Mopac

I've said it a dozen times, but the dishonest polemicists won't hear....

Roman Catholicism =/= Orthodox Catholicism

We don't have widespread sexual immorality among the clergy. Most Orthodox priests are married even. Not to say those who are married don't do these evil things, but it probably helps a little!

I'm not interested in being a part of your clown game. You are playing a character. An intentionally stupid character.

You are no better than some white dude running around in blackface playing on negative stereotypes. For what laughs? Inciting ignorance and hatred against Christians for the lulz.

But it isn't funny. The last century alone created dozens of millions of martyrs. I hope one day you see the error of your ways. 

We don't believe God is a beardy bloke in the sky. That's silly.

You don't know what worshipping God actually looks like. 

Religion is for people, not God.

But I can't speak at length. I will be in transit all day, and by tomorrow I will be starting my novitiate.

Our religion is Truth worship. It is a reasonable worship. What does Truth worship mean? It doesn't mean making lipservice to God, dancing, singing, and performing rituals. It means living life in a manner consistent with loving The Truth over one's own ego. To put aside self will to life a life that glorifies God. To be a living icon of Truth in a world that does not love The Truth

A few things

We onlt refer to the Son as Christ, so it would be improper to call Christ The Father.

The symbol of the faith, the creed of the church states "begotten of the Father before all Ages."

The Son was begotten before time.

The Holy Ghost proceeds from the father, not the Father and the Son.

Nestorious, not comprehending the person of Christ struggled with this, and in refusing to repent of his impiety, even spreading it around, he was cut off from the church. His doctrines anathematized. 

If you call yourself a Christian, but cannot call Mary the theotokos, it is a sure sign that you hold heterodox or incorrect beliefs.

What the rabbi here doesn't really understand is that our declaration of The Trinity is an acknowledgement of what the rabbi already knows. God's Word, and God's Spirit. Certainly the rabbi acknowledges these as being reality. It would be impious even to say that God's Spirit is not divine. That God's Word is not divine.

The Trinity is another  way of saying that God is one with His Word and Spirit. Not three Gods. And surely, it is through God's Word and Spirit that we find Him present in the world. The God with us.

To deny that God is one with His Word and Spirit is to undermine the prophets themselves, even going back to Moses.

The Lord surely is the God of all. 

And if orthodoxy was simply incense, fancy robes, and chants, I wouldn't be interested in it. It isn't about the rituals and embellishments. That isn't what our faith is about.

The Christian walk is far more about what goes on internally than what goes on externally. One of the purposes of the liturgy is to make visible what is invisible. How can I explain that?

But an orthodox liturgy will show you the proper approach one should have before God in worship and in prayer. Yes, it is something passed down for the edification of the church. 

There is a purpose behind everything. From what the clergy wear, to the actions being done, the color schemes of everything, the numbers we use, etc. 

We like to use symbols. We use typology to teach the faith. We use parables. Why though?

Everything about orthodoxy is a mystery to be experienced. It isn't about having a bunch of head knowledge, vain ritualism, or having the most exotic incense. It is a way of life that we take  wherever we are, whether with others or in private.

The Eternal Way of Truth is the religion we teach, and it is true religion. It is primordial religion. There never has been a time when there wasn't true religion, because true religion was created by God, not man. 

Certainly, we have stories we use, texts we draw from to teach. We have The Holy Tradition, which is the faith itself, and we have customs. Even customs that vary among the nations. We have a culture, certainly. Humans are cultural creatures, and there is a reason for all these things. Passing down what is important. The faith isn't simply for the educated elite. It is for everyone, even the simple. The illiterate. Children. It is a faith that anyone can come to know and experience, regardless of their sophistication.

How does one communicate The Uncreated and Eternal God, The Ultimate Reality through the medium of that which is temporal, created, and ultimately unreal? It is an absurd task. It isn't man that communicates God, God reveals Himself in the mystery. It's very personal. No one can do the work for somebody else. I can not make anyone's heart pure to see God. I can not abide in The Way for someone else. To be a Christian, one must take the cup of suffering in front of them and drink it themselves. One must pick up their own cross, and carry it.

The Orthodox Catholic Church is the original church, founded by Christ Himself, passed down from the apostles through the bishops, being the oldest and longest lasting continuous international organization in world history. The gates of hell will not overcome the church.

So who are these "Christians" outside the church? They are the descendents of those who were kicked out of the church. If they follow after those who were kicked out of the church, how can they be in it? If they are not in the church, how can they be Christian?

The symbol of faith, the very ancient creed of the church expressly makes the church an object of faith. "I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church."

What that makes very clear is that denominationalism is a heresy. Orthodox Christianity is not a denomination of Christianity, IT IS Christianity. 

There is nothing about God that is a hypothesis. God is the surest there is. If you want to be confused by the many so called "Abrahamic religions" as the academics say, at least don't be confused by Christianity. There is only Orthodox Christianity. Nothing else calling itself Christian can be properly said to be so. You learn to spot counterfeits by studying the real thing, not by studying counterfeits.

Orthodoxy is about loving The Truth, and living in synergy with The Truth. 

You are certainly not a Christian, so I suggest you go to the church and ask how to be a Christian rather than pretending to have knowledge on the subject.

You say what you say because it is all the same to you. The only one who is assuming is you.

Can't tell shit from shinola.

It's all the same to you.

Choosing to doubt the existence of ultimate reality is not a rational position, no matter the pretense of the fool demanding proof.

Those in rebellion against the truth would even say that all it takes to be a Christian is to wave your yay team Jesus flag, and bam. Get out of hell free card.

