Featured Letter to a Greek Orthodox Church

I've been keeping up my end of this bargain, for the most part.



Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo.

 

And...?

What were some of your first posts like, Don?

I don't remember this.

It is actually sad to learn of this.

And...?

I have interacted with him on numerous occasions, sometimes we are in agreement, sometimes not, and it doesn't change anything.

That does not change the fact that there are members who seem to get their jollies by jumping at the occasion to belittle someone, and that is shameful, and should not be the common practice of people who call themselves Christians.

While some of the cliques have changed membership, and the topics may have changed (and I miss my discussions with certain members about the Pre-Tribulation Rapture, lol), it seems that still we see the same snide attitudes in certain members.

Do you believe he is your brother, Don? Then treat him as a brother (and that is going to involve rebuke at times). But don't try to make a case for pettiness.

If you encourage it (and I speak generally, not directing it at you), then don't be surprised it continues.

You must be kidding?

You're asking me to go to another member for Gossip?

If she has info pertaining to another member, that's between them, and broadcasting that info is not something I care to participate in.

And by the way, its Darrell, not Daryl.

That's my other brother...


God bless.

 

Darrell - my apologies on the name spelling.

If you don't know what my first posts were like, well, then you've made judgments.

If you didn't know about the more recent situations, well, there's quite a bit you don't know -- but you've made judgments.

As for contacting Scarlett - I'm not asking you to engage in gossip. She has additional information, and is more qualified to speak regarding that information. If you prefer to continue in ignorance, that's your choice.

I've joined many message boards over the years, and participated in many threads; and there have been many times where I jumped in when I saw people ganging up on someone...only to find there was more to the story than just the few posts I initially saw.

I'm not trying to justify anything; nor do I feel I need to. I'm just pointing out that you yourself have admitted that you don't know the full history here.

Just something to consider.

 

And it's still between only you and her. I have no idea what was said between the two of you.

 

There is thought to be around 150,000,000 adherents to Eastern Orthodoxy. A few miles from where I live is one of the largest Russian Orthodox monasteries outside of Russia. It is the seminary for monks that will serve in churches throughout the world. The sect is called the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

When I was a kid we’d spear suckers in the local creeks and sell them to the monk. I didn’t ask and they didn’t tell but apparently suckers make a fine meal. We used to get 75 cents apiece for them. Over the years, I’ve known some of the monks casually. Here’s a few things I’ve learned about the folks I’ve met.

1. They are proud of their heritage. They have survived purges, czars and Stalinists. They know poverty and persecution first hand.

2. They have created some impressive works of art with their iconography.

3. They are passionate about their faith as they understand it and have little to no interest in being corrected by outsiders.

4. They have a rich tradition that reaches far beyond the borders of the US.

5. Many have left family behind in Russia and have chosen the monastic life. They work hard and keep only enough to provide for their basic needs and use the rest to support the church and their families.

The first bishop of Holy Trinity, Hieromonk Panteleimon worried his mother to no end when he announced his intention to move to America. He writes, “My parents, especially my mother, were simple people, illiterate, but they believed in God. My mother, seeing how living abroad changed young people, often cried inconsolably. I could not bear it and asked her: 'Mama, why are you crying like this?' She sobbed: "Son, don't lose God…' These words of my mother remained in my heart throughout the rest of my life."

I know little of the Greek Orthodox church but I think it would be safe to say they are little different.

I appreciate your concern for their spiritual well-being and the clear misunderstanding of the means of Grace and salvation.

Educate yourself in their heritage, beliefs and practices. It is nothing like anything in your experience. Their priests are well-educated and steeped in the whole history and traditions of their faith. You are not prepared, at this point, to engage any of them in a productive way. Writing them a letter will only assuage your concerns and do little to change the minds of millions who survived czars, Stalin and Soviet rule.

 

Ever looked up the definition of "hyperbole"?