Pr. Government Spokesman and candidate for Member of Parliament of Fthiotida with the New Democracy, Yannis Oikonomou, the poll, in his article published today in “Apogeumatini”.

In particular, Mr. Economou refers to the “Niki” party, saying that “in the last parliamentary elections in Greece, a new party took part, which allegedly promotes Christianity, the religion of love and humanity, while in reality it preaches hatred towards every different human expression, which is not in accordance with his obscurantist and misanthropic party ideology”.

“Those who subordinate religion to politics do not know what religion is,” he concludes.

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“Greece, in the last two hundred years, has put in a lot of effort to leave behind the lags that kept it stuck in underdevelopment and to join the advanced European countries on an equal footing. Among our great conquests are the perfectly institutionally weighted Church-State relationship and the independence of the Greek Church, so that matters of faith do not become tools of intervention by external forces in Greek political and social life. In the last parliamentary elections in Greece, a new party took part, which allegedly promotes Christianity, the religion of love and humanity, while in reality it preaches hatred against every different human expression, which is not in accordance with its obscurantist and misanthropic party ideology.

This party in order to propagate its positions and win votes is reviving practices known from the time of Tsarist Russia and the infamous Rasputin, such as traveling monks. Let us all remember that the word of the Church in Orthodoxy is authentically expressed through the Bishops and through the Synods.

And it is a reason for unity and love, not division and disintegration. Reason based on the indestructible tradition of Orthodoxy that teaches not to divide people according to their political beliefs. Modern preachers of obscurantism are reviving remnants of the dark ages, when religious belief and the distortion of Christ’s teachings had become tools of hatred. Polling is not a work that befits people of the Church and is outside the framework of the faith they defend.

Greek men and women know very well which government was the one that stood by reason and deed on the side of the Hellenic Church, whenever it was needed. Which government bracketed the debate on the separation between Church and State: a politically dangerous and meaningless debate outside the traditions, history and special characteristics of Hellenism. Which government resolved the decades-long chronic problem regarding the organic positions of the clergy of the Greek Church and the Church of Crete. Which government worked with the Church on a number of critical issues related to education and the response to the coronavirus. Those who subordinate religion to politics do not know what religion is.”