Hermit76

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This is the most promising and mature post I've seen since becoming Orthodox. It makes me realize I've been asking the wrong questions while the seeking the wrong information.

"Teach us how to pray" seems so needful
 
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~Anastasia~

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I think I'm gonna stay right outa there. There was something spiritually deadening and grace robbing about the place. The experience reminded me of when the Holy Spirit wouldn't let the Apostles preach to word in the region of Asia, as mentioned in Acts. Something was telling me that the mission I was on was not blessed.
You definitely have to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I still find it slightly productive, at times. But my interaction is akin to dipping in a toe from time to time. My SF directed me long ago not to involve myself in arguments anywhere online, and while I've failed to keep that precisely, striving toward it has made all the difference.

And then there have been months at a time when I don't go at all.

I am still reminded of the fact that I never would have found Orthodoxy were it not for the wisdom in the replies of two Orthodox posters in particular who would give short replies there.

But if we get pulled down ourselves, what we offer no longer shines as light. So that is a major consideration.

It can be difficult, and terribly grieving, to see how misguided some people have been. Of course I remember that I was once exposed to nearly every bad teaching there is, and it took me decades to sort through it all. Simply finding that the ancient faith had been preserved could have saved me all that work. ;) But God saw fit to do things as He did. How can I know but it may be the same for someone else.

But we really must take care of ourselves. If we lose what we have received of the grace of God, what good would we be?
 
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Gregory Thompson

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How can I be delivered from the insidious trap of... ... ... General Theology?!!! Please help!
Go to all the threads you no longer wish to respond to and hit "unwatch" at the top of the page, and respond to posts in a friendlier setting. It is important to note, there will always be someone wrong on the internet, if you need to overcome the covetous desire to prove people wrong, confess the sin and pray for help. Once you feel "released" (if this is the case) then use the unwatch button and post in other places.

That's what helps me anyway.
 
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~Anastasia~

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Go to all the threads you no longer wish to respond to and hit "unwatch" at the top of the page, and respond to posts in a friendlier setting. It is important to note, there will always be someone wrong on the internet, if you need to overcome the covetous desire to prove people wrong, confess the sin and pray for help. Once you feel "released" (if this is the case) then use the unwatch button and post in other places.

That's what helps me anyway.
:)

I saw this years ago.

IMG_2527.PNG



Sometimes I think of it when I need to be reminded. It would be a crusade that took the rest of one's life and in the end ... there would still be multitudes who were wrong on the internet. ;)
 
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~Anastasia~

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Actually I just popped into a thread in Controversial. The OP is not Orthodox but asks a very good question concerning a (wrong) prevailing attitude in much of Christianity. The discussion goes on for pages.

It occurs to me that to invite such a discussion in public (not saying anything bad about the OP - I think his intentions were noble) ... but if you get a flood of opposing responses, isn't there the risk of them just serving to cement their wrong beliefs as they read one another? The number of "like/agree/winner" votes for opposing posts ... it concerns me.

I much. Much. MUCH prefer talking to people quietly, sanely, singly or in very small groups - so no stampede against the truth gets a chance to start.

Just an observation for today. May God bless his efforts though.
 
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It can be difficult, and terribly grieving, to see how misguided some people have been.
This is what is the hardest thing to endure. I feel like I had become afflicted with "Therapist burnout" after just a little while.
 
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~Anastasia~

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This is what is the hardest thing to endure. I feel like I had become afflicted with "Therapist burnout" after just a little while.

I know what you mean.

And they are usually oblivious. For many of them, it's just about arguing, as if being strident makes their points true. Of course - they believe they ARE true.

Honestly ... it's better (IMO) to share the truth, truly cultivate care and love for people, but watch for those whom God has brought to a point of readiness. I think I see more and more that it is God's doing, not ours. I think we can make nothing happen. Just care for folks, pray for them, and offer truth to whoever is ready to receive it.
 
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mothcorrupteth

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You put up a good fight in there. But his tactic is to overwhelm you with so many arguments across the board that you have to divert energy to counter it all. Get him to concentrate his energy where he's weak, then crush him there.
 
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I know what you mean.

