Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed concern for the propaganda of violence and immorality in mass media

PRIMATE OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR THE PROPAGANDA OF VIOLENCE AND IMMORALITY IN MASS MEDIA

Speaking on March 18 in a live talk on the Mayak radio station, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia said: “The Church is concerned for the moral condition of the people. How much violence, vices, sexual laxity, justification of crime we see on our screens! By the way, one should not forget that any sin, be it big or small, destroys personality, destroys family, destroys society… We, clergymen, feel it very acutely that people have lost the sense of security. They are scared by the growing crime, corruption, impunity, violence in streets and even in families. It has become unprestigious and, in worldly wisdom, unprofitable and sometimes even unsafe to be an honest person. Meanwhile the authorities have too often shut their eyes on crimes and whole criminal communities”.

Putting a special emphasis on the link between the super-profits of the vicious business and the wave of violence that swept over society, His Holiness the Patriarch reminded the audience about the personal responsibility of each member of society for his or her decisions and actions. He said: “St. John of Kronstadt, speaking about the reality of eternal suffering, said: ‘Sin in itself is fire’, while the leaders of TV channels maintain that sin is normal and that they cannot refuse high profits that connivance with vices brings. But is it normal to instill in young people the idea that drugs are safe? Is it normal to show all the time the scenes of violence, adultery, fornication, sexual perversion? Perhaps those who do all this believe that their children will grow untouched by the fruits of sin, that they would manage to hide somewhere. But it is an illusion. If a society is struck by vice, it will hit everyone, the rich and the poor, the old and the young”, warned Patriarch Alexy.

In conclusion of his address to radio listeners, His Holiness the Patriarch reminded them that the meaning of church revival lies in the change of the human heart and hence in the whole life around us – the life of the people and the life of the country. He said: “It is for this that churches and monasteries are built; it is for this that the Church goes out to schools, universities, the army, hospitals, orphanages and prisons. For this she inters into dialogue with the authorities, various social forces, non-Orthodox believers and non-believers – with all people of good will. Indeed, what the Church seeks is to renew the soul of every person and the soul of the people and to restore Russia’s spiritual image. May the Lord help us in this all”.