Ukraine: To What Extent Is Russia The Bad Guy?

Written by Donovan Nagel
Last updated: Feb 26th, 2022
Ukraine: To What Extent Is Russia The Bad Guy?

War is terrible.

Invasions are almost never justifiable.

Innocent people suffer even when there’s an argument for military action.

I don’t enjoy anything about the current situation in Ukraine and the inevitable loss of human life.

But can we trust anything that’s being reported on right now?

The same organizations and politicians who have spoon-fed us mountains of filthy lies these past years (Trump, COVID-19, etc.) are now trying to convince us that Russia is on an unprovoked rampage in a peaceful country.

The reason given: Putin dreams of restoring the territories of the USSR.

Putin wants to annex territory and go back to Soviet glory days.

I’m not buying this nonsense.

Many aren’t.

But as expected, we’re seeing hashtags like #StandWithUkraine and Facebook profile images with Ukrainian flags all over the place.

Everyone’s expressing their “solidarity” with a country that they couldn’t even point to on a map if you asked them.

And of course: COVID-19 is now yesterday’s news.

The bombshell news story just two days ago that COVID and the Moderna vaccine have been discovered by scientists to have a common origin (patented in 2016) was conveniently pushed to the footnote section of the news as everyone is now distracted by Ukraine.

COVID is over, and the new fear focus is war.

Should Christians see Russia as the enemy?

The prevailing eschatological view of Protestant Evangelicals is this:

In the end times, Gog and Magog (who they believe to be Russia), sends its army down to Israel to destroy it, but is thwarted by the second coming of the Messiah.

Of course, America are on God’s team, as well as the Christ-hating Israelis (God’s chosen people) who team up with the Christians (God’s other people).

It all sounds utterly absurd and unbiblical (because it is), but this is what most Evangelical pastors teach from the pulpit. The pastor of the church we attend just last Sunday told us to pray for Ukraine because if Russia takes Ukraine, they will move closer to attacking Israel.

Where did this horse manure originate from?

Believe it or not, this garbage eschatology is derived primarily from the apocalyptic fiction series called Left Behind.

No doubt influenced by the author’s experience growing up during the Cold War where anything Russian = bad.

This became a staple for many pastors who treat it like it’s part of the canon of Scripture.

Consider this for a moment, oh Christian

Let’s compare the West (America + EU/NATO countries) with Russia on a few points.

The West:

  • Atheist / anti-God and anti-church
  • Anti-family
  • LGBT perversion
  • Feminism / war on traditional gender roles
  • Racially divisive ideologies and anarchism (e.g. BLM, Antifa)

Russia:

  • Pro-Church / Explicitly pro-Christian (Orthodox)
  • Pro-family
  • Legislated protections against LGBT perversion designed to protect children
  • Men are men and women are women
  • Zero tolerance for groups like BLM or Antifa

Contrary to what many still believe, Russia is no longer Communist. They are capitalist. People there do not want to return to Marxism.

America and its NATO allies have destabilized and destroyed large parts of the Middle East and North Africa, caused power vacuums, funded murderous extremist groups, and damaged Europe’s future by causing migrant waves.

What did Russia do when ISIS was chopping heads off in Syria and Iraq (funded and supported by the Obama administration)?

Russia went in to Syria and protected Syrian Orthodox Christians and churches.

While Obama-funded terrorists were murdering Christians, Russian soldiers were protecting them.

So tell me, Christian: Who should we be rooting for?

War is evil but so are the media and the politicians they work for

Whatever happens in Ukraine - whether it stops there or turns into a wider conflict - let’s not be sucked in to believing that Russia is the monster they’ve trained us to hate.

Hate lies.

There are two sides to every story and the prevailing narrative should be viewed with suspicion.

Safely assume that nobody is telling you the truth.

Pray for discernment and seek God’s truth in all this.

Donovan Nagel

Written by Donovan Nagel

Christian, husband, dad, entrepreneur, dev, linguist, theologian and clown world survivalist. Follow on X.

Filed under: politics