> A Swedish agency for grants for faith institutions said Thursday it was cutting support to the Russian Orthodox Church, after Sweden’s intelligence service warned the church was used for intelligence activities.
> The Swedish Agency for Support for Faith Communities said in a statement that it was also cutting financial support for the church, also known as the Moscow Patriarchate, for not living up to its “democracy criteria”.
> It said that Sweden’s Security Service (Säpo) believed the church was used by the Russian state “as a platform for gathering intelligence and other security-threatening activities”.
> “In the Swedish Security Service’s remarks, it appears that representatives of the religious community have had contact with people who work for Russian security and intelligence services,” the agency said in a statement.
> It added that the church had received significant funding from the Russian state, and that representatives had acted in a manner that seemed to encourage “support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.
> The agency also noted that the Russian church denied the allegations made against it.
> The Moscow Patriarchate was already among the smaller recipients of grants for faith-based institutions, and in 2022 the church received just under 200,000 kronor ($19,300) from the Swedish state.
> In its annual assessment published last week, Säpo pointed to Russia as one of the main threats to Sweden.
> In January 2023, a former Swedish intelligence officer was handed a life sentence for spying for Russia.
> And in September, a Russian-Swedish national went on trial accused of passing Western technology to Russia’s military. A Stockholm court found he had exported the material but ruled his actions did not amount to intelligence gathering.
> Sweden also dropped two centuries of military non-alignment and applied for Nato membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is expecting to become a full member within days after last holdout Hungary ratified the country’s membership on Monday.
Why is the state funding a religion?
In my very small city in the 90’s, there were 2 Russian orthodox churches. Everyone knew that one was run by the Russian government, supposedly as a cover for information gathering and the other by Russian immigrants who wanted nothing to do with their former government.
6 comments
> A Swedish agency for grants for faith institutions said Thursday it was cutting support to the Russian Orthodox Church, after Sweden’s intelligence service warned the church was used for intelligence activities.
> The Swedish Agency for Support for Faith Communities said in a statement that it was also cutting financial support for the church, also known as the Moscow Patriarchate, for not living up to its “democracy criteria”.
> It said that Sweden’s Security Service (Säpo) believed the church was used by the Russian state “as a platform for gathering intelligence and other security-threatening activities”.
> “In the Swedish Security Service’s remarks, it appears that representatives of the religious community have had contact with people who work for Russian security and intelligence services,” the agency said in a statement.
> It added that the church had received significant funding from the Russian state, and that representatives had acted in a manner that seemed to encourage “support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.
> The agency also noted that the Russian church denied the allegations made against it.
> The Moscow Patriarchate was already among the smaller recipients of grants for faith-based institutions, and in 2022 the church received just under 200,000 kronor ($19,300) from the Swedish state.
> In its annual assessment published last week, Säpo pointed to Russia as one of the main threats to Sweden.
> In January 2023, a former Swedish intelligence officer was handed a life sentence for spying for Russia.
> And in September, a Russian-Swedish national went on trial accused of passing Western technology to Russia’s military. A Stockholm court found he had exported the material but ruled his actions did not amount to intelligence gathering.
> Sweden also dropped two centuries of military non-alignment and applied for Nato membership in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and is expecting to become a full member within days after last holdout Hungary ratified the country’s membership on Monday.
Why is the state funding a religion?
In my very small city in the 90’s, there were 2 Russian orthodox churches. Everyone knew that one was run by the Russian government, supposedly as a cover for information gathering and the other by Russian immigrants who wanted nothing to do with their former government.
Russian Spokesperson: Rrrrrrrraaaaaagggggghhhhhhh rable rable rrrrrraaaaaggghhhh rable rable.
Nothing happens.
Cut funding for all religions. Make them pay up like the rest of us
Question number 2: Why was Sweden funding the Russian government in the first place?