Refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19 is a ’sin’ & anti-vaxxers must spend their life repenting

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prodromos

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In the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese here in Sydney, Australia, there is one priest who ignored all the closures and kept his parish open to all who would come, despite the fact that he is elderly and suffers from a number of health conditions. Fr Nektarios serves the parish of Sts Helen and Constantine in Newtown, which is the gay and lesbian capital of our state. For decades he has been providing food for anyone in need, and the church hall has regularly been filled with homeless, drug addicts, homosexuals and transvestites, most of whom are not Christians let alone Orthodox, yet they call him Father and kiss his hand.
May God grant him many years.
 
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Justin-H.S.

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The Church IS ESSENTIAL and one of the most essential places on the planet, especially during crises and horrible events.

Not to a materialist. What we have in the states is not a Christian nation, but a materialist nation with a veneer of Christianity atop. The veneer is thicker among some more than others, but nevertheless materialism is the presupposition/philosophy I’d estimate 99% of everyone (Orthodox included) operates from.
 
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Dorothea

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Not to a materialist. What we have in the states is not a Christian nation, but a materialist nation with a veneer of Christianity atop. The veneer is thicker among some more than others, but nevertheless materialism is the presupposition/philosophy I’d estimate 99% of everyone (Orthodox included) operates from.
Can't disagree with you. What's been bothering me for quite some time is how everything in this country seems to focus around money and making money. It feels like our lives are down on the priority totem pole from this obsession with money, production, GDP, et. al.
 
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Paidiske

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He hasn't been around to say anything since he is presently in Greece, but we are particularly interested to hear what he has to say now that our state government has announced that only the vaccinated will be able to attend church services when they start to lift restrictions here. As our spiritual father has said, "any church that denies entry to the unvaccinated is not the Church of Christ." Our Prime Minister is Catholic and our State Premier is Armenian Orthodox, unfortunately in name only, but then I guess you are well aquainted with the hypocrasy of your current House Speaker and President.

FWIW, our Prime Minister is Pentecostal. I imagine that, now that the biggest Pentecostal denomination here have come out stating they won't refuse entry to only the unvaccinated, we may see more openness to flexibility (especially coupled with the fact that just about every church is saying the same, from a national to a local level. I'm aware of a lot of lobbying going on, both publicly and behind the scenes).
 
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Justin-H.S.

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Can't disagree with you. What's been bothering me for quite some time is how everything in this country seems to focus around money and making money. It feels like our lives are down on the priority totem pole from this obsession with money, production, GDP, et. al.

Money = Power, and to the power-hungry our lives absolutely do not matter. There’s already a movement that is building a parallel society seen in the Eastern block nations in the late 20th century.

 
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All4Christ

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Great blessing. And for those at home, having their parish still offer the Liturgy was still a great blessing.

Also, understand, no one asked them to do this. It was their initiative. In fact, Lord forgive us, we went to our county Sheriff and they explained we could have up to I think 10 people in the church. But we again got no from our own. We asked the secular power again for Pascha and specifically we were allowed by the county to do an outdoor service if we could ensure the "social" distancing (eerily unusual misnomer for physical distancing). We even imagined a Light / blessed bread drive-through of sorts for anyone who'd be too fearful to step into the church yard. That was a no go from our authority as well. It's hard to struggle with such things but I think we came through in the end.

I recall that my friends in Romania, at least, had the assurance of being remembered at the Holy Proskomidia every time. Not here. Also, in Romania, I think they had the... police deliver Light and Paschal blessed bread to people in their homes.

And even there, people were realizing that through the Turks, the Tatars, innumerable and far more gruesome plagues, famine, drought, 2 world wars, the communists - the Church was never closed, Pascha was never "restructured". On the contrary, the Church was the place of refuge and the place of strength, through century after century. Often, the ONLY such place.

I don't want that history to be forgotten and I don't want this more recent history to be forgotten either.
I’ve been thinking as we come up to 9/11 about how much of a culture change and life impact to my country and fellow citizens at that point. I think that was one of the last times we truly came together as one. Republican, Democrat, Independent and everything in between - politics became unimportant for a time. It just was us all coming together as Americans - as a family. Even if we had different opinions on how to handle it - we were Americans, standing together against that horrific act.

