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Internet Comments 'Terrible and Destructive,' Says Russian Church Leader

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned the country's internet users of the potential “terrible and destructive influence” of their online comments on society.

Speaking at the Arkhangelsk Region's Solovetsky Monastery on Sunday, Patriarch Kirill said that while it was impossible to escape the digital age, anyone publishing their thoughts online wielded a dangerous power.

He also denounced online celebrities who used “their mind, talent, knowledge, influence and popularity to defile human nature.”

The Patriarch called on monks, church leaders and especially young people to resist “the creation of murderous ideas” online, claiming that such strength can only come from a faith in God.

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