For a long timen I do not attend church services and my disbelief in God's help has grew big over the years.

[F.E.A.R.]

I had asked a priest I know for his advice for another Orthodox person. What he told me for that person might apply at least in part to the challenges you are facing. Hopefully this can be of some help ( in addition to what others have thoughtfully posted also).



Hi Ed,

This can be a long subject to deal with but I will try to keep it as short and clear as I can.

First, I have heard many Bishops and Theologians state simply tha God's will is solely to lead us to repentance and salvation. This is what He wants from us.

Second, to look at "God's will" as he is stating it is something we don't believe in--Predestination. God predestines us to marry someone or to have a certain vocation etc., whether we want it or like it or not. We don't believe that. If that were so then we run into the problem of sin and crime. Does God will us to commit adultery, to steal or kill for instance? If that were the case then we have an excuse to do whatever we want. Likewise, we can't blame God for our shortcomings such as saying it was God's will that I got a divorce or that my wife left me etc.

Finally, God does not want the death of a sinner, as scripture tells us, but that they should turn (repent for their sins) and live. As one of our Bishops clearly and simply stated, if we want salvation and eternal life we should live a life that is faithful to Christ's teaching and our Orthodox Faith. That's what God wants from us or we may say that is God's will for us.
So basically from what he said in this blurb, he is trying to do just that. In doing so, God will be with him in all that he does.

But that's what I no longer want, maybe I wanted it at a certain point of my life, but I don't want it. What I want and justly asking is to be given what was taken from me from the start and I have the right to ask for and complain about it. I'm not asking for a miracle to stare into a person's soul and know his secrets or whatever, what I always asked and wanted is simple.

I hope that this was clear enough and that you were able to see the points I was trying to make.

I get what you're saying, but as I said above I not want to follow nor am I obliged to.

We have Free Will to make choices in our life. Not all will be the right choices. God is not to blame for these wrong choices: we are.

He is to be blamed for a person's situation he was born in, instead of helping he is nowhere to be found. It's not about the choices that the person makes rather God not helping, more like He forsakes a lot of people. People born to abusive parents, left by parents on the street or in foster care never had a choice to make where they were going to be born.

That is why we need to repent for our sins, pick ourselves up and keep on trying to stay on the path to Salvation and Eternal Life. Put even simpler: Free Will vs Predestination. If God is "making us" do things as this person believes, it is not Free Will and we believe that God always allows us to exercise our Free Will. This, too, is His will for us. He can force us to do anything He wants us to do but He freely chooses to allow us to make our own choices with no force on His part.

Hope that helps.

Fr.

He may not force us anything, but he sure does closes a lot of doors in a persons life l, playing game, testing his faith. God does meddle in our life.

 

[ArmyMatt]

It's about me and I took young people as an example. Sure there are young people who attend church but they're in numbers, there are more old people and elderly than young, this is the case in all Orthodox Countries. The majority do not believe in God because of the reasons I gave, or some just simply do not believe, and as in the West, so is the East into sex, enjoying sex, drinking, drugs etc.

again, instead of just leaving and departing, what made you feel the needs to tell us your conclusion?

 

[F.E.A.R.]

again, instead of just leaving and departing, what made you feel the needs to tell us your conclusion?

Just to share, to lift a weight from my heart, did also with some friends.

 

[truefiction1]

It's about me and I took young people as an example. Sure there are young people who attend church but they're in numbers, there are more old people and elderly than young, this is the case in all Orthodox Countries. The majority do not believe in God because of the reasons I gave, or some just simply do not believe, and as in the West, so is the East into sex, enjoying sex, drinking, drugs etc.

This is a "wicked and adulteress generation", and this is why it does not attend Church. The last time there was such a generation coming into existence, Christ came to earth as a humble little child in the insignificant town of Bethlehem.

 

[Lukaris]

But that's what I no longer want, maybe I wanted it at a certain point of my life, but I don't want it. What I want and justly asking is to be given what was taken from me from the start and I have the right to ask for and complain about it. I'm not asking for a miracle to stare into a person's soul and know his secrets or whatever, what I always asked and wanted is simple.