Now this COVID pandemic will be another culture changing event…life impact for those who are there. The younger generation that doesn’t really remember 9/11 as more than a historical event will now have this as a turning point of the world in their life. Sadly, instead of joining together as one in the nation, it is tearing us apart.

Memory eternal for all who lost their life during the tragedy of 9/11 - and for all that lost their life through this pandemic. :crosseo:
 
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Dorothea

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As every day passes in this mass hysteria and insanity, more and more I wonder what this is all truly about. Lots of people will quit or lose their jobs with Biden's insane edict, and I'm wondering if this is a global idea that seems to be going down the path of lords and serfs, the majority/masses having no independence or free will to live without the consent of the global elites with all the money. I saw the Great Reset video last year, and "You will own nothing" (paraphrasing) was alarming enough, but if you couple it with "You no longer have a job unless we allow it", seems to fall into this idea that is stewing in my mind.

I know. I sound crazy, but I tend to think and mull over things and ask WHY on many things happening in the world, and this around the 9/11 date. Things certainly changed after that, including loss of liberties and privacy. Now it seems to be moving onto loss of one's independence altogether, and livelihood. Hope I'm wrong...
 
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Justin-H.S.

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ArmyMatt

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Memory eternal for all who lost their life during the tragedy of 9/11 - and for all that lost their life through this pandemic. :crosseo:

may their souls dwell with the blessed!
 
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Dorothea

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New reflection from His Grace, Siluan, from Australia and New Zealand, the Serbian Orthodox Church:

“But He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out!” (Luke 19:40)

To Whom It May Concern,

I am compelled by my conscience as Bishop of the faithful entrusted to me, to address by way of this open letter my deep concerns regarding the situation our Nation has spiraled into during this current health crisis, which we fear is becoming more of a crisis of humanity than that of health itself.

The Latin proverb Homo homini lupus est, "A man is a wolf to another man," has tragically found its new form and expression in today’s crisis as: "Homo homini virus est! Man has become a virus to his fellow man" in this ever-changing world and dystopian looking society. This is not hyperbole; it is happening right now around us. Just look at our workplaces, formerly places of collegiality and friendship, now rapidly digressing into segregation, suspicion, bullying and ridicule of those who have not yet received the green ticket!

A vivid example of this was presented to me by one of our faithful in possession of a medical exemption, who has been labelled a health risk by their colleagues and has ever since been treated with contempt and discrimination, as if they were a leper, a walking virus.

This type of behaviour would previously be deemed unacceptable, however in the ‘new normal’ of today’s dystopian society it is subtly encouraged through media hysteria which is fueling mass psychosis, in which fear and anxiety, mistrust and segregation have become the new Gospel!

The policy of “no jab, no job”, has had and continues to have an impact on the well-being and mental health of many who feel that they have been pushed into a corner and forced to take the vaccine without the right to informed consent and right of conscience. This should not be happening anywhere in the world, especially in a democracy such as Australia. People have a legitimate right to be concerned and to ask questions regarding these particular vaccines, as they are still dubbed to be in their clinical trial phase, as recently stated by the Australian Minister for Health.

These measures, or workplace policies, have created many social and existential anxieties that have impacted the community.

No blackmail or coercion, including that of vaccination is morally acceptable. Without freedom of choice there is no humanity. Orthodox Christianity professes that the human person is created in the image and likeness of God and that the central quality or attribute of this Image is the gift of free will, the ability to make an informed and free choice.

For example, following Christ in the Orthodox Church is ontologically significant because following Christ leads to formation, i.e., human transformation and completion = perfection = salvation. However, through the lens of Orthodox soteriology this is a synergetic act(ion) which entails a free disposition on humanity’s part. Christ himself says: “If anyone DESIRES to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Christ leaves us with a choice, does not cancel out human freedom to choose, does not impose salvation.

St Iranaeus also echoes this: “…because God made man a free agent from the beginning, possessing his own power, even as he does his own soul, to obey the behests of God voluntarily, and not by compulsion of God. For there is no coercion with God, but a good will towards us is present with Him continually. And therefore does He give good counsel to all. In man, as well as the angels, He has placed the power of choice…” (St. Iranaeus, Against the Heresies, IV, 37, I). This should not be equivocated to an anti-vax position, but rather one of informed consent, also considering any ethical concerns that those of faith might have.

