He reminds me of Pope Francis. Wise in the ways of this World. Unwise in the way of the next. But knowing how to sell himself very well in either. They both know how to talk the talk. But witness Francis and the McCarrick China sell off of the Catholic church there and Putin's hits, they know very much less about walking the walk. O the whole I would prefer Putin. He seems to me a lot more honest. Putin would never have sold off his fellow Russians like that. Pope Francis never hesitated for a moment.
Am I the only one who sees a contradiction between those two videos? One shows a revival of faith in Russia and attributes it to the consecration by Pope Joh Paul. The other is all about the consecration not having been done. They both can't be right. I'm inclined to believe that the consecration, although not perfect, was accepted by Heaven and that the groundwork is being laid for the promises to be filled. I don't believe that Medjugorje has anything to do with it.
If it came to a military attack I don't think he would leave too many i's undotted. But its going to take something big and bad to squash the liberal west. It's amazing where we find our hope from these days!
I have read several references over time on the forum about a religious revival in Russia but the statistics seem to say otherwise. Although the vast majority of Russians declare themselves to be Orthodox Christians, only 7% of them attend church weekly. This figure is even lower than church attendance in the UK at 8% and the UK has hardly enjoyed a religious revival. The fact is that Orthodoxy and nationalism are entwined in Russia so every nationalist declares him/herself Orthodox but it is more of a nationalist than religious sentiment or they would attend church. It's like the UK used to be years ago, people considered England to be 'God's own country' and the Church of England to be God's own church but this didn't mean that they could be bothered to get out of bed on a Sunday morning.
But Christianity isn't being attacked in Russia like it is in the West. I doubt very much that their media are as full of the subtle and not so subtle anti- Christian bias that has become the standard across Europe. Is that 8 percent in the UK the figure for all Christian denominations or is it for Catholic Masses? It's likely that many Mass goers in England are immigrants from Poland or the Philippines. Subtract the immigrants from the UK figures and Church attendance there is probably lower than in Russia where they were already starting from a very low base. It's the direction of the trends that makes the difference.
The 8% is for all denominations. The inclusion of of Poles and Filipinos would make only a slight difference to the total % they do not make up a significant proportion of the population and they are not as devout as you seem to believe. Our local hospital (where my daughter works) is staffed by many Filipina nurses but I am not aware of any of them attending Mass at the local churches that I attend. Poles would be less easy to identify. Weekly church attendance in the US is 24% which is three times higher than in Russia so the use of the word 'revival' in Russia is difficult to recognise as reflecting reality. It is true that Russian Orthodoxy is protected, indeed nurtured, by Putin's government however it is indifferent/hostile to other denominations which are regarded as 'competition' to the Russian state religion. The Orthodox 'church' in the Ukraine strongly opposed the return of the many Catholic churches that had been handed over to the Orthodox 'church' during the Soviet era and demonstrations occurred where transfers were enforced by the Ukrainian government. The behaviour of the Russian government in suppressing dissent including the murder of political opponents, gross and widespread corruption and embezzlement and general and gross abuse of power (as demonstrated just last Saturday during the Navalny protests), strongly indicate that its nurturing of Orthodoxy is for reasons of national cohesion and exclusivity and not through any spiritual yearning.
If that 8 percent in the UK includes all Christian denominations, then it also includes Protestant (and Catholic) immigrants from Africa and Asia. African and Asian Christians are more devout and more likely to practice than Europeans. Whenever I watch online Masses from England people of non-European ethnicity are always well represented. Recognising Putin's intelligence and astuteness doesn't make me a fan. He's smart enough to recognise the biggest mistakes made by the Soviets. One of those mistakes was suppressing religion (although the Orthodox did seem to reach some kind of accommodation with the Communists). He's playing into people's sense of national and cultural identity which for Russians includes the Orthodox Church whether or not they are church goers. I think it can be an unhealthy kind of nationalism but it's a tried and trusted tactic which seems to work for Putin. That doesn't make him Christian but it doesn't make him any worse than many of the world's leaders wrinkling their noses when they say his name. I'm not an admirer of what I see as national churches in Orthodoxy, be it Greek, Russian or any other church. From my, admittedly limited understanding, despite having apostolic succession Orthodox national churches seem to contradict the one-ness of the true Church founded by Christ Just as I'm not a big Putin fan, I don't buy all the Soros backed (and probably funded) demonising of him. I expect that what the Americans call the military industrial complex also has a hand in Russia's internal problems as well as all the negative reporting in Western media. I certainly wouldn't let the British or US media inform my opinion of Russia or its leadership. Considering how slanted is their domestic coverage, why would anyone believe their reporting on foreign affairs? It seems to me that Putin is the kettle being accused by a lot of black pots. Things are not ideal for Christians in Russia but there are families in Northern Europe who might consider themselves no better or maybe worse off - families on the receiving end of heavy handed social services tactics for teaching their children things like marriage being a lifelong union between one man and one woman or that gender isn't a social construct. The trend in Russia is opposite to that in Europe and the US.
