Suppose one believes it is not appropriate for the Christians to condemn the war of the russian federation against Ukraine with its genocidal purposes that the Kremlin does not hide. In that case, it is also NOT appropriate for the Christians to condemn the genocides like The Holocaust, Ukrainian Holodomor (part of the Soviet famine of 1930–1933), Nazi crimes against the Polish nation, the Cambodian genocide, Armenian genocide, Rwandan genocide, etc… Why it is not appropriate? There is one reason I hear again and again from the evangelicals which proclaim that “we are out of politics”:
– We do not know; we are not sure if you are right; not everything is clear; the Lord did not call us to condemn the empires or caesars or make statements; you should refuse your national identity and speak russian, because the russians do not understand your Ukrainian language; you are ‘artificially’ created by the Soviet government (not us, btw) … and you know, these Jews, Armenians, Polish, Rwandans they were not holly either, they were sinners, they did not love their enemies like Jesus.. maybe they had to consider their suffering as deserved because not everything is clear regarding their sins… \ and so on, and on, and on…
I want to remind myself and you that Jesus was NOT silent on the Cross… and in Hell either… So please do not condemn us, the Christians in and from Ukraine, that we are not silent enough in your presence, that we say more than “seven words” that Jesus said on the Cross, that the children of God going through Hell of the war are not silent either because of the sharp pain being ruined, killed, shelled, bombed daily… every single day… if you feel offended with our not-silence, that we do not immediately forgive, forget, kiss the russians, that we are not ready to abandon our children and parents for the sake of the feelings of the russians, please.. forgive us.. their feelings someday will be healed… no one will heal the people dear to our hearts that are being killed daily in this genocidal war… but we hope and are looking forward to the time of Resurrection…
Feelings vs death… feelings vs air raid alerts… feelings vs missiles and bombs… feelings vs truth… it feels that it is so much more important – when we are in the constant presence of death with the russian roulette – not to offend the feelings of those who refuse to condemn… no, not the war.. the reasons of the war… feelings vs reasons… Jesus, have mercy on us… it is not about the feelings… it is about being human, reflecting the image of God.. the war unveils our faces and … feelings… Peace be with you, and wish you Silent Night, the People of the Bridge…
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Taras N. Dyatlik, Ukraine
17 November 2022
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