Operation Gideon

[Oblio]

Is Outrage !

(This time I'm serious )

 

[kimber1]

what is their definition of spiritual bondage?

 

[Reader Nilus]

what is their definition of spiritual bondage?

It seems their definition of spiritual bondage is anything that is not a sinner's prayer and a emotional conversion. Needless to say I think the site merits an Orwellian award for double speak! They think that we Orthodox are caught in the devils snare with our ikons and liturgy. I also find it interesting there is no statement as to who is behind it.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Photini]

We aim to encourage Greeks and all people to turn back to the same God
that the Apostle Paul preached about on Mars Hill in Athens thousands of years ago.

If they only knew what they were saying. I pray all the Nounas there give these people something to chew on. Who knows? Maybe some of these will actually be converted to Orthodoxy....wouldn't that be something?!

 

[Photini]

I'd like to see one of them try to "adopt" Mount Athos!
WHOA!!

 

[Matrona]

I pray all the Nounas there give these people something to chew on. Who knows? Maybe some of these will actually be converted to Orthodoxy....wouldn't that be something?!

That has been my prayer for Russia--that the Russian people will convert those trying to draw them away from Orthodoxy. And so it will be for Greece--one of the islands they're trying to convert, Chios, is where my patron saint is from.

I can't believe the nerve these people have to go trooping around Greece, thoroughly ignorant that the country is already overwhelmingly Christian. They can't convert people who aren't Christian, these wimps have to go sheep-stealing from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church! They make me SICK!

 

[Patristic]

Why don't they just say they are trying to Protestantize Greece and the surrounding regions since that is what the goal is. Does anyone think any Orthodox communities are aware of this and maybe might try to convert some of the people involved?

 

[Matrona]

I'd like to see one of them try to "adopt" Mount Athos!
WHOA!!

Especially a female sheep-stealer, I mean, "missionary".

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

Those people are fools. Just wait until they run into the Greeks.

 

[Sergius_Lucius]

That has been my prayer for Russia--that the Russian people will convert those trying to draw them away from Orthodoxy

You know, I've heard a story about a group of Protestants (but I think they were Russians) who came to Sunday classes in an Orthodox church for preaching "true Gospel" and instead of that was converted.

I don't know how about Greece, but in Russia, frankly speaking, there is a lack of Orthodox mission, so those who become converted to Protestantism or some sect often don't realize what is Orthodoxy really.

 

[prodromos]

I wish I could remember now, but I remember reading of a monk the people of a particular village asked for help because there was a protestant missionary stirring up trouble. The monk, a simple man was at a loss as to what to do, but finally stated that they would build a bonfire in the village square the next morning and both he and the missionary would each walk through it. Whoever was unscathed would be the true witness. The villagers dutifully began building the bonfire but the next morning when the monk arrived to do his part, the missionary was nowhere to be seen, he had left the night before as soon as he saw that they were serious about doing this. Later, some other monks asked him if he wasn't afraid, to which he replied that he was a bit apprehensive, but far better that he a poor sinner burn than for these poor people to be misled.

Or something along those lines , I'll try and look it up for you.

John.

 

[ufonium2]

You know, I've heard a story about a group of Protestants (but I think they were Russians) who came to Sunday classes in an Orthodox church for preaching "true Gospel" and instead of that was converted.

I don't know how about Greece, but in Russia, frankly speaking, there is a lack of Orthodox mission, so those who become converted to Protestantism or some sect often don't realize what is Orthodoxy really.

I believe there's an OCA priest who went to Russia as a Protestant missionary and ended up being converted himself, but I can't remember details. I know an Ethiopian Orthodox girl here who was hassled fairly regularly by missionaries while still in Africa, as if there weren't millions of non-Christians over there for them to talk to. Yeesh, some people.

