I believe the Benedict option is a dream. As an orthodox I have been farming for 18 years and never ever have I got one person to check out of the city and join the farming world. I forgot to mention that I bought an Amish farm and have been farming with the Amish for quite a long time and I can tell you a lot about them both positive and negative.
Wow. This was the most clear and succinct explanation of suffering. If you cannot learn how to face and endure and overcome suffering, no amount of ease will satisfy you. Thank you Father!
Thanks so much! My gerontology professor was a nationally prominent sociologist and some sort of Protestant pastor. He used to say that he wished nursing homes didn’t exist. I understand everyone can’t care for loved ones at home but many are unwilling, and elder care has become a corrupt abusive and coercive racket in many circumstances. I could say so much more! Thanks for your insightful observations. Your teaching is a blessing.
The purpose is NOT to replace the God of the Jews with Jesus as God! This was Constantine's efforts as mentioned in: Fordham University website, “Jews and the Later Roman Law 315-531 CE”. Thus he changed the 'sabbath' to the 'day of the sun' god!). Also 'Easter was to change from Nisan 14, the correct date when Jesus instituted the 'last supper'!. Thus he replaced the jewish God with Jesus, the new God! And thus is was made 'official' and has never changed! most churches now worship, not God the Father, but Jesus! Mary and thr Saints. Do you know of a church dedicated to 'God the Father'? Paul made it clear that the 'God' Jesus came reconcile us to is EXACTLY THE SAME GOD as the Jews God! "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the gentiles?" Thus Jesus sole purpose was to "reconcile us to God" ( 2 Cor 5:20 ) "The true worshipers will worship the FATHER in Spirit & truth" Jesus stressed (John 4:23,24). Jessus died for fogiveness of our sins against God the Father to bring us back into harmony with our Creator! our Ransom!
Very very true, indeed. We are attacked by our passions through almost every modern innovation we have. Then just when you think you have removed certain things in your life like facebook or the tv, the devil finds other ways. Vigilance and praying constantly with repentance should be our way of life. Somebody once asked God in desperation how to stop sinning, especially serious sins. God replied, "Crucify Yourself". A reminder of the command of Christ to take up your Cross and follow Him.
So many beautiful wonderful thing to say about Orthodoxy but one thing that is internationally in deficit is that 80% of the Orthodox churches on every continent is lacking in hospitality. They hardly will say hello to a stranger.
@@alvinnlus the worship of God is the number one reason to go to church and also to repent and also to receive God through all the sacraments one of them being the human being that needs to at least offer you a glass of water.
I'm so sorry. We are like that. The only consolation is that with us you have the traditional exclusion. No false inclusion. I am an Orthodox Serb and I experienced the same thing from the Russians.
Why would anybody be so eager to necessarily talk about sexual morality as soon as they reach a college or university campus. Why should this be the prime topic of a sermon to the students? I think any common sense priest can easily understand that this is not necessary in the beginning. And, to my opinion, any student who will first come to meet Christ and His Grace, would gradually get the necessary skills to accept a sermon regarding sex and all related topics. First things first. It needs a humane strategy, and not a "stick", for getting the flock where it needs to be and allowing them to taste the beauty of God and orthodoxy. Fr. Stephen, your blessing!
"You will at least think somebody is stupid." I have to take exception to that. When I peruse Facebook, I quickly come to the conclusion that nearly EVERYONE is stupid.
😢BEING ONLINE WILL RUIN THE LIVES OF THE MONKS❗ 😢 The reason they left the world was to ISOLATE themselves from the millions of temptations that hindered their sanctification ❗ Now they (some of them) brought the millions of temptations they wanted to abolish .... back into their lives .... through the cell phone 😢
On the issue of feeding a man - in all the ways he might be fed: The church cannot suffer multiple responsibilities? It can't provide food and satisfy the spirit? It can't provide instruction or at the very least direction to trusted instruction on how a man might feed himself - those necessary means and methods? Is the Church without means to educate children? Is the Church working against its interests when it donates to the sciences; how can this be considering the boons modern telecommunication and transport are for the spreading of the gospel? I can't understand this slight against the dual-vocationalism of Western (Roman Catholic) Clergy. Isn't God appropriating the world unto himself through Christ? Orthodoxy, what gives?
The point of any religion is the same: A way to organize your approach to the world. It's a way for larger, more cognitively able minds to decide on behaviors. Once our human brains were complex enough to understand the regrets or pride in the past and worries or aspirations for the future, we began to posit explanations of why we are in the world. And whatever you choose for yourself is fine UNTIL you begin to tell others how to be as in the very first sentence of this video. YOU don't have that right, that permission, that purview as a member of a plural world.
