Another Voice of Reason From Russia

At the height of the united states government’s bombastic and murderous threats toward Syria, Putin stepped in and provided a voice of reason – bringing a peaceful alternative to what seems to be the only tool available to the leader of the free world – bombs.

Another voice of reason from Russia spoke out at the same time – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who wrote a letter directly to president Obama:

The tragic events in Syria have raised anxiety and caused pain in the Russian Orthodox Church. We receive information about the situation there not from the news reports but from living evidence coming to us from religious figures, ordinary believers and our compatriots living in that country.

As opposed to relying on the white-house-talking-points-parroted-by-the-western-media, it appears the Patriarch has actual reports from individuals directly affected by the situation in Syria.

Syria today has become an arena of the armed conflict. Engaged in it are foreign mercenaries and militants linked with international terrorist centres.

WHAT?!?!?  These aren’t local freedom fighters?

We were deeply alarmed to learn about the plans of the US army to strike the territory of Syria.

As was much of the world outside of the dc beltway…thankfully…thus putting a halt (for the first time I can recall) to the bombs-away desires of the one-size-fits-all war machine in washington.

An external military intervention may result in the radical forces coming to power in Syria who will not be able and will not wish to ensure inter-confessional accord in the Syrian society.

The machine that is Washington may be murderous, but it isn’t stupid.  Perhaps bringing radical forces to power was all part of the plan?

Our special concern is for the fate of the Christian population of Syria, which in that case will come under the threat of total extermination or banishment.

Such concerns fall on deaf ears with the political leaders of the land of equal opportunity.  Official washington cares nothing for Christians just as they care nothing for Muslims or any other religious sects.  They pretty much care nothing for people.

I am deeply convinced that the countries which belong to the Christian civilization bear a special responsibility for the fate of Christians in the Middle East.

To the extent one can speak of a country as religious, the united states wears the symbols of Christianity without bearing much of the fruit.

No doubt, the current Syrian crisis needs to be settled with the participation of the international community. In this regard, I consider it important to use the opportunities which have opened for a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. These opportunities imply the international community’s control over the chemical weapons in Syria.

Opportunities made possible due to Russia….

It is too much to ask that this should be the view of all Christian leaders at all times when the politicians beat the drum for war?  Always?

I know what Lawrence Vance would say…