 

[Photini]

I wish I could remember now, but I remember reading of a monk the people of a particular village asked for help because there was a protestant missionary stirring up trouble. The monk, a simple man was at a loss as to what to do, but finally stated that they would build a bonfire in the village square the next morning and both he and the missionary would each walk through it. Whoever was unscathed would be the true witness. The villagers dutifully began building the bonfire but the next morning when the monk arrived to do his part, the missionary was nowhere to be seen, he had left the night before as soon as he saw that they were serious about doing this. Later, some other monks asked him if he wasn't afraid, to which he replied that he was a bit apprehensive, but far better that he a poor sinner burn than for these poor people to be misled.

Or something along those lines , I'll try and look it up for you.

John.

There is a story of how Saint Arsenios dealt with some Protestants who were sent to Farasa to proselytize. Saint Arsenios wouldn't even let them into the village saying, "Leave now, with your things as they are, before you unload them, because in Farasa we don't want another Protestant. The one we've got is enough, and the one Turk who's been here for years."
They then isolated that one Protestant who lived there by not speaking to him. Eventually he acknowledged the error of his ways and returned to Orthodoxy.

But I've also heard the story that you are referring to...I wish I could remember who it was about.

 

[countrymousenc]

My sympathies, dear ones. I don't know exactly who these people are, but their ignorance is sad.

 

[OrthodoxTexan]

Their Statement of Faith, from the website.

Statement of Faith




The doctrinal basis of our ministry





* We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are the supreme and final authority in faith and life.




* We believe in one God eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.




* We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary and is true God and true man.




* We believe that man was created in the image of God; he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death, which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and, in the case of those who reach moral responsibility, become sinners in thought, word and deed.




* We believe that all who receive, by repentance and faith, the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and become children of God.




* We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven and His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate.




* We believe in that "blessed hope," the personal and victorious return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.




* We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment of the lost.

 

[Suzannah]

This reminds me of when I was a teenager, and took part in "Teen Missions". We went to Scotland....*sigh*...the arrogance of my youth haunts me still.

O,Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me an arrogant sinner!

 

[Reader Nilus]

There is the History of Alaska, which speaks to protestants viewing us as pagans. Sheldon Jackson seemed intent on wiping Orthodoxy.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Reader Nilus]

Holy Martyr St Peter pray for all Orthodox Christians! May we follow your witness to the Lord!​

Jeff the Finn​

 

[prodromos]

But I've also heard the story that you are referring to...I wish I could remember who it was about.

I found it! It is in "An Athonite Gerontikon - Sayings of the Holy Fathers of Mount Athos" by Archimandrite Ioannikios

The monk, when asked by his fellow monks if he was prepared to go through the fire, responded thus;

"I was anxious, but I did not doubt our faith, and I thought: 'On this earth you deserve nothing but to be in hell. It would be better if you were burned here on earth than to be burning through eternity. Let us then enter into the fire'."

It's a great book, full of wonderful examples of deep humility and holy wisdom. Another great book is "Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters" by monk Paisios

John.

 

[nicodemus]

Before I ever heard of the Orthodox Church, a friend of mine went to Romania to "evangelize." Shortly after he came back, I started getting interested in Orthodoxy. That was 5 years ago. Last Sunday, he received the catechumeninal blessing

These people have no idea what they are up against.

There's a protestant church by my house that is always having guest pastors from Ukraine & Russia & Romania I guess to prove to them that they need to go into those countries

The woman my mom bought her condo from was a Baptist going to evangelize in Romania. She was going under the guise of being an English teacher since they won't grant residency visas to protestant missionaries. My mom told her I was Orthodox and I think the woman was befuddled. I thought about reporting her to the Romanian authorities, but decided not to.

Lastly, I was considering going on a secular service project to Romania to build houses over the summer. The team leader was a protestant and was talking about how his church was working in Romania but not having luck converting people. He proceeded to tell me about this "interesting" religion they had called Orthodoxy that they needed to be converted from. He asked me what religion I was, I told him "Orthodox." After a stunned silence, he replied, "Well....I guess you could relate to them better than we could." I said, "Yeah, probably so."