‘Western Legal guidelines Now Conflict With Ethical Nature of Man’ – Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (Video)

Patriarch Kirill: I’ve on many events been pressured to boost my voice – on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church – in protection of these whom I’d name the persecuted Christians of the Center East. Of all of the minorities within the area, it’s Christians who’ve been struggling essentially the most. The statistics present an appalling dynamic: there was 1.5 million Christians in Iraq – now there may be lower than 150,000. There was half-a-million Christians in Syria, and now they’ve vanished with no hint, whether or not they have been killed or fled the nation. However the Center East is the birthplace of Christianity, and of Christian tradition. Which is why killing Christians or driving them out of the area isn’t only a crime towards faith and towards human rights and freedoms: it’s a civilizational catastrophe. As a result of as soon as Christian communities vanish from these international locations, life there’ll change in each respect. Previous to the present disaster, the governments in these international locations, together with secular governments, needed to reckon with the presence of Christians and devise their insurance policies in a method that may guarantee some sort of sectarian stability. Now there’s no want to keep up a stability. And who is aware of what might occur to the remaining Christian inhabitants in these international locations.

So you might say our assembly with the Pope was centered on our shared considerations relating to the scenario within the Center East. We have been genuinely involved, and we have been each satisfied that decisive motion should be taken to save lots of the Christians in these international locations. Not solely Christians, after all – you will need to finish bloodshed as such, and I wish to make it clear that we look after all those that are struggling. However whereas Islamic communities usually are not about to go extinct in these international locations, Christians truly are.

So our joint declaration included an announcement to this impact. Sadly, the following developments haven’t led to a political resolution for this subject, though we now coordinate our Center East efforts extra extensively with the Pope. We all know that the expulsion of Christians continues in these international locations, amongst different issues, and that civilians generally endure due to what’s happening in Syria and Iraq.

It’s completely clear that, if the nations at present engaged within the interventions in Syria and Iraq are really dedicated to eradicating terrorism, and if that acknowledged goal is their solely true purpose and there’s no hidden agenda, then it shouldn’t be an issue for us to affix efforts and work collectively. In spite of everything, what’s ISIS [Islamic State, formerly ISIL]? We as soon as defeated the Nazi powers by collective efforts, and so they had half of Europe enslaved. So it appears to me it needs to be pretty straightforward to eliminate ISIS, and thereby resolve the refugee disaster and all the opposite disasters and tragedies which might be rooted on this battle. However we’re not seeing that occur. So all that’s left to us as Christians is to wish and, after all, work along with everybody, so that every one the nations concerned understand that collaboration is instrumental. We preserve listening to that the coalition has its personal strategy, and Russia has a distinct stance. Properly, now could be the time after we can’t have two conflicting positions any longer; we have to align ourselves with one another.

That’s why I used to be glad to listen to what US President-elect Mr. Trump mentioned on this regard. He clearly underlined the need to sort out Islamist radicalism and terrorism. Hopefully that’s the target we’ll transfer in direction of, when it comes to Russia-US relations as nicely. Terrorism poses an actual risk for the complete world, together with Russia, the Center East, Western Europe, and the US, which was hit laborious within the early twenty first century. It’s excessive time we pool concepts, be a part of forces and co-operate to resolve this downside that many international locations and peoples are dealing with.

RT: We’ll get again to Western politicians in a minute, however let’s discuss Donald Trump. You mentioned you hoped that his administration would have the ability to make progress with this downside. Nevertheless, fairly a couple of folks imagine Donald Trump is a bigot. He’s a controversial determine within the US and the world, let’s put it that method. So do you imagine that when he assumes workplace that US-Russia relations will get higher and we’ll have the option transfer ahead and resolve the scenario within the Center East, such as you mentioned? 

PK: Primarily based on what Mr. Trump mentioned in the middle of the election marketing campaign, we are able to see that he does have the intention to ascertain a dialogue with Russia, together with at first in relation to combating terrorism. That’s good; it opens up new alternatives for cooperation, which is what I hope we’re going to have in Russia-US relations with a view to sort out this. I can’t actually say something about Mr. Trump past that. I don’t know him personally, and I don’t know a lot about his life, so I can solely choose primarily based on his statements, which have been in stark distinction to different politicians’ stances. There was no hope in what others have been saying, whereas Mr. Trump’s phrases give us hope. It’s crucial for leaders of key international powers to instill hope for a greater future with their insurance policies.

RT: About that distinction between Trump’s statements and different Western leaders’ statements. Many say that Trump doesn’t hesitate to brazenly converse his thoughts and name a spade a spade. You’ve spoken on many events concerning the persecution of Christians on this area, however Western politicians shrink back from the topic. The explanation may very well be that they don’t wish to damage anybody’s emotions, or perhaps it’s due to the Muslim communities of their international locations or political correctness generally. Why do you suppose it’s not a broadly mentioned subject within the West? There may be political correctness in Russia, too – take the laws regarding insulting spiritual emotions – however to what extent do you suppose it prevents Western politicians from talking about this freely?

