A conclusion

[CelticRebel]

First, I want to thank everyone for your responses to my threads and posts. I have been enriched by the input I have received. All of the information I have been given has been very helpful to me. It may be that I would not quite fit into Orthodoxy, but I still have an affinity for many Orthodox views and teachings. I'm not sure where I would fit, but I am very sure where I would not fit, and that would be the RCC and much of Protestantism.

Again, thanks to all for your kindness and willingness to respond to me, often in detail. That means a lot to me.

 

[rusmeister]

First, I want to thank everyone for your responses to my threads and posts. I have been enriched by the input I have received. All of the information I have been given has been very helpful to me. It may be that I would not quite fit into Orthodoxy, but I still have an affinity for many Orthodox views and teachings. I'm not sure where I would fit, but I am very sure where I would not fit, and that would be the RCC and much of Protestantism.

Again, thanks to all for your kindness and willingness to respond to me, often in detail. That means a lot to me.

No one can fit into Orthodoxy. We aren't Church-shopping to see which one pleases us best or happens to match what we believe. We came seeking the Truth, understanding that the truth is not in us, that we did NOT come in with complete possession of the truth, but rather found it in the Church. You seem to be trying to come in to some Church, thinking you already have it. You'll never come to the Truth that way.

You're very welcome, though!

 

[gzt]

I hope you find what you are looking for and that, at the very least, your time spent looking at Orthodoxy has been edifying in your pursuit of that same great God and Saviour Jesus Christ we both serve.

 

[buzuxi02]

Im somewhat perplexed, it seems that you mostly disagreed with teachings that are of the Orthodox church.
From your questioning I would have thought perhaps you were pentecostal or evangelical protestant or Anglican if you were of a liturgical church. The invisible church theory goes well with the low church protestant system and you have the branch theory to fall back on in anglicanism.
So which Orthodox views do you have in mind that you have an affinity for?

 

[dzheremi]

I'm also confused. I thought you were here to learn about Orthodoxy? I didn't realize that you only have a few questions and were meaning instead to compare the answers you receive to your own preexisting views. Respectfully, I'm not sure how much can be learned from that kind of approach. But I too hope you will find what you are looking for, whatever that is.

 

[CelticRebel]

I'm also confused. I thought you were here to learn about Orthodoxy? I didn't realize that you only have a few questions and were meaning instead to compare the answers you receive to your own preexisting views. Respectfully, I'm not sure how much can be learned from that kind of approach. But I too hope you will find what you are looking for, whatever that is.

Actually, that's not what I was doing. But I can see how it might seem that way.

Thank you for your kind wishes.

 

[CelticRebel]

Im somewhat perplexed, it seems that you mostly disagreed with teachings that are of the Orthodox church.
From your questioning I would have thought perhaps you were pentecostal or evangelical protestant or Anglican if you were of a liturgical church. The invisible church theory goes well with the low church protestant system and you have the branch theory to fall back on in anglicanism.
So which Orthodox views do you have in mind that you have an affinity for?

I agree most of all with the Orthodox views on the atonement. I also agree with the views of man, sin, God, and salvation. And there are other things.

I have problems with some other things, though.

 

[CelticRebel]

No one can fit into Orthodoxy. We aren't Church-shopping to see which one pleases us best or happens to match what we believe. We came seeking the Truth, understanding that the truth is not in us, that we did NOT come in with complete possession of the truth, but rather found it in the Church. You seem to be trying to come in to some Church, thinking you already have it. You'll never come to the Truth that way.

You're very welcome, though!

I am a truth-seeker. Always have been.

 

[CelticRebel]

I hope you find what you are looking for and that, at the very least, your time spent looking at Orthodoxy has been edifying in your pursuit of that same great God and Saviour Jesus Christ we both serve.

Thank you so much!

 

[All4Christ]

CR - I understand where you come from...I have been there. Wherever you end up going, this journey of searching is very important! I ended up choosing Orthodoxy despite not agreeing with everything at the time - which really ended up being that I hadn't understood it all (I still don't understand everything!) I eventually came to realize that I know where I can't be, but I also knew where I couldn't NOT be. Good luck in your journey! It's a very important thing to do!

 

[CelticRebel]

CR - I understand where you come from...I have been there. Wherever you end up going, this journey of searching is very important! I ended up choosing Orthodoxy despite not agreeing with everything at the time - which really ended up being that I hadn't understood it all (I still don't understand everything!) I eventually came to realize that I know where I can't be, but I also knew where I couldn't NOT be. Good luck in your journey! It's a very important thing to do!

That's an interesting way to put it. Maybe I'll find that. Thanks for all your help and kindness!

 

[All4Christ]

That's an interesting way to put it. Maybe I'll find that. Thanks for all your help and kindness!

You're more than welcome. I hope you stick around TAW, no matter what!

 

[CelticRebel]

You're more than welcome. I hope you stick around TAW, no matter what!

Yes, I would like to do that. And I'll try not to stir up strife.

 

[rusmeister]

Yes, I would like to do that. And I'll try not to stir up strife.

We have had a few non-Orthodox honorary members who have always respected our beliefs, and are always welcome. I see no reason why you couldn't join their number.

 

[CelticRebel]

We have had a few non-Orthodox honorary members who have always respected our beliefs, and are always welcome. I see no reason why you couldn't join their number.

Thanks!

