Now let us say a few words about patriotism. Earthly patriotism (love based on natural grounds: blood relations (parents, children, brothers, and sisters by flesh, etc.), national, cultural, etc.) has nothing to do with Christianity. This is a general human, natural (and not hypostatic, Ecclesiastical) phenomenon, unity, and kinship by nature: language, culture, land, history, symbols, etc. Being a patriot, loving one’s own (by all signs of kinship: culture, values, state, blood relations, etc.) – is natural, but loving enemies – is supernatural (or contrary to nature in a positive sense of the word, that is, anti-egoistic). “Glory to Ukraine!”, “Glory to China!”, “Glory to North Korea!” (communist), “Glory to the United Arab Emirates!” (a Muslim country), “Glory…” (insert the name of any country (atheistic or with a certain religion)) – the residents of these countries shout, patriots, nationalists, who are pagans, and what does this have to do with Christianity?! Patriotism is a necessary condition for entering the school of catechumens, where the Church prepares them for baptism (by the Holy Spirit), for entering the Church. Earthly patriotism is a good phenomenon in paganism, in the pagan world (this world), it is a necessary condition for preparation for baptism (“who does not care for his own, in the broadest sense of the word – has denied trust in the Church, and is worse than an infidel and tax collector”), but in the Church – it is “rubbish,” as in the words of the apostle Paul the Old Testament law in the Church (see Part II). Therefore, if you are a patriot of your country, then at best you are preparing for catechesis, or a beginner catechumen! There can be no talk of any Christianity yet! If you are a Ukrainian, Russian, Englishman…, then you are not a Christian yet, at best a catechumen (“in the Church, there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither Ukrainian nor Russian, nor… nor… – one who identifies himself by natural characteristics”). We are not against patriotism, nationalism… – we are against delusion, lies, substitution!!!
There are apologists for Christians with weapons in their hands (warriors at war), who say that the Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils in the rules wrote only about bishops, presbyters, and deacons, that they are not allowed to kill, that they are not to be involved in war (for example, see rules 3 and 7 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, rule 10 of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, rule 11 of the Council of Trullo, etc. (see parallel places in the Book of Rules)), and other believers can!? I will remind you of a simple thing: Ecumenical Councils were convened by emperors, and if they usually did not touch dogmas (with minor exceptions), then the rules were often written under the dictates of the antichrist and the powerful of this world! In the times of the Councils, there was already great trouble in the church, paganism had taken over, and Christianity for most of the people had become one of the religions! The Christians themselves began to divide into two groups: clergy (clergy) and laity (not clergy) (see Part II). At that time, the stewards had long forgotten who they were (that they were not apostolic successors, not special priests – see above)! And the spirit-bearers (Christians), who were (a few men) at the councils, did what they could, made all possible compromises (except when it came to heresy – there can be no compromises here). So at least they tried to save something – let the stewards at least not kill (and those who have understanding, they will realize that if stewards are not allowed to kill, then even more so those whom they serve – the people of God, whom pagans called “laity”). And what were the fathers to do – complete disaster – the whole empire is “baptized,” all the subjects of the emperor are “Christians” (that is, pagans by essence, but baptized with water, for the sake of a certificate of baptism, a stamp in the passport). So how to forbid “Christians” from fighting?! Such a difficult task faced the fathers – and they, being wise and taught by the Holy Spirit, forbade killing the least in the Church, those who perform the least honorable service in the church (clergy: stewards, church elders and overseers-policemen, storekeepers, managers of church warehouses), and the others were to draw the right conclusions about the rest of the Christians and the catechumens proclaimed by the church. Therefore, the fathers said everything, but in a veiled way, with a parable, an analogy, and everyone was to solve this simple task by the method “from the particular to the general,” from the small to the great: if something is true for “that,” then all the more it is true for “this”; if “that” is true, then “this” is true even more. But they are understood only by those who hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and not by those who read the historical letter, the form of transmission and do not know the Spirit with which the Tradition of the Church is filled! Therefore, in the situation when everyone became Christians – both pagans and the small flock of Christ – everyone had the name “Christian” (everyone was baptized with water, and by the Holy Spirit – only a small flock), the church could not in the letter forbid “Christians” from fighting, but wisely, missionarily did what it could (although there were fewer and fewer who believed in Christ, that is, Christians (without quotes ” “))..