PK: After all, it’s in the best way. It appears as if political correctness is supposed to restrict Christians’ freedom to follow their religion. For instance, why ought to we use ‘X-mas’ as an alternative of ‘Christmas’? The reply we bought to this query is that we shouldn’t damage the emotions of non-Christians. So we requested Muslims in the event that they have been offended by the phrase ‘Christmas’, and so they mentioned “no.” We requested in the event that they have been offended by embellished Christmas bushes within the streets, and so they mentioned “no.” So if Muslims are okay with that, whose emotions are we hurting right here? It’s probably it’s nobody’s. In actual fact. Europe is a continent whose tradition and even political tradition is rooted within the tenets of Christianity. We’re instructed that Europe was additionally influenced by Historical Greece and Historical Rome, and that’s true, however, when it comes to scale, this affect can under no circumstances evaluate to the significance that Christian ethical values, and the legal guidelines primarily based on them, held for a lot of centuries. So if Europe is now reducing itself off from its roots, it raises the query of whether or not that is motivated by political correctness or one thing else. That’s the query we, the individuals who lived by spiritual persecution within the USSR, ask. Again then it was additionally supposedly carried out within the identify of human rights and liberties and a greater tomorrow. But it surely was solely the believers who the state had pressured up till perestroika. The capitalists, the bourgeoisie, the wealthy land homeowners – Soviet leaders stopped combating all of them and even the Soviet economic system half-resembled a market economic system, to not point out the New Financial Coverage of the Twenties, however they fought the Church to the very finish. There is no such thing as a understanding why that was. So we’re very cautious when, underneath the guise of political correctness and common rights and liberties, we glimpse indicators of discrimination towards the individuals who wish to be open about their Christian convictions. 

RT: Why is it so laborious to realize peace and concord between Christians and Muslims in Western Europe? Some say the explanation behind that is what we name a conflict of civilizations. Contemplating the current migrant disaster and the issue of terrorism, do you suppose these cultures can co-exist peacefully, in the long run? Or ought to we face the reality and admit – like many politicians comparable to Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage do – that the coverage of multiculturalism has failed?

PK: Multiculturalism has no future, as a result of it implies completely different cultures mixing, completely different cultures and religions poured collectively and shaken vigorously to create a sort of cocktail. That may be not possible due to deep-rooted traditions. If multiculturalism implies weakening folks’s connection to their faith and traditions, it mechanically makes them victims of discrimination and forces them to be defensive; so this very strategy accommodates a harmful supply of division, and I imply the elemental division of the brother-against-brother form.

There are different methods. Russia is a multiethnic nation, however the thought of multiculturalism has by no means been promoted, not even again within the USSR. It was declared that we might have a brand new nationwide id as Soviet folks, however everybody knew that Turkmens would keep Turkmens, Tajiks would keep Tajiks, Uzbeks would keep Uzbeks, Russians would keep Russians, and Jews would keep Jews.

This strategy, which permits folks to specific their ethnic and non secular id freely, has particularly flourished lately, in trendy Russia. We’re not speaking about any combination or cocktail – we are saying that each particular person ought to keep who they’re. However all of us stay in the identical nation, so all of us should observe the legislation and be good to one another. And insurance policies relating to this must be aimed, not at erasing the strains between cultures and religions and making one cocktail out of it, however at making certain help, rights and liberties are given to all – to every their very own – in order that an individual of any religion can really feel at dwelling of their nation, not amongst strangers. Implementing this mannequin within the West might have paved the best way for peaceable co-existence, however I worry that it is perhaps too late now. It ought to have been carried out earlier than Europe needed to cope with this big inflow of migrants who characterize completely different cultural and non secular views, and who’re against the tradition of the international locations they’ve ended up in. An excessive amount of folks have this inner resistance to Western values, and one of many causes is that this radical – I’d even say aggressive – secularization. A non secular particular person feels deeply uncomfortable residing in an aggressively-secular society, identical as we within the USSR felt uncomfortable residing in an aggressively-atheistic society. When the aggression disappears, folks begin feeling affinity in direction of the society and nation they’re residing in.

RT: I’d like to listen to your opinion on the present state of social establishments that the Church has historically upheld, comparable to marriage and household. At the moment, lots of the traditionally Christian international locations within the West are legalizing same-sex marriage. A few of them have even appointed particular envoys for LGBT rights. Many within the West see it as progress and liken it to the scenario with interracial marriages within the US, which was frowned upon and now are part of life. So, many imagine it is a step ahead. What do you consider this development?

