How Orthodox are you?

MsDahl said:

What I do try to do is to learn more about my faith, apply my faith to my life, teach my son my faith, let anyone who comes to my home or who meets me know that we serve God as Orthodox Christians (my family), love those around me, share my faith with them when they inquire about it, attend Divine Liturgy as a family, see to it that my son is attentive during Sunday school, pray daily, read Scripture, and things of that nature.

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gzt said:

I think using "Thou/Thee" is stupid

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-Kyriaki- said:

If you feel that you don't fit in because of those things, then that's exactly why you should stay, because internet forums being the thing you described yourself as "not" are not good examples of Orthodoxy in general. We're all converts here, and we tend to be zealous and into theology and lonely in our Orthodoxy at some point, so we go on the internet to find people of like mind. Most of the time we settle down and into a routine.

Most people here know I haven't been allowed to fast for years, which I've endured because guys, you don't know what a blessing fasting is until you don't have it . I've been sick which has meant that establishing any sort of routine has been hopeless and I tend to skip daily prayers done "properly" more often than not, but end up saying prayers just as I go to bed, the Orthodox ones I know for myself, my family and my friends. I haven't got small compline memorised, and I really don't think God minds as long as we're sincere. Now that I'm getting/am better I'm trying to establish a routine again, and I'll get there.

I'm not sure whether this is true for everyone, but my Priest says that we shouldn't talk about the details of our spiritual lives with the wider world. So talking about what your prayer rule is and who keeps the fast and what theology you read isn't really appropriate IMO since that should be between someone and their spiritual father, and perhaps their closest friends or their spouse if they really need someone to talk to. Internet forums are not good places to talk about these things.

On top of this, American Orthodoxy is very very slavic flavoured. Most of you don't notice it, but even the Greeks and particularly the Antiochians have it. Yes I know you use Byzantine music in Church etc, but the Saints that you read and the attitude that a lot of you have is Russian, which is a bit strange for me, because I'm for all intents and purposes "old country greek Orthodox". I am not part of a parish full of converts - when I joined my parish, I was one of three, and all of us had newly come. One of those was my catechist, who turned up on TAW once or twice if any of you remember him, and another was a catechumen who was baptised with me but now I never see at Church. We have an interesting growing gaggle of converts now, largely thanks to my priest who seems to draw them, but that's about 8 of us if we're all there in a very large, ethnically Greek parish. The only people I discuss theology with if I do at all are my priest or these converts, who have come to Orthodoxy through theological study just as I have. But I don't even do that much anymore. I had my dose of theology and now I am happy doing the business of being an orthodox christian - loving those around me, keeping the feasts and fasts of the Church as best I can, praying however I can, loving and looking after the man I want to marry. Andrew's family is pious, but he's the only one that keeps the fasts strictly. The others have medical reasons (or not) not to fast in the proper way, and so at dinner on a Friday night there might be three different fasting rules in play and everyone eats what they can. When I couldn't fast at all I ended up eating the same as everyone else (with fakes (lentils) or whatever)....and a piece of steak. This forum isn't a good representation of the pious people who have been Orthodox for generations and outnumber us converts by a lot. They have preserved the faith and people complaining about ethnic parishes on here makes my blood boil, because I've been adopted by one such parish and in return they have taught me their language and their culture and their recipes. And we converts have taught them a few things too

I'm here because it's nice to talk about the Saints and feasts and a few interesting topics with other people, and most of all because TAW was what gave me the tools and courage to set foot in an Orthodox Church on my nameday two and a bit years ago. And I think, to be part of something like that is a good thing, if I can help another person. With that, I think that we need to remember that TAW is a witness. I was drawn to this forum for a number of reasons, but they were all theological and, really, ephemeral. What GOT me, was seeing the thread for Cheesefare Sunday and forgiveness vespers, where everyone asked the forgiveness of everyone else, and then went into GT and did the same. That, is Orthodox life. Reading the Church Fathers is good. Reading The Way of a Pilgrim is also good, I'd assume, I haven't done so. Jumping on the theology of everyone who posts here because it isn't Orthodox is not...charity goes a long way and we were all there once. And with those who have left...I do not think associating with them on a regular basis is helpful, but I disagree with those who think they have to have Orthodoxy and how it disagrees with them shoved in their face. We are not priests let alone spiritual fathers who have the discernment to know how to treat these people, so it's better to treat them, and everyone else here, with grace and love and forgiveness. We are not God to pass judgement.

Please stay. I need other people who haven't got their i's dotted and their t's crossed as far as the "internet/convert Orthodox ideal' says, because you give me hope.

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Protoevangel said:

I guess I don't get the question. How does one measure Orthodoxy?

If I measure it by knowing bits of trivia and making a good argument, maybe I'm a little Orthodox. If I measure it by prayer, I'm not very Orthodox at all. If I measure it by the holiness of my life, I am not at all Orthodox.

MsDahl, you belong here more than I do. Of that much I am sure.

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Michael the Iconographer said:

How Orthodox is that?

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HandmaidenOfGod said:

Is Outrage!

(And I really do mean it! )

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ortho_cat said:

Are baba's grandmothers?

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