The Nun Criticizing Russia’s War

[Silentreader]

These threads are getting a little predictable…

...a little...?

[temporal1]

These threads are getting a little predictable…

...a little...?

it requires faith. and fortitude.

What constitutes 'endless repetition' in your thinking?

"Asking for a friend."

it’s worth a month’s reading nonsense to spot one small gem.

[Soloist]

it requires faith. and fortitude.

I hardly think we need Faith to believe that a few users are going to conditionally respond like Pavlov’s dogs.
Fortitude perhaps…

[Ken]

In my early days on MD, some Mennonites suggested meeting aggressors and evil with tables prepared with sandwiches and drink.
i arrived on MD because i’d read scriptures and sensed like-mindedness about what scriptures were saying, in letter and spirit.

Apparently that doesn’t apply to Russians. They’re just “too evil”… just war is just if waged against Russia.

No, it doesn't apply to modern war.

How do you meet a missile strike blowing up your home from 500 miles away with sandwiches and drink?

Maybe you could take sandwiches and drink to the Kremlin and request a sit down with Putin. You think that would work?

[temporal1]

it requires faith. and fortitude.

I hardly think we need Faith to believe that a few users are going to conditionally respond like Pavlov’s dogs.
Fortitude perhaps…

i feel guilty. i wouldn’t want to take a poll.

[Soloist]

No, it doesn't apply to modern war.

How do you meet a missile strike blowing up your home from 500 miles away with sandwiches and drink?

Maybe you could take sandwiches and drink to the Kremlin and request a sit down with Putin. You think that would work?

I hear basketball is great.

[Bootstrap]

In my early days on MD, some Mennonites suggested meeting aggressors and evil with tables prepared with sandwiches and drink.
i arrived on MD because i’d read scriptures and sensed like-mindedness about what scriptures were saying, in letter and spirit.

Apparently that doesn’t apply to Russians. They’re just “too evil”… just war is just if waged against Russia.

Is that something you're doing yourself—meeting aggressors with food and welcome? If so, I’d honestly be interested to hear how that’s going.

What I don’t understand is why you're criticizing a nun who’s speaking out against a church’s support for military aggression. From everything I’ve seen, she isn’t promoting violence—she’s calling out the misuse of Christian witness.

Do you also object when people speak out against the October 7 attacks? Or against the mass suffering in Gaza? Faithfulness to Jesus, it seems to me, means bearing witness to all injustice—even when it challenges our own side.

I don’t think people here are saying the things you’re trying to put in their mouths. Could you respond to what they’re actually saying?

[JohnH]

I object when someone simply flips sides. I’m actually anti war and against using violence, even when justified, by Christians. And that includes orthodox nuns.

Has she spoken out against the Ukrainians using violence against Russian soldiers?

[Ken]

I object when someone simply flips sides. I’m actually anti war and against using violence, even when justified, by Christians. And that includes orthodox nuns.

Has she spoken out against the Ukrainians using violence against Russian soldiers?

Yes she has.

[Bootstrap]

As Mennonites, we don't believe ..

i don’t refer to you to speak for Mennonites as a whole.

Let's see how much agreement there is on that statement with a poll: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=8202

But let's also quote the sentence as a whole:

As Mennonites, we don't believe in "just war" theory. We don't divide wars into good ones and bad ones, or believe that violence becomes righteous if the cause is. We’re called to a different path—to reject violence, even when others see it as justified.

Do you agree or disagree with that?

FWIW, "just war" theory is the official doctrine of the Catholic Church, and I think you are Catholic. In fact, it's even in the catechism:

https://www.vatican.va/content/catechis ... peace.html

Do you agree with the Catholic Church here?

FWIW, the nun in the OP is Orthodox. Their teaching is more complex, you can see a summary here:

https://www.saintjohnchurch.org/orthodo ... ng-on-war/