I get what you're saying, but as I said above I not want to follow nor am I obliged to.

He is to be blamed for a person's situation he was born in, instead of helping he is nowhere to be found. It's not about the choices that the person makes rather God not helping, more like He forsakes a lot of people. People born to abusive parents, left by parents on the street or in foster care never had a choice to make where they were going to be born.

He may not force us anything, but he sure does closes a lot of doors in a persons life l, playing game, testing his faith. God does meddle in our life.

The priest I spoke to and whose words I posted has had his share of ups & downs. He is in his 70s & his wife had severe spinal injury in a car accident years back. He helped his one daughter’s family when their home was wrecked by a tornado. Then he has to handle his parish.

I am not making any criticism or anything of what problems you are facing. I just wanted to try to find someone who has had a fair share of trial whose faith will hopefully encourage you.

 

[F.E.A.R.]

This is a "wicked and adulteress generation", and this is why it does not attend Church. The last time there was such a generation coming into existence, Christ came to earth as a humble little child in the insignificant town of Bethlehem.

Actually there are plenty of generations that did adultery through out the ages, this isn't the first nor the last. Also I do not see a problem with having sex outside of marriage. Young people just want to enjoy and that's it. I used to be against it, but then I realized I was wrong. The priest that always said that I had no need for confession said, or more like forbid me to take Holy Communion if I ever do sex outside of marriage. I said so be it. I confessed in church numerous times in front of God's icon that it's His fault for my poor state since birth and that he isn't going to stop me from committing adultery. Had things been different it would've never come to this. Sad, I've said many times in front of Him that has come to this.

The priest I spoke to and whose words I posted has had his share of ups & downs. He is in his 70s & his wife had severe spinal injury in a car accident years back. He helped his one daughter’s family when their home was wrecked by a tornado. Then he has to handle his parish.

I am not making any criticism or anything of what problems you are facing. I just wanted to try to find someone who has had a fair share of trial whose faith will hopefully encourage you.

There isn't anything that can encourage me to go back, I'm too tired. I just want, what I want and what's good for me. If God knew my needs, he would've helped me from the get go. St. Basil the Great says "Place your hope in God. Can it be that He does not understand your difficult position"?

And no He doesn't. Years prior had my faith blindly placed in Him only to be disappointed in the end by Him.

 

[truefiction1]

Actually there are plenty of generations that did adultery through out the ages, this isn't the first nor the last. Also I do not see a problem with having sex outside of marriage. Young people just want to enjoy and that's it. I used to be against it, but then I realized I was wrong. The priest that always said that I had no need for confession said, or more like forbid me to take Holy Communion if I ever do sex outside of marriage. I said so be it. I confessed in church numerous times in front of God's icon that it's His fault for my poor state since birth and that he isn't going to stop me from committing adultery. Had things been different it would've never come to this. Sad, I've said many times in front of Him that has come to this.

There isn't anything that can encourage me to go back, I'm too tired. I just want, what I want and what's good for me. If God knew my needs, he would've helped me from the get go. St. Basil the Great says "Place your hope in God. Can it be that He does not understand your difficult position"?

And no He doesn't. Years prior had my faith blindly placed in Him only to be disappointed in the end by Him.

Your description here of your prayers in front of God's icon is very revealing.

 

[F.E.A.R.]

Your description here of your prayers in front of God's icon is very revealing.

I don't understand what you're trying to say.

 

[truefiction1]

I don't understand what you're trying to say.

The characteristics of our prayer to God reveal how we relate to God and to others, or in other words, what our relationship with God is like and with others is like. If we are not in right relationship with God, then we won't be in right relationship with others, and the way that we pray exposes that troubled sort of relationship. But if we don't pray right, then even our relationship with ourself will not be right and we will suffer greatly from this disconnect from all that is truly good and blessed. Jesus Himself taught us this in His parable; the "parable of the publican and the Pharisee". In this parable, only one man left the temple and went back down to his house justified (feeling whole, or made well in his heart).