THE PENULTIMATE BETRAYAL

By Eugenia Richards

With the publicizing of the documents on the joint work of the commissions of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, finally the forces of the antichrist and new world order have shown their cards. By having signed these documents unanimously, our hierarchy deceived us. In the wake of the release of these documents in June of 2005, there has been much outrage and dissention. At the outset of these dialogues, the effort was made to persuade the general opinion of the flock that dialogue with the MP was necessary for the sake of the common Russian people. The argument was even made that it was the duty of the Church Abroad to “save” the MP. But those poor Russian people, who have valiantly rejected the MP with its history of collaboration with a militantly atheistic regime, which stamped out the truth of Christ and embodied the darkness, betrayal, treachery and murderous methods of the soviet apparatus, while dressing as bishops and feigning liturgies in state-sanctioned cathedrals – these long-suffering poor Russian people have now been betrayed by a church outside of Russia. We have put ourselves in a position where soon we will no longer have dialogue, but monologue, mandates, acts, directives, edicts – the path to totalitarian rule in the church, soon to be headed by the supreme authority – alexei (a.k.a. Drozdov), who will reserve the right of decision making in areas he deems to be outside our expertise (which is an all-encompassing field), which will include the major areas of property ownership, morality, political involvement, membership in new world order organizations, concelebration with the Vatican and other “confessions”. This will entail not only the loss of ecclesiastical freedom, but the relinquishing of personal freedom implemented through the very sacrament of confession and church attendance. This will mean a total capitulation of the positions of our holy predecessors and hierarchs who well defined the narrow path and raison d'etre of the church abroad. This will be a repeat of the overthrow of the Romanov Empire and the rewriting of its history by the soviets, for as their demand requires that all statements made over our eighty year history be deemed invalid (if they in any way stood in the way of this diabolical unification). In essence we will rewrite the glorious history of the remnant church abroad and invalidate all of its positions, accomplishments and aspirations. We will permit these maligners to mock our precious Metropolitans and Bishops, who spoke out about the dangers of these apocalyptic times and the rush for mankind to unite creating a footstool for the antichrist. Simultaneously, these “documents” attempt to validate and rewrite sergianist history, making humanistic excuses for the atrocities committed with the acquiescence of the sergianist church, and not only diminishing just blame, but brazenly praising those actions. They wish to enter into the pages of history those ugly decades of persecutions of the faithful, torture in prisons and psychiatric hospitals as a “misunderstanding” of sergianism. Furthermore, the geopolitical interests of Russia will be the governing principles for ROCOR churches located in other countries. We will be serving a new Caesar.

What shocking formulas are being presented to us in these documents? We have conceded on all issues – the renunciation of sergianism, the renunciation of ecumenism, the withdrawal from the WCC. The cunning, diabolical justifications for maintaining their grounds are outrageous. Brazenly they quote “God Himself” as having commanded that the gospels be preached throughout the nations. But when the MP joined the WCC in 1961 after the inglorious council of Bishops, when signatures were coerced into endorsing the agenda and the lawless was made lawful, it was with the sole purpose of obtaining a world platform to enable them to deny that they were involved in the religious repression in their country. It was not to proselytize! They have conceded nothing, but even more, they are now forcing their absolute totalitarian rule over us in virtually all matters. It appears that there was not a single voice among our hierarchy which was raised to stay our ground. Furthermore, as they have demonstrated before, they deploy the tactic of summoning up the silent supposed support of St. John of Shanghai, implying that when he prayed for the armed forces during the Second World War, he was in fact supporting the soviet regime. Having devised the new “basic social conceptions” and the notion of “social expedience” these principles will be applied as the new canonical framework for the actions of the church (on the world stage). These new guidelines lead us into syncretism with all world religions, which as we were forewarned will develop the new religion of humanism and the brotherhood of man, in preparation for the antichrist. As Bishop Nektary of Seattle, of blessed memory predicted, what happened in soviet Russia will eventually happen here. This is a silent revolution, an insidious takeover of free Orthodox Christians in the free world. By redefining ourselves according to their perceptions; by invalidating the platform and statements of our forefathers, we in effect are dissolving/destroying the remnant which was the church abroad, and spiritually are feeding the very Blood and Body of our Saviour directly into the mouth of the pernicious serpent. As we are not careful to hold on to what we have and easily forget the history of our honored predecessors, Metropolitans Anthony, Anastasy and Philaret of blessed memory, likewise we easily forget the origins of the organization with which we have entered into negotiations. In 1927, while bishops were being martyred by the hundreds, Sergei Stragorodsky recognized the soviet antichrist regime as “God-pleasing”, thereby rendering himself and his church structure illegitimate to this day. Hence the true mother church found itself in two parts physically – the church within the soviet union in the catacombs and the church abroad. Stragorodsky's “church” was not part of that equation. After the soviet inspired “living church” dwindled to the point of only four ruling bishops at liberty and only a few thousand churches left open for worship, in 1943 Stalin convened three ruling bishops to restore its status in public existence. (See Eugenia Albats, “A State within a State”) Yet again the state purged the faithful under Kruschev from 1959 – 64 leading to unprecedented dissent from the faithful. Due to the 1970's detente and increased communication and travel outside the country, tens of thousands of samizdat accounts reached the west speaking of the devastating reprisals and persecutions. (Of particular note is Michael Bordeaux's “Patriarch and Prophets: Persecution of the Russian Orthodox Church.) Also learned from the Mitrokhin files, “The Sword and the Shield”, by Christopher Andrew, the 1970's marked the era of intense infiltration and recruiting among parishes outside of the soviet union. Andrews relates Drozdov's specific involvement in the Rodina Society to promote cultural relations with compatriots abroad and quotes Eugenia Albats (“A State within a State”), that “'An order was drafted by the USSR KGB chairman to award an honorary citation to agent DROZDOV' for unspecified services to state security.”* The church abroad (also known as 'nedorezannye') had been a thorn from the early days of Stalin and he pursued his vow to return all escapees from the Soviet Union by the horrifying repatriation carried out after the Yalta Accord. Brezhnev continued to repeat the theme, going one step further, declaring that any descendents of Soviets, no matter where they were born, were automatically considered soviet citizens. Lest we forget the most appalling abuse of psychiatric practices in the 1980's under Andropov, where ideological dissidents (believers) were tortured and destroyed with mind altering drugs.** We witnessed the MP's brazen takeover of several European parishes and sites in the Holy Land in the 1990's – how soon we have forgotten that. How obviously the hand has consistently reached outside its borders in its obsession to devour us. What any outcry resulted after the announcement of the Sobor October 2000 decision to engage in dialogue. One third of the church broke away, and the church has continued to dwindle in number. The current directory of ROCOR has more vacancies than rectors! Yet the ground for this unification was being methodically ploughed without any concern over the scattering of the flock.

