Is Orthodoxy the quickest path to atheism?

[laconicstudent]

I am deeply sorry if I offended any Orthodox Christians who have had to fight off the Communists. iI can only guess that southerners would fight off persecution, but I don't know because we were never persecuted for our religious beliefs. Truth be known, none of us really know what we're going to say when the barrel of a gun is staring us down. We can only hope we would remain steadfast in our fath at that moment.
Merry Christmas to y'all!

"fighting off" persecution?


Laconicstudent(was under the impression that Abba Anthony of Egypt left the desert and went into Alexandria hoping to win a martyrs crown)


"During the eighty-five years of his ascetical life, only twice did he go to Alexandria. The first time to seek martyrdom during the time of the persecution of the Church and...."

--Prologue from Ochrid

 

[laconicstudent]

As for you getting mad at me about the quote you highlighted, I'm sorry but many DID drift in atheism? Why? Because the Bolsheviks played on the anger of the peasantry toward the Russian Orthodox Church, which was accused of catering to the aristocracy. Are people drifting back toward Christianity? Sure. But that does not take away the fact that many people drifting away from Orthodoxy.

Yeah, the systematic killings of monastics and clergy and faithful lay people had nothing to do with it.

 

[Dorothea]

Yeah, the systematic killings of monastics and clergy and faithful lay people had nothing to do with it.

yes, from what I read - 48,000 priests were murdered, along with around 300 bishops, and 3000-4000 nuns were murdered as well. Laypeople...I don't know the numbers.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Army Matt, you said most Protestant denominations offer a quick fix. Not all. Might wanna read up on the Wesleyan belief in Christian Perfection. It might be a good reminder to Orthodox that - believe it or not - Christians can grow in other denominations, too.

I know, I said most evangelical stuff offers a quick fix. nowhere in their did I mention most Protestant denominations. I was referring to the big name evangelical megachurch stuff that is growing.

and I know people can grow in other denominations, I used to be Anglican and most of my family is still Methodist. so I know that growth can happen. forgive me for not being clear earlier.

 

[RobNJ]

I STILL fail to see why a blatant TROLL OP was mistakenly treated as as legitimate debate topic & dumped here. should have just been kept locked or deleted *goes off shaking his head*

 

[Michael G]

I STILL fail to see why a blatant TROLL OP was mistakenly treated as as legitimate debate topic & dumped here. should have just been kept locked or deleted *goes off shaking his head*

If I said why openly, it would result in permaban. Where, oh where, is the Synod in Resistance?

 

[E.C.]

I STILL fail to see why a blatant TROLL OP was mistakenly treated as as legitimate debate topic & dumped here. should have just been kept locked or deleted *goes off shaking his head*

Because back in 2007-09 he was the only Orthodox poster in the Teens section other than myself. He was not a troll.

Chances are that he probably forgot about starting this thread or just does not want to respond for reasons unknown. Either way, I will personally vouch that he was not a troll.

 

[Montalban]

I made a thread recently to say hello to everyone in here. I used to frequent this forum for quite awhile back around 2007, 2008 and the early part of 2009. I was a member of the Church at the time. I now no longer consider myself a member.

The reasons why I came to Orthodoxy are very broad. Mainly it was the historical implications of the Orthodox Church from my reading of the early church fathers and the "mystical" aspects of the Orthodox faith as compared to other Christian traditions. Also included would be its therapeutic form of spirituality (again, when compared to other Christian traditions) and its emphasis on personal responsibility not only in your ethics and morality but even in your spiritual life. I've noticed these reasons are pretty consistent across the board for a lot of converts.

Now I consider myself an atheist and a secular humanist. You do more studying into history and philosophy as that intellectual attitude demands of you, you start exploring other forms of spirituality, you start looking at the moral concerns of the Church and how they match up with the morals and ethics in the modern world...and Christianity kind of loses its luster. At least it has for me. It's not to say that I now hate God or hate the Church. I don't believe in God so I can't hate him. As for the Church, I think it's a very respectable institution that's done a lot of good for the world as well as a lot of bad. In a lot of ways I consider myself a "faithful atheist." I'm still respecting of what I've come from, but I can't for the life of me believe in it any more. You might consider it similar to how a lot of Jews are atheists but still practice Judaism.

I'm just wondering if Orthodox, Catholics, Anglicans and other people from the "historic" branches of Christianity seem to lose faith more so than our Protestant/evangelical friends? That's the impression I get. Have any of you shared my thoughts?

Are you basing this impression on your own personal experience? That's the impression I'm getting

 

[Basil the Great]

I believe that it is common knowledge that the RCC and the more liberal Protestant Ecclesiastical Communities have lost many more members in recent decades than the Evangelical Protestant groups. However, this does not necessarily mean that such leads their lapsed members into atheism.

 

[127.0.0.1]

Is Orthodoxy the quickest path to atheism?

No sorry, you've got us confused with the Protestants.

 

[JeremiahsBulldog]

I would say the quickest path to atheism is PRIDE.

I agree.

Also, it's amazing how many Orthodox drifted into Atheism when the Commies seized Russian and Eastern Europe. Think that would happen in the American South? You know the answer to that one.

Please. We all know what DID happen in the American South. Just look up the "great" Southern Methodist preacher William Joseph Simmons.

No, atheism and Communism would never feel at home in the "deep South". But another "-ism", to the right, would.

