Standing up to dictators is thoroughly Catholic

In 1937, Pope Pius XI, issued to the Papal Encyclical, “MIT BRENNENDER SORGE”, which condemned fascist and Nazi ideology. 

Many Catholics, as well as some other Christians, chose to ignore it. 

Before we get started, be sure to check out my locals community.  Catholicism, News, and Whatever Community

Recently, one of my colleagues has decided to write an absurd attack on Archbishop Gudziak, repeating easily disprovable lies about the war in Ukraine being “Unwinnable”. 

While not all actions during World War II by the allies could be justified, our participation in it certainly could be.

Newsflash: Catholics aren’t libertarians.  And we are obligated to help smaller, poorer countries (CCC # 2439) and even give direct aide if need be (CCC #2340), and the Catechism recognizes the right of self-defense (CCC #2263).  Another newsflash:

UKRAINE WAS INVADED, they’re a very poor country that’s already had their sovereignty recognized by the very country that invaded them (like the 1997 Friendship treaty Ukraine and Russian Federation Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Kiev, 31 May 1997 , or the 2003 Border treaty, Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian-Russian State border (with annex and maps). Kiev, 28 January 2003)

And not only does the catechism give the right to self-defense, but CCC#2265 says it can be a “grave duty”.

And CCC# 2308 discusses lawful self-defense.  There’s a lot more here, but. Suffice it to say, the absurdity that we shouldn’t help Ukraine, is not a Catholic teaching. 

Somehow, it gets forgotten that someone whose parents came from Ukraine (like the man who was calumniated against), would know a lot more about Ukraine than someone who, in all likelihood, probably never heard of it until fairly recently.  (Syracuse native to be installed to lead Ukrainian Catholic Church in United States ).

I am quite familiar with Ukraine given my midwestern birth and partial upbringing.  As well as my acquaintance with a UGCC hieromonk.  Which reminds me, it is important to note that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is pretty much illegal in Russia and occupied (stolen) Ukraine. (More about that, here,Truth matters)

Weird how some (not all) will complain about a stolen election but not a stolen country. 

Somehow, it became a “right wing” thing in the United States to promote Russia (which I blame Tucker Carlson for).  Ironically, in Europe, it’s often left wing (Ukraine bars far-left German MP from entry)

I could have a lot of respect for people who use actual logic for their positions, instead of literal Russian propaganda (actually, Chinese) and outright lies.  Instead, it’s all (and yes, this is from anecdotal observations), “Russia is a Christian country” (It’s not). 

“Putin is a Russia first guy” (by invading another country), or that Putin is a “Good Christian” or that “Slavs are one people” (which, to be honest, sounds like a Neo-Nazi denial of separate Slavic ethnicities), or (speaking of) that Ukraine is full of Nazis (it’s not, but Putin sends Neo-Nazis to fight in Ukraine, Who Are The Neo-Nazis Fighting For Russia In Ukraine?)

Or the oft repeated “Ukraine is corrupt” (and Russia isn’t?  New Reports Highlight Russia's Deep-Seated Culture of Corruption)

A big problem, I think, is people undereducated about the topic, that pretend what they hear from people they agree with politically are telling the truth.  Politically, I could be considered a conservative.  I don’t know how this became a political thing in the United States.

I talk to Ukrainians on a daily basis, do you?

A lot of the self-appointed “truth tellers” in North America don’t actually seem to listen to what Ukrainians say.  The do seem to believe anything Russia says without question, ie., “Nazis in Ukraine”, for example. 

I think a lot of people just assume what Russia says is true.  Question: Why should I trust a former KGB agent? 

Before someone thinks I’m some kind of warmonger, you’ll note that never have I advocated sending American troops to fight in Ukraine.  It should be noted that, even as a teenager, I was against the invasion of Iraq. 

This is different.  You have a country, whose sovereignty has already been recognized by the aggressor, that, contrary to vatnik belief, the United States DOES have the obligation to help (Memorandum on security assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Budapest, 5 December 1994)

This is not Ukraine’s 1776, it’s their 1812.  If you know American history, you know what I mean. 

Since so many Catholics seem obsessed with believing whatever propaganda their news source of choice says, maybe they should start reading what Ukrainians have to say.

Some sources I use, Kyiv Independent (Kyiv Independent), Kyiv Post (Kyiv Post), Ukrinform (Ukrainian government source,Ukrinform), as well as the Zelensky critical New Voice of Ukraine (The New Voice of Ukraine)

To my Ukrainian friends, when westerners spread lies about you, remember what Jesus said; "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you". 

(John 15:18, ESV Catholic Edition with Deuterocanonical Books, Copyright 2017 by Crossway) 

Adam Charles Hovey refutes vatniki on the interwebs and has a playlist on it; Teaching Putin worshippers FACTS about Ukraine and Russia

He is also the creator of the Catholicism, News, and Whatever community, on Locals, Catholicism, News, and Whatever community

And is the host of the weekly Bible study "Coffee and Christianity", Coffee and Christianity

Putin is a dictator.  Stop making him an idol.