There can only be unity with Christ, and if we are in unity with Christ, then we also are in unity with those who are also in unity with Christ. But to be in unity with anyone and everyone – unity at any price – this is not the unity we have been praying for, the true unity, in truth, faith and love of Christ Who is the church. We do not disdain others who because of no knowledge of Orthodoxy believe themselves to have faith in Christ. As Christians, we must not disdain any other believers, for it is not ours to judge. This will be for the Lord to judge – according to their knowledge. But if we do not follow Him, then we have no unity with Him or His true followers. Unity is not something forged by man – unity is a state which proceeds from the mystery which is in Truth. Documents and human decrees do not dictate or forge reality. God is reality, and everything that proceeds from Him is that is. (I am that I am). But this truth is under siege just as everything in the spiritual realm is constantly under attack by evil. Now this worldly evil is seeking to sink its teeth into the remnant of the church, as the dessert it craved after devouring the faith in Holy Russia. It is obvious that this evil did not act on its own, for their were human coconspirators. If these men (and women) knew of the staunch conservative position of the ROCOR, why did they enter its ranks and even assume ordained positions? If in ideology they were in unity with the sergianists – WHY did they enter OUR narrow doors? It would have been more logical for them to simply enter the ranks of the mp. Why did they do their clandestine work among us to attempt to make us radically change our course? Do any of us have in our memory the history of the church abroad, its struggles, its resistance to the new humanism leading to antichrist? Do any of us dare to allow the memory of the orthodox holocaust – the soviet revolution – fade into the past? Can any of us consciously support the willful dissolution of our church as it has existed for eighty years and allow it not only to pass into obscurity, but willfully annihilate its history? Do any of us wish to see a repeat of the orthodox holocaust, the destruction of the memory of our bright hierarchs who taught us that although we live in the world, we are not of this world? Metropolitan Philaret lies incorrupt, witnessing even after death to the anathema against ecumenism and his sorrowful epistles. We see the soviet style repression and silencing of opposition being conducted today among our clergy. Suspensions, ukazes have being imposed to silence men of conscience who simply speak out against this outrageous takeover. “Fear not the ecumenists, fear the zealots”, is the new modus operandi. But the Lord warned the lukewarm of heart, that they would be spit out! This new persecution and repression is not historically or canonically correct – it smacks of soviet style repression, for the laios, the believing body, often spoke out in church history against the mistaken meanderings of the hierarchy.

In all of the bilateral agreements regarding positions stated in these “statements” and “acts” there is the devious attempt to throw in some scriptural passage to give these positions a warm and humanistic aura. Yes, anyone can pull a single holy passage from the scriptures and apply it as an absolute to achieve their own interpretation and assessment of a specific situation. If the mp is now resorting to pulling scriptural passages at random to achieve their own agenda, WHY over the course of their 80 year history did they not allow the scriptures to be taught in their own country, and now suddenly they quote the scriptures to lull us into a false sense of brotherhood with them? According to their Act on Canonical Communion, our bishops become members of their Pomestny councils and will be instructed to act in a conciliatory manner with fellow members (MP) – this is not autonomy – this is amalgamation. They dare to say that “through Divine Providence” the sergianist church produced martyrs. This bizarre perversion of the truth is echoed by equally bizarre perversions of the truth throughout all statements adopted by this dialogue participants. Paragraph by paragraph, each outrageous claim and statement outdoes the last. The blatantly obvious shamelessness of these statements is interspersed with statements designed to placate the bewildered reader, such as, but of course “the Orthodox Church excludes any possibility of liturgical communion with the non-Orthodox...NONETHELESS...it may be appropriate to participate in socially meaningful ceremonies in which other confessions are represented.” READ BETWEEN THE LINES!