Orthodox Christians, for example, have a moral issue accepting vaccines that have been developed from cell lines that were obtained from tissues harvested from aborted fetuses.The issue of ethical concerns for such vaccines was raised last year by some of the major Christian jurisdictions in Australia, such as the Roman Catholic, the Anglican and Greek Orthodox Archdioceses. Therefore, the moral concerns of Christians should be taken into consideration, as they are not simply subjective views, but derive from the fundamental positions and core beliefs of the Church. That is why our faithful may appeal to this, our Archpastoral letter, and other statements of the Orthodox Church as to why they are unable to receive these particular vaccines.

I would also like to mention as a great concern the alarming prospects of the introduction of Vaccine Passports. I believe that this will lead to a two-tiered society, it will divide people, families, and friends and will provide a basis for acts of discrimination and ostracization. In relation to this, media reports have also mentioned that “Churches will be required to use Vaccination Certificate Systems for Vaccinated-ONLY Worship”?!? This is totally foreign to the Spirit of the Church, to the Ecclesiology, the Holy Gospel and Tradition of the Church. We could never accept or adopt such a practice! It would entail discrimination against those who are members of the same Body, the Body of Christ, His Holy Church. How can we go against the Gospel? Against Christ who exclaims: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28). We cannot accept the polarisation of the faithful, it goes against the very nature of the Church and we will not be implementing this system in our churches.

The Church embraces all who seek Christ, those vaccinated and unvaccinated. It will seek to heal a wounded and heavy-laden society, not inflict new wounds and burdens.

I pray that Christ illumines and heals us all, this society immersed in the darkness of sorrow and anxiety, that we may perceive our fellow neighbours, not as a virus, but as those fashioned in His image and likeness.

With Archpastoral love and blessings,

+ S I L U A N

ARCHPASTORAL REFLECTION ON CURRENT COVID CRISIS | By: S I L U A N Bishop of the Metropolitante of Australia and New Zealand The Serbian Orthodox Church
 
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Dorothea

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From the bishop's letter above: In relation to this, media reports have also mentioned that “Churches will be required to use Vaccination Certificate Systems for Vaccinated-ONLY Worship”?!? -- Good God. Totally of the enemy. Division even in worshipping in our churches? This is the spirit of the antichrist.
 
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All4Christ

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From the bishop's letter above: In relation to this, media reports have also mentioned that “Churches will be required to use Vaccination Certificate Systems for Vaccinated-ONLY Worship”?!? -- Good God. Totally of the enemy. Division even in worshipping in our churches? This is the spirit of the antichrist.
Is that being considered in both Australia and New Zealand? Is it just media or is it actually true reporting?
 
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Lukaris

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Israel is now on 3rd & 4th wave of “booster” shots. So will it eventually reach a point if a person should have 99 “booster” shots but only has 98, will that be considered “unvaccinated”? I am vaccinated ( for now, I guess with the 1 jab J&J “vaccine”) but where is all of this going? Of course, my linked article from National Propaganda Radio has plenty of “well because” “explanations” .

Highly Vaccinated Israel Is Seeing A Dramatic Surge In New COVID Cases. Here's Why
 
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Paidiske

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Is that being considered in both Australia and New Zealand? Is it just media or is it actually true reporting?

It is true reporting for Australia, at least. In my state we expect it to come into force approximately mid-next month. As I said upthread, there is currently a great deal of lobbying, from across the full spectrum of churches, against vaccine passports being a condition of entry into churches.
 
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Dorothea

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Israel is now on 3rd & 4th wave of “booster” shots. So will it eventually reach a point if a person should have 99 “booster” shots but only has 98, will that be considered “unvaccinated”? I am vaccinated ( for now, I guess with the 1 jab J&J “vaccine”) but where is all of this going? Of course, my linked article from National Propaganda Radio has plenty of “well because” “explanations” .

Highly Vaccinated Israel Is Seeing A Dramatic Surge In New COVID Cases. Here's Why
Meanwhile, I saw on twitter the other day that health agencies and experts in the US said the virus is here to stay, and we'll have to live with it, like the flu. Kind of figured that already. It was already odd and insane, but all these boosters that even the WHO said to halt on them until next year and other experts said they need more time on the boosters, has become totally ridiculous.
 
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Dorothea

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Is that being considered in both Australia and New Zealand? Is it just media or is it actually true reporting?
The bishop lives in Australia. If you've been following the unbelievable horrible policies going on there for the past several months/year, that it came to this isn't too surprising, but still it's insane.
 
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