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[Wgw]

I disagree with their stance of Chiliasm, the Law, icons, man's ability, understanding of what it means that the Church will not fall, that the majority of the Church can not ever be wrong. Stuff like that.

Well they should be as extreme as they are. But I think it is their beliefs that are extreme, in a righteous way, but it doesn't seem to be enforced.

I don't think they all are. Most seem to be worldly though from what I have seen on the forums. And you don't see much power in the public sector of EO just like most other Christian groups. You usually see it with people who basically have come out of all the systems of men and just genuinely follow Christ from the heart the best they can.

I'm sure I would fit in a lot better in Orthodoxy than any Protestant church. But I would not be able to do one of most important things and that is submit to the leadership on a lot of key issues. And plenty have said my attitude is a know it all attitude that is a waste of time to approach Orthodoxy.

Question: Don't you think it strange that Daniel said the Little Horn of Daniel would think to change the appointed times an laws and yet somehow you have this anti-Torah stance of a huge overhaul of the Law of Moses in the New Law of Christ? I mean what was he going to do,change man's laws? That would be lame because man changes their laws all the time. Nothing special.

The Ethiopian Orthodpx due to their Judaic roots essentially follow the Torah. However it is not regarded as generally binding which is why they do not object to the Coptic, Syriac, Armenian and Indian churches not following it.

 

[Gregory the NonTheologian]

I disagree with their stance of Chiliasm, the Law, icons, man's ability, understanding of what it means that the Church will not fall, that the majority of the Church can not ever be wrong. Stuff like that.

As another poster said, I think, it is possible to understand Orthodoxy without being exposed to the services. I asked what things you disagreed with, since you said those things would prevent you from ever attending an Orthodox service.

First of all, no one is going to bother you at any Orthodox service and start questioning you on your views. You will find that everyone during the service is intensely focused on worship. No one cares where you come from or what you believe. There is no preaching during an Orthodox service, except for a short sermon during the Liturgy. Most parishes try to have two Vespers services on Wednesday and Saturday evenings and Liturgies on Sunday and two other days of the week.

You have a pretty long list of things. I wonder if you could say what you believe the stance of the Orthodox Church is in each of these areas to help me respond better.

But I would not be able to do one of most important things and that is submit to the leadership on a lot of key issues.

The Orthodox Church basically follows the hierarchy of bishop-presbyter-deacon that was initially founded at the time of the Apostles and later amended by the early Church Fathers to deal with practical issues as the Church grew in size. In the Orthodox Church, all the lay members of the Diocese have a say in whom they want to select as their bishop. No bishop can hold their office unless they have the support of the lay people. But I don't know what sort of issues you imagine might be a source of contention.

 

[True Science]

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[True Science]

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[True Science]

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[True Science]

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[True Science]

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[Gregory the NonTheologian]

"First of all, no one is going to bother you at any Orthodox service and start questioning you on your views. You will find that everyone during the service is intensely focused on worship. No one cares where you come from or what you believe. There is no preaching during an Orthodox service, except for a short sermon during the Liturgy. Most parishes try to have two Vespers services on Wednesday and Saturday evenings and Liturgies on Sunday and two other days of the week."

So it is on these extra days that you have preaching, teaching, and also Scripture studies and stuff?

All Orthodox services are worship services. They are chanted by an a capella choir from start to finish (usually very beautifully). The texts of the Services themselves serve the purpose of preaching, teaching and Scripture studies, as all three of those elements are in the text of the Services (a number of Psalms are read, for example, during the Vespers and Matins services). Some parishes also have informal study groups as well, but the focus of the Church is worship and humbly giving thanks and glory to God.

 

[Wgw]

Well I don't know if that is true. But I do know that the extra secret books in their unique NT canon say that the Apostles commanded that we have to still keep much of the Torah, much, much more than most think is necessary today. And they say that whoever doesn't are to be excommunicated because they have fallen away and if they repent and come back they have to do penance, and if once isn't following these laws they are essentially on their way to Hell, and warns that many will fall away from these things, and these books are not meant for all people to read, but only the worthy and it says if anyone reads them and doesn't listen to what they say they will be damned, so I don't recommend seeking to read them unless you have a lot of faith.

If what you said herein was true, the Ethiopians would excommunicate the other Oriental Orthodox who disagree.

But I think your explanation doesn't seem to make sense. Also things I have heard from them contradict what you say. Like he Ethiopian Orthodox Church interprets the Acts 15 Council pretty much the same as we Nazarenes do. It is very interesting. Nazarenes and Ethiopians both have very ancient roots. But the Nazarenes are even more ancient. It's right in Acts. The the Nazarenes, the Way.

I rather doubt it was talking about a contemporary offshoot of Methodism.

Also, do you know what is Judaic about Ethiopia? I know there are are Israelites there that were scattered in the Diasporah, like the Beta Israel Jews. But all in all isn't Ethiopia of Ham?

This perspective seems a bit inadvertantly racist in that it seems to presuppose someone who is black is inherently "of Ham" and not possibly Jewish or Semitic. In fact, Ethiopia is probably the most Judaic culture outside Israel, and has historically spoken Semitic languages like Ge'ez and now Amharic.

Did Israel have such a strong influence on them and their culture?

Yes.

 

[Wgw]

Let's pick the first one, Chiliasm. You can't hold that view and be Orthodox. They say it is heresy. Even though I don't even think it conflicts with the Nicean Creed like they say, it can easily be reconciled. It makes no sense to call this doctrine heresy. It seems this is a product of the church-state mixture.

I think a state church would rather promote Chiliasm, since the regime could then claim the Millenium was Just Around the Corner, in order to persuade people to strive for it in accord with state policy.