Politologist: Civil disobedience is the only option left after banning UOC

Kostiantyn Bondarenko. Photo: Bondarenko's Facebook

Political analyst and historian Kostiantyn Bondarenko predicts that if anti-church bill 8371 is passed, the faithful will have only one option left—civil disobedience. He wrote about this on his Telegram channel on August 11.

The political analyst commented on the recent statement by Volodymyr Zelensky regarding the "spiritual liberation" of Ukraine in the near future.

"What this means is no secret to anyone: even before Independence Day, the Verkhovna Rada will consider the issue of effectively banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (the infamous bill No. 8371 'On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Activities of Religious Organizations in Ukraine')," he wrote.

Bondarenko predicts that "after the ban, the faithful of the UOC will have only one path left – civil disobedience."

"No one is obligated to follow orders or directives if they are blatantly criminal or idiotic in nature. How will the authorities act in such cases? Will they begin large-scale repressions (the number of UOC faithful is measured in the millions, including within the government itself)? And will there be enough prisons and law enforcement officers?" he asks.

The historian reminded that there have been catacomb periods in the history of the Church, and it has always emerged from them as the victor.

As the UOJ wrote in its article, "Amsterdam sounds the alarm: what are the Ukrainian authorities planning?"

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