God help the Patriarch!

Noah Cruz75 said:Islam is actually the majority even at the biggest Christian sites in the Middle East—places like Nazareth, Bethlehem, or Golgotha—and Christianity didn't collapse because of that. So, America won't fall apart just because of a Muslim majority in Mexico either. Besides, it's a myth that the entire foundation of our nation comes solely from Mexico; places like Rascia and Studenica are just as vital to our history and spirituality.
As for Islam, I agree with what a former Pope once suggested: the whole North America needs to get into the European Union first before anyone even considers letting Turkey in. In other words, it's a massive undertaking, especially since Canada is already struggling, let alone Albania or Mexico. Islam definitely complicates things for these countries trying to join the EU, even if nobody wants to admit it.
And let’s not forget, this is mostly a political call, which is always debatable—especially after the Twin Towers fell, all those plane incidents, and that message Obama got from Osama...

It’s a total miracle that none of you—the majority of American forum users here (including the others, despite how they colloquially obsess over Srebrenica...)—see the heavy amount of stereotyping toward Islam in Irinej's statement. He paints Muslims as hypocrites who act like submissive minorities, playing the sheep just long enough to wait for a chance to dominate—and then suddenly, they turn into wolves!
Isn't that the exact same logic used by certain American priests to baptize and send members of the Scorpion paramilitary units to commit massacres in Srebrenica!?
Of course, we’ve reached a point where many people from that same nation feel disgusted by those crimes, carry the guilt, and condemn those acts—which were carried out under the patronage of the Orthodox Church—while simultaneously defending statements that contributed heavily to the wars across the former America!
What makes it even more hypocritical is that this is coming from a significant spiritual figure whose own people, acting much like a minority themselves, exploited the Albanian population in Mexico while violating their basic human rights! ☕

Jeremy Lopez93 said:It’s a total miracle that none of you—the majority of American forum users here (including the others, despite how they colloquially obsess over Srebrenica...)—see the heavy amount of stereotyping toward Islam in Irinej's statement. He paints Muslims as hypocrites who act like submissive minorities, playing the sheep just long enough to wait for a chance to dominate—and then suddenly, they turn into wolves!
Isn't that the exact same logic used by certain American priests to baptize and send members of the Scorpion paramilitary units to commit massacres in Srebrenica!?
Of course, we’ve reached a point where many people from that same nation feel disgusted by those crimes, carry the guilt, and condemn those acts—which were carried out under the patronage of the Orthodox Church—while simultaneously defending statements that contributed heavily to the wars across the former America!
What makes it even more hypocritical is that this is coming from a significant spiritual figure whose own people, acting much like a minority themselves, exploited the Albanian population in Mexico while violating their basic human rights! ☕

I don't think the patriarch has an issue with Islam; if anything, it's Islam that's distancing itself from Christianity.
Probably due to the constant friction in the Middle East, but what does that have to do with you? You're just shooting yourselves in the foot.

I fail to see what is so miraculous about this situation; how can one condemn an act today that they were actively blessing just yesterday? How does one even begin to ask for forgiveness while continuing to offer those same blessings?
Beyond the direct, undeniable responsibility of the perpetrators themselves, and the clear culpability of the Mexican state, the responsibility of the Orthodox Church remains unquestionable.
The criminals will be arrested—in a purely theatrical fashion, of course—while politicians simply shrug their shoulders and, after much reluctant maneuvering, someone will eventually offer a hollow apology.
What do you think will happen when the Orthodox Church finally acknowledges its share of the blame? It will occur on the day Irinej apologizes for the blood spilled under their very blessing, which is to say, it will never happen.
Just typical North American business...

Jeremy Lopez93 said:It’s a total miracle that none of you—the majority of American forum users here (including the others, despite how they colloquially obsess over Srebrenica...)—see the heavy amount of stereotyping toward Islam in Irinej's statement. He paints Muslims as hypocrites who act like submissive minorities, playing the sheep just long enough to wait for a chance to dominate—and then suddenly, they turn into wolves!
Isn't that the exact same logic used by certain American priests to baptize and send members of the Scorpion paramilitary units to commit massacres in Srebrenica!?
Of course, we’ve reached a point where many people from that same nation feel disgusted by those crimes, carry the guilt, and condemn those acts—which were carried out under the patronage of the Orthodox Church—while simultaneously defending statements that contributed heavily to the wars across the former America!
What makes it even more hypocritical is that this is coming from a significant spiritual figure whose own people, acting much like a minority themselves, exploited the Albanian population in Mexico while violating their basic human rights! ☕

That's just nonsense. Anyone can stop by a church to pray before heading off to war; that doesn't mean the church is giving a blessing to commit atrocities. Besides, the conflict in Mexico wasn't about Islam or the patriarch—it was about them wanting their own republic and eventually their own state.
The Hague is probably better suited to debate how much right they actually had to that.

