I don't know how someone could call themselves Christians while denying the Virgin birth and resurrection. That's insane!
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I don't know how someone could call themselves Christians while denying the Virgin birth and resurrection. That's insane!
Many today both laity and clergy do. Optional beliefs. In fact I remember an Anglican cleric saying just that, that in anglicanism it's no longer a big deal to believe in it, optional.I don't know how someone could call themselves Christians while denying the Virgin birth and resurrection. That's insane!
I don't hate Protestants, no one I know of at my church hates Protestants, no one I know of here in TAW hates them.My intention is not to offend anyone, but so far, the biggest hurdle for me in joining the Orthodox faith is an apparent dislike for "Protestant" Christians.
I would like to share a letter that I wrote to a friend of mine who is a recent (Australian) inquirer in the Orthodox Church.
"I want to share some thoughts with you and I hope you won't take offense. The Australian priest's words have stuck with me, as well as a cartoon I saw on Facebook mocking protestants...and other bits I've picked up here and there. I've developed a rule over the past year, that if a Christian displays hatred for others, especially other Christians, they are someone who I should assume is not walking with God.
I find it ironic that the priest seemed concerned that I might be taking advice from a "crazy American Ascetic", as I have received most of my information so far from the Australian Father Kosmas. Father Seraphim Rose is the closest I've come to taking advice from an American Orthodox ascetic....and I respect him very much.
I have also noticed an attitude from many of the Orthodox people I've observed of an intense dislike, even hatred toward protestants, and an overwhelming attitude that they can't possibly know Christ.
This truly concerns me, especially when I see leaders with these attitudes.
I realize that America is very corrupt and worldly, my understanding is that the same is true of Australia as well as other countries.
I realize that protestant churches house many "cultural christians" and false converts. Of course, the Orthodox nations like Russia have a terrible problem with this also.
Some of the Orthodox I've seen condemning protestants appear to have worldly and even anti-christ interests.
I know that no person and no church is perfect. I know there are major problems with the protestant churches. But I also know several (Protestant)precious souls who love Jesus with their whole heart and share that love with those around them. These people are living testimonies to Christ's transformation of lives and His miracles. To deny that is, as far as I'm concerned, a denial of Christ Himself.
At this point, I am concerned that I may not be able to move past this issue with the Church. I truly hope that I have gotten the wrong impression or that there are enough people who don't share these views that this issue won't be a stumbling block for me."...
I'd like to hear your opinion and experience on this issue.
Yep. There are plenty of Orthodox people that I can't stand.I have met a number of Orthodox people whose attitudes I didn't like, and whom I didn't like personally, but I have never encountered hatred of protestants. Snarkiness online is the worst I've seen.
Yep. There are plenty of Orthodox people that I can't stand.
A presbytera I once knew called it the Church of eccentrics. She's not wrongThe newbie millennials and whatever you call the current batch of 18-25evers. They’re so dang weird it’s not funny....loud, annoying, and quirky. We have a bunch of them dressing like it’s 1865, their hair is a mess, they smoke, their table at coffee hour is absurdly loud, and they’re super opinionated. This one Muslim convert we have is nuttier than a fruitcake. I’m still trying to figure out the odd clothes though. My own 3 kids think they’re utterly bizarre. Some of the 30-somethings are churning out babies like it’s a competition. Oddsville.
My friend, a widowed matushka, always tells me her priest husband and she used to always observe that Orthodox are some of the weirdest people you’ll ever see...
I was talking to some coworkers who are around 10 years younger than me on 9/11 last year. There was a distinct difference in our perspective and understanding of the impact of 9/11. I was a senior in high school, attending some college classes, and they were still in elementary school / early middle school. A classmate in my college class was pulled out of class because her father worked in the twin towers. The silence of the room was deafening. While we experienced every second of it in shock and watched the aftermath unfold, they didn’t understand or feel its import. To them, it was a historical event. To us, it altered our view of the world.A presbytera I once knew called it the Church of eccentrics. She's not wrong
I think the generation you're talking about would be Generation Z or Zoomers. Mine, the ones who remember 9/11, are Millennials as much as I hate to admit it. A lot of the "those darn millennials" articles you see in the media are really referring to Generation Z. The biggest difference is that Millennials lived the transition from analog to digital. We had cassettes and chalk boards as kids, but saw whiteboards and knew how to burn CDs in middle school/junior high. We remember the pre-9/11 world. We graduated within a few years of the 2008 Recession.
The newbie millennials and whatever you call the current batch of 18-25evers. They’re so dang weird it’s not funny....loud, annoying, and quirky. We have a bunch of them dressing like it’s 1865, their hair is a mess, they smoke, their table at coffee hour is absurdly loud, and they’re super opinionated. This one Muslim convert we have is nuttier than a fruitcake. I’m still trying to figure out the odd clothes though. My own 3 kids think they’re utterly bizarre. Some of the 30-somethings are churning out babies like it’s a competition. Oddsville.
My friend, a widowed matushka, always tells me her priest husband and she used to always observe that Orthodox are some of the weirdest people you’ll ever see...
The newbie millennials and whatever you call the current batch of 18-25evers. They’re so dang weird it’s not funny....loud, annoying, and quirky. We have a bunch of them dressing like it’s 1865, their hair is a mess, they smoke, their table at coffee hour is absurdly loud, and they’re super opinionated. This one Muslim convert we have is nuttier than a fruitcake. I’m still trying to figure out the odd clothes though. My own 3 kids think they’re utterly bizarre. Some of the 30-somethings are churning out babies like it’s a competition. Oddsville.
My friend, a widowed matushka, always tells me her priest husband and she used to always observe that Orthodox are some of the weirdest people you’ll ever see...
I'll probably regret asking this, but how does someone dress like it's 1865? Are they in stovepipe hats or something?
They’re so dang weird...