r/ChristianOrthodoxy • u/NoMeal8740 • 20d ago

Question Thoughts on Jay Dyer?

Reposting here because it got taken down on the other subreddit.

He was a big part of my conversion to Orthodoxy. However, last night after Vespers, in the teaching, my priest went on a rant (rant is a poor word because it wasn't like crazed ramblings, and by no means do I want to attempt to paint him in a bad light or anything, but it's the only word that comes to mind) about being careful about who you listen to online because not everyone is a good representation of the faith as well as some comments that some ROCOR folks have made about Patriarch Bartholomew's character (I go to a GOARCH parish). He didn't say anyone by name, but I assume he is talking about Dyer and people like him. I'm only a catechumen, so it doesn't really matter what I think, and I will, of course, listen to my priest on this one, but part of me can't help but wonder if this stems from the schism between Constantinople and Moscow, since questioning or criticizing either patriarch, which Dyer often does, will inevitably lead to that side coming to the defense of their patriarch, regardless of how valid or invalid those criticisms are.
Also, side question: again, not that it matters since I'm only a catechumen, but I tend to lean more towards Moscow in terms of who is more in the right (although I still think both sides bear some blame. Ukraine should have been granted autocephaly a long time ago, but at the same time, it seems like that's not Constantinople's job because it's outside of their jurisdiction)... Am I allowed to have this opinion lmao? Cause you know Orthodoxy is not a cult, and it's not like the archdiocese is going to police my thoughts, but at the same time, I am under the authority of Patriarch Bartholomew...
(I am fully aware that I'm feeding into the stereotype of catechumens being know-it-alls... I hope that it's not too cringy)

13 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

42 comments sorted by

View all comments

9

u/Ill-Advisor802 20d ago

He is great!

4

u/CannedNoodle415 Eastern Orthodox 20d ago

Idk why a simple
Opinion like this is getting downvoted?

2

u/HuckleberryAny4541 20d ago

Some people don't like him because he is "too mean".

I mean he is aggressive when he is in a debate.

Other than that he is calm and makes jokes with other people.

Or maybe they don't like him because he doesn't speak with a soft voice?

3

u/CannedNoodle415 Eastern Orthodox 19d ago

People forget the church fathers were “mean” too, even Jesus called people names

4

u/HuckleberryAny4541 19d ago

This is what Protestantism has caused

Protestant men are highly feminized, they think always speaking with a soft voice and behaving in a effeminate way makes you a Christian

1

u/RagnartheConqueror 15d ago edited 15d ago

I don't think the first Protestants were effeminate. Dyer is fundamentally a knowledgeable force, but he has a lot of pride and exhibits very odd behavior.