And they are usually oblivious. For many of them, it's just about arguing, as if being strident makes their points true. Of course - they believe they ARE true.

Honestly ... it's better (IMO) to share the truth, truly cultivate care and love for people, but watch for those whom God has brought to a point of readiness. I think I see more and more that it is God's doing, not ours. I think we can make nothing happen. Just care for folks, pray for them, and offer truth to whoever is ready to receive it.
I know. It's hard for me to listen to what they say, because of how aware I have become of the mechanisms which have been at work inside of them, which have brought them to where they are, some of whom seem to have crossed the threshold of no return. I can become both frustrated and deeply saddened. But I agree that some may be saved, and so there is still potential value in our posts. I don't think that we can do that without doing things to take care of ourselves: certain things that help to "take care of the caregiver", as they say. Thus, I come back here to vent in hopes of getting emotional support.

Thanks to all of you who understand.
 
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~Anastasia~

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I know. It's hard for me to listen to what they say, because of how aware I have become of the mechanisms which have been at work inside of them, which have brought them to where they are, some of whom seem to have crossed the threshold of no return. I can become both frustrated and deeply saddened. But I agree that some may be saved, and so there is still potential value in our posts. I don't think that we can do that without doing things to take care of ourselves: certain things that help to "take care of the caregiver", as they say. Thus, I come back here to vent in hopes of getting emotional support.

Thanks to all of you who understand.

We may have different approaches and different sensitivities (or not) ... but yes, I can understand from my own pov exactly what you are saying.

Maybe you're right, maybe it's because I can see from their point of view (often, since I've probably been there) but I can also see what's against them, and .... ah, the whole mess of it. I get spiritually a little tired just thinking about it.

We must absolutely take care of ourselves. I can tell there is a line there (and I've crossed it a few times) ... when I get out there I am without the grace of God and trying to do it on my own - which in my case both tempts pride and then invites despair since I probably fall flat.

Sometimes I wish I could live part-time or at least often visit a monastery. There is something in that kind of focus that would help. But I'm just here in my regular life. So I need to remember to try to recharge myself as well.


I try not to think any are so wrapped up in how they think that they are beyond escaping it. Or if I think they might be, I try to be blind to that. It grieves too much. My husband likes to quote some popular (probably evangelical) pastor who apparently remarked something about throwing a stone into a pack of dogs, and the one that yelps is the one you hit. I'm not sure if the original intent was this, but what I DO sometimes see is a very great flurry of arguments against when they are at the threshold of opening the door to truth. So while I'm not inclined to argue, just give info, I try to remember that one just might be on the verge of allowing himself to really investigate what Christianity always believed.

I guess I try to think positively after all.
 
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We may have different approaches and different sensitivities (or not) ... but yes, I can understand from my own pov exactly what you are saying.

Maybe you're right, maybe it's because I can see from their point of view (often, since I've probably been there) but I can also see what's against them, and .... ah, the whole mess of it. I get spiritually a little tired just thinking about it.

We must absolutely take care of ourselves. I can tell there is a line there (and I've crossed it a few times) ... when I get out there I am without the grace of God and trying to do it on my own - which in my case both tempts pride and then invites despair since I probably fall flat.

Sometimes I wish I could live part-time or at least often visit a monastery. There is something in that kind of focus that would help. But I'm just here in my regular life. So I need to remember to try to recharge myself as well.


I try not to think any are so wrapped up in how they think that they are beyond escaping it. Or if I think they might be, I try to be blind to that. It grieves too much. My husband likes to quote some popular (probably evangelical) pastor who apparently remarked something about throwing a stone into a pack of dogs, and the one that yelps is the one you hit. I'm not sure if the original intent was this, but what I DO sometimes see is a very great flurry of arguments against when they are at the threshold of opening the door to truth. So while I'm not inclined to argue, just give info, I try to remember that one just might be on the verge of allowing himself to really investigate what Christianity always believed.

I guess I try to think positively after all.
That's cool.
 
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GoingByzantine

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I used to post there, but it is usually not worth it. It is not that the other members of that section are bad people, but they refuse to listen to anything that is not from a fundamentalist protestant POV.
 
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