," Oleksandr Vaschinin said. And if someone disagreed with something, they could be taken to the basement, where they were tortured or abused, or imprisoned.

"We were treated like dogs. They beat us. Some were killed. Some disappeared. We had a pastor who was beaten very badly. One pastor from Horlivka [occupied Donetsk Region] was kept in prison for 21 days," Oleksandr Vaschinin recalls. The pastor stayed in Donetsk until the so-called Russian authorities forced everyone to get Russian passports. Vaschinin and most of the other pastors refused and decided to leave their hometown. - https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/how-russia-persecutes-occupied-christians

[AppyPappy]

Our former church partnered with a church in Ukraine and we bought them a building. They later asked us for rent and we asked what happened to the building we bought them. They told us the government confiscated it. I suspected the whole thing was a scam. The church went cold on the operation until the Democrats started worshiping Ukraine and the church got enthusiastic again.

[daniel1212]

May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

Which Truth is the Bible. When and how were you born of the Spirit?

The redeemed are those who have been spiritually born of the Spirit (Jn. 3:2-7) by effectual, penitent, heart-purifying, regenerating faith (Acts 10:43-47; Acts 15:7-9) in the Divine Son of God sent be the Father to be the Savior of the world, (1 Jn. 4:14) who saves sinners by His sinless shed blood, on His account, rendering them "accepted in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6; Eph. 2:6-9) - not deserved by any merit of themselves or any church.

And which faith is imputed for righteousness, (Romans 4:5) and is shown in baptism and following the Lord, (Acts 2:38-47; Jn. 10:27, 28) whom they shall go to be with or His return (Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [“we”]; Heb. 12:22,23; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17)

In contrast to those who were never born of the Spirit or who terminally fall away. (Gal. 5:1-4; Heb. 3:12; Heb. 10:25-39) Glory and thanks be to God.

Do you think all the testimonies of persecution of evangelicals in Russia and later in into Ukraine are lies? Or that they are working for the CIA? Or that such persecution is right? And that opposing Putin should be outlawed?

Or that opposing Putin in this and expansion while supporting his stance against LGBTQ means supporting Western liberalism/wokeism, which also persecutes conservative evangelicals, and yearns to have Putin's power?

America is going down, while China is the main military foe.

[Monterrosa-24]

Interesting article… thanks for posting. I’ll checkout some of the links later.

[Elsie]

Wartime only?

[Elsie]

Thanks for the link!!

[Wallace T.]

The turn of the rulers of Russia to Orthodoxy is pragmatic. Communism, even under some degree of cultural conservatism under Stalin, does not encourage nuclear family formation Many nations outside Africa are falling below replacement rate. Russia needs to increase its population and encouraging Orthodoxy will cause preaching favoring traditional families. I don't think the Russian authorities are interested in the divisions within Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism. Russia was traditionally an Orthodox country, and Protestant denominations, the Roman Catholic Church, and splinter groups like the Mormons undermine the unity that Orthodoxy brought to Tsarist Russia. Additionally, all these denominations have Western ties.

[Steven Tyler]

May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

[daniel1212]

The turn of the rulers of Russia to Orthodoxy is pragmatic. Communism, even under some degree of cultural conservatism under Stalin, does not encourage nuclear family formation Many nations outside Africa are falling below replacement rate. Russia needs to increase its population and encouraging Orthodoxy will cause preaching favoring traditional families.

Hardly significant. If being Orthodox increased birth rates to the replacement rate then it would have occurred already. Most Orthodox are nominal, like Catholics, who themselves have lower fertility than even Protestants in many European countries (who also have low rates).

Orthodox are not Mormons (3.4 babies in US) nor Haredi Jewish (6.6 in Israel) (Globally, Christians have a birth rate of 2.7 children per woman. But Muslims have a higher rate, namely, an average of 3.1 children per woman.).

If Putin was really determined to increase the birth rate, he would ban contraception (including by his women)

I don't think the Russian authorities are interested in the divisions within Islam, Judaism, or Buddhism. Russia was traditionally an Orthodox country, and Protestant denominations, the Roman Catholic Church, and splinter groups like the Mormons undermine the unity that Orthodoxy brought to Tsarist Russia. Additionally, all these denominations have Western ties.

Which "ties" does not mean attacking Russia unless attacked, nor support for the Western Left, but it means believing in freedom of speech and religion, which cannot be allowed under a Putin dictatorship. Thus only a state church, an an organ of the state, can be allowed. Which therefore is the real reason Putin attacks conservative evangelicals who support his laws against LGBTQ and abortion on demand.

[mitch5501]

“Communism is not just political: it is more of a religion – but a religion that hates God and his Son, Jesus Christ.’...”

Communism / Atheism

[daniel1212]

May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

As a soliloquy it is most fitting, as I am the one who defined salvific Truth, versus your silence.

[Biblebelter]

Revelation 3:20 King James Version (KJV)

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Why is Jesus knocking at the door of his OWN church?

Because Jesus is NOT in the typical church in the LAST age of the church which is the Laodicean age as Laodicea not ONLY refers to an ancient and historic church but all seven churches also TYPIFY an age of the church.

I have been “unchurched” for over two decades because Jesus will not be found in the typical church in America.

Humanism has overtaken the typical church.

If Jesus Christ is NOT in the typical church in America in this the last age of the church, then I am fairly certain that he is not in the typical churches of Europe and Asia.

The inerrant word of God is a teaching instrument.

It uses “types” to teach.

Those that do not have the eyes to discern “types” are stuck with a biblical view akin to the legalists known as the Pharisees.

Jesus Christ is my LORD and SAVIOUR, for testifying to this I am not ashamed.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[Kazan]

The truth is that the Russians are standing up to wickedness far better than WE are.

The biggest enemy of Christianity and freedom on the planet are the globalist elite. Part of the war in Ukraine is because they tried to force the LGBT agenda onto Russia and the Russians resisted.

Stop believing some twisted perversion of Bible prophecy about Russia and wake up.

No one should doubt that globalism is the mechanism by which that Antichrist could arise.

[daniel1212]

I have been “unchurched” for over two decades because Jesus will not be found in the typical church in America.

Yes, and real believers are atypical in America today, however, the remnant needs to come together.

Jesus Christ is my LORD and SAVIOUR, for testifying to this I am not ashamed.

He is both, glory to God.

[daniel1212]

The truth is that the Russians are standing up to wickedness far better than WE are. The biggest enemy of Christianity and freedom on the planet are the globalist elite. Part of the war in Ukraine is because they tried to force the LGBT agenda onto Russia and the Russians resisted.

The globalist oppose Putin because he does oppose their quest for world dominion, and Putin opposes them as well as any whom he perceives as a threat to his own smaller dominion, not just by censuring secular sources but also globalist-opposing Christians if they are not part of his pet state church.

Putin in not as America's founding fathers, neither are the globalists. Yet what I was mainly opposing here is uncritical fawning over him and Russia.

Today, by the grace of God, I was out offering evangelical gospel tracts at a major events of thousands, which is illegal in Russia. But of-course, this is what the globalists seek to do, while persecution works to purify the church, yet to the damnation of those who lay their hands on true believers.

Stop believing some twisted perversion of Bible prophecy about Russia and wake up. No one should doubt that globalism is the mechanism by which that Antichrist could arise.

I said nothing regarding Bible prophecy about Russia, and take a wait and see attitude, but with eyes upon Israel. The first century church more blatantly immoral rulers than even we do now, yet they were not wringing their hand over such, but kept marching to the heavenly Zion. So must believers now.