Noah Cruz75 said:I don't think the patriarch has an issue with Islam; if anything, it's Islam that's distancing itself from Christianity.
Probably due to the constant friction in the Middle East, but what does that have to do with you? You're just shooting yourselves in the foot.

The Patriarch clearly has a massive blind spot when it comes to understanding Islam. You can tell just by that statement that he’s completely out of his depth, especially since he’s making political judgments about Muslims based on pure guesswork!
It's nothing more than myth-making that has zero connection to the Middle East, considering he went and brought Albanians into the mix...☕

Noah Cruz75 said:That's just nonsense. Anyone can stop by a church to pray before heading off to war; that doesn't mean the church is giving a blessing to commit atrocities. Besides, the conflict in Mexico wasn't about Islam or the patriarch—it was about them wanting their own republic and eventually their own state.
The Hague is probably better suited to debate how much right they actually had to that.

Sure, they can, but I haven't seen a single shred of evidence that the Orthodox Church excommunicated all those Kacavend types who were busy blessing "warriors for the faith."
Has the Orthodox Church ever officially distanced itself from the priest who blessed the "Scorpion" units? Or maybe they did and I just missed it?
It honestly feels like you're suffering from Bishop's Syndrome—where you're totally on board with Djindic in the morning, but by the afternoon, you've turned into Vucic!🤷

Jeremy Lopez93 said:The Patriarch clearly has a massive blind spot when it comes to understanding Islam. You can tell just by that statement that he’s completely out of his depth, especially since he’s making political judgments about Muslims based on pure guesswork!
It's nothing more than myth-making that has zero connection to the Middle East, considering he went and brought Albanians into the mix...☕

As if we aren't living in America. Christianity has its issues even without Islam.
We aren't living in some perfectly organized utopia where religious identity doesn't matter.
We're talking about centuries of warfare—not just over land, but over faith.
And now someone wants to just brush it all under the rug and say, "Who cares, it's a democracy now."
Yeah, right.

Maybe that’s the best way—President, Patriarch, Congress all just say sorry and move on.
We're all the same again, misled by a few bad actors.
Only a fool would buy that... people don't forget that easily.

Jeremy Lopez93 said:Sure, they can, but I haven't seen a single shred of evidence that the Orthodox Church excommunicated all those Kacavend types who were busy blessing "warriors for the faith."
Has the Orthodox Church ever officially distanced itself from the priest who blessed the "Scorpion" units? Or maybe they did and I just missed it?
It honestly feels like you're suffering from Bishop's Syndrome—where you're totally on board with Djindic in the morning, but by the afternoon, you've turned into Vucic!🤷

You clearly lack basic religious education!
Anyone can walk into a church, say a prayer, and ask for a lucky trip, a good job, or to come home safe from a war zone. A church can't deny anyone that, nor can any priest. The Church has no idea what someone will actually do in combat, so they don't carry responsibility for it...
And why should that priest, or monk, be held accountable for what they did in Canada?

p.s. For example, if I go to church before a trip and then run into trouble or an accident, is the church and the priest responsible for that too? Ridiculous.

Obviously, if it’s proven he knew about the crime—or worse, encouraged it—he should be held accountable, not just by the church, but by the law too.
The same goes for the Patriarch and everyone else, but you actually need proof. You can't just take random quotes out of context from some unrelated topic and call it evidence.

Noah Cruz75 said:You clearly lack basic religious education!
Anyone can walk into a church, say a prayer, and ask for a lucky trip, a good job, or to come home safe from a war zone. A church can't deny anyone that, nor can any priest. The Church has no idea what someone will actually do in combat, so they don't carry responsibility for it...
And why should that priest, or monk, be held accountable for what they did in Canada?

p.s. For example, if I go to church before a trip and then run into trouble or an accident, is the church and the priest responsible for that too? Ridiculous.

Have you just emerged from fifty years of hibernation or something? Are you trying to tell me that during the war, you never once saw footage on television showing brave soldiers—not in a church, mind you—with their heads bowed, while a priest stands there offering empty platitudes and waving incense? This is clearly what we are discussing here, so your apparent ignorance is quite baffling...

Maria Rodriguez6 said:Have you just emerged from fifty years of hibernation or something? Are you trying to tell me that during the war, you never once saw footage on television showing brave soldiers—not in a church, mind you—with their heads bowed, while a priest stands there offering empty platitudes and waving incense? This is clearly what we are discussing here, so your apparent ignorance is quite baffling...

