Carlson: If church leader allows persecution of brethren, he isn’t Christian
American journalist Tucker Carlson said that any church leader has a responsibility to say something in support of Christians who are being persecuted for their views, and whoever approves of it is not a Christian. He said this at a speech in the state of Florida, published on Carlson's YouTube channel.
The journalist also recounted his conversation with one "self-proclaimed Christian leader". Carlson asked him what he thought about the arrests of clergy and raiding nunneries in Ukraine.
"I asked a self-proclaimed Christian leader about that (persecution of the clergy – Ed.), and I said, ‘What do you think as someone who’s spent his life advocating for religious freedom about raiding nunneries and throwing priests in jail?' And he said with a straight face, “Well, they, you know, had the wrong views. What? Oh, I'm sorry, I just didn't realize where that boundaries were," the journalist said.
Carlson also believes that those who call themselves "Christian leaders" have a responsibility to speak out when Christians are imprisoned.
"I said: 'Well, don’t you think as a Christian leader you should say something when Christian clergy are imprisoned for their views'?" He said: ‘No. How dare you say that?’ And this person was joined by a chorus of people on the right, ‘Yeah, shut up, shut up… it’s bigoted to notice the Christian clergy are being imprisoned in Ukraine.’ And my view would be if you are a Christian leader, and Christians are going to jail for their views, you are required to say something. And if you don't, you are not much of a Christian leader," he added.
As reported, the American journalist said that the Ukrainian authorities' persecution of the UOC is a barbaric thing.
Read also
Greece signs memorandum on protection of Jerusalem Patriarchate's shrines
Next week, the Greek Parliament will ratify a document on the protection of the cultural heritage of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.
Greek bishop calls imposition of same-sex marriage a threat
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythera urged families to become a “domestic church” amid threats to the Christian family in Greek laws and school curricula.
Patriarch Bartholomew arrives in Budapest for opening of Orthodox center
The Ecumenical Patriarch has arrived in Hungary, where he will preside over the consecration of the Orthodox center "Phanarion."
OCU raiders stage attack on seized church in Kyiv, media
OCU "hierarch" Serhiy Horobtsov published a provocative post online regarding St. John's Church in Bykivnia seized by his people.