Sqaut! Did you run these nice folks off?? That's really goin to be annoyin if you did that!

But, in the event Mandy an Cliff have gotten bent out of shape bout the theology ordeal/thread, I want you both to know if you readin that while I an others may disagree wit you on humilogical, philiolgical, theological, blaberolgical, anyoligcal ordeals does not change that I an I believe I speak for the rest of fhlers here that it's a pleasure havin your compnay here an I hope ya'll hadn't jes washed your hands of us heathens :P even though... an trust me.. I really do understand... Sqaut.. he can.. ya know.. be alot to take in an the like.

Jes rest assured... one day when we're all in glory we can all slap each other on the back an laugh because not a one of us has it all right, if we did we wouldn't be here an if one of us did it'd let us boast an God ain't goin to have that!

:amen: to that brother! No matter how we disagree here, I firmly believe we'll all be together in Paradise one day.

Looking forward to that, too.

Wonder if they'll have baggies for you, A2J? B)

Funny you should mention baggies... seeins how I've been wearin a diaper for a week LOL

PRaise God I'm 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999875 % sure I won't havta worry bout bathrooms come glory :)

We better not have bathroom problems up there! I don't wanna have to bring my Febreze along with me when I die...:faint:

NO...we're still here. This last week was Holy Week for us followed by the big celebraton of Pascha(easter for you westerners!) There were services every day last week and we went to quite a few of them. By the end of the week the services got longer and more intense and we remembered the events preceding Christs death on the cross.. The Holy Thursday service, which includes the reading of practically every gospel pertaining to the suffering and betrayal of Christ, lasted nearly three hours!

There were 2 services on Wednesday, one on Thursday, three on Friday, two on Saturday and one today! Orthodox Christians really know how to spend time in Church!!

On Saturday ther were a total of 7 baptisms and chrismations and so our church gained 7 new members and then there was an extremely long Liturgy served (the whole thing including baptisms etc, lasted just under four hours(!) and then we all came back at 11:30 PM for the celebrations of the Paschal liturgy followed by feasting the breaking of the fast in celebration of the Resurrection of our Savior (Christ is Risen!).. We left at 4:00 AM (!!!) and went to bed around 5:30 and got up at 10ish and went back today at 3:00 for the Agape Vespers (Where they read from the Gospel of John about the Resurrection and Christ's appearing to the disciples in like 10 different languages--not sure why so many languages but I will ask and find out..) Then there was the potluck picnic after that and the kids hunted eggs and jumped their brains out on a Jupiter Jump thing..Left there at about 7:00 and I am totally beat!!! :faint:

And for what its worth I haven't even read that other thread in nearly a week. Been quite busy. Due to the mulitplicity of attacks it is pretty clear that no one here has an interest into diving into the facts and searching for answers. No one is saying anything much more substantive than "Huh Unh! Someone just made that up! I don't believe you!" But no one is willing to look for themselves and find evidence to prove the things we say to the contrary. So its really pointless to discuss it. This place is a forum, not a catechism. If anyone is truly interested in discovering the ancient faith of the apostles, they will look for it. If you ever want to get the answers to any of your questions fully and to your satisfaction, even for a clearer understanding just so you can say "Now I know why they believe that!" just contact a local Orthodox church and they can and will answer any questions or misunderstandings you may want to clarify. Orthodox Church Locator

So I am not going to discuss the details of my faith as much unless there is truly an interest in it. Because I know so little of what is out there to learn about it, I will probably only lead you into a further misunderstanding of the ancient faith which is not a good thing for me to do. Forgive me where I have done so already..

Hmmmmmm..........never thought about NOT having to have bathrooms.........

I wish you wouldn't think of our discussions as 'attacks' while I know thins git heated from time to time, I wouldn't say we were attackin you. Though, often times I believe the reverse to be true in that you tend to take jabs at protestants an thier beliefs. I am all for, as I have said in the past, a discussion on thins, but to simply blindly say well so an so back at such an such time had the truth, yet no one before them er after them aside from the orthodox have the truth is hard to swallow, it's not a matter of jes sayin "I don't believe you" it's a matter of tryin to swallow the gospel er truth accordin to who? Some guys that may er may not have the truth? We do not know this, which is why I choose to believe God an the bible. Everthin else is great for feedin, discussions etc but I wouldn't call it truth, for example.... whoever the IDIOT was that started this doctrine bout women not wearin make up in the baptise church etc.... what an IDIOT, I mean c'mon! There are some gals out there that frackin need a gallon of paint splashed on em hehe It's kinda like the muslims coverin up women from top to bottom an thinkin that that is goin to keep men from lustin.. what a crock.. I garnentee you, there's men out there sayin "I wonder what's under that sheet". That has to do wit men not takin responsibility for thier own sin/lust. You can cover em up all you want but it ain't goin to change much.. remember, under neath this lil bit of fabric we wear we're all naked.

