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Dec 29th, 2019
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Dr Eric,
I do think you are very much out of line here. First of all any discussion on Troy Polamalu's (or for that matter anyone else's fasting practices) would be speculative at best. This is a matter that I am sure has been thoroughly discussed with his spiritual father, the team physician, and the management of his team. Fasting for the most part as far as Orthodox Christians are concerned is a private and intimate spiritual exercise. How each would observe fasting is a matter for the person fasting and his spiritual father since it is a personal spiritual struggle, and is really is the business of no one else.
I do hope this now closes this matter from any further public discussion. As a physician, if you are really inclined to know from a professional point of view, I would suggest you consult with your sports medicine colleagues for their opinion.
In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Administrator Agreed!
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I think that if one takes this particular person/athlete out of this discussion, it makes for an interesting and fascinating discussion. I think that might be what Dr. Eric was hoping for? I have always thought that certain diets and fasts have evolved because of climate, indigenous foods, and because of the necessity for physical stamina and well being. From what I have heard from those who were born there, even Roman Catholics in southern Mediterranean areas like Sicily have had similar religious fasting traditions with the Orthodox. There is absolutely no comparison between, for instance, the harsh winters of Northern Europe and the U.S. and the mild spring like winters of the southern Mediterranean where the traditional Orthodox fast sprung from... There is a reason that those who worked in the fields in the Mid West of the U.S. ate steak and eggs for breakfast...one would certainly need this type of diet to have stamina in the cold. That is simply not the case in the mild Southern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern climate-- where there were no cattle anyway!!  In Christ, Alice
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Alice,
Yes, and this is a thread dealing with a specific personality, Troy Polamalu. Maybe if Dr Eric is so inclined then he can pose a generic thread on the subject, instead of bringing the personal spiritual practices of Troy Polamalu into question. That sort of discussion tends to lead to speculation as to the person's faith and devotion.
In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Everyone baptized into Christ should pass progressively through all the stages of Christ's own life, for in baptism he receives the power so to progress, and through the commandments he can discover and learn how to accomplish such progression. - Saint Gregory of Sinai
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Alice,
Yes, and this is a thread dealing with a specific personality, Troy Polamalu. Maybe if Dr Eric is so inclined then he can pose a generic thread on the subject, instead of bringing the personal spiritual practices of Troy Polamalu into question. That sort of discussion tends to lead to speculation as to the person's faith and devotion.
In IC XC,
Father Anthony+ Ofcourse we should not discuss any person....just a hypothetical situation.  The problem of this media, is that often we read different things into the intentions of posts. Please forgive me. In Christ, Alice
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Call me dense but I fail to see the connection between Troy Polamalu being now an Orthodox Christian (less than 2 years) and his success as a football player. He was already an indispensable part of the Steelers' 2006 Super Bowl Champions even before he converted to Greek Orthodoxy in October 2007, presumably upon the "urging" of his wife, Theodora Holmes, the younger sister of TE Alex Holmes of the Miami Dolphins (now with the St. Louis Rams?) and teammate of Troy at USC. (Hint: Theodora's mother is a full-blooded Greek!) And he was a budding football player in high school and became very good in college at USC which made him the 16th pick overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He has made the Pro Bowl already five straight times: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He is a cinch for the 2009 Pro Bowl. He has got talent and it shows! Go Cardinals, of Arizona, that is.  Amado Troy did not at all convert because of his wife. He converted through his own research and his own journey of faith. He is a truly humble and good man and very quiet when you meet him in person. He has been on pilgrimage to Mt. Athos and gives a lot to charity, besides his personal piety and humility. Grace and peace, John
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Without commenting on Mr. Polamalu himself, who seems perfectly lovely, this just seems like the worst kind of least common denominator pandering to try and demonstrate Orthodoxy's relevance by pointing to "celebrities" instead of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. This kind of floundering by Orthodox groups makes me cringe. It is an embarrassing attempt to imitate the culture instead of transform it.
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It was through the conversion of "celebrities" that the Church spread through the early centuries, right down to the conversion of the Slavs. It may be a sorry commentary on humanity, but when Joe Blow converts, most people don't take notice. When a celebrity converts--someone like, you know, the queen of some fly-blown kingdom, or the grand duke of someplace or other, or the steward of the Emperor, well, that makes a splash. People say, well, this must be something pretty neat--or at least it's not totally wacky. I'm going to take a look.
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