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Originally Posted by Saponaria
Originally Posted by ZAROVE
I;m harldy shocked. Catholic Answers has been a place for Pat Answers and easy solutions for Cahtolics for years, much like most Evangelical Protestant Apologetics sites. It exists not to detial theology, but ti give Modern Neo-Con Catholcis a palce to be Vindecated.


If the Orhtodox Posters coudl eaisly make points, this jepardised the little paridise they had, since it may lead to actual conversation and understandign of Orhtodoxy form anOrtodox standpoint.

I felt that often the Orthodox posters did not make good points but rather were belligerent. Speaking as a person who was an Orthodox Christian lurking over the years there I found it embarrassing. The Orthodox posters were instrumental to ME in confirming the very flimsy arguments the Orthodox have regarding the papacy. My husband felt the same way.

They made excellent points for the defense of orthodoxy, that there never was a Super bishop over a bishop,,,they even showed the writings of a orthodox roman pope St.gregory i believe who him self condemed such a thing as a super Bishop over another bishop he said it was a sign or beginnings of the anti-christ ,,so i dont know what your talking about also that the popes had a primacy never a supremacy..stanislav

Last edited by stanislav; 11/21/07 12:18 PM.
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Originally Posted by stanislav
Originally Posted by Saponaria
Originally Posted by ZAROVE
I;m harldy shocked. Catholic Answers has been a place for Pat Answers and easy solutions for Cahtolics for years, much like most Evangelical Protestant Apologetics sites. It exists not to detial theology, but ti give Modern Neo-Con Catholcis a palce to be Vindecated.


If the Orhtodox Posters coudl eaisly make points, this jepardised the little paridise they had, since it may lead to actual conversation and understandign of Orhtodoxy form anOrtodox standpoint.

I felt that often the Orthodox posters did not make good points but rather were belligerent. Speaking as a person who was an Orthodox Christian lurking over the years there I found it embarrassing. The Orthodox posters were instrumental to ME in confirming the very flimsy arguments the Orthodox have regarding the papacy. My husband felt the same way.

They made excellent points for the defense of orthodoxy, that there never was a Super bishop over a bishop,,,they even showed the writings of a orthodox roman pope St.gregory i believe who him self condemed such a thing as a super Bishop over another bishop he said it was a sign or beginnings of the anti-christ ,,so i dont know what your talking about also that the popes had a primacy never a supremacy..stanislav

First of all, your reference to the Pope and the theology of the Papacy as that of a "Super bishop" is a caricature of Catholic theology. Secondly, Patriarchs were able to exercise authority over bishops within their communion in the name of the synod.

Finally, is it possible that you did not see every post in your time on that Forum? Saponaria indicated that she had been lurking there for years...

Gordo

God bless,

Gordo

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Any orthodox poster that posts on catholic answers new eastern catholic subforum can't call him/her self catholic or orthodox catholic..they have to post in the non catholic sub forum section.but even their they are being banned and no reason given..under there names they don't mention that they are banned ..to know more it's posted on orthodoxchristianity.net for the full story ,read all about it ...brother stanislav

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It was a place of people parachuting in with closed minds and plenty of ammo. I always left that forum feeling depressed and dirtied.

Lots of repetitive questions from Latins. Lots of belligerence from Orthodox.

Maybe this will give the forum a chance to be a helpful tool and not a continuous Civil War-style recreation of the Crusades or badly drawn renderings of each others religious beliefs.

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Slava Isusu Khrystu!

I am surprised to learn that Orthodox Christians are not allowed to post on that Forum. I do not think that is the general opinion among Catholics, at least I hope that it is not. Orthodox Christians have just as much to contribute to society as Catholic Christians do.

I do hope that our Orthodox brothers and sisters are not insulted.

Take care,

John Doucette

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My opinion as a orthodox brother to my eastern catholic brothers/sisters ..someones going to have to monitor the new eastern catholic subforum at catholic answers ,, so you don't lose your ancient Orthodox traditions.. stanislav

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I stopped going on the CAF because it got really nasty at times. I think debates are good but that was ugly. I have Orthodox friends who think the tone from some of the Orthodox was ugly. Yes the catholics can be ugly too. I just saw more of it from the other side.

I would like to know if any Catholics teach at Orthodox seminaries.

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Originally Posted by A Simple Sinner
Ray it might be a good thing to see if there is an official policy like you say as far as banning Orthodox instructors from Catholic seminaries in general. In that particular case, we only have half of one side from a third party - for all we know there could have been some other things going on.

As to the CAF action, I can't understand the victim card. the top 6 most active Orthodox posters had 42,000+ posts - one of them at one point averaged 52 posts per day, one poster with over 19K between two screen names also routinely dominated the discussions.

The original intent of the forum had been to disseminate word about the Eastern Catholic Churches, and then the CAF ECF turned into a Cath/Orth debate.

