AUCCRO: Elections must not be AGAINST but FOR the values and a person set to implement them

The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations issued an Appeal to Ukrainians on the occasion of the 2019 presidential elections.

“We elect a key figure for our state – the President, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and is especially responsible in the context of the ongoing military confrontation of aggression in eastern Ukraine ... We elect the head of state not only for ourselves. It is about the common good of our society and our country ... Therefore, before we make this choice, we must realize: what should our state be like? Who will we entrust the peace and life of ourselves and the generations to come? Without a sober answer to these questions, there will be no conscientious choice,” the spiritual leaders of Ukraine emphasize.

According to them, elections should not lead to outbreaks of hatred and social unrest. “Peaceful understanding, respect for those of different opinion, rejection of aggressive competition for the common good – this is the only fruitful way in which genuine elections must take place. Because we choose life, choose the good, choose the future, so the election should not be “against”, but the choice “for” - for the values ​​and the person who will implement them.

We believe that people of faith and conscience must now become leaders of civil dignity, defenders of civil peace and civic sobriety. We have God's blessing for this. We must also stop attempts to illegally involve religious communities in the electoral process. Let the voice of conscience and strengthened common prayer be the guarantee of our loyalty to God in this difficult time,” goes the Appeal.

Spiritual leaders wished Ukrainians “make informed choice, and to Ukraine - peace and a good future.”

Appeal Of All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations on the occasion of the 2019 presidential election

Dear fellow citizens, dear brothers and sisters!

On the eve of an important event for the state and the Ukrainian people – the election of the President of Ukraine, we consider it necessary to appeal to every person who, in good faith, is guided by goodwill and justice. Disputes of the election period are often combined with heightened emotions, uncertainty, and mutual alienation. We wish that the confidence and peace that come from the Almighty settle again in the hearts of men and inspire us to make the reasonable and responsible choice that we and our descendants need.

For the unrest that attempts to master us often deprives us of sober mind. It leads to the loss of recognition of truth and falsehood, good and evil, the possibility of sober critical evaluation, inclines people to be guided by disconcerted emotions, act only with a sense of denial. Noisy turbulence will pass away with time. But the result of the choice will not disappear and will not pass away. It will determine our existence and will remain, even if we would like to have it changed after having calm down.

Therefore, it is necessary to silence feelings and emotions before the choice is made. It is necessary to consciously assess the person whom we elect and assess why we elect them, what motives guide us. To answer, whether this choice is personal, thought over in prayer alone with the Lord - or it is only a consequence of suggestions and manipulations through information technology, or (even worse) -- the fruit of bribery.

Only the sober mind and loyalty to God's truth during its implementation is a guarantee that after the election our conscience will be calm.

We elect a key figure for our state – the President, as well as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, who has special duties in the context of a continuing military confrontation of aggression in eastern Ukraine. The president is vested with functions: to ensure a peaceful existence of the state against threats that come from the outside and the presence of a fair order from the inside. Whoever is entrusted with these important, complicated and responsible responsibilities – depends on us and on our responsibility, on the ability to distinguish TV projects – from real life, true and fulfilling promises of candidates – from deception, something desirable from something truly possible.

We elect the head of state not only for ourselves. The common good of our society and our country is at stake. Not only of those who live in it today but also about our future generations, whose conditions of life are also at stake now. For their part, we are also responsible before our own conscience and God when we make a choice on the voting day.

That is why, before making this choice, we must consider: what should our state be like? Whom will we trust the peace and life of ourselves and the generations to come? Without a sober answer to these questions, there will be no conscientious choice.

The supreme value for the state is a just world that ensures the lives of free people in a free country. Elections should not lead to outbreaks of hatred and social unrest. In human anger, especially connected with violence and violation of the law, there is no truth to God. Violence, which leads to civil disobedience, must be condemned by the consciences of every person. Peaceful understanding, respect for those who have another opinion, the rejection of aggressive competition for the common good – this is the only fruitful way in which genuine elections should take place.

And as we choose life, choose the good, choose the future, the election should not be a choice “against”, but the choice “for” - for the values ​​and the person who will implement them.

We believe that people of faith and conscience must now become leaders of civil dignity, defenders of civil peace and civic sobriety. We have God's blessing for this. We must also stop attempts to illegally use religious communities in the electoral process. Let the voice of conscience and strengthened common prayer be the guarantee of our loyalty to God in this difficult time.

In the end, we want to remind all who believe in God: our whole life is interconnected with the choice – between what is consistent with the will of God and that which contradicts it. The choice must be made. And for this he must first be wrapped in prayer, must be entrusted to the One whom we all trust in our faith. The Lord Almighty complements what we are unable to do and will not leave us unless we reject Him. And also, remember that, as previously, during and after the elections, God wants us to love Him and not cease to love all our fellow people.

We wish all citizens make a conscious choice, and wish Ukraine has peace and a good future.