The UOC ban and the Gospel: obvious parallels

Voting in the Verkhovna Rada. Photo: Focus

On this day, the parliamentarians banned the Church in the country. While Orthodox believers can still pray peacefully for now – the bill will only come into effect in May 2025 – there is another aspect worth noting.

We know that the devil constantly influences our world and the hearts of people. But we often think of it as something “out there” while events around us seem to happen on their own.

Let’s look at today’s Rada.

A triumphant Poroshenko, dusting off his pre-election slogan “army-language-faith”, claims that today, during the vote to ban the UOC, “the whole hall united”.

However, anyone who follows the life of the Verkhovna Rada knows that this very life is a continuous squabble: between parties, factions and individual deputies. Scandals, intrigues and even fights are its normal state. How could there have been any “unity” here?

We know that the devil’s task is to divide people. But sometimes, he can also unite them “for the sake of the cause”.

Let’s recall the Gospel, which speaks of the trial of Christ: “Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, dressing him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day; for before they had been at enmity with one another” (Luke 23:11-12).

Isn’t this what happened today in the Rada? Evil showed its ability to unite… but for even greater evil.

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