(RepublicanJournal.org) – The gender debate has been reaching various spiritual communities in recent years and causing them to split over differing LGBTQ ideology. In Great Britain, the Church of England recently met to discuss this issue, voting to allow clergy to perform blessings for same-sex couples but not to marry them in the church. Russian President Vladimir Putin used this decision to attack the West in his latest speech, which came just days ahead of his one-year anniversary of invading Ukraine.
Putin Rallies Against the West for Its Spiritual Beliefs
On Tuesday, February 21, Putin spoke to his nation’s lawmakers and top military officials about his ongoing war in Ukraine. He used this time to change his rhetoric around the drawn-out battle from being solely against Ukraine to against all of Western civilization. According to a translation by The Telegraph, the Russian leader pointed out that “the Anglican Church plans to consider the idea of a gender-neutral God,” which he believes will end with “a real spiritual catastrophe.”
While the Church of England has only officially moved to bless same-sex couples, it also announced that church leaders will begin to study gender use when referring to God. Progressives are calling for the end of solely male pronouns in liturgical practices. Bishops will decide whether or not to reference God as gender neutral, consider female alternatives, and discuss whether the use of “Father” is appropriate during services.
Putin Turns War in Ukraine Into War Against the West
During his speech, Putin also accused the West of starting the war. According to the Daily Mail, the Russian president placed “responsibility for fueling the Ukrainian conflict, for its escalation, for the number of victims” fully on “Western elites.” He blamed western nations for attacking his country’s culture, religion, and family structure through the progressive values pushed across much of the West.
He used this nearly two-hour talk to officially announce he was suspending Russia from further participation in the New START Treaty, which was a 2009 agreement between the US and Russia to limit the amount of nuclear material each nation would produce. The American Enterprise Institute’s Russia expert, Leon Aron, told The Hill that this nuclear threat is likely the last bargaining chip that Putin has to try and influence the war in Ukraine and his relationship with NATO and the US.
Putin appears to be framing his war as an attack on the Russian way of life in order to try and rally support from both citizens and keep support from his officials. Without it, the Russian leader could quickly lose his power and grip over the nation, and no one quite knows what would happen if that took place.
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