Who would ever believe that Russia could be more receptive to Christianity than the USA. Dear Lord.... . Christians, put on the armor of Christ and pray for the conversion of the world
One cannot argue that the catholic Chinese were not sold out...they were. It’s a fact. How utterly betrayed they must feel. The shepherd did not protect his flock. This is his main job.....the Chinese Catholics were sold out. There is no defense of this to date that I’ve heard to explain this.... The hour is getting late....McCarrick and Francis....either care to explain this to the world? They have broken faith with the truly faithful.
https://mysticpost.com/2021/01/puti...ussian-officials-deny-ties-to-vladimir-putin/ Putin’s Palace? Colossal One billion dollar home described as fit for a James Bond Villain – Russian officials deny ties to Vladimir Putin January 25, 2021 stephen ryan 17 Views 0 Comments Earlier this week, an absolutely massive investigation dropped regarding a highly intriguing site on Russia’s Black Sea coast referred to as the Residence at Cape Idokopas or, more commonly, Putin’s Palace, after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. The extremely high-security estate, which covers an area just over 168 acres near the resort town of Gelendzhik, reportedly belongs to Putin, though a web of associates and shell companies. It’s a totally unique, if not puzzling installation that many have kept a close eye on for years. Now, this new report offers unprecedented insight into where it came from and what it actually includes. The Anti-Corruption Foundation, also known by its Russian acronym FBK, released the investigative report, which is presently available only in Russian, but is still well worth exploring in full, on Jan. 19, 2021. It is based heavily on financial records and other documents the organization obtained from various sources. It also includes never-before-seen exterior views of the property, including its Italian-style palace, ice rink, amphitheater, and more, as well as highly detailed interior depictions of what the main residence might eventually look like based on floor plans obtained from a whistleblower showing opulent amenities, including a huge pool, a theater, a casino, and a lounge with a pole-dancing stage, among others. FBK estimates that the entire estate, which it says also has features that feel more appropriate for a villain in a James Bond movie, including an escape tunnel, is worth approximately just under $1.4 billion. The reality is that its real worth is more or less unquantifiable, as nothing else exists really like it, outside of the likes of North Korea possibly. Even then, executing a project of this magnitude, at least in qualitative terms, would be challenging due to the tight sanctions placed on that country. FBK is a Russian non-profit organization that seeks to expose corruption among government officials and that has been highly critical of Putin. There is strong evidence that FBK’s founder, Alexei Navalny, was the target of a Russian government assassination attempt last year involving one of a secretive family of chemical weapons, known collectively as Novichoks. Navalny was eventually medically evacuated to Germany, where he recovered. The day before his team put the palace investigation online, he had returned to Russia, where he was summarily arrested on highly questionable grounds relating to a suspended prison sentence from 2014 and charges of libel against a World War II veteran. Putin’s personal spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the report as “pure nonsense,” reiterating the Russian government’s long-standing position that Putin has no connection whatsoever to the site. However, media reports and whistleblower allegations over the past decade have provided evidence that Russia’s President has been tied to the estate on the Cape Idokopas since at least 2000. The palace, which looks fit for a tsar, is, o f course, one of the most prominent structures. It alone occupies an area of around 17,691 square meters, or approximately 190,424 square feet, according to FBK. Navalny’s team says that costs associated with this building have grown substantially over the years. High humidity in the region, combined with faulty ventilation systems, led to serious mold problems that needed remediation. The palace has been under perpetual construction for many years. The palace is just one of a number of structures on the property, though, some of which appear to also still be under construction to varying degrees. FBK identified what it said was a greenhouse, as well as an outdoor amphitheater. A very long bridge connects what Navalny’s team said was a tea house to the central area of the sprawling installation. A number of the buildings appear to have been built and rebuilt over and over again, pointing to a very demanding owner with limitless financial resources. There are also various buildings that appear to be offices and dormitories. This is not surprising given that the entire estate undoubtedly requires an equally massive staff and on-site security team. Putin and his staff might have a need for additional, more specialized office space outside of the main residence, as well, to conduct any necessary work, including on particularly sensitive issues, or to serve as a more robust command center during a crisis. There is a very prominent radio tower on this section of the property, as well. Putin’s Kingdom also has its very own church. Putin is a practicing member of the Russian Orthodox Church and its current head, Patriarch Kirill, is a major political ally of the President.
What a monstrosity. I wouldn't live in that house if Putin gave it to me for free. Impersonal and cold. I like the location though.
