Moscow patriarch links Islamist terrorism, Western secularism
June 21, 2017
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow received a delegation from the Coptic Orthodox Church on June 18 and lamented attacks on Christians in Egypt.
“Our brothers and sisters, members of your Church, are perishing,” said the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. “Churches in Tanta and Alexandria were bombed; the most dreadful terrorist attack in Minya left hundreds killed; many of the victims were children.”
Patriarch Kirill then linked Islamist terrorism and Western secularism:
Perpetrators of terrorist attacks appeal to religious feelings of Muslims who are dissatisfied with the secular godless standard being thrust upon them, but they link the spreading of godlessness and secularism with Christians and accuse them, saying that modern godless civilization has come out from Christian civilization. That is why the image of Christianity is distorted.
The participation of the West in military actions on the territory of Muslim states is taken as a crusade. We need direct contacts with Muslim clergy and Muslim thinkers in order to dispel these prejudices and wrong opinions so that they understand that Christianity was the first victim of secularism.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Jun. 22, 2017 5:31 AM ET USA
"Christianity was the first victim of secularism." Perhaps better to say the first _and continuing_ victim. Apparently not only culture and life are victims of the coercive secularism in the West, but the pontifical academies as well. However, without ready statistics it is difficult to quantify the extent of secularism throughout these academies and role models of Catholic morality.
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Posted by: james-w-anderson8230 -
Jun. 21, 2017 10:35 PM ET USA
I think that P. Kirill has things backwards. I looks a lot more like Islam is being forcibly thrust upon al the so called infidels.
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Posted by: ILM -
Jun. 21, 2017 8:40 PM ET USA
Patriarch Kirill is correct. The West has grown rich and successful under Christianity, and now has abandoned it for false gods. And, just as ancient Israel prospered when faithful to God and was conquered over and over when unfaithful, we will meet the same chastisements if we don’t return to God.
