I have never read any Protestant Christian books. I finally found the Orthodox Church, it is a bit like learning a new language but it is what my heart has always felt. Repentance and good works heal us and keep us.
@@thelambsaves the orthodox church dont believe that we are saved by works but by Jesus. we dont do works to get saved, we do it out of faith. we follow the commandments out of love for God. like Jesus said: whoever loves me, keep my commandments. we follow Jesus by his example, he is our rolemodel.
Before my Baptism into the Holy Orthodox Church, I was an agnostic with a strong atheistic bent. I keep being shown where I still hold these ideas, and it has been a quiet dismantling, rather than a swift death of the "old man". He kicks still, certainly, but I am being made more aware of it than I was and, God willing, I will continue into the future for as long as I have left to do so.
We are only catechumens and we have not been embraced by the Church yet. We cannot even partake of communion. Since we are not accepted as part of the church, how can we be expected to truly "let go of the old & embrace Orthodoxy". There is a sort of pride that belongs to some in Orthodoxy who looks down on us because we aren't fully embraced by the church yet. This is sad, sad indeed!
I'm really sorry to hear about your experience, and I can understand how painful it must feel to be treated that way. First, I want you to know that I’ll be praying for you both as you continue your journey into Orthodoxy. No one should ever feel looked down upon, especially in the Church, which is supposed to be a place of love, healing, and compassion. I also want to encourage you that not all Orthodox communities are like this. When my family and I became Orthodox, we had the complete opposite experience. The whole church showed up for our catechumen service, and it was a beautiful, four-hour vigil. People welcomed us with open arms, and that warmth meant everything to us. It’s so important that we, as the Church, are loving and compassionate toward others, especially those new to the faith. If you’re feeling judged or excluded, that’s more of an issue with people than with the Church itself. Please don’t let this experience discourage you from Orthodoxy as a whole. There are communities out there that will embrace you as they should, and I would encourage you to maybe explore other parishes if you can. But at the very least, remember this experience as a reminder of how not to treat people. When you do become Orthodox, be the one who extends love and kindness to others, especially those who are just starting out, because that’s how Christ calls us to live. I’m truly sorry you’ve felt this way, and I hope things get better. Don’t lose heart-God is with you on this journey! May He guide you and bring you into a community where His love is truly reflected.
For what it's worth, as a pagan outsider inquiring, the only church is the Orthodox Church. Everything else is watered down or heresy. You combine logic and mystery, and Byzantium had the shroud for a few hundred years too!
I keep reading and hearing things like embrace orthodoxy, accept orthodoxy, baptised into orthodoxy. This is wrong, for it is only Jesus we should accept, Jesus we should embrace and into Jesus we should be baptised.
I am finding that Orthodoxy in the US is embracing the secular cults of diversity and antiracism. Why is it wrong for peoples to exist and to want to exist as such?
So heres the thing, as Christians we are to love one another. Putting aside national and racial differences is key and actually one of the biggest issues we find amongst ethnic parishes. The Orthodox Church is for everyone. Not just one group of people, so by allowing people of all backgrounds, regardless of what color their skin is, is truly Orthodox. We havent fallen to anything secular, rather preaching the faith as we should. Orthodoxy isnt just for Greeks, or Russians, or Bulgarians, etc. Its for all. Orthodoxy has always been about preaching and serving in the local tongue of where they reside. Look at the Russian mission to Alaska. Trying to gate keep the faith to only white Europeans is very unorthodox, and i say this as a fairly conservative white man, with Russian ancestry.
What is wrong (unchristian) for peoples to exist and to want to continue existing as such? Is this natural desire heretic, sinful, satanic? Does Christianity being universalist obligate peoples to accept invasion, inter-ethnic, interracial relationships? Are people allowed to want to be among their own kind?
I have never read any Protestant Christian books. I finally found the Orthodox Church, it is a bit like learning a new language but it is what my heart has always felt. Repentance and good works heal us and keep us.
You are missing out.
That's beautiful.
@@traviswilson36 on what
me too my sister in Christ. i feel like i came home. Jesus opened my eyes like that of the blind man. God bless everyone
@@thelambsaves the orthodox church dont believe that we are saved by works but by Jesus. we dont do works to get saved, we do it out of faith. we follow the commandments out of love for God. like Jesus said: whoever loves me, keep my commandments. we follow Jesus by his example, he is our rolemodel.