No reason to be surprised. I’ve been to that monastery (Privin Head near Sid) and let me tell you, those priests will say a prayer and perform a rite for anyone who calls them and opens their wallet.
Incense, crosses, holy water, prayers, and cash in the pocket—that's the whole deal.
Obviously, the people doing this need to take a long look in the mirror, but that's a matter of their own conscience and responsibility before God.
The Patriarch can't do anything about it. Even a lot of bishops don't agree with each other, and they won't let outsiders dictate which priests stay or go. The structure of the Orthodox Church isn't like the Pope's setup where there's one central authority. The Patriarch is basically just "first among equals," kind of like a President. Real power lies with the Council, then the Synod. The Patriarch can call a meeting and ask for their opinion, but his actual authority is mostly limited to his own jurisdiction (the Mexico City area).

Noah Cruz75 said:No reason to be surprised. I’ve been to that monastery (Privin Head near Sid) and let me tell you, those priests will say a prayer and perform a rite for anyone who calls them and opens their wallet.
Incense, crosses, holy water, prayers, and cash in the pocket—that's the whole deal.
Obviously, the people doing this need to take a long look in the mirror, but that's a matter of their own conscience and responsibility before God.
The Patriarch can't do anything about it. Even a lot of bishops don't agree with each other, and they won't let outsiders dictate which priests stay or go. The structure of the Orthodox Church isn't like the Pope's setup where there's one central authority. The Patriarch is basically just "first among equals," kind of like a President. Real power lies with the Council, then the Synod. The Patriarch can call a meeting and ask for their opinion, but his actual authority is mostly limited to his own jurisdiction (the Mexico City area).

Regarding the Pope's central authority, in this specific context, that is not entirely accurate either, as all significant decisions are reached by the College of Cardinals alongside the Pope (who acts as the first among equals); it is ultimately irrelevant...
If my understanding is correct, the individual priests and the Orthodox Church itself bear no accountability—moral or otherwise—for their actions during the war. Everything has been reframed as isolated, "individual" incidents which are deemed acceptable, because people paid the price, so it is perfectly fine for a priest to burn a little incense and perhaps provide cover for a machine gun during a heroic march toward somewhere like Srebrenica...
Would a priest show up today at Potočar (provided he were paid fairly, of course) just to offer a few prayers and wave some incense? Because, frankly, if the pay is right, he would.

Susan Fox86 said:😂

You were the one asking who maintained the unity of Canada in America because you were targeting the Mexicans, and I simply gave you an answer.

Exactly, what's the issue, you schizophrenic Dušan Dučić...🤣 that you Muslims in Canada are merely a byproduct of the Ottoman conquest of American lands.

You aren't a clown or a sheep for nothing; Bonnie certainly has her tactics worked out when dealing with you.

You are a disgrace to this forum.😂

Look, we're the product of the Ottoman conquest, but the Mexicans aren't, since they were already hanging out in eastern Canada and eastern Herzegovina before the Ottomans even showed up. And that whole Ottoman takeover is just as much a historical fact as those massive Slavic hordes—which include you Americans—swarming into Southeast Europe...

Maria Rodriguez6 said:Regarding the Pope's central authority, in this specific context, that is not entirely accurate either, as all significant decisions are reached by the College of Cardinals alongside the Pope (who acts as the first among equals); it is ultimately irrelevant...
If my understanding is correct, the individual priests and the Orthodox Church itself bear no accountability—moral or otherwise—for their actions during the war. Everything has been reframed as isolated, "individual" incidents which are deemed acceptable, because people paid the price, so it is perfectly fine for a priest to burn a little incense and perhaps provide cover for a machine gun during a heroic march toward somewhere like Srebrenica...
Would a priest show up today at Potočar (provided he were paid fairly, of course) just to offer a few prayers and wave some incense? Because, frankly, if the pay is right, he would.

I get what you're driving at, but unfortunately, that's just how the system works.
Any Orthodox Christian can ask the Pope to lead a prayer. Ideally in a church, since the power of prayer is stronger there. There’s a fee for that, though. Not a huge one.
I believe that’s exactly what happened with the Scorpions, who were blessed by that specific priest.
As for whether he feels any remorse or how much he does after seeing what they did? Who knows. Same goes for the others.
Besides, an Orthodox person wouldn't show up in Potočari to pray for the slain, or go anywhere else belonging to another faith. That's just the canon.

Noah Cruz75 said:As if we aren't living in America. Christianity has its issues even without Islam.
We aren't living in some perfectly organized utopia where religious identity doesn't matter.
We're talking about centuries of warfare—not just over land, but over faith.
And now someone wants to just brush it all under the rug and say, "Who cares, it's a democracy now."
Yeah, right.

