American-Sponsored “Monitoring Groups” Attack Georgian Orthodox Bishop

The Glory of Iveria

Mikhail Sabinin

late 19th century

______________________________

Editor:

Civil Georgia is a known Langley front… yet, it’s white propaganda, not black. What it disseminates is true, but it isn’t the whole story. Reflect on this… the neocons LOVE it when American extremists like Franklin Graham and the Mormons support American adventuring abroad and defend the hegemonic drive of the American Establishment… but when an Orthodox cleric speaks up about politics, they smear him and attack his reputation, as we see here. I seem to see bigotry and prejudice here. None dare call it EVIL… do note that Potapov and Paffso support Langley’s efforts…

BMD

******

On Sunday, certain “monitoring groups” alleged that Bishop Jakob, one of the three deputies of Patriarch Ilia Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili, head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, violated the law when he weighed into election campaign with his sermon. On Monday, several election monitoring and human rights watchdog groups called on the Central Election Commission to look into the case. Vladyki Jakob usually delivers the sermon in Holy Trinity Cathedral when the Patriarch is absent. In his sermon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, Bishop Jakob slammed the UNM opposition party and called on voters to go to the second round of local elections on 12 July to “reject” those who, as he put it, “didn’t repent for what they’ve done to the country” when they were in power. The Georgian election code bars religious organisations from election campaigning. According to the election code, violation of these rules carries a fine of GEL 2,000 (about USD 1,130). The Patriarch’s deputies, according to a constitutional agreement between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the state, represent the Church without requiring any additional authorisation.

Four election monitoring and human rights groups (International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, Georgian Young Lawyers Association, Transparency International Georgia, and Human Rights Education and Monitoring Centre) said in their joint statement that the law prohibiting religious organisations from election campaigning aims at “protecting the electoral process from the influence of religious figures”. They said that probability of such influence is high in Georgia, taking into consideration the “high public confidence and authority enjoyed by religious organisations. Independence of election process is an important precondition for the development of a democratic and secular state”. These groups called on the Central Election Commission to study and react to this case of Bishop Jakob’s participation in the pre-election campaigning “in violation of election legislation”. The four groups called on religious groups “to refrain from any public action that appears to be pre-election campaigning”.

8 July 2014

Civil Georgia

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=27464

Editor:

These “monitoring groups” are American-educated and –influenced cabals of neoliberal pigs intent on destroying the influence of the Holy Church in society. That’s what it is, full stop. Oh, it’s OK for the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mormons to be full-force involved in American politics… they back American warmongering and bless it. However, the Church doesn’t, so, America sics its attack dogs at it at every opportunity, as we see here. The US Government and the American Establishment aren’t our friends… and that’s that.

BMD  

Advertisement

Patriarch Ilia Regrets Clergy’s Ill-Advised Actions in 17 May Events

______________________________

On Wednesday, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili, the First Hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, said that Orthodox priests acted in an ill-advised manner during the developments on 17 May in downtown Tbilisi when a crowd led by Orthodox clergy disrupted an attempted anti-homophobia rally. Patriarch Ilia said at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, “What happened on 17 May is very regrettable. The ideas that [gay rights activists] wanted to propagate here are completely unacceptable in Georgia. However, it’s also very regrettable that Georgian clergy acted in an ill-advised manner, and I want to urge everyone to remain calm”.

Later that same day, the Georgian Patriarchate released a written statement expressing “regret” over the 17 May developments, saying that the Church would take “appropriate measure” against those clerics involved in the violence. The statement said that an attempt to hold a gay rights rally in downtown Tbilisi “was of provocative nature. In a country where the absolute majority of the population follows Christianity and other traditional religions, such rallies are perceived by the population as propaganda of homosexuality, which causes their fair protest”.

It said that venue of the intended rally, outside the former parliamentary building on Tbilisi’s main thoroughfare, Rustaveli Avenue, was “an additional irritating and provocative factor”. It described the venue as having “strong emotional ties” to Georgia’s “historical memory and traditions”. The statement went on to say, “The country can’t tolerate legalisation of a sin. The Church loves human beings and because of this love, it fights against sin for the salvation of souls. Despite that, there’s no excuse for violence. We unequivocally distance ourselves from the aggressive actions from the part of demonstrators, which weren’t within either legal or religious norms. It’s regrettable that clerics were involved in these processes. These separate individuals damaged the entire Church. The Patriarchate will examine their actions and we’ll take appropriate measures. It should also be noted that if were not for the efforts of large part of clergy and brave actions of the police, consequences would have been much more severe”.

23 May 2013

Civil Georgia

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=26099

Editor’s Note:

Let’s keep it simple. Patriarch Ilia is going to lower the boom on the clerics nicked by the coppers. Then, he’ll say, “See, we disciplined these jabronies, there’s no need for you to act”. Trust me, that’s going to be the result. The Church CONDEMNS violence, even when it’s supposedly for a “good cause”, especially, when clerics egg people on to such acts. The Church paid bitterly for tolerating the Black Hundreds… I do daresay that it learned its lessons. The konvertsy can be quiet…  Patriarch Ilia’s gonna act, for charges have been laid against at least two of the clerics. We’re in Christ‘s Church, NOT the Church of the Grand Inquisitor.

BMD