And I haven't ruled out a conversion to Orthodoxy yet. I have found that God does indeed work in mysterious ways.

 

[~Anastasia~]

CR - I understand where you come from...I have been there. Wherever you end up going, this journey of searching is very important! I ended up choosing Orthodoxy despite not agreeing with everything at the time - which really ended up being that I hadn't understood it all (I still don't understand everything!) I eventually came to realize that I know where I can't be, but I also knew where I couldn't NOT be. Good luck in your journey! It's a very important thing to do!

I think I can very much agree with what All4Christ is saying.

I was searching for Truth, and found a lot of it in Orthodoxy. However, I'll be honest with you that there were things that made me uncomfortable, things I thought were probably wrong, things I didn't agree with.

But the view I glimpsed of God through Orthodox understanding was SO much more wonderful and complete than anything I had found elsewhere, and that's a tremendously big piece of the puzzle. I felt like I couldn't abandon that. And seeing the actual tools Orthodoxy can provide for spiritual growth was also important. My first Divine Luturgy (I had attended other services but hadn't been able to go on Sunday) was magnificent in atmosphere ... I really felt like God was present along with the Saints and choirs of angels. I can't put it into words, but I felt as though I didn't ever want to leave.

There were still those pesky "issues" I didn't agree with. But it was a sentiment like the one Rus expresses that got me thinking. Was I really trying to find a Church that fit me? What if I was wrong? And the Church certainly has lots of reason to claim she just might be right. So I decided to try to set aside biases, gave it a LOT of prayer (I think that helped most), and set about investigating more closely.

There are things that take time. God also helped me quite a bit to understand some other things. And to be honest, I'm not completely "there" yet as far as completely embracing everything in practice, though I accept the teachings now (I had to before I could in conscience join). I'm still praying about a particular issue, beginning just a few weeks ago, and God has done much to open my eyes on that, since I asked.

I'm not at ALL pressuring you to become Orthodox. I don't think anyone should unless they are sure. . And you are most certainly welcome to hang around and ask questions or fellowship. We love our non-Orthodox members too. I just wanted to offer my perspective, since I felt much as you did - that I couldn't be Protestant any longer, or become Catholic, but Orthodoxy didn't quite "fit" at first either.

May Christ our true God guide you and bless you on your journey, wherever it leads.

 

[CelticRebel]

I think I can very much agree with what All4Christ is saying.

I was searching for Truth, and found a lot of it in Orthodoxy. However, I'll be honest with you that there were things that made me uncomfortable, things I thought were probably wrong, things I didn't agree with.

But the view I glimpsed of God through Orthodox understanding was SO much more wonderful and complete than anything I had found elsewhere, and that's a tremendously big piece of the puzzle. I felt like I couldn't abandon that. And seeing the actual tools Orthodoxy can provide for spiritual growth was also important. My first Divine Luturgy (I had attended other services but hadn't been able to go on Sunday) was magnificent in atmosphere ... I really felt like God was present along with the Saints and choirs of angels. I can't put it into words, but I felt as though I didn't ever want to leave.

There were still those pesky "issues" I didn't agree with. But it was a sentiment like the one Rus expresses that got me thinking. Was I really trying to find a Church that fit me? What if I was wrong? And the Church certainly has lots of reason to claim she just might be right. So I decided to try to set aside biases, gave it a LOT of prayer (I think that helped most), and set about investigating more closely.

There are things that take time. God also helped me quite a bit to understand some other things. And to be honest, I'm not completely "there" yet as far as completely embracing everything in practice, though I accept the teachings now (I had to before I could in conscience join). I'm still praying about a particular issue, beginning just a few weeks ago, and God has done much to open my eyes on that, since I asked.

I'm not at ALL pressuring you to become Orthodox. I don't think anyone should unless they are sure. . And you are most certainly welcome to hang around and ask questions or fellowship. We love our non-Orthodox members too. I just wanted to offer my perspective, since I felt much as you did - that I couldn't be Protestant any longer, or become Catholic, but Orthodoxy didn't quite "fit" at first either.

May Christ our true God guide you and bless you on your journey, wherever it leads.

Thank you for your excellent post!

 

[Mary of Bethany]

CR - I understand where you come from...I have been there. Wherever you end up going, this journey of searching is very important! I ended up choosing Orthodoxy despite not agreeing with everything at the time - which really ended up being that I hadn't understood it all (I still don't understand everything!) I eventually came to realize that I know where I can't be, but I also knew where I couldn't NOT be. Good luck in your journey! It's a very important thing to do!

I feel this way, too. There have been some bumps - large and small - along the way, but I know I can't NOT be Orthodox!

CelticRebel - please hang around. You are very welcome here. Many of us have been where you are now.

Mary

 

[CelticRebel]

I feel this way, too. There have been some bumps - large and small - along the way, but I know I can't NOT be Orthodox!

CelticRebel - please hang around. You are very welcome here. Many of us have been where you are now.

Mary

Mary, thanks so much for welcoming me!

 

[dzheremi]

Actually, that's not what I was doing. But I can see how it might seem that way.

Thank you for your kind wishes.

Forgive me, please, it appears I misunderstood the OP and the title of the thread, in that case. For the record, I too hope you stick around. It's too easy for confessionally-based message boards like this one to become echo chambers if there aren't also people on them from other traditions. And there's a lot more to learn about Orthodoxy if you stay.