PK: I’m deeply cautious of it. What’s occurring within the Western international locations is that, for the primary time in human historical past, laws is at odds with the ethical nature of human beings. What’s good and evil? Sin and righteousness? These may very well be outlined in each spiritual phrases and non-religious phrases. If you happen to take character from English, American, or Russian fiction, you will notice that every one of them possess the identical qualities. Why? We have now completely different cultures and completely different political methods, however for all of us good is nice, and evil is evil, and everybody understands who the nice guys are, and who the unhealthy guys are. So how can we distinguish? With our coronary heart, with our ethical nature. This ethical nature, created by God, served as a basis for the laws which is designed. Legal guidelines outlined ethical values in authorized phrases, telling us what’s good and what’s unhealthy. We all know that stealing is unhealthy and serving to folks is nice, and legal guidelines outline what stealing is and what the appropriate punishment for it’s.

Now, for the primary time in human historical past, the legislation permits one thing that doesn’t correspond to our ethical nature. The legislation contradicts it. It’s not the identical factor, after all, however we might evaluate this to an extent to the apartheid in Africa or Nazi legal guidelines – when the legislation went towards inherent ethical values, folks rebelled. They knew it wasn’t proper; it was synthetic; it was a part of some ideology and never in sync with their ethical nature. So the Church can by no means approve of this. We are saying that the Church can by no means redefine good and evil, sin and righteousness, however we don’t condemn individuals who have completely different sexual preferences. It’s on their conscience and it’s their enterprise, however they shouldn’t be discriminated towards or punished, as was frequent follow in some states. Nevertheless, in no way ought to this be accepted as a social norm no completely different from the social norm that stems from our ethical nature, which means marriage between a person and spouse who create a household and have kids. That’s why we imagine this new development poses a big risk for the existence of the human race. The Church has to handle this and say it’s a foul factor, however we’ve seen that authorities in some international locations have been attempting to silence clergymen. One Protestant pastor went to jail for calling same-sex marriage a sin in his sermon. Once more, that is very harking back to what was occurring underneath Soviet totalitarianism. Within the international locations that declare their dedication to freedom of speech, you may get punished for expressing your opinion. That’s a harmful development, and I hope it should peter out and the pure order of issues will prevail. I don’t even wish to take into consideration what would possibly occur to us in any other case. Our prayers and our work are in order that humanity lives on and follows the ideas dictated by our ethical nature.

RT: Talking of Protestants… Throughout your assembly with the Archbishop of Canterbury, you expressed your considerations over the Church of England’s current liberalization, specifically its resolution to ordain girls and its fairly modernist stance on marriage and morality. However how will you make Christian values attraction to modern-day youth that retains turning away from the Church, particularly within the West. How can we deliver them again?

PK: I don’t suppose that the tendency of younger folks rejecting Christian values is a pure course of. It’s the results of their minds being influenced in a sure method, and we’re not speaking nearly youth right here. Simply have a look at what’s on the market – motion pictures, tv, literature. There’s a clear ideological paradigm aimed toward dismantling spiritual and ethical values. And it isn’t all the time a direct confrontation. They simply paint this comfortable, full life – with out God and with out the ethical obligation to weigh your actions listening to the voice of conscience. It signifies that God is being purposefully pressured out of an individual’s life. It’s not just a few unintended development. But it surely’s truly turning out this fashion. We all know that historical past can unfold in numerous instructions. When evil on this world reaches a sure level, it begins to prevail. In these circumstances good seems to lose. At the moment Christians are a minority. The values we preach are both dismissed or ignored. Why? As a result of we encourage folks to maneuver upwards, stroll uphill, whereas widespread tradition asks folks to go in the other way, transfer down. If an individual is guided by his instincts, if civilization is constructed on this basis, then after all the bulk will comply with this highway, as a result of it’s so a lot simpler, it doesn’t require effort or work. Folks need this straightforward life. However the Bible says that “slim is the best way that results in life.” And this slim method to salvation requires bravery. But when this fashion disappears, humanity will fall right into a pit. Jesus didn’t persuade everyone with His preaching. In actual fact, His earthly life ended on the Cross the place He was crucified. After all, He then rose from the useless… However some would possibly see Him as a failure. If you happen to don’t imagine in Christ’s resurrection, then the top of His life doesn’t appear very spectacular – he was executed. The identical with all of the apostles, apart from St. John. They have been all executed. So principally they appeared like a bunch of losers, they misplaced every thing. However the message of Christ and His apostles has survived for two,000 years – it retains inspiring folks. It has usually impressed artists and writers who created their works regardless of this exterior strain. However what’s extra essential is that Christ enters the hearts of many individuals. We see how folks in Russia are beginning to imagine, this phenomenon is really historic. The Church is being restored, younger individuals are being transformed. When folks select this slim method, it should most positively make them the celebs. It’s the highway to heaven, to the very prime. It’s all the time tough however it’s the method of salvation.

RT: Your Holiness, thanks very a lot!