Roman Sheremeta

Mar 11, 2025

The Parable of the “Formerly” Good Samaritan

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) can help us make sense of what’s happening in America.

Jesus is asked how to inherit eternal life and responds: Love God and love your neighbor. When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus tells of a man attacked by robbers, left for dead. Two religious figures pass by, but a Samaritan — a man from a despised group — stops to help, paying for the victim’s care without expecting repayment.

I see a parallel to Ukraine. Like the victim, Ukraine didn’t ask to be attacked. But unlike the Samaritan, many Americans now reward the assailants instead of aiding the victims.

I’m heartbroken and disappointed. Just three years ago, American Christians condemned Russia’s invasion. Now, many support Trump’s policy of surrendering Ukraine. What changed? Why are you tired of a war you aren’t even fighting? Why abandon the values you held in 2022?

Many say they’re tired of sending money to Ukraine. So you turn from the victim because helping costs something? (By the way, the Samaritan never asked the victim of the attack to repay the money used to help him heal and recover.) Today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ukraine must make concessions. Think about that. If this doesn’t break your heart, why not?

Let me remind you of Russia’s crimes:

• Russia invaded Ukraine and is committing genocide.
• Over 121,000 Ukrainian children have been kidnapped and deported.
• POWs and civilians are tortured, denied medical treatment, and subjected to inhumane treatment.
• Civilian targets — hospitals, schools, churches — are deliberately bombed. Over 236,000 homes destroyed.
• Infrastructure damage exceeds $170 billion, including power plants and hydroelectric stations.
• At least 399 religious buildings have been destroyed.
• Russia routinely uses illegal chemical weapons.
• Russia executes Ukrainian POWs — and civilians.

Yet some demand Ukraine make concessions. Concessions to the invader, the abuser, the murderer. How does appeasing evil bring peace?

Why aren’t you demanding russia be held accountable? Why not demand Putin withdraw? Why not insist Ukraine be fully restored?

I don’t understand. Please, explain.

(Stephen Benham, Professor of Music Education)

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The U.S. stock market and cryptocurrency are plummeting into the abyss due to Trump’s trade wars. — Bloomberg

Today marks the biggest drop in nearly two years. Given that Americans’ savings are tied to the stock market, this will hit them hard — especially older people relying on their retirement funds.

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This is not a joke! Read the statment from the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio: “I can assure you this, we will not be providing military aid to the Russians.”

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The deal between the U.S. and russia could be a modern-day Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

It seems I was right about Trump helping russia recapture Kursk.

Yesterday, I made a post stating that Trump is deliberately crippling Ukraine to enable russia to retake Kursk. Once that happens, he will have set the stage for Ukraine’s capitulation under his so-called “peace deal.”

Now, reports are emerging from Ukrainian soldiers, claiming that “russian forces in Kursk suddenly have extremely precise coordinates” for Ukrainian troop locations, logistics, and ammunition depots.

They insist that this “cannot be a coincidence” and that “Trump’s administration is trying to hand Kursk to russia before negotiations begin as part of a secret deal with russia.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if the newly appointed CIA director, Tulsi Gabbard — a known russian sympathizer — is sharing sensitive intelligence about Ukrainian troop positions in Kursk with russia.

Several weeks ago, Politico reported that foreign intelligence agencies have stopped sharing secrets with the U.S., citing Trump’s administration as highly untrustworthy.

Now, things may be even worse. As Ukrainian soldiers put it: “russians in Kursk suddenly knowing everything about our forces there cannot be a coincidence.”

P.S. My previous post is here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15cBJBs9Hj/

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“Do you know, Trump, our moms’ costume?” It’s heartache from pain and wounds, When you bury your child in a coffin, These are minerals for us gold… »

• And what, Zelensky, don’t you have a suit?
• Yes haveem, haveem, but we only wear it for the holidays,
  And this visit to you is a working moment,
  I am a country that is at war right now, President.
  Oh, you know Trump, we have war everywhere,
  We don’t have time for chic and dress code.
  The best suit we have is pixel and armor,
  And the prayer of the saints: “Salvation and guard. ”
  And, you know, Trump, we have so many Heroes,
  What died in battle from “brotherly” weapons,
  Will never wear a suit for the graduation,
  And don’t sit at the table for a delicious treat.
  And, you know, Trump, our suit is made of steel,
  The fighters of “Azovstalí” will tell you about it.
  These are the people – Titans, solid minerals,
  Soldiers, and medics, and generals.
  And, you know, Trump, our medical suit,
  Blood and sweat – balsamic mineral.
  Mutilated, killed and fate, and life,
  But you have no idea about it all.
  And, you know, Trump, our widows’ costume,
  It’s all black – because the whole world is black.
  When the baby is in tears,
  Because dad the war took life.
  Oh, you know, Trump, our moms costume,
  It’s torment of the heart from pain and wounds,
  When you bury your child in a coffin,
  These are the minerals of gold to us.
  Oh, you know, Trump, the orphan suit,
  When mommy cat was raped.
  And dad’s hands and feet were chopped
  And the child was forced to watch it.
  Oh, you know, Trump, a suit for babies,
  In which father and mother were killed.
  Just a few hours away from birth – and myself…
  Well, how is it to forgive our cats?
  And, you know, Trump, a suit of cities and villages,
  When C-300 and Shahed arrived.
  It’s outbreaks, heaps, killed lives,
  There is no future in these minerals.
  And, you know, Trump, the suit of Ukraine –
  That’s thousands killed, blood, and ruin.
  A tie made of grief and tears,
  Are you still waiting for a sincere “Rlaese”?
  Oh, you know, Trump, … and what to tell you,
  You can’t tell it all in words.
  And your politics is a card game.
  That ace we have kozirnij – Ukraine is still that!
  We won’t be shoes and doo…. pu lick,
  We will fight for freedom with honor.
  I’ll put on my suit on the holy victory,
  Good Lord bless her way!

