Though I am 100% behind Russia's SMO in ukraine and have Russian stepfamily and in-law family as well as my son's godmother (one of my wife's nieces),which I consider just tradition as our child and I are both atheists, but I have watched this service out in the battlefield and never really understood religion's need to be a part of it. It seems to convey a religion's wishes that you go kill enemies and they hope you don't die, so you can go out with your god blessed weapons and kill more enemies.
Blessing weapons seems cringe to me. In fact blessing soldiers to basically go out and kill others, by a religious organization seems even more cringe. Religions are supposed to teach parishioners that the trinity dude said everyone should love one another and care for one another which to me doesn't include killing one another. Now mankind sometimes gets itself in positions where it must go to war as a request from friends (and they may later join your side totally) and that means conflict, war, military weapons, and the accompanying deaths that occur, but there is no choice or else extreme harm, death, repression, etc could happen to the side you are fighting for. And I can see how religion can help believers when they learn they have lost someone in the conflict, in whatever role they are part of. Religion is known to be a comfort during bad times for religious believers.
But all conflicts can be traced to many humans non-belief in humanism. Either one side is oppressing another side, such as we still see in the ukrainian constitution against non ethnic ukrainian citizens such as Russians, Tartars, Romas, etc., or there are two or more parties fighting over land borders or resources which could not be settled diplomatically. But still, sense would blessing soldiers to go out and kill and not get killed themselves, make?
Would it not make more sense for religions to stick to humanitarian work and helping believers who have lost loved ones, or having other personal issues related to the conflict, spiritually?
I was only a christian until my late teens when the hypocrisy was so blatant, that I could no longer pretend I did not see it, and humanism allowed me to care about and have close friends with the only requirement that they treat me in a caring way. Now I have friends who are gay, my kid's best friend is Trans and they also have many friends. But I understand my lifestyle isn't for everyone which is why I say religion should be helping believers who have lost in any wars, and religion could do a lot about heading up and directing humanitarian needs, which to me seem a better use of church resources. Maybe I am wrong, or maybe someone explain to me to goodness of priests saying these words over soldiers and weapons, if someone doesn't mind. I would appreciate it. I do not hate religion, and this is something I'd honestly like to understand and my wife not good at explaining and she's more a "goes to the church once a year" to light candles for her mom and dad and pay the priest to pray for them I thing, I only went once and she spoke too fast for me to understand. And the nearest Russian Orthodox church is 2 hour drive each way.
You say you don’t hate religion, but in the same comment you mock Christ by calling Him the “trinity dude”..? I appreciate that you admitted you don’t understand it, but not understanding something does not give you the right to mock said thing. My best advice to you, if you truly want to understand it, put in more effort to attend Mass on Sundays, attend Bible studies, there are even plenty of Orthodox YouTubers that make great videos explaining the faith.
Don’t take this as an attack either. I pray you find your way back to Christ and allow your children to let Christ into their hearts.
@PatrickLancasterNewsToday No offence to any other Faith, that is fighting the Luciferians. e.g Chechen Muslims ☪️. Good Luck Russia and its Internal Republics 🇷🇺 🪆. The Lord of Host is with you. Enjoy the Song 🎵.
"Oh Lord, Save Thy People and Bless Thine Inheritance.
Grant victory to Orthodox Christians over their adversaries and by virtue of Thy Cross preserve Thy Habitation. "
Amen+
Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want he makes me lied down to green pastures he restores my soul…..
I hope you were blessed too Patrick. You are a brave man reporting to us from the war front
So moving. Thank you Patrick
Though I am 100% behind Russia's SMO in ukraine and have Russian stepfamily and in-law family as well as my son's godmother (one of my wife's nieces),which I consider just tradition as our child and I are both atheists, but I have watched this service out in the battlefield and never really understood religion's need to be a part of it. It seems to convey a religion's wishes that you go kill enemies and they hope you don't die, so you can go out with your god blessed weapons and kill more enemies.
Blessing weapons seems cringe to me. In fact blessing soldiers to basically go out and kill others, by a religious organization seems even more cringe. Religions are supposed to teach parishioners that the trinity dude said everyone should love one another and care for one another which to me doesn't include killing one another. Now mankind sometimes gets itself in positions where it must go to war as a request from friends (and they may later join your side totally) and that means conflict, war, military weapons, and the accompanying deaths that occur, but there is no choice or else extreme harm, death, repression, etc could happen to the side you are fighting for. And I can see how religion can help believers when they learn they have lost someone in the conflict, in whatever role they are part of. Religion is known to be a comfort during bad times for religious believers.
But all conflicts can be traced to many humans non-belief in humanism. Either one side is oppressing another side, such as we still see in the ukrainian constitution against non ethnic ukrainian citizens such as Russians, Tartars, Romas, etc., or there are two or more parties fighting over land borders or resources which could not be settled diplomatically. But still, sense would blessing soldiers to go out and kill and not get killed themselves, make?
Would it not make more sense for religions to stick to humanitarian work and helping believers who have lost loved ones, or having other personal issues related to the conflict, spiritually?
I was only a christian until my late teens when the hypocrisy was so blatant, that I could no longer pretend I did not see it, and humanism allowed me to care about and have close friends with the only requirement that they treat me in a caring way. Now I have friends who are gay, my kid's best friend is Trans and they also have many friends. But I understand my lifestyle isn't for everyone which is why I say religion should be helping believers who have lost in any wars, and religion could do a lot about heading up and directing humanitarian needs, which to me seem a better use of church resources. Maybe I am wrong, or maybe someone explain to me to goodness of priests saying these words over soldiers and weapons, if someone doesn't mind. I would appreciate it. I do not hate religion, and this is something I'd honestly like to understand and my wife not good at explaining and she's more a "goes to the church once a year" to light candles for her mom and dad and pay the priest to pray for them I thing, I only went once and she spoke too fast for me to understand. And the nearest Russian Orthodox church is 2 hour drive each way.
You say you don’t hate religion, but in the same comment you mock Christ by calling Him the “trinity dude”..? I appreciate that you admitted you don’t understand it, but not understanding something does not give you the right to mock said thing. My best advice to you, if you truly want to understand it, put in more effort to attend Mass on Sundays, attend Bible studies, there are even plenty of Orthodox YouTubers that make great videos explaining the faith.
Don’t take this as an attack either. I pray you find your way back to Christ and allow your children to let Christ into their hearts.
@PatrickLancasterNewsToday No offence to any other Faith, that is fighting the Luciferians. e.g Chechen Muslims ☪️. Good Luck Russia and its Internal Republics 🇷🇺 🪆. The Lord of Host is with you. Enjoy the Song 🎵.
Best wishes from the UK.
https://youtu.be/6ak0Z7drDTk?si=vg70u4osY-BREhxd