Before my Baptism into the Holy Orthodox Church, I was an agnostic with a strong atheistic bent. I keep being shown where I still hold these ideas, and it has been a quiet dismantling, rather than a swift death of the "old man". He kicks still, certainly, but I am being made more aware of it than I was and, God willing, I will continue into the future for as long as I have left to do so.
Amazing homily Fr 🙏
What's with the beard tie?
@@ServantofGod-zj3jd idk I’ll ask him on Sunday 😅
@@MickieTHe's your priest?
@@ieshjust16 for now yes! You should come visit the parish 😊
@@MickieT That's awesome. I definitely may visit one day.
One of the things I have often told myself is if I wanted to be baptized as a Christian I wanted an authentic one.
We are only catechumens and we have not been embraced by the Church yet. We cannot even partake of communion. Since we are not accepted as part of the church, how can we be expected to truly "let go of the old & embrace Orthodoxy". There is a sort of pride that belongs to some in Orthodoxy who looks down on us because we aren't fully embraced by the church yet. This is sad, sad indeed!
I'm really sorry to hear about your experience, and I can understand how painful it must feel to be treated that way. First, I want you to know that I’ll be praying for you both as you continue your journey into Orthodoxy. No one should ever feel looked down upon, especially in the Church, which is supposed to be a place of love, healing, and compassion.
I also want to encourage you that not all Orthodox communities are like this. When my family and I became Orthodox, we had the complete opposite experience. The whole church showed up for our catechumen service, and it was a beautiful, four-hour vigil. People welcomed us with open arms, and that warmth meant everything to us. It’s so important that we, as the Church, are loving and compassionate toward others, especially those new to the faith. If you’re feeling judged or excluded, that’s more of an issue with people than with the Church itself.
Please don’t let this experience discourage you from Orthodoxy as a whole. There are communities out there that will embrace you as they should, and I would encourage you to maybe explore other parishes if you can. But at the very least, remember this experience as a reminder of how not to treat people. When you do become Orthodox, be the one who extends love and kindness to others, especially those who are just starting out, because that’s how Christ calls us to live.
I’m truly sorry you’ve felt this way, and I hope things get better. Don’t lose heart-God is with you on this journey! May He guide you and bring you into a community where His love is truly reflected.
Thank you for this very encouraging, and what I needed to hear.
For what it's worth, as a pagan outsider inquiring, the only church is the Orthodox Church. Everything else is watered down or heresy. You combine logic and mystery, and Byzantium had the shroud for a few hundred years too!
I don't smile, but rather I bare my fangs in a show of aggression.
What a weird thing to comment.
@@traviswilson36maybe responding to the mocking description of the woman's smile and teeth.
It’s easier to convert from idiocy like I did than from false Christianity.
I keep reading and hearing things like embrace orthodoxy, accept orthodoxy, baptised into orthodoxy. This is wrong, for it is only Jesus we should accept, Jesus we should embrace and into Jesus we should be baptised.
I am finding that Orthodoxy in the US is embracing the secular cults of diversity and antiracism. Why is it wrong for peoples to exist and to want to exist as such?
So heres the thing, as Christians we are to love one another. Putting aside national and racial differences is key and actually one of the biggest issues we find amongst ethnic parishes. The Orthodox Church is for everyone. Not just one group of people, so by allowing people of all backgrounds, regardless of what color their skin is, is truly Orthodox. We havent fallen to anything secular, rather preaching the faith as we should. Orthodoxy isnt just for Greeks, or Russians, or Bulgarians, etc. Its for all. Orthodoxy has always been about preaching and serving in the local tongue of where they reside. Look at the Russian mission to Alaska. Trying to gate keep the faith to only white Europeans is very unorthodox, and i say this as a fairly conservative white man, with Russian ancestry.
"no scythian, no jew, no greek etc, but all brothers in Christ"
What is wrong (unchristian) for peoples to exist and to want to continue existing as such? Is this natural desire heretic, sinful, satanic? Does Christianity being universalist obligate peoples to accept invasion, inter-ethnic, interracial relationships? Are people allowed to want to be among their own kind?
I disagree.
The funny thing is that he still speaks like an Anglican.....trying tto be amusing all the time.