Religion and the War for Ukraine—Wetin Bible talk?

See some things wey people wey dey high position for religion don do as war de happen for Ukraine:

• “The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, wey them de call Patriarch Kirill never talk anything against the way Russia soldiers de attack Ukraine. . . . E church don de spread lie-lie story about Ukraine, and Putin don use this story to defend the war.”—EUobserver, March 7, 2022.

• “Patriarch Kirill . . . don show where e stand for the war wey e country Russia de fight with Ukraine when e give reason say the attack na part of the way to fight sin.”—AP News, March 8, 2022.

• “The leader of Orthodox Church for Ukraine, wey them de call Metropolitan Epiphanius I of Kyiv, bless e soldiers for Monday to fight against soldiers from Russia. E still talk say to kill soldiers from Russia no be sin.”—Jerusalem Post, March 16, 2022.

• “We wey be [the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO)] support our soldiers and every other people wey ready to defend our country. We de bless them and pray for them as them de fight to defend Ukraine from our enemy”—UCCROa Statement, February 24, 2022.

Wetin you think? E good make religion wey claim say them de follow Christ encourage their members make they fight war? Wetin Bible talk?

Wetin happen for past show say religion put hand for war

Wetin happen for past don show say religion de pretend say them de make peace, but them de gree make their members go fight war. For many years, Jehovah Witness don de help people to see how religion de pretend for matter wey concern war. See some examples as e dey for our book them.

• The article, “The Crusades—A ‘Tragic Illusion’” show say na Roman Catholic Church cause-am make they kill plenty people for the name of God and Christ.

• The article, “The Catholic Church in Africa” talk about one example of how religion no stop the war wey happen between some tribes and even allow them to kill theirself.

• The articles “Is Religion to Blame?,” “Religion’s Role in Man’s Wars,” and “Religion Takes Sides” explain how leaders for Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant church don support people wey de fight war.

Christian religion suppose de support war?

Wetin Jesus teach: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) “Make wuna continue to love wuna enemies.”—Matthew 5:44-47.

Wetin Jesus talk “My Kingdom no dey part of this world. If my Kingdom na part of this world, my servants for don fight so that they no go carry me give the Jews.” (John 18:36) “Any person wey de carry sword, na sword go kill the person.”—Matthew 26:47-52.

Think-am: If Christians no fit fight that time to protect Jesus, why they go come fight or put hand for war now? Read the article “Is War Compatible With Christianity?” to see how Christians for the time of the apostles follow Jesus example and the things wey e teach.

Wetin go happen to religions wey de support war?

Bible teach say God dey against any religion wey de claim say them de serve God but no de follow the things wey Jesus de teach.—Matthew 7:21-23; Titus 1:16.

• As the book of Revelation show, God go make religions answer for the death of “all the people wey they don kill for the earth.” (Revelation 18:21, 24) To learn why, read the article “What Is Babylon the Great?”

• Jesus talk say they go destroy all religions wey God no accept because of the bad things wey them de do, just the way they go cut down and throway bad tree wey de bear bad fruit for inside fire. (Matthew 7:15-20) Read the article “The End of False Religion Is Near!” to learn how this one go happen.

Photo credits, left to right: Photo by Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images; Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images