These “documents” read like dictatorial plans from soviet archives. Who has permitted our church to be destroyed and sold to the MP? For it is obvious that if these documents will be ratified, surely, more definitive “acts”, “subcommittees”, “commissions” will follow which will entrench the supreme authority of Moscow, with all ensuing repercussions. Once these documents are ratified, there will be no “dialogue”, no questioning, no opposing. You will be living in the newly resurrected soviet apparatus, and you will have no place to go, just as the poor Russian people in Russia, who do not wish to be members of the mp, have no place to go. This behemoth, who has survived for 80 years in a militantly atheistic system, whose hierarchs were promoted based on “service and allegiance to the state”, has developed a fine-tuned methodology for absolute control and tyranny. This new holocaust which we see happening in our church abroad is the fruition of a series of 5, 10 and twenty year plans, carefully carried out by the servants of the antichrist to stomp the Truth of Christ underfoot. This is the abomination of desolation in high places, for what use is it for the devil to invade a secular place? No, he cannot defile that which is not holy. His greatest pleasure is in desecrating that which is holy – it's no surprise he has done this to our precious and holy church. Our current hierarchs have betrayed their flock through action and inaction, but most obviously through having unanimously signed these documents, and now await a hand-selected group of representatives to “discuss” ratification in May. Yet, it comes as no surprise that now the chief hierarch, Metropolitan Laurus is publicly claiming a reversal of his position. Citing concern over loss of authority in appointing priests and bishops, and also complications in joint ownerships of property (ROCA/MP), “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” reports on December 12, 2005, “according to the words of the hierarch, the form of ecclesiastical interaction will be joint services..”). Notwithstanding the fact that his counterpart in the negotiations told BBC's Konstantine Eggert on December 12, 2005 that “the discussions which have been held on the many problems inspire hope that the remaining issues will be resolved.”, one cannot ignore the political orthodoxy which the Russian Federation is attempting to implement as a new moral fabric in its country which is of prime interest to its leader. However ONE CHALICE is the ultimate betrayal! No matter how many concerns were voiced over the implications of the joint documents, the essence of our liturgical life, the very center which is paramount, the very Body and Blood of our Saviour which we so lovingly guarded from being diluted in the mad pursuit of ecumenism and the new world order is now being offered as a concession to back out of what now is being presented as an unacceptable deal! How was the intention to plunge off the cliff blindfolded and fall into the arms of the Sergianist/Stalinist/Soviet/KGB “church” suddenly halted, like a giant locomotive with its course set on collision, with events unfolding at such speed, incurring schism and lost souls along its path. What can the flock expect now? In this confusion, it appears that we are repeating history! The regicide committed over 80 years ago is about to be repeated, but this time it is the regicide of The King of Kings, as it was one thousand nine hundred and seventy three years ago!

We have written, pleaded, spoken out and prayed. We continue to observe the unceasing ecumenical activities of the MP. On April 27^th the Vatican and Moscow met with “positive” prospects for opening the Orthodox/Catholic dialogue. Observers note a thaw in relations. June21st, Alexei received the WCC delegation in Moscow stressing the need for inter-religious dialogue and cooperation against religious extremism. Alexei warmly welcomed them, calling for Christian solidarity. These are only two examples out of a whirl of activity. If all our words and opposition fall now on deaf (and adversarial) ears, then we seem to be back in time when the new Hieromartyrs of Russia staunchly refused to be with the sergianist church and some even said it is better not to attend those churches at all. But how difficult it is in these apocalyptic days to be among those few scattered Christians, who have been deprived of worship in temples. We will not change the course that ROCOR has now embarked upon. We now skeptically await the forum for expression in May, but this is under the guise of magnanimity, fairness and freedom of speech. There is concern that those forces within our own church who have worked to forge this monstrous union will not give up, and now they want the opposition to reveal itself, so they can use their powers of persuasion to stamp out any opposing grounds. Nor will they wake up, for they are now blinded by their ambitious goal. But why did we need this – to deprive ourselves of our freedom and purity? What was forcing us to make such drastic compromises in our faith? Are we living under a militant atheistic regime or are we deprived of food or work if we do not give in? Are we prisoners of repression or ruled by malicious threat? Let us seek a safe omophorion, for God can raise up for us from rocks, men from the seed of Abraham. Let us pray and AWAKE.

Sources:

*Andrew, Christopher, “The Sword and the Shield – The Mitrokhin File and the Secret History of the KGB (USA, Basic Books, 1999)

**Barron, John, “KGB TODAY – The Hidden Hand” (New York, Berkley Books, 1985)

Ellis, Jane, “The Russian Orthodox Church – A Contemporary History” (Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana University Press, 1986)

Albats, Evgenia, “The State within a State” (New York, Farrar-Straus-Giroux, 1994)

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