Posted on 08/23/2013 11:44:23 AM PDT by MetaThought
Russian President Vladimir Putin, the career KGB officer who has presided over the rollback of his country’s post-Communist freedoms and revived Cold War-style anti-Americanism, is an unlikely hero for American conservatives. Yet the Kremlin strongman has lately found some fans on the right who see him as a defender of Christian values — most recently, in the imbroglio over Russia’s new legal ban on gay “propaganda.” It is a sad misjudgment that does a disservice to the causes of conservatism, freedom, and religion alike.
Spokesmen for several right-wing groups including the American Family Association have praised the Russian law, which prohibits any pro-gay speech or expression that could be accessible to minors. Veteran columnist Pat Buchanan has joined the Putin cheerleading squad. And, shockingly, the usually thoughtful author Rod Dreher, who blogs for The American Conservative, has added his own “1.5 Cheers for Putin.”
While condemning anti-gay violence and authoritarianism in Russia, Dreher praises Putin’s willingness to speak up for Christianity and laments that “post-Soviet Russia, for all its grievous flaws, is . . . more conscious of its Christian history and character than the United States.”
This is a truly grievous misunderstanding of the reality of religion and politics in 21st Century Russia. Russia today is outwardly far more religious than most of Western Europe, but it’s a religion of state more than church: Orthodox Christianity has taken Communism’s place as the new official ideology, with church membership an official badge of patriotism and loyalty.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
The choice is easy. We’ve got ourselves a committed, true believer marxist in the White Hut. Russia and the Soviet Bloc hasn’t had true believer marxists since 1960-70. All the true believer marxists have been in the West. Our marxist POTUS has adjusted to the limitations of the US Constitution and is constantly testing them. Just like Bill Ayers had taught him. There is no reason to think that Putin, were he the US president, wouldn’t do likewise. Except that he is a nationalist, defender of traditional culture, and definitely not a marxist.
No, because anyone who wishes for a Putin-type deserves to get an Obama-type instead. They’re just too dumb to see it.
The man is obviously very intelligent. I would suggest that the above gives some reason to hope that his reforms are genuine. At any rate, what he is doing in these regards, is certainly no threat to the American heritage. The threats to the American heritage, I fear, are largely centered in our own Government today.
William Flax
He supports Christianity and is a man and a patriot.
NONE of the preceding describes the Obamabastard.
“This is a truly grievous misunderstanding of the reality of religion and politics in 21st Century Russia.”
Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think Cathy Young or any of the people she cites as opposition have a really good handle on that particular subject. It’s more complicated than can be treated in a few hundred words.
And to our own "leaders," Mittens, McStupid, Bonehead, etc.
“If Putin was president here, Jim Robinson would be in prison and you’d be whining that you cannot find an internet forum to post upon. “
Umm... The way things are going here, that day is not far off.
As far as I know, Putin never bowed to a foreign king.
Sure - if corruption, cancelling elections, crushing peaceful dissent, "disappearing" political opponents, having the government control the media & nationalizing private businesses is your thing, comrade.
Which leads to another question (and I don't think it's a thread hijack): if Vladi determined that embracing the gay agenda would solidify his power, would he do so? If not, why not?
Think carefully.
(To be fair, I'm not singling out that Church--he has the Roman Catholics in his pocket as well).
Some idiots actually believe the Puppet Show is real. Cognitive dissonance is truly a social disease, in this bewildering of Our Fellow Americans.
Because the Conservatives that are praising Putin are statists. The controversy between those conservatives (the Putin praising kind) and the Democrats is what to use the levers of big government against. The political realignment in our country will be between those who love liberty like our founding fathers and the Statists, be they Marxists or authoritarians.
Know what I like about Vlad? He’s not wishy washy, and he loves his country.
The rest. Not so much. But that, I respect.
I would vote for Putin in a heartbeat. He would make a great US president. He takes no sh*t off anyone and calls a spade a spade and professes is Christian faith in private and public. Obamagabe is a muslim, Christian-hating POS who does not have enough sense to lead a Cub Scout Troup on a half mile hike without getting lost.
He doesn’t need to. He has American gays as useful idiots, he doesn’t need the gays in Russia. In the end, he will send the gays off to the work camps like the drug addicts, the criminals and all the other useful idiots that elevated him into power.
Well, if the time ever comes and Putin is President of the U.S., it’s safe to say that you’ll be granted a Party card. Might get yourself some extra bread, that way.
Well answered. There is hope for you (and thus, me) yet.
What would you like to see Putin export to the U.S.?
Nationalizing private businesses?
Re-nationalizing the media?
Cancelling elections?
Imprisoning political opponents?
I think I might finally get it. You would prefer a Christian Dictator over Obama, is that right?
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