10 Biggest mistakes Eastern Orthodox make.....

Mistake: not living one's religion.

Relying too much on books for learning Orthodoxy. I think that you should attend several DLs before opening a book, it's makes it a lot easier to understand what you're reading. I did it the other way and was scratching my head reading the books.

Being too worried what others think. Most people don't notice anyways and if they do their memory span is short. The reason people notice funny things we do is because we bring them up.

Not staying for coffee hour!!!

Not confessing everything at confession because there is too little time. If nothing else works, make an appointment to talk to the priest. For ex. confession before DL tends to be rushed and I find that I try to be polite and just bring up the big ones to make sure everyone who wants to confess has the time... then the little things bug me all week. I tend to tell Father that 'those were the main ones' and he knows that I have more for next time.

Khaleas said:

Not staying for coffee hour!!!

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That's right!

Sitting in the ya-ya's chair. Its like sitting on a heated oven: you'll only do it once!

EmperorConstantine said:

That's right!

Sitting in the ya-ya's chair. Its like sitting on a heated oven: you'll only do it once!

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We have a few parishoners who have gone through seminary so I've learned a lot during coffee hour. But I also look at it as a chance to spend time with people who have a fairly similar mindset faithwise as you do and I feel that it helps my faith to socialize with them. I'm more likely to feel happy and content in my faith if I'm relatively happy and content in my life.

My stepmom does not like staying for coffee hour, because the weekend is the only time she can get anything done around the house and she feels that spending an hour or two would be wasted time.

But when my dad gets back in a few weeks, we will be staying after.



Mistake: talking inside the church after the Liturgy when people are going up to kiss the cross and be blessed.

Akathist said:

Oh I totally agree with this. I would even say that the first time one goes to a DL try not to read the booklets most parishes have with the words of the DL printed in them but instead just soak everything up then read the words afterwards.

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I know what you mean. I used to use the books, but now if I ever picked one up, I wouldn't be able to find where I'm at! All I really know how to tell where we are in the Liturgy, is hearing a few key things like the litanies and I know where we're at in the Liturgy.

Akathist said:

Oh I totally agree with this. I would even say that the first time one goes to a DL try not to read the booklets most parishes have with the words of the DL printed in them but instead just soak everything up then read the words afterwards.

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Although I found it hard to figure out what to do with my hands (other than crossing myself here and there) so it helped to have the book to hold on to... even if I didn't follow along too much. Plus, unless you have the exact same book as Father is using you're bound to have different words used and some minor differences and that kept adding to my confusion in the beginning.
Now my biggest problem during Liturgy is that my hands and fingers swell. I have horrible circulation so now I have to put them up a little almost like I'm crossing my arms. Quite often I have to move my wedding band to my pinky finger as it gets really tight. It's a relief when I get to stand in communion line with my hands up and crossed on my chest. It bugs me because it takes away some focus.

2)Presuming to know enough about Orthodoxy as a catechumen while incorrectly/mistakenly representing Orthodox doctrine and teaching(s).

using the word "I".

Not realizing how lucky you are to have a church with a regular priest. Speaking as someone who attends a mission parish without an actual church and a bi-monthly visit from a priest it is hard not to be envious of the rest of you.

Mistake: Believing that any individual monk, nun, priest are above sin.

Mistake: Trying to hard to fix oneself rather than depending on the grace of God.

Not attending as many Holy Week services as possible.

Mistake: Not wearing comfortable shoes during the service.

Mistake: not going to Pre-Sanctified liturgy more than once during Great Lent.

Mistake: not understanding that Orthodoxy is best learnt from living it. From attending Divine Liturgy, from praying in your prayer corner, from going to Pre-Sanctified Liturgy and other Lenten services, especially Forgiveness Vespers.

Not doing what's best to serve for the second generations and converts into Orthodoxy (speaking to ethnic churches).