Posted on 06/14/2014 11:16:42 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
There is absolutely no evidence, aside from rhetoric, to suggest that Russia in general and Putin in particular have been converted to Christianity. Instead, what we are witnessing is a massive Russian “active measures” campaign that has ensnared many American conservatives, convincing them that Putin is somehow a legitimate alternative to President Obama’s decadent worldview. It is troubling to see some of these conservatives endorse Russia’s invasion and occupation of Ukraine.
The term “active measures” refers to influence operations that use agents of influence, disinformation and propaganda. ....
Rather than embrace Christianity, the evidence shows Russia has embraced the Russian Orthodox Church, always a tool of Soviet intelligence. As we noted in an AIM Report back in 1984, John Barron’s authoritative book, KGB, said that the KGB’s Directorate 5 is assigned to “clandestinely control religion in the Soviet Union” and to “insure that the Russian Orthodox Church and all other churches serve as instruments of Soviet policy.” Barron added, “The directorate placed KGB officers within the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy and recruits bonafide clergymen as agents. Much of its work is accomplished through the Council on Religious Affairs, which is heavily staffed with retired and disabled KGB officers.”
Nothing has really changed. In fact, the Russian Orthodox Church is even closer to the regime these days, and is still so morally bankrupt that it published a 2014 calendar in honor of Soviet mass murderer Joseph Stalin. Former KGB officer Konstantin Preobrazhensky has called it “Putin’s Espionage Church,” and devotes a major portion of his book, KGB/FSB’s New Trojan Horse, to its use by the Russian intelligence service.
(Excerpt) Read more at aim.org ...
I won’t take issue with your premise. But I would just like to point out that I know of no evidence that Barack Obama has really converted to Christianity either.
Lenin’s useful idiots to a man.
Obama hates America, Putin loves Russia.
Obama wants all of our efforts to fail, Putin wants all of Russia's efforts to succeed.
Obama is a confirmed Islamic terrorist, Putin fights and hates Islamic terrorists.
Obama has caused all or most of our allies to question us, some to leave us, while Putin has gained allies.
Obama wants Communism, Putin wants a government-friendly Capitalism.
They also share some very negative traits: Obama and Putin want no free speech. Obama and Putin both maneuver to rule forever. Obama and Putin will gladly kill citizens to achieve nefarious goals.
The main flaw in (Pat) Buchanan’s argument is the lack of any real evidence that Russia has come to grips with—and disavowed—its Soviet past. To the contrary, Putin laments the passing of the USSR and has put the former KGB, now the FSB, in charge of the power centers in Russia. He celebrates Russian spying on America. …And he continues to “rehabilitate” Stalin.
I’m freakin’ good, I am.
I also think that there is an expectation in Russia that leaders will be authoritarian....They simply don’t have the same DNA as Americans when it comes to politics. Our system of government isn’t for everyone.
There is that. The Russian people I have met (when I was in Russia, as a CIA Station Chief) don't really understand freedom, and don't know what to do with it.
A very good case could be made that Russia was never really Communist. It just used Communism as a subterfuge to create a totalitarian regime run by the lucky few.
The Tzars used Russian Orthodoxy much the same way as the Soviets used Communist Orthodoxy.
That Putin has gone back to using Russian Orthodoxy as a mask for his totalitarian ambitions is no surprise given that very few people believe in the Communist dream.
Most liberals believe is some form of highly regulated and taxed market economy. Of course if the only "news" you get is from FR threads then you won't have found this out. You'll most likely believe in the nonsense that Gramsci's ghost still walks among us or that all of the liberals meet in secret to figure out exactly how fast they can move us toward a communist future without the mass of people figuring it out.
O the horrors!
Putin does fight Muslim terrorists on what he currently regards as his soil, but openly aids them off his soil, especially Iran, the biggest sponsor of Islamic terror in the world.
Putin is as “capitalism-friendly” as Red China—all key industries on Russian soil are state-owned, as is the media nowadays, which means his capitalism (like Red China) is a means to an end.
Putin loves the USSR, not Russia; and as has been noted in this thread (and myriad others on FR), regards the fall of the USSR as the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the last century (belittling the tragedy of WWII and elevating the Cold War) and has actively rehabilitated Djughashvili.
It’s only the hard leftists that claim that none of the monoliths of the Second World were “truly communist”.
And if Putin is “not communist”, then the only alternative is fascist.
Like any good KGB Agent, he considers them assets. The second they are not useful, he will attempt to destroy them. You cannot deny he is anti-Islam.
Putin is as “capitalism-friendly” as Red China—all key industries on Russian soil are state-owned, as is the media nowadays, which means his capitalism (like Red China) is a means to an end.
I did mention 'government friendly'. His is more of a fascist capitalism arrangement. Now that I think of it more, I suppose I need to remove this one from the list, since Obama is the same.
Putin loves the USSR, not Russia
So? It still speaks to my point. Putin loves his country. Obama hates his.
When many commentators across the political spectrum doubt that Russia was ever truly communist it is more from a belief that the Soviet leaders were behaving as cynically as all authoritarian leaders do.
For example, we have someone in the Whitehouse now who claims to be a believer in America and all her great traditions while running an administration for himself, by himself in secrecy and in complete violation of the word and spirit of our Constitution.
Just like the Soviets paid lip service to Marx, Obama is paying lip service to Lincoln and Washington.
No, Putin does not love his country. He loves the USSR, which means his love is divided.
And if Putin were truly “anti-Islam”, he would be fighting all Islamic terrorism.
Putin wants Russia to succeed at what? Resurrecting the totalitarian Soviet EVIL EMPIRE?
Putin does not love Russia , he loves the Soviet Union, the EVIL EMPIRE.
Putin fights islamic terrorists by sending muslim Chechens into Georgia and Ukraine to slaughter Christians? By arming Sudan? By supplying the ayatollahs with enriched uranium?
Putin has gained allies? Whom? The Chi-coms? Daniel Ortega? Nauru?
Putin wants capitalism by nationalizing oil companies, the entire media and all banking?
Putin is the tyrant Obama only dreams of being. Should we wish for Obama to show us the same kind of “love” as Putin shows Russia? I sure don't.
Either way, the steps taken by the Second World “governments” (loosely termed) did mirror the ten steps to communism as outlined in the second chapter of the Communist Manifesto. That is not mere “lip service to Marx” and shows how inherently totalitarian that path is.
Obama and the Democratic Party (and of course the RINOs) are following the Fabian (non-revolutionary) path to socialism, which is by progressive “reform” rather than violent revolution.
Pinworthy post.
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