Testing spirits, The "Confessing"

[truefiction1]

VICTORY 123 Welcome! And what [staff edit] are you talking about?

Docetism is long dead, it has been placed in the dustbin of history by the 2nd century. [Staff edit]. You know all that stuff about the hypostatic union, the christological title of Theotokos, and a rejection of icons is a rejection of the incarnation, etc etc.

I'm convinced it (Docetism) is not long dead. Rather, it just seems to manifest in other ways. The spirit puts on different masks, but the same spirit is beneath the mask.

 

[prodromos]

What I mean is, if someone comes in and posts something which is not in any way against Orthodox teaching, but expresses it in an unusual way; or holds a different opinion to many on something which is not clearly defined in Orthodoxy; or doesn't want to say who his bishop is; or whatever; that's allowed.

Basically, as long as their faith label is Orthodox, and they're not teaching against Orthodox teaching, they're allowed to post as a member here, even if other members find them unusual. CF doesn't police people's claimed faith identities except in extreme cases.

Unfortunately there are many schismatic groups who all claim to be Eastern Orthodox and believe most things in common with Eastern Orthodox yet they have cut themselves off from the Eastern Orthodox communion and seek to draw others to themselves. They are extremely dangerous for those who are new to the Orthodox faith.
Identifying them is a simple matter of who their bishop is, yet you now tell us we are not permitted to ask them to disclose such information? Can I ask why this is so? What reason could someone have for not wishing to disclose who their bishop is?

 

[Paidiske]

You can ask once. But if someone chooses not to answer, that's their business. No one is obliged to answer to you. Repeated asking may breach this part of our rules:

Harassment

• Be considerate and do not make another member's experience on this site miserable. This includes making false accusations or persistently attacking them in the open forums.
• Respect another member's request to cease personal contact.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yes, but in Orthodoxy, when someone is saying something off, and a priest (me) asks who that person's bishop is, the correct act is to answer. there would have been no issues had the answer come.

 

[Paidiske]

On CF they are not required to answer. If someone is saying something "off," report it. If it is against Orthodoxy mods will remove it. If it is not, it can stay.

 

[ArmyMatt]

this sounds like we not to adhere to our own faith on our own forum.

 

[Paidiske]

Matt, I have PM'ed you.

Folks, the rules are clear. I've tried to have an open and helpful discussion about this, but if this thread just becomes complaining about the rules, that's disruptive and the thread will likely need to be closed.

 

[ArmyMatt]

noted and thank you