I have looked at some of the orthodox websites, I was really tryin to find some form of streamin content that I could listen to on the road, like I do wit jdm.org on Sundays, I have done the same wit catholic programin, though after listenin for a lil while to a rosery I thought my head was goin to explode, I felt as though I was in a cult listenin to a mantra of stupidity goin on, finally had to change the channel. Have watched some of the catholic programmin at the house on a channel I cain't member the name of.

I don't think one can make an informed desicion if one doesn't know the in's an out's of sumthin, which is why I have a desire to understand what others believe, not so much so I can change my beliefs as much as reconcile my beliefs an make sure they line up wit God's word an His will.

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always blaming squat.... :(

I don't personally feel attacked, but my head sometimes spins at the relentless opposition to what I've come to see as verifiable truth.

If you want a good source of information to listen to go to http://ancientfaith.com/ for streaming broadcasts of talk and music. It'll probably get you going too, but it's a pretty good source of information.

There is a link that lists the podcasts by author, and i've listened to a few of the Clark Carlton ones and recently to the Matthew Gallatin ones (just read his book so I wanted to what else he has to say.) Right now I'm listening to Gallatin's ones about Christian Pluralism.--pretty good..

Here's the link to the podcasts listed by author: Podcasts listed by author

Here is another really good one for explaining the Orthodox faith: Our Life in Christ

On this one I suggest going to the last page first (that one on the last page called "Apostolic Succession" will answer your questions of bishops and authority in the church , A2J)

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If it's ok with you two...I'll just stick to the Bible.

Same here.

If you catch your pastor doing more than just reading the text of the Bible out loud in church, make sure you call him out on the carpet too. Don't let him elaborate, or offer any personal insight or commentary on what it means. :doh:


These broadcasts are based on the scriptures, so you'll be right at home if you're a bible-believing Christian, unless you've misunderstood it's meaning. Put your understanding to the test, don't just go with whatever sounds good on the surface or makes sense to you, because all groups are obviously following the "gospel according to what makes sense to them."

basically what you're saying is that it's ok to listen to and agree with peeps if they elaborate on the Bible...

But what you didn't say (and forgive the implication) is that they MUST BE in your orthodox church structure to be considered "gospel"....right?

And....is "insight" and "commentary" exactly that? Gospel?


What is the Gospel according to the Orthodox Church? Before you even answer, I can say w/o a shadow of a doubt...the word "church" will be in it...

:popcorn:

:pepsi:

:coffee:

:belly:

Orthodox is just a title man has given that Body which remained in tact in the east after the schism in 1054 A.D. The gospel is the good news of salvation available to mankind through Christ, who destroyed the power of death for us. If any group teaches the statutes of Christ accurately, they are teaching truth. If any group has changed those statutes, by adding or subtracting from them, they are teaching falsehood. Truth is where it's found.

Wasn't it Christ Himself Who established His "Church" and called it such? Didn't the apostles go into all the world establishing local branches of that Church? This organization of men, under Christ as its Head, is the earthly instrument of salvation, in as much as it proclaims the gospel to man. So the word is a natural part of the work on God among us, not something to disdain.

The gospel is this: Christ came and voluntarily sacrificed Himself through suffering and death on a cross, to destroy the power of death, to which man was hopelessly bound. He descended to hades as a Victor over death and destroyed its gates, opening a way for those bound in the tomb to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Now we can spiritually put the "old man" to death in water baptism, and be raised together which Christ in that sanctifying act. Then when physical death approaches, it becomes not the end of life, but a passage to Heaven, therefore nothing to fear.

From this point, to remain true to the commitment to Chist made at baptism, we must continually struggle against sin and death, so that we do not make ourselves its slave once again. God blesses our efforts and sanctifies us by His Holy Spirit, which increasingly is present within us as we voluntarily sacrifice our lives to Him.

I would like to go on the record stating that Basil and String are big meanie heads......


Actually no I don't want to go on the record stating that....


We all have "TRUTHS" that we can see that we feel others are blind not to and sometimes we all go a little far in our need and desire to "enlighten" others.....


Yeah a few things that come across from several of the others posters on these boards have gotten my panties in a bunch but I have to remember that NOBODY has the "RIGHT" answers until the test is graded and that happens when we finally kick off....

I could get to heaven tomorrow (please not yet I'm ready but I'm not THAT ready) and find that String and Basil are right about part A but Part B, D and W belong to Clay, Part C, and X I had right... etc etc etc.......

But that's what I like about here.. even if I don't agree with your point of view it makes me question mine, and if I still feel mine is right after the questioning all the better....

One of my best friends is a Wiccan, we bounce things off each other all the time, and truthfully he has strengthened my faith in Christianity more than all my time in a church combined. Because he provided a counterpoint for me to look at and judge my own faith and my own beliefs....

We need to question our faith every day... we need to look at our selves every day to make sure we are living up to our ideals, complacency breeds laziness, and that leads to downfall...

So thank you Basil and String for expressing your points of view even those I don't agree with... and Thank everyone for giving their point of view as well...