"And whatever you choose for yourself is fine UNTIL you begin to tell others how to be as in the very first sentence of this video. YOU don't have that right, that permission, that purview as a member of a plural world." - That directly contradicts the first part of your comment, where you correctly identified _one of_ the points of religion as being: "A way to organize your approach to the world. It's a way for larger, more cognitively able minds to decide on behaviors." The first part of your comment is impossible when everyone has your turbo-individualistic, "modern" mindset. Nothing can ever be decided on. Nothing can ever be right or wrong. Anything goes. This is _the_ tragedy of the "modern world". Besides, where does this aversion to unsolicited advice, aka "being told", come from? I'm a fellow young person in my 20s, but I don't understand it. Maybe we should listen instead of getting angry?
@@ProtectingVeil Being fully human as in simply being, acting in accordance with one’s innate human nature and wisdom, actualizing the fullness of their potential. None of that requires belief. Rather, it must be known experientially and lived.
You must not be familiar with many, many different Protestant churches. Confessional Lutherans, for example, are generally excellent and completely check all the boxes of virtue which you mention here.
The Gospel was originally one book, written by Lazarus in consultation with the Apostles [John 21:24] and published soon after Jesus left them on their own. The religion was hijacked by Rome, the Gospel was broken up scrambled adulterated into a bunch of competing narratives. Later four of those adulterated gospels were canonized with falsely ascribed authorship and a Gnosticism cover-story. It was the finding of an original Gospel of Jesus scroll in Jerusalem that gained the Knights Templar power over the Church and their eventual undoing when the church finally retaliated against them Friday 13th.
@@termination9353 just stating a fact. What makes you believe in this “book of Lazarus“ and how do you know it's not a forgery? What historical witness do you have for this?
📙 FREE eBOOK on the wisdom of modern Orthodox Christian elders:
social.protectingveil.com/freebook1
It would be difficult to quantify the aid I've received from Fr. Stephen, and I've never even met him!
Quit listening to Paul.
"Come with me and I'll give you rest, for my burden is easy and my yoke light." -Jesus
Hearing Fr. Stephen say "of course it will get worse" in his typical, cheerful manner made me chuckle a bit.
I believe the Benedict option is a dream. As an orthodox I have been farming for 18 years and never ever have I got one person to check out of the city and join the farming world. I forgot to mention that I bought an Amish farm and have been farming with the Amish for quite a long time and I can tell you a lot about them both positive and negative.
So important to support our local farmers ❤️
Wow. This was the most clear and succinct explanation of suffering. If you cannot learn how to face and endure and overcome suffering, no amount of ease will satisfy you. Thank you Father!
God bless this man. Fr. Stephen Freeman has been a huge blessing to me on my journey out of protestantism. Thank you for making these videos!
Thanks so much! My gerontology professor was a nationally prominent sociologist and some sort of Protestant pastor. He used to say that he wished nursing homes didn’t exist. I understand everyone can’t care for loved ones at home but many are unwilling, and elder care has become a corrupt abusive and coercive racket in many circumstances. I could say so much more! Thanks for your insightful observations. Your teaching is a blessing.
Every message I hear from Fr. Stephen is both simple and excellent. Thank you for posting this.
Great video Father, I enjoy and have been taught alot by your work over the years.
Amazing Fr. Freeman ! Thank you for the video.
The purpose is NOT to replace the God of the Jews with Jesus as God! This was Constantine's efforts as mentioned in: Fordham University website, “Jews and the Later Roman Law 315-531 CE”. Thus he changed the 'sabbath' to the 'day of the sun' god!). Also 'Easter was to change from Nisan 14, the correct date when Jesus instituted the 'last supper'!. Thus he replaced the jewish God with Jesus, the new God! And thus is was made 'official' and has never changed! most churches now worship, not God the Father, but Jesus! Mary and thr Saints. Do you know of a church dedicated to 'God the Father'? Paul made it clear that the 'God' Jesus came reconcile us to is EXACTLY THE SAME GOD as the Jews God! "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the gentiles?" Thus Jesus sole purpose was to "reconcile us to God" ( 2 Cor 5:20 ) "The true worshipers will worship the FATHER in Spirit & truth" Jesus stressed (John 4:23,24). Jessus died for fogiveness of our sins against God the Father to bring us back into harmony with our Creator! our Ransom!
Very very true, indeed. We are attacked by our passions through almost every modern innovation we have.
Then just when you think you have removed certain things in your life like facebook or the tv, the devil finds other ways. Vigilance and praying constantly with repentance should be our way of life.
Somebody once asked God in desperation how to stop sinning, especially serious sins. God replied, "Crucify Yourself".
A reminder of the command of Christ to take up your Cross and follow Him.
So many beautiful wonderful thing to say about Orthodoxy but one thing that is internationally in deficit is that 80% of the Orthodox churches on every continent is lacking in hospitality. They hardly will say hello to a stranger.
I came to church to worship G_d.
@@alvinnlus the worship of God is the number one reason to go to church and also to repent and also to receive God through all the sacraments one of them being the human being that needs to at least offer you a glass of water.