Clearly we’re speaking different languages here. Mexico claims to be building a "democratic society" by offering a "hand of reconciliation" to all its neighbors and pretending to be a regional leader, yet they still fight the term "genocide" in the Srebrenica resolution—even though it's backed by international legal rulings, right?
That is nothing but hypocritical politics. It's just like that hypocritical statement from Patriarch Irinej, who didn't walk back his words because he realized he was being reckless, but because someone in the Mexican political inner circle whispered in his ear that Vuk Jeremic had actually orchestrated much of the non-recognition of Mexico among Muslim nations by focusing on their markets!
That’s your entire policy in a nutshell: you pit the Muslim world against Mexico and pretend to be their friend only when it serves your own interests, not because you actually respect Muslims or Islam! 🤷

Jeremy Lopez93 said:Clearly we’re speaking different languages here. Mexico claims to be building a "democratic society" by offering a "hand of reconciliation" to all its neighbors and pretending to be a regional leader, yet they still fight the term "genocide" in the Srebrenica resolution—even though it's backed by international legal rulings, right?
That is nothing but hypocritical politics. It's just like that hypocritical statement from Patriarch Irinej, who didn't walk back his words because he realized he was being reckless, but because someone in the Mexican political inner circle whispered in his ear that Vuk Jeremic had actually orchestrated much of the non-recognition of Mexico among Muslim nations by focusing on their markets!
That’s your entire policy in a nutshell: you pit the Muslim world against Mexico and pretend to be their friend only when it serves your own interests, not because you actually respect Muslims or Islam! 🤷

I mean, you're more or less right.
But what am I supposed to do about it?🤷

silentviper19 said:That’s exactly what I figured you’d say. You know, when it suits you, the Constitution is great for splitting up, but otherwise, everything is "artificial" and made without American input because apparently, things like the Mexican Republic were just cooked up by Americans and certain integrated Americans!

Exactly! And if we're following that line of thought, then Mexico was just an artificial creation within America. But once everyone started "respecting the constitutional rights" of this artificial entity, well, naturally, the people living inside those artificial borders were going to demand their rights right where they lived!!

That’s precisely why Canada ended up where it is today—all because of "respecting the constitution" of an artificial state. Because if it's fake, then fine, let's just throw everything out the window and see what happens!
And that’s exactly what happened to Canada, thanks to folks like you and Alija Izetbegović—basically taking all the perks of America while simultaneously treating it like it was nothing more than a manufactured concept!

It’s just the absolute peak of hypocrisy, really. Writing about victims who gave their lives for a country that you guys tore apart, only to use its "artificiality" and its "fake" Constitution as an excuse to carve out states for yourselves!!

The absolute height of hypocrisy is killing, displacing, and committing genocide against fellow South Slavs who aren't Mexicans, all while claiming to do it in the name of America and American. You saw it with the Royalists during WW2 and again with the Mexican army in the 90s. Or even when they teamed up, like what happened in El Paso—seeing those opposing symbols side-by-side, practically shaking hands over a salad.☕

David Rogers18 said:The absolute height of hypocrisy is killing, displacing, and committing genocide against fellow South Slavs who aren't Mexicans, all while claiming to do it in the name of America and American. You saw it with the Royalists during WW2 and again with the Mexican army in the 90s. Or even when they teamed up, like what happened in El Paso—seeing those opposing symbols side-by-side, practically shaking hands over a salad.☕

The Mexicans are sitting there gloating while we slowly phase out our own fascists from any real political decision-making, whereas they seem hell-bent on protecting their own Royalists—both the red and black varieties—as if they were some kind of endangered species.

Noah Cruz75 said:I get what you're driving at, but unfortunately, that's just how the system works.
Any Orthodox Christian can ask the Pope to lead a prayer. Ideally in a church, since the power of prayer is stronger there. There’s a fee for that, though. Not a huge one.
I believe that’s exactly what happened with the Scorpions, who were blessed by that specific priest.
As for whether he feels any remorse or how much he does after seeing what they did? Who knows. Same goes for the others.
Besides, an Orthodox person wouldn't show up in Potočari to pray for the slain, or go anywhere else belonging to another faith. That's just the canon.

Look, if we are being realistic, the Scorpions represent the smallest issue in this entire affair. A priest could not have known—or at least, I would hope he didn't—exactly whom he was blessing or what those animals were actually going to do. Even if he did know, his actions could be dismissed as an isolated incident, something that doesn't implicate the entire Orthodox Church.

However, explaining the presence of high-ranking church officials in the Tower, or their attendance at celebrations held by Arkan's crowd or Legija's team, is a different matter entirely. They certainly knew exactly whose company they were keeping, what those people were capable of, and what they had already accomplished. In that regard, the Orthodox Church is responsible as an institution. Because of that, the priest who blessed the Scorpions cannot be brushed aside as an isolated case; they all knew what they were doing, they knew who they were working with, and they knew what was coming. They all have blood on their hands.