www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News ROC: Pro-gay churches prepare members to accept the Anti-Christ

Breaking off dialogue with these groups was a good decision.

At the heart of the matter (beyond the LGBT cause) is that they simply don't believe in Christianity any more. Pointing out what the Bible says is pointless as it isn't the basis of their belief. They will say it's "the Gospel", but this just turns out to be a variation of moralistic therapeutic deism (sometimes not even the moralistic part).

You can't even really dialogue with them because you speak past them and they speak past you.

This article is about the Russian Church standing up against the wave of immorality that is sweeping the world....in particular the militant homosexual lobbyists and their desire to normalize sodomy.....and change the definition of the holy Mystery of Matrimony. I say bravo to the holy Russian Orthodox Church for taking this stand!

I agree.

Thank you for bringing this thread back to the subject matter at hand and for not allowing (hopefully) any further hijacking of it.

Dear Brother Recluse and Sister Alice,

My apologies then for hijacking the thread!

I look forward to reading others' comments here about this matter ...

Alex

Agreed. But an even more important point (well okay equally important) is that the world cannot be divided into those who see eye to eye with the ROC and those who side with the aforementioned wave of immorality. I'm a conservative too.

You are quite right Peter. While the state may redefine the eligibility of persons eligible to contract for the statutory benefits conferred by secular authorities as a consequence of their relationship, and while much of society may applaud the same, neither the Church of Rome nor the Orthodox Churches will ever "change the definition of the holy Mystery of Matrimony." We are charged to preach Jesus Christ crucified to a skeptical world and suffer the consequences of the world's rejection of our message.

Either we believe Christ's words about the Church and gates of hell not prevailing against it or we are just as feckless as those who readily redefine dogma to fit the times.

I don't see where criticism of the ROC on its stand on other contemporary issues which are relevant to the exercise of its moral authority is inappropriate. Indeed,a compelling argument may be made that those very behaviors or policy choices it has made undermine its legitimate voice on the gay "marriage" and other related social issues.

By that line of thinking, we can go back in history and criticize every Church of every jurisdiction which has made errors and/or bad decision based on the way of the world......and then say that they do not have a "legitimate voice" on any other issue. It seems to me that the ROC is a frequent piñata on this forum......but I think that She is one of the few jurisdictions which is sounding a loud and clear voice against the moral corruption of these days. Glory be to God!

I agree.

Let me be clear. In my personal view, the Church of Russia has fallen prey to the lure of mammon by its symbiotic relationship with the current Russian regime and its embrace of the discredited myths of its past as in the so called "Russky Mir" and pan Slavism. I also have little sympathy with those who espouse xenophobic nationalism in the Ukrainian church(es), but to my knowledge that has not been the endorsed position of the Synods of any of those factions. Over the course of modern history, undue involvement with the secular authorities has always undermined the moral authority of any Chistian denomination whether in the Orthodox east or the West.

Let me be clear. I think the operative phrase here is: "In my personal view."

I applaud the ROC!

My opinion is hardly unique, nor is yours. History, I believe, supports mine. Perhaps the next Patriarch will be a man unchained from links to the Soviet era.

Exactly!


I can begin spouting lots of history regarding many different jurisdictions within holy Orthodoxy and/or Eastern Catholicism which can be construed to support many different things. But I think the subject here has already been sufficiently hi-jacked.


I believe this Patriarch is not chained to the Soviet era....but that is my opinion.

Now how about you lay off a bit on judging Patriarchs.

Without having said very much about her own, or the government's to which she is so subservient.

Ah yes...the hi-jacking continues.

Over and out!