she talks about how they memorize scripture so when prepared, they can quote it in discussions, arguments, etc....She does not understand how we don't go around memorizing and quoting scripture, etc.
Well, that is a difference. We Orthodox hate the Bible and would rather worship wood and paint.
*rolleyes*
Not rolling my eyes at you, but at people like her who think it's their job to judge a faith she most likely is quite uneducated on.
You'll hear more Scripture quoted during a Divine Liturgy than I EVER heard in the Baptist churches I grew up in, and that was a lot. Every Orthodox Christian SHOULD read their Bible daily, and I'm sure it would be a shock to her that *gasp* - many do!
I think the main difference here is that Protestants have nothing but their personal interpretations of an ancient book to guide them, and their feelings and emotions on it, which they claim is the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We have the Fathers, Holy Tradition, the wisdom of the Saints, the Church, our spiritual fathers, AND the Bible to guide us. Protestantism is cut off from much of Christian history, and many groups re-invent the wheel each generation, using just the Bible (their interpretation of it, that is). We have what is full, complete, and uncorrupted from the beginning. The Bible is just a piece, albeit a very important and wonderful piece, of a much larger puzzle. Protestants think it's the be all end all. It's just a huge difference in mindsets. For some Protestants, it's nearly
worshipping the Bible. I find Orthodoxy to be a much more balanced view. After all, Christ didn't come to write a book - He came to found a Church. Check out
the faq on this site - he might have something further.
It's kinda like if I have 10 kids and someone keep insisting, WHY don't you pay more attention to that one!? He's the most important! And I say, Yes, of course he's important, and he's so precious to me...but there are others also very important and precious. I need to pay attention to ALL of them. (Not a good analogy, but it's late and all I could come up with.)
She said it sounded too Catholic.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. She has a problem with that being too Catholic? Niiiiice. There's a word for what we're dealing with here - Rome-aphobia. There are certain Protestant groups who simply have a knee jerk reaction to anything that looks like the RCC. My MIL, for example, had a fit when we told her we were thinking about naming our daughter Magdalena, bc it sounded too Catholic. *rolleyes* I think there's only going to be a certain amount you can reason with her, honestly. Praying for her and being a loving Christian example are your best bets.
And go one verse further than David mentioned...16, Confess your sins to one another, that ye may be healed. In the early Church, all Christians confessed their sins in front of the whole Church. As the Church grew, that became less practical, and they are now confessed in front of the priest, who represents the Church.
Sorry if I sound cranky, but I hope this helps a bit.
