https://cne.news/article/2652-russian-evangelicals-happy-with-support-from-the-kremlin
Russian Evangelicals happy with support from the Kremlin
28-02-2023
CNE.news
The highest bishop of the Russian Union of Evangelical and Pentecostal churches (CEF) wants to serve the community during “this difficult time”.
Sergey Ryakhovsky visited the speech of President Putin last week and is happy with the Kremlin’s support.
On Tuesday, February 21st, Mr Putin used a highly anticipated speech to lash out at the West. According to Putin, there was no choice but to invade the neighbouring country as Kyiv was preparing an offensive in the eastern Donbas region with military help from the West. According to him, Russia cannot be defeated. “The existence of our country is at stake,” he said.
In the speech, Putin proposed creating a special state fund to assist the families of Russian soldiers who died during the war. The head of the Russian Evangelicals, Mr Ryakhovsky, was pleased with this. “I believe that the evangelical community needs to organise close interaction with the foundation on the spiritual restoration of the voiced category of citizens”, IRP News reports.
Mr Putin also addressed Western Christianity and criticised the Church of England, which considers the use of gender-neutral terms for God. “What can I say? May God forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Mr Ryakhovsky shares this thesis, IRP reports. “The Bible says that marriage is exclusively the union of a man and a woman, there are no same-sex marriages, and there is no reason to talk about the gender neutrality of God.”
According to Ryakhovsky, the Russian Evangelicals have “a unique opportunity to engage in the spirituality of our people. Promote spiritual, moral, family and social values. Serve the community during this difficult time.”
More sophistry.
in the speech, Putin proposed creating a special state fund to assist the families of Russian soldiers who died during the war. The head of the Russian Evangelicals, Mr Ryakhovsky, was pleased with this. “I believe that the evangelical community needs to organise close interaction with the foundation on the spiritual restoration of the voiced category of citizens”, IRP News reports.
" pleased with this" for indeed all true Christians should assist the families of Russian soldiers who died during the war. And to "organise close interaction with the foundation on the spiritual restoration of the voiced category of citizens" to assist the families of Russian soldiers who died during the war is carefully nuanced enough to be acceptable as not conflicting with the prohibition against seeking to convert others to anything other than the RO.
Mr Putin also addressed Western Christianity and criticised the Church of England, which considers the use of gender-neutral terms for God. “What can I say? May God forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Mr Ryakhovsky shares this thesis, IRP reports. “The Bible says that marriage is exclusively the union of a man and a woman, there are no same-sex marriages, and there is no reason to talk about the gender neutrality of God.”
I agree! And as said, evangelicals would vote for Putin if he would uphold the constitution, in contrast to his rule. So, consistent with your attempted negation of what actually is the reality in Russia, since I agree with the above this must mean that I can act like an evangelical in Russia as here. A youth outside prayed with me today to ask the Lord Jesus to save him, by the grace of God. And as said, thousands passed by me on Monday as I held forth the word of life, which I hope I would want to publicly do in 63% RO, though against the law.
According to Ryakhovsky, the Russian Evangelicals have “a unique opportunity to engage in the spirituality of our people. Promote spiritual, moral, family and social values. Serve the community during this difficult time.”
Indeed - as said not by Putin but by a bishop of the Russian Union of Evangelical and Pentecostal churches - as all such situations is an opportunity. Christians in China - Putin's ally - often do the same, though the gov shuts them down more severely.
Thus in conclusion, all your poor attempts (seriously) to argue against the Yarovaya laws as meaning what they say simply fail to do so, and cannot withstand the abundant testimonies to them being interpreted as meaning persecution of evangelicals evangelizing or not being politically correct.
In reality, arguing with you has become akin to contending with a cult, or an atheist, of which I have some experience, and since you refuse objective judgment then I see little warrant for more time and energy spent in attempting to reason with you. And true conversion requires honestly.
May God grant you “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:25)