Odd. Has been the exact opposite of my experience luckily.
I agree.
I'm so sorry. We are like that. The only consolation is that with us you have the traditional exclusion. No false inclusion. I am an Orthodox Serb and I experienced the same thing from the Russians.
Powerful stuff
God bless you Father Stephen I say again God bless you!!
Why would anybody be so eager to necessarily talk about sexual morality as soon as they reach a college or university campus. Why should this be the prime topic of a sermon to the students? I think any common sense priest can easily understand that this is not necessary in the beginning. And, to my opinion, any student who will first come to meet Christ and His Grace, would gradually get the necessary skills to accept a sermon regarding sex and all related topics. First things first. It needs a humane strategy, and not a "stick", for getting the flock where it needs to be and allowing them to taste the beauty of God and orthodoxy. Fr. Stephen, your blessing!
Fr Freeman is the best. I can so relate to “Oh no, I broke my rule again.” 😊
Thank you for your message. Very timely.
Thank youl, Herman.
Thank you for having Fr. Stephen on again.
Each time I hear him, I cry and cinema bit more human.
Fully human…. Keep teaching us and reminding us! Thanks 🙏
Thank you for this lecture.
The point of Christianity is following Christ to be reconciled with God.
"You will at least think somebody is stupid." I have to take exception to that. When I peruse Facebook, I quickly come to the conclusion that nearly EVERYONE is stupid.
First!
😢BEING ONLINE WILL RUIN THE LIVES OF THE MONKS❗ 😢 The reason they left the world was to ISOLATE themselves from the millions of temptations that hindered their sanctification ❗ Now they (some of them) brought the millions of temptations they wanted to abolish .... back into their lives .... through the cell phone 😢
Are you a Monk???
On the issue of feeding a man - in all the ways he might be fed:
The church cannot suffer multiple responsibilities? It can't provide food and satisfy the spirit? It can't provide instruction or at the very least direction to trusted instruction on how a man might feed himself - those necessary means and methods? Is the Church without means to educate children? Is the Church working against its interests when it donates to the sciences; how can this be considering the boons modern telecommunication and transport are for the spreading of the gospel?
I can't understand this slight against the dual-vocationalism of Western (Roman Catholic) Clergy. Isn't God appropriating the world unto himself through Christ?
Orthodoxy, what gives?
The point of any religion is the same: A way to organize your approach to the world. It's a way for larger, more cognitively able minds to decide on behaviors. Once our human brains were complex enough to understand the regrets or pride in the past and worries or aspirations for the future, we began to posit explanations of why we are in the world. And whatever you choose for yourself is fine UNTIL you begin to tell others how to be as in the very first sentence of this video. YOU don't have that right, that permission, that purview as a member of a plural world.
"And whatever you choose for yourself is fine UNTIL you begin to tell others how to be as in the very first sentence of this video. YOU don't have that right, that permission, that purview as a member of a plural world." - That directly contradicts the first part of your comment, where you correctly identified _one of_ the points of religion as being: "A way to organize your approach to the world. It's a way for larger, more cognitively able minds to decide on behaviors."
The first part of your comment is impossible when everyone has your turbo-individualistic, "modern" mindset. Nothing can ever be decided on. Nothing can ever be right or wrong. Anything goes. This is _the_ tragedy of the "modern world".
Besides, where does this aversion to unsolicited advice, aka "being told", come from? I'm a fellow young person in my 20s, but I don't understand it. Maybe we should listen instead of getting angry?
Being fully human doesn’t require the acceptance of Orthodox beliefs. This wisdom is always already available to every human being.
What does "being fully human" mean?
@@ProtectingVeil Being fully human as in simply being, acting in accordance with one’s innate human nature and wisdom, actualizing the fullness of their potential. None of that requires belief. Rather, it must be known experientially and lived.
You must not be familiar with many, many different Protestant churches. Confessional Lutherans, for example, are generally excellent and completely check all the boxes of virtue which you mention here.
Lutherans actually preach the Gospel. They don’t obscure the Message of Christ dying for our sins.
The Gospel was originally one book, written by Lazarus in consultation with the Apostles [John 21:24] and published soon after Jesus left them on their own. The religion was hijacked by Rome, the Gospel was broken up scrambled adulterated into a bunch of competing narratives. Later four of those adulterated gospels were canonized with falsely ascribed authorship and a Gnosticism cover-story. It was the finding of an original Gospel of Jesus scroll in Jerusalem that gained the Knights Templar power over the Church and their eventual undoing when the church finally retaliated against them Friday 13th.
Judea was a Roman province.
@@Cosmere99 ok. And?
@@termination9353 and what?
@@Cosmere99 and what about juea being a Roman province?
@@termination9353 just stating a fact. What makes you believe in this “book of Lazarus“ and how do you know it's not a forgery? What historical witness do you have for this?