The Religious President Putin.
Vladimir Putin loves his religion, and for good reason. He’s using it as a tool for popularity and power.
Back in the Cold War decades of the 50s and 60s the feared Russians were demonized by American propaganda as godless Commies. If the godless part was true then, it's not now. According to a recent PBS News report, more than 70% of Russians are Orthodox Christian, and under Putin, the church has been revitalized.
Russia has no separation of church and state. In fact, the two are closely connected. Says Russian Archpriest Ivan Garmash; “The values of the church and the state coincide. They can’t be separated.” That being the case, Putin can co-opt the immense power and influence of religion in Russia to suit his personal political agenda. And, he has.
As the PBS report says, “In Russia, faith is patriotic. The Orthodox Church criticizes liberal Western values as heresies, while Orthodox priests bless Russian weapons and endorse Putin politically and personally. The president’s faith increases his popularity.”
And, speaking about Putin, Garmash says: “He is a religious man, and he takes part in the divine worship with the people in churches. What the president is doing, what the government is doing, of course, we support it, because he acts conscientiously and truthfully.”
“Acting conscientiously and truthfully” is not how I’d describe Putin’s actions in Ukraine. Then again, throughout history there are countless examples of how religion has been used as a catalyst for oppression, murder and war. Putin's invasion of Ukraine is just the latest.
Source: “Inside Putin’s Russia” / PBS NewsHour
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John Follis is an award-winning writer whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, TIME, and “Mirror on America” a pop-culture anthology that includes essays from Stephen King and Dick Clark. As a copywriter he’s the recipient of over two dozen awards. His Medium series, “Just Sayin’” comments on everything from Identity Culture to Football. https://linktr.ee/johnfollis