The subjects broached in there were frequently NOT appropriate to that forum. Many should have been asked in apologetics or non-Catholic forums... And the amount of time and effort/moderator resource propotionate to the interest or usage probably didn't match up.

The quality of the debate there was often lacking - it was a destructive combination of group-pile on with often baiting triumphal Latins. The point had been reached where it was known as such a hostile and polemic place, that serious Catholic apologists did not bother there any longer.

Some complained about the forum change complaining that there were no other forums. One in particular who had done so also has an account here with 0.01% of the posts on this forum that he had there. Frankly, I don't think that poster could have gotten away with many of his posts here...

Additionally some would protest that no other forum was as active... and that simply is not true. Byzcath at its peak usage has 1000+ members online... CAF (for the entire forum) has never gone above 820...

I am trying to imagine a vocal minority of very triumphal Latins being treated so well so long on a similar "Orthodox Answers" style forum. Frankly, I just can't see it.

For the record, not all Orthodox posters were banned. Several are still participating. I have every reason to believe the process was "case by case" rather than "blanket banning of Orthodox."

I can't say I disagree with their decision... I do rather wish all the archives were still open for viewing. To be able to peruse them would clearly show some of the banned parties were not blameless. Please note, I saw the moderators ban and suspend Catholics far more often over my time there...
Have you read the debates between catholics and Moslem's in the non catholic forums..were the say the nastiest things against the prophet of islam or against the mormons or other protestants ,,hardly no moderation period ,the old eastern christianty forum was gentle compared to those ,,i know there was several conversions their from R C..to Orthodoxy ..the people that converted put there testimonies in there posts after seening the true light of Orthodoxy...its easy for the roman catholic to convert a protestant they share so much in common..but when it came to convert a orthodox christian it was't easy at all so they cut there losses and kicked the orthodox out ...stashko

Last edited by stanislav; 11/21/07 01:57 PM.
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"It's easy for the roman catholic to convert a protestant they share so much in common."

This may not be the case.

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As a former protestant I have to say that Catholics and Orthodox share much more than Catholics and protestants. Most protestants would put us in the same camp. It is not an easy move from protestant to Catholic. In fact my Calvinist dad told me he would rather see me orthodox than Catholic. (For the record he is on the board of a major reformed seminary so he is well read on the sunject) As we can see there was an Orthodox to Catholic conversion as well. People leave and join the other side for many different reasons. I am not trying to be rude but I your comment on it being "easy to convert a protestant" is way off the mark.

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I've allied with the whore of Babylon in the opinion of several of my relatives. Most understand.

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I will miss the old Eastern Christianity forum.

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Well, I do not think they made excellent points. I am fairly confident I know what quote you are referring to but taken in light of the entirety of what Pope St Gregory the Great said on the Papacy it is not convincing to me.

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Originally Posted by MrsMW
As a former protestant I have to say that Catholics and Orthodox share much more than Catholics and protestants. Most protestants would put us in the same camp. It is not an easy move from protestant to Catholic. In fact my Calvinist dad told me he would rather see me orthodox than Catholic. (For the record he is on the board of a major reformed seminary so he is well read on the sunject) As we can see there was an Orthodox to Catholic conversion as well. People leave and join the other side for many different reasons. I am not trying to be rude but I your comment on it being "easy to convert a protestant" is way off the mark.

This is a common attitude among many Orthodox. It seems in an attempt to prove Catholicism wrong they go to extremes in contrasting Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Catholicism and Protestantism are *Western* and it appears all things evil arose in the West to corrupt Christianity from the earliest times. I learned after a while that you often could not even quote preschism Western saints in a discussion because they are dismissed as Western. This was something very telling and convincing to my husband and I. If the beliefs and attitudes among Orthodox today really reflect Orthodox tradition there would not be a need to dismiss preschism Western saints as not reflective of Orthodox teaching.

I can still recall a choir director of ours making the comment that the Irish really were never Orthodox. I think this is very telling of the attitude among some Orthodox. LOL As if the modern Orthodox parish in the West composed almost entirely of converts from Protestantism gleaning their Orthodoxy mostly from books is truly more Orthodox than the likes of Sts. Patrick, Columba and Fintan!

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Quote
Additionally some would protest that no other forum was as active... and that simply is not true. Byzcath at its peak usage has 1000+ members online... CAF (for the entire forum) has never gone above 820...

Byzcath is one of THE most active Eastern forums around, and the most civilized and sane, if you ask me.

That is why I am proud to be a member and a moderator here.
(Though our moderating decisions often annoy some posters here, I am surprised at the lack of moderating and the lack of charity I have seen at another popular Eastern forum...)

Marcella--do you know how to read your pm's yet? On the top of the page, in black, you will see 'My Stuff' with a little arrow next to it. When you see a flashing red letter at the arrow, click on it, so that you can gain access to read your private messages. I know that it sometimes takes a long time to figure out a new forum, so I thought I would offer you some help.

Alice, Moderator

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