Another superfluous question from Big Fudge

[MariaRegina]

You and my hubby are so much alike. a couple years ago, a JW came by and hubby happened to answer the door. The guy asked if he goes to church, and hubby said, "Yes, I go to THE CHURCH." The JW said, "huh, I haven't heard of that one."

Love it.

 

[Dorothea]

Love it.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Well, there isn't an Orthodox Church in my town. Nearest one is in Fresno--my Serb parish. I'm hoping to do something about that in the near future. Father sounds supportive. The problem we face is that we have folks (like you and I!) who are eager and willing to spread the Orthodox faith, but there IS NOT Orthodox church parish in our area---and that's a problem! It's like saying, "let me tell you the REAL Church! Only one problem---there isn't one round these here parts, clem!" LOL

God bless you.
Have any of your students joined the Holy Orthodox Church?

 

[Ariadne_GR]

I alternate between "I'm Christian and "I'm Greek Orthodox". What is funny though is the Pentecostals at the church I go to constantly asking "have you accepted Jesus?" I guess people that live in a country town with no Orthodox whatsoever have no idea what it is. I have explained it at Bible study though to my group.

 

[Ignatius21]

We volunteer with a crisis pregnancy center in town, almost all of which is Evangelical of a decidedly Baptist bent. In fact our parish is starting to attend some of their fundraiser dinners, etc. What I get there is confusion. "You're Orthodox...is that Anglican?" "No, it's Orthodox." "Oh! That's one of the groups that broke off from the Church of England, right?" "No, it didn't break off from anything." Eventually we reach the point where it isn't Catholic and it isn't Protestant either, and then they just blink a few times and say "Well thank you for helping us!" and move on

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

We volunteer with a crisis pregnancy center in town, almost all of which is Evangelical of a decidedly Baptist bent. In fact our parish is starting to attend some of their fundraiser dinners, etc. What I get there is confusion. "You're Orthodox...is that Anglican?" "No, it's Orthodox." "Oh! That's one of the groups that broke off from the Church of England, right?" "No, it didn't break off from anything." Eventually we reach the point where it isn't Catholic and it isn't Protestant either, and then they just blink a few times and say "Well thank you for helping us!" and move on

 

[ArmyMatt]

I had a hispanic gentleman, a Jehova's Witness, come to my door recently. Kate looked like, "oh God, that poor soul!" when she realized that this guy was going to tangle with gurney!

LOL

He asked me if I read the Bible and go to Church. I said, "oh man, you bet! In fact, I'm a member of the actual Church Christ formed 2000 years ago and the same Church that put together the Bible you're asking about! What a coincidence!"

there is a Greek priest I know, Fr Alex Gousettis, who was asked at a Greek Festival by a local Pentecostal if he found Jesus yet. Fr Alex smiled, said yep, and pointed to the Pantocrater.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

...pointing to the tabernacle, iconostasis area, all works! That's a cool story.

there is a Greek priest I know, Fr Alex Gousettis, who was asked at a Greek Festival by a local Pentecostal if he found Jesus yet. Fr Alex smiled, said yep, and pointed to the Pantocrater.

 

[Dorothea]

there is a Greek priest I know, Fr Alex Gousettis, who was asked at a Greek Festival by a local Pentecostal if he found Jesus yet. Fr Alex smiled, said yep, and pointed to the Pantocrater.

Yep, my priest has done just about the same thing at one of our Greek festivals as well. A lady asked if he believed in Jesus, and he said, "Well, I hope so, seeing how we have a large icon of him over there," (pointing to the iconastasis).

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

But at some point one has to seriously be mind-boggled at the sheer level of ignorance and stupidity for someone to ask that kind of a no-brainer? It's the same cut of American that says, "is that guy Catholic or Christian?":o

Yep, my priest has done just about the same thing at one of our Greek festivals as well. A lady asked if he believed in Jesus, and he said, "Well, I hope so, seeing how we have a large icon of him over there," (pointing to the iconastasis).

 

[ClementofRome]

We volunteer with a crisis pregnancy center in town, almost all of which is Evangelical of a decidedly Baptist bent. In fact our parish is starting to attend some of their fundraiser dinners, etc. What I get there is confusion. "You're Orthodox...is that Anglican?" "No, it's Orthodox." "Oh! That's one of the groups that broke off from the Church of England, right?" "No, it didn't break off from anything." Eventually we reach the point where it isn't Catholic and it isn't Protestant either, and then they just blink a few times and say "Well thank you for helping us!" and move on

Move on people....nothing to see here....just move on!~!!

 

[-Kyriaki-]

Hahaha - oh so true. I just explain that we're a Church as old as the Catholics, and that's usually enough. It's not all that precise, but it's a good ten second explanation - it takes significantly longer if they want more than that!

I'm about to spend a week working in mission in my grandmother's country town with an ecumenical, largely evangelical group, teaching Bible stories and christianity to kids (well, mostly kids). It should be fun, and yes I have my SF's blessing (he figures I can teach the kids the Orthodox stuff...and yes, I can) but I am expecting lots of similar questions over the next week, just more respectful - they'll accept me being Christian since I've been accepted onto the team I went to this when I was growing up (it's been going on for a very long time) and my friend who I've known since before we were born (our parents have been friends since college) is one of the people running it and he's been asking me to help for years, so I'm doing it. I'm very much looking forward to it!

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

God's blessings be with you! Good luck!

Hahaha - oh so true. I just explain that we're a Church as old as the Catholics, and that's usually enough. It's not all that precise, but it's a good ten second explanation - it takes significantly longer if they want more than that!

I'm about to spend a week working in mission in my grandmother's country town with an ecumenical, largely evangelical group, teaching Bible stories and christianity to kids (well, mostly kids). It should be fun, and yes I have my SF's blessing (he figures I can teach the kids the Orthodox stuff...and yes, I can) but I am expecting lots of similar questions over the next week, just more respectful - they'll accept me being Christian since I've been accepted onto the team I went to this when I was growing up (it's been going on for a very long time) and my friend who I've known since before we were born (our parents have been friends since college) is one of the people running it and he's been asking me to help for years, so I'm doing it. I'm very much looking forward to it!

 

[RobNJ]

I just say "It's the church ROME split off from"

 

[MariaRegina]

I just say "It's the church ROME split off from"

Exactly, when four of the Patriarchs stay and one (Rome) leaves, then we can say that Rome split.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

That's correct. A Pentarchy with one out....and the Orthodox patriarchs didn't excommunicate anyone. It was Humbert with his nasty letters accusing married Orthodox clergy of deviant behavior and being sex fiends, of supposedly encouraging Orthodox clergy to castrate themselves, of Orthodox priests being so exhausted from constant sex with their wives that they'd arrive at divine liturgy lethargic, of excommunicating men who'd shaved their beards, etc. Anyone that off-their-rocker, anyone that nutty, how could any pope choose such a nut-job? The papacy had every chance to get back on the rails of the train, they chose schism. Problem often was that the Franks and Charlemagne's progeny had the strings of the popes!

Exactly, when four of the Patriarchs stay and one (Rome) leaves, then we can say that Rome split.

 

[Dorothea]

I just say "It's the church ROME split off from"

That's good.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I just say "It's the church ROME split off from"

hahaha, that is good. that reminds me of we knew the Pope was wrong 500 years before Luther.