www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Orthodoxy, Athos & ecumenism

At times like this, I remember a saying of my very pious grandmother who used to remind me when I would get upset -- "Remember, you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!"

I would hope that our words while honest would contain enough honey to attract the flies of this world!

As one who spends most of his life discussing these kinds of issues with today's secular youth, I can tell you that there is very little that pushes them further from the Faith than when they hear Christians fighting each other and calling each other names.

I would hate to stand before God on that Great and Final Day (that our liturgical texts this Lent talk so much about) and have to answer for the souls of those whom I have turned away from the Faith because of my harsh words towards fellow Christians. Remember, it was our Lord who reminded us that we shall have to give an account for every idle word.

And ... that reminds me of a Lenten prayer: "O Lord take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle talk!"

If there are individuals who have a problem with what I have posted, perhaps they should be man enough to confront me directly, rather than running to the moderators like school children.

Contrary to that your rather insidious perception of the moderators, in my view they are closing threads that tend to draw undue tension during Lent.

Bill, when I was received into the OCA, i did not make the denunciations of my Catholic Faith but a positive affirmation of Orthodox Faith

I've noticed threads being closed lately when the views of the Orthodox Churches, or should I say monasteries, regarding ecumenism and relations with the Catholic Church come into question.

Almost twenty tears ago I went through a period of discernment between Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

I corresponded cordially for some time with a couple of monks at an Orthodox monastery here in the U.S. who told me their monastery carries on the rule, beliefs and faith of the monasteries of Mount Athos. The monk's final correspondence with me came in the form of a rather large packet of literature and information citing the errors of Catholicism and ecumenism in general. They told me in no uncertain terms I must disavow the Catholic Church in order to embrace Orthodoxy. Needless to say I was unwilling to deny the Catholic Church in order to be "O"rthodox and I remain a Catholic today.

I post this because I see threads which sometimes seem to me to be critical of the Catholic Church and its positions, beliefs and/or praxis go on unabated but a topic such as this regarding Orthodoxy gets closed rather quickly.

I realize we are now well into Lent/Great Fast and I do not wish to disrupt but fair is fair.

In Christ,
Bill

Zenovia, though I know for a fact I don't see eye to eye with Alexandr on all things, I must say I disagree strongly with your assessment of him. Nor do I agree with your assessment of the other Orthodox Christians on the board (myself included I am assuming).