No one should listen to these impious heretics, who are functionally antinomians.

Self identification does not make identity.

There is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

An historical reality. 

We orthodox share the same doctrine. Every heresy can find it's home among the hetetodox.

"Adapting to the times" is another way of saying "tell people what they want to hear". I don't want my church to adapt to the times. There are plenty of counterfeit churches compromising truth for the sake of that.

You could say that about any group. But when a Christian does something bad, to blame Christianity for it is a type of ad hominem attack that is fallacious. For if this man's deviancy from orthodoxy is where his sin is, why point at him as an attack against orthodoxy?

The easiest way to spot a counterfeit is to study the real thing. Orthodox Christianity is the real thing. Knowing the real thing, it is easy to spot the counterfeits. You, not having familiarity with the real thing cannot reasonably be expected to discern between orthodoxy and heterodoxy.

And this is the shame of protestant descended Christianity and all its splinter groups. The voice of orthodoxy is drowned out by the madness of the heretics. The mind of the average person is oversaturated with Christ, no longer able to endure hearing another thing, having their fill of the counterfeits.

Protestantism isn't a religion, it's a  catch all term to describe thousands of different groups who don't even believe the same things.

God is not the author of confusion. Protestantism is not Christianity, rather it confuses what Christianity is.

It's common sense. If you were kicked out of our club, neither you nor the ones who followed after you get to say they are part of that club.

The church is the Christian club. People who get kicked out of the church don't get to call their club the Christian club. The people who joined the fake Christian club are not in the club, they are part of a counterfeit club.

Roman Catholoc =/= Orthodox Catholic

Maybe some religions are about coping with bodily death. 

Life in itself is something to cope with, and the best way to find inner peace is to die to yourself while you still live. What other than love of self makes death scary? What other than love of self makes life's sufferings a tumult?

Love of self. An experience of reality centered on the ego. Love of God says, "It is as it is, thy will be done", and there is peace. Even in hell, to not despair. Love of self-will leads to strife, delusion, and fruitless suffering.

Better to take the cup of suffering and drink it. Better to take up the cross and carry it. Better to be a living sacrifice to eternity than to live in futility for that which dies.

Make your identity in the ego, and you will die. Make your identity in The Truth, and there is life eternal.

If you are not in the church that was founded by Christ Himself, passed through His apostles, and guarded after by the bishops that succeeded them, that is, The Orthodox Catholic Church, you aren't properly Christian.

Though in the church, if you do not live a Christian life, abiding in sound doctrine, you already know that you are in need of confessing your sins and repenting.

Protestantism and it's many splintering offshoots make an exceptional gift to the evil one, as its many conflicting voices obscure what is truly orthodox. A blessing to the anti-Christs, and a stumbling block for the enquirer. 

Depends on the monastery. Even then, it isn't uncommon to hear multiple languages. The monastery I am to going to is primarily an English speaking one. 

They sing at all monasteries.

It is far more likely to be tempted by the beautiful women who are outside the monastery than ones inside.

There is more to be tempted by than simply sexual desires you know.

We have a lot of them. That unseen warfare that goes on in the heart is a big part of the practice.

For me personally, I don't think celibacy will be much an issue. I am not a sexually preoccupied person to begin with. 

Being in a monastery doesn't necessarily stop temptation either.

You have a choice when it comes to how you handle desires. Eventually, what once were strong desires lose their strength. I know that for certain.

I wouldn't think in itself, but I don't know.

It means working with your hands.

I mean FARMING.

Praying, not eating too much, avoiding meats other than fish, doing manual labor, and praying some more.

Many have entered the field of law for the magic I'm sure.

Hopefully proceeds that go to charity.

They have privledge granted by their roles in the judicial process.

They don't determine things such as intent so much as they try to discern intent.

Why wouldn't Trump think the election was stolen?

Even before he was elected, he went to the same sources of news as the people who believe that it was. Did that change after he was elected?

I think a lot of stuff people think originates from Trump really came from the people Trump listens to. 

Well, under the law at least...

Manslaughter and murder are considered different crimes.

The US women's soccer team dominates the league. They never lost any legit game with some highschool boys. They were training that team to get better.

I'm pretty sure the US women's soccer team would demolish any highschool boy team if they were actually playing.

The Arena

Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov

One of the best books you'll ever read.

The Truth is God.

Where does faith in lying vanities lead?

I am not particularly familiar with molinism(I am Orthodox Catholic, not Roman Catholic), but the church fathers who came before him were not calvinists by any stretch of the imagination. 

Maybe the atheist would more accurately be said to have faith in their own understanding rather than faith that God doesn't exist.

Of course, I have seen enough evidence to at least convince me. That is, to prove to me that the Earth is round. Certainly, I could simply be fooled. I am convinced the Earth is round.

That said, I did not apply the scientific method to my being proven that the world is round. I simply was convinced by what seemed to be an authoritative opinion. I have been told of experiments allegedly held by others. Have I personally acted as a scientist in my aquisition of this so called knowledge? I cannot admit so.

Hey, I believe the Earth is round, but it isn't like I've flown a shuttlen into space to see for myself or anything.

The church is an object of faith for us, so we can't really admit the validity of other churches. The ancient creed states, "I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church".

That isn't to say they can't express truths, but they aren't with us. We don't really share the same faith.

The discourse level on this forum is at "I collect a crazy check from the government" level. 

But if you want to believe this forum is full of scientists who make it their business to figure out the age of the world, go on doing so without any evidence.