 

[NyssaTheHobbit]

I will say that with Orthodoxy (and in Roman Catholicism), it is acknowledged there are points at which you might not feel very spiritual or very close to God. There are times when a believer is filled with doubt. And that is considered the normal and a sign of maturing faith. When I was a Protestant and not feeling full of faith or in despair, it was called "not doing well spiritually." During times of spiritual dryness, which can last for decades (see Mother Theresa's example) we are encouraged to continue with the prayers, the Mysteries and with good works. This is a type mature faith: walking the path when you cannot see and cannot feel the presence of God.

"He removed grace from you so that you may become wise. But it will come again. It does not abandon you. This is a law of God. But it will leave again. Yet once more it will come. As long as you don't stop seeking it, it will keep coming and going until it renders you perfect." --Elder Joseph the Hesychast

M.

This is where I am right now, where I have been for at least the better part of a year, probably longer. Because my spiritual mentor turned out to be an abusive creep, and betrayed me as well, my faith has been in shambles and I often feel like I'm just going through the motions. But I just keep going because I don't want to just let go.

When I told my husband a while back about the spiritual doubts I was having, he freaked out, especially when he found out that I go through these periods of doubt about God from time to time, even before this incident. It seems that whenever I tell him my secret spiritual thoughts that he disagrees with, he freaks out. Which really illuminates the loss in my life, because my spiritual mentor and best friend was, finally, someone who I could turn to with those spiritual thoughts and questions and struggles, who wouldn't freak out, wouldn't start talking as if the whole household were falling apart because I'm turning into a raving heretic or heathen.....

It seems that, to hubby, having doubts about God's very existence is a weakness in me, a weak spot in my own faith. So it's a huge relief to me to read that even Mother Theresa and other saints have gone through these dark times. And to read here that, to Catholics and Orthodox, it's not only expected but a sign of spiritual maturity, is very reassuring. Maybe there's hope for me after all, since I do continue to "go through the motions" instead of just abandoning everything.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

*hugs nyssa*

I'm so sorry. I've been there recently, it's not fun. Weirdly, this latest drama has got me back into prayer, strange how that happens. I'll pray for you tonight, is nyssa or Gregoria your christian name?

 

[MariaRegina]

This is where I am right now, where I have been for at least the better part of a year, probably longer. Because my spiritual mentor turned out to be an abusive creep, and betrayed me as well, my faith has been in shambles and I often feel like I'm just going through the motions. But I just keep going because I don't want to just let go.

When I told my husband a while back about the spiritual doubts I was having, he freaked out, especially when he found out that I go through these periods of doubt about God from time to time, even before this incident. It seems that whenever I tell him my secret spiritual thoughts that he disagrees with, he freaks out. Which really illuminates the loss in my life, because my spiritual mentor and best friend was, finally, someone who I could turn to with those spiritual thoughts and questions and struggles, who wouldn't freak out, wouldn't start talking as if the whole household were falling apart because I'm turning into a raving heretic or heathen.....

It seems that, to hubby, having doubts about God's very existence is a weakness in me, a weak spot in my own faith. So it's a huge relief to me to read that even Mother Theresa and other saints have gone through these dark times. And to read here that, to Catholics and Orthodox, it's not only expected but a sign of spiritual maturity, is very reassuring. Maybe there's hope for me after all, since I do continue to "go through the motions" instead of just abandoning everything.

Perhaps your husband wants you to be strong in the faith. You might be his rock. I know that my husband also becomes upset whenever I have revealed to him the nasty things that went on regarding Mark Stokoe, the OCA, and the Antiochian Church. Yes, those incidents caused me to struggle. So, I just avoid that subject through guarding my senses and praying the Akathist or Paraclesis to the Theotokos.

The Theotokos has alway come to my aid whenever I have fervently asked for her intercession. In fact, the cotton ball I have that was soaked with the myrhh from the Miraculous Iveron Icon from Hawaii suddenly gives off a burst of heavenly fragrance that fills my bedroom whenever I have cried to the Theotokos for help.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Excellent Thread...

__________________

"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 4:8)​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Reductionism does seem to often kill more than people realize

 

[Gxg (G²)]

This is true for me as well. Ultimately it was the witness of the Saints that drew me in and they also help me to stay put. When I feel doubts, I read a book or story of one of the Saints and it helps renew and strengthen my faith.

Real Talk

 

[Ortho_Cat]

This is where I am right now, where I have been for at least the better part of a year, probably longer. Because my spiritual mentor turned out to be an abusive creep, and betrayed me as well, my faith has been in shambles and I often feel like I'm just going through the motions. But I just keep going because I don't want to just let go.

When I told my husband a while back about the spiritual doubts I was having, he freaked out, especially when he found out that I go through these periods of doubt about God from time to time, even before this incident. It seems that whenever I tell him my secret spiritual thoughts that he disagrees with, he freaks out. Which really illuminates the loss in my life, because my spiritual mentor and best friend was, finally, someone who I could turn to with those spiritual thoughts and questions and struggles, who wouldn't freak out, wouldn't start talking as if the whole household were falling apart because I'm turning into a raving heretic or heathen.....

It seems that, to hubby, having doubts about God's very existence is a weakness in me, a weak spot in my own faith. So it's a huge relief to me to read that even Mother Theresa and other saints have gone through these dark times. And to read here that, to Catholics and Orthodox, it's not only expected but a sign of spiritual maturity, is very reassuring. Maybe there's hope for me after all, since I do continue to "go through the motions" instead of just abandoning everything.

Also, when we go through periods of struggle, we should reach out to our fellow man/woman even more so. That is, switch our focus externally instead of internally.

 

[Ortho_Cat]

Real Talk

I don't follow, G...

 

[Protoevangel]

I don't follow, G...

Real Talk = truth