Living in Guile or Journalism from Hell? 

Living in Guile or Journalism from Hell? 

By Metropolitan Seraphim (Motovilov)

 

On Personal and Important Matters.

Reflections of the Primate

 

Good and evil, truth and falsehood, reality and fiction are inseparable in human consciousness; and in the hands of a skilled manipulator, an explosive mixture of these concepts is the most dangerous weapon. 

It would seem, what could be easier?  Here is the truth, here is the lie.  And between them – the abyss.  However, a little slyness, a slight shift in emphasis and the truth is already being questioned, and a lie is perceived as a completely acceptable interpretation of thoughts and words. 

This is what we are seeing in the world media lately.  So to speak, the well-known “highly likely” (“with an high degree of probability”, “very likely”, “most likely”).  And it is this principle that has become the basis of the philosophy of modern Russian Liberal journalism. 

Over the nearly thirty years of my priestly, episcopal, and primatial ministry, one way or another, I came across various representatives of a vast and diverse journalistic beau monde.  And almost always my experience was quite negative. 

Questions have never been interested in the truth, but only in their own interpretation of this very truth.  That is, they were not interested in my answers, they were preoccupied with their own questions, and my “answers” were ready.  Journalists have never needed objectivity, they were only interested in fulfilling the editorial order.  They always came for dirt, scandal, and sensationalism; and when they didn’t get what they were looking for, they invented it all themselves.  

Absolutely unprepared in everything related to the Church and the Faith, journalists, especially television ones, did not hesitate to lie and call names.  Pretenders, schismatics, sectarians, swindlers… Whatever they called us!  For a literate and educated person, it is understandable and obvious that “Schismastics” cannot in any way be “pretenders” and “sectarians” cannot split anyone.  Ridiculous is the right word.  But when all this happened, we were far from laughing; and I had to unsubscribe, explain, and refute.  

Time, of course, put everything in its place.  People saw our life and were imbued with our ministry; and people have always been pleased that we have never fenced ourselves off from anyone with state guards, high fences, and Cossack patrols; absolutely always making Church life understandable and transparent. 

However, it is not secular journalists who are chasing “sensational fried facts” that are more dangerous for us.  They are just understandable.  They are akin to buffoons, amusing the crowd and living on a bribe for a successful performance.  Much worse is the tribe of the so-called “Orthodox”, but rather pseudo-Orthodox journalists and all kinds of pseudo-Orthodox experts, who fill their pockets in their desire to discredit any church and any church leader.  Pharisees in their essence, hiding under the mask of righteousness and holiness, they will never speak a word of truth; their weapon is a skillful lie, their way of life is deceit, their stimulus and final aspiration is enrichment by any means. 

It seems to be that it would be most comfortable for them to live in Hell, where absolute vice reigns and where there is no need to pretend to be a “fighter for the purity of Orthodoxy.”  Indeed, it is so; journalists of this type are information messengers of Hell, designed to sow discord and evil, confuse minds and corrupt souls. 

I am glad that many such “journalists”, among other Liberals and Apostates, have left the borders of our Fatherland and are dirtying places abroad.  The West is no stranger to absorbing informational impurities; and in our country, without such people, maybe it will become a little easier to breathe.  After all, the Apostle Paul once said: “Take away the evil from among yourselves.” (1 Cor. 5:13)  And let the Lord judge them according to their deeds. 

It seemed to me right to end my reflections of today with the poetic lines of my old friend and colleague Metropolitan Sergius (Moiseenko), a well-known Russian poet, writer, and publicist.  For, it seems to me, these lines most accurately reveal the essence of those very unscrupulous journalists, from communion with whom I would very much like to warn you all. 

And may Our All-Merciful Lord and Saviour protect us from all evil and all deceit. Amen. 

 

UNCLEAN CREDO

There are journalists whose uncleanliness

And no one needs to explain it.

On what is their profitability always built?

On rumors, gossip and flows of poison.

They do not need to be happy for objectivity,

Hence the word honesty is completely inappropriate,

For them, the higher and stronger the opposition,

And the more vile – the more interesting!

They live in the mud of other people’s vices, 

Easily covering your sins with a patch,

Alas, my lines cannot accommodate, 

How vile, low, disgusting!

Among the people are the last outcasts,

Among the jackals, the experts fell.

They can’t live without the stance for a long time,

Such is their life credo.