'In many EU countries, people are embarrassed and afraid to speak of their Christian beliefs'
This is a 2.5 minute excerpt from a speech Putin made 2 years ago, but we just stumbled across it, and in light of Putin's pushback against the West in Ukraine and Syria over the last two years, it is even more relevant today than it was then.
He correctly noted that Western nations have abandoned their Christian roots, and now seek to spread this new, anti-Christian ideology around the world through a form of cultural imperialism.
This anti-Christian ideology is something that I, as both a Catholic and an American, experience every day living in the US.
He stressed the need for Russia to protect its Christian identity and traditional values from such influences. Further emphasizing the impact of declining traditional values, he stated: "I am deeply convinced that this is a direct way to the degradation and primitivization of culture."
Putin also slammed western hegemony and attempts to spread its anti-religious ideology, stating that that Russia will side with sovereign states to protect their "God-given diversity."
Surprised that western media didn't cover this speech much? Watch it yourself here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4I7Cnpirw8
And read the full transcript here:
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/19243