www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall New-Age Persecution ...

Peace to you all brothers and sisters - from the Holy Land,

It has been some time now that I have been battling with my thoughts alone, and maybe the time has come to share thoughts and maybe get fresh perspectives.

I am only 27, and yet among my friends I am considered an old-fashion conservative, and I no longer know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Just the other day we had a discussion in our youth movement on clothing trends... and over 90% of the ladies did not like it when I said that in my opinion miniskirts, tight cloth and sleeveless wear (not T-shirts - the shorter l-shirts) is not the way to dress to church, if at all; and I would probably be more humble if we didn't wear such cloth at all. I just think that there are enough ways to dress beautifully, elegantly and have the "feminine" or "masculine" look without showing meat or its different shapes!

Now, we are in the middle of this "new age - the secret" battle. This ego-centric approach to life totally eliminate humility and risks one's faith in God. Here, because we are somewhat a "conservative" community still, people spreading this ideology try to wrap it in a semi-christian nice wrapping ... but the truth is that in "the secrets to success" there is no value to the other person, the most important value is ME (EGO), and there is no need for God - it is enough to dream, stick to it and make it happen!

I will not mention the identity issue of Christians in the Holy Land, I will not even speak of politics, minorities assimilation, migration the lack of education in Christian Schools etc. as they are all old news.

Could anyone tell me if I should change perspectives and flow along (maybe this way I will finally find my match hehe)...
Is it just as bad abroad, or do we still have communities not affected by this new-age persecution?
And maybe I am totally wrong and there is nothing wrong with the issues mentioned above...

Ahh go figure...
All I know is that I am simply tiered.

In Christ,

Elijah

Elijah,

We are about the same age. A few months ago I brought a cousin of mine to mass. She initially thought it would be a good idea to wear mini shorts and a tee, not sure what they call them. But my wife nearly gasped loud enough for her to to hear when she saw and rushed to her room and gave her one of her dresses. I would have been embarrassed to bring her to mass in such a state, even though the clothing would be acceptable for going shopping. I don't know if she thought us old fuddy duddies, but she was able to keep the dress. We think it important to be modest at mass. Not just for the men who may be distracted, but in respect to Him who is the object of our prayers.

Terry

eli:

Christ is in our midst!! He is and always will be!!

I was in this same spot about 22 years ago and my spiritual father said, "You can never be too conservative when it comes to the Faith." Take that to heart. Conservative, the word, contains within itself the idea that you are "serving with" Christ and His Church. No one can take that from you. Remember the Gospel passage about the Last Judgment where the Lord tells us that there will be people on that day who claim that they preached His Name and fed at His Table (the Eucharist), but He says He does not know them (Have an intimate relationship with them). Keep the Faith in good times and tough times; persevere to the end in the teaching you have been given, adding nothing to it and subtracting nothing from it.



Stay away from this poison at all costs. My parish has been taken over by this sort of thing and the fruits are exactly what you describe. Arrogance, self-delusion, lack of humility all have followed in the train. And the worst is that those who refrain are treated with utter distain--hardly a Christian atmosphere.

eli, I've been one to "swim upstream" all my life to stay true to the Faith as I've been taught it. I can't honestly advise you to do otherwise. It may be lonely, but with Christ you are never alone. He will never leave you.

In Christ,

BOB

Elijah ,

The problem here is that Christianity has for so many centuries been the religion of the "status quo," that we don't know how to adapt to being a minority religion.

Thus, the younger generation adopts the values of "mainstream" society, because we don't know how to express our Christian values in terms that are meaningful to them. In other words, if everyone else accepted the notions that "modest dress is good" and "revealing dress is bad," most children would adopt these values without even giving them much thought. Now, however, we are forced by circumstances to examine these values carefully and understand them in ways that were simply unnecessary before. If we can do this as God's people--working together with each other and aided by His grace--the Church will emerge all the stronger for it.

And let us not forget that the spirit of this world is no match for Our God.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

Dear Brothers,

Thank you!
You have warmed my heart and list my spirits...


In Christ,
Elijah

Elijah:

You are spot on and not the only one who feels the way you do.

In Christ:
Einar

An excellent and timely discussion, for on the Lutheran liturgical calendar today is the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, and this is today's Epistle:

1 John 4:1-6

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world; therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and whoever is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Elijah,

Take a look at the dress code to enter Saint Peter's in Rome. ALL of the over 5000 tourists who go in each day are supposed to follow the dress code:

http://www.drivinguide.com/vatican_city_dress_code.htm

As the others have said, I agree with you.

However, things here in the US are often like the way you say - not only among us Melkites, but also often among the Latins!!!!

Markos

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"But if it happens that the spiritual factor is totally lacking, then the monastic organization [or the Christian eparchy] either disintegrates or turns into one that is authoritarian".

- Prof. Gregorios Mantzaridis, Unv. of Thessaloniki, "The Spirit of Monastic Typikon". [my addition in brackets]

ROCOR Dress Code for parishioners and visitors:
Men: Pants (no shorts), shirt (no T-shirts)
Women: Head covering (scarf) should be worn at all times both in church and on grounds. Long dress or skirt (below the knees) with long sleeves. No make up or perfume
Clergy should wear cassocks or riassas.

Brother Elijah,



The Lord says: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad!

Don't take any labels for granted, though. I try to maintain a more or less consistent behavior and in some church environments, I am a "vernacular-speaking but otherwise Tridentine-grade conservative"; in some other church environments (same church!), I am a "radical post-christian ultra-liberal".

Go figure!

It's nice that people cannot quite place in any of their silly little buckets, you know.

It is not a matter of being conservative or liberal. It is a matter of being faithful to the Lord and responsible for our own lives.

Take courage, the Lord is (always) near!


Shalom,
Memo