Зоя Пасевич.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GzhDeGCnX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

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Powerful speech by Senator Claude Maluret, head of the center-right LIRT group in the French Senate:

“We are now fighting against a dictator aided by a traitor.”

“Prime Minister, esteemed ministers, dear colleagues, Europe stands at a critical crossroads in its history. The American shield is collapsing, Ukraine risks losing support, and russia is strengthening. Washington has turned into Nero’s court: an emperor who sets the world on fire, obedient courtiers, and a fool, intoxicated by ketamine, who is now purging the state apparatus.

This is a tragedy for the free world, but above all, for the United States itself. Trump’s message is clear: being an ally of America is pointless. It will not protect you. It will impose tariffs higher than the sanctions on its enemies. And it will threaten to seize your territory while backing the dictators attacking you.

The self-proclaimed ‘deal-maker’ is, in reality, a master of capitulation.

He thinks he can intimidate China by groveling before Putin, but as Xi Jinping watches this collapse, he is surely accelerating preparations for an invasion of Taiwan. Never before in U.S. history has a president surrendered to an enemy. Never before has the leader of the White House supported an aggressor over an ally.

Never before has a president so brazenly defied the Constitution — illegal executive orders, the dismissal of judges who might oppose him, the rapid purge of military leadership, the dismantling of checks and balances, the usurpation of control over social media. This is not just the ‘illusion of authoritarianism’ — it is an attempt to seize democracy itself. Let’s remember: it took only one month, three weeks, and two days to destroy the Weimar Republic.

I believe in the resilience of American democracy, and protests have already begun. But in just a month, Trump has done more damage to America than in all four years of his previous presidency.

We fought a war against a dictator. Now we are fighting against a dictator aided by a traitor.

Eight days ago, while Trump patted Macron on the back at the White House, the U.S. voted in the UN alongside russia and North Korea — against Europe, which was demanding the withdrawal of russian troops.

Two days later, in the Oval Office, ‘the draft-dodger’ Trump lectured Ukraine’s war hero, Zelensky, both morally and strategically, only to dismiss him like an incompetent servant, saying: ‘Obey or leave.’

Tonight, he went even further — he halted arms shipments that had already been promised.

How should we respond to this betrayal? The answer is simple: we must fight back.

First and foremost, we must not be mistaken — Ukraine’s defeat would be Europe’s defeat.

The Kremlin’s list already includes the Baltic states, Georgia, and Moldova. Putin’s goal is a return to Yalta, where half of Europe was handed over to Stalin. The Global South is watching this conflict closely to determine whether Europe is still to be respected — or if it can now be trampled upon.

Putin seeks to dismantle the world order established 80 years ago by the U.S. and its allies — an order built on the principle that land cannot be seized by force. But today, America is voting for the aggressor and against the victim because ‘Trumpism’ aligns with Putin’s worldview: a return to spheres of influence, where great powers dictate the fate of smaller nations.

‘I’ll take Greenland, Panama, and Canada. You get Ukraine, the Baltics, and Eastern Europe. He gets Taiwan and the South China Sea.’

In the oligarch circles of Mar-a-Lago, this is called ‘diplomatic realism.’ In reality, it means only one thing: we are now alone.

But the claim that Putin is unstoppable is a lie. Despite Kremlin propaganda, russia is weakening. In three years, its so-called ‘second strongest army in the world’ has only managed to seize scraps from a country three times smaller in population.

U.S. support for Putin is the greatest strategic blunder in the history of warfare. But this betrayal has awakened Europe.

We now have three immediate tasks:

1. Accelerate arms deliveries to Ukraine — to compensate for America’s betrayal and strengthen Ukraine’s defense.
2. Any future agreement must include the return of kidnapped children, the release of prisoners, and absolute security guarantees.
3. Build a European defense force — revitalized after 1945 but weakened after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Europe will only regain military strength if it reclaims its status as an industrial superpower.

But the most crucial factor in Europe’s rearmament is moral mobilization.

Glory to free Ukraine! Long live democratic Europe!”

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The number of lies that the Russians, their supporters, Trump, and others are spouting about Ukraine is really painful and discouraging.

I beg of you – before you talk about Ukraine or about president Zelensky, ask a Ukrainian who lives in Ukraine, or ask a person who is currently living in Ukraine. You will get a much more accurate picture of what is actually going on. Many of the things I am reading about are easily refuted by me simply looking outside my apartment window.

And when I dispute some of things I read from regular people, or from Trump, people respond to me by saying, “Why are you disagreeing with Trump’s plans for peace? Don’t you have any feelings for the people who are suffering and dying? How many more lives must be lost before you are satisfied?” Someone literally said that to me. I hear those words as the air raid siren goes off outside my apartment window and I wait for the explosions and news from around my city about casualties.

If you want me to explain better, come over to my place for a visit. I am in Kyiv right now. We’ll have tea and we can talk about your concerns. But please stop passing along untrue things about Ukraine or about Zelensky, especially things that come from people who are not in Ukraine. You don’t realize the profound pain it is causing here.

Mark McDonnel, Professor at Talbot School of Theology