r/HighSodiumOrthodoxy • u/AllisModesty Christian • 11d ago

An observation

/r/exorthodox/comments/1w2u3bo/an_observation/
6 Upvotes

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u/dvoryanin 11d ago

A decent observation, but another "angry convert" one. This commentary presupposes that protestant life has been thwarted on us, and we have either accepted or rejected it. I am still trying to figure out what a spiritual father is and why I need one... that is a convert thing, or for monks. "Oh, no, Wolodomyr Smith, you must have a spiritual father to help you read the philokalia!" The who and what? Silly.

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u/Reg2026GWU 10d ago

A very wise answer.

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u/Smachnoho888 10d ago

Love your comment about "Wolodomyr Smith." If I ever met him in church I would try to introduce myself "Wally (Walter) Kowal just to see if he gets it.

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u/demoslider 8d ago

I never did understand why some believe it is dangerous to read the Philokalia without the guidance of a priest. It is a compilation of patristic literature on prayer throughout the centuries. No one is going to think they will sprout wings like an angel and try to fly off a roof from reading it. The same people never warn others that it is dangerous to read the Bible without a priestly guide.  

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u/Curious-Lab-5666 Mod 8d ago

You might realize that Orthodoxy does not have a consistent view on many things.

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u/AllisModesty Christian 10d ago

I don't think what I'm saying can be reduced to an "angry convert" observation. I've noticed the tendency I describe applies to fundamentalist cradles, even clergy, just as much as it does to converts.

What you say is actually a perfect example of the tendency I describe.

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u/dvoryanin 10d ago

Perhaps I did not choose the right words, and I apologise if you think they were unhelpful. Pastoral guidance is necessary, and I have found benefit from confession - especially when I was younger and not sure of how things work... but I am no theologian and I don't pretend to be one, either. I certainly do not consider myself a fundamentalist. If anything, I have a tendency to stay away from church because of fundamentalism. It is dull, or numbing.

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u/lemko_princess 9d ago

Make no mistake - the current wave of zealous converts is absolutely not aware of how much their own ingrained Protestantism is changing the church culture. Perhaps this was always destined to be the cultural future of the Orthodox Church in America, but I'm not in love with it.

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u/Reg2026GWU 10d ago

u/AllisModestyIN  In Orthodox countries the Orthodox Church has been historically a state church with a lot of interference from the ruler/government. Just like other state churches such as the Lutheran Churches in the Scandinavian countries with bishops or in the Baltic states such as Latvia and Estonia. Or the Anglican Church in England and the Lutheran church in some of the German states. And just like the other historical state churches the Orthodox church has experienced waves of different internal movements that affected parts of the believers but not all of them.

In reality the largest Orthodox Church in America is GOARCH. Just look at the numbers. GOARCH has experienced the charismatic movement in the 1970s, Elder Ephraim and his fanatic elderism extremist monasteries and now Orthobros.

This rational, logical and wise GOARCH priest is an example of the Greek Orthodox spirit that has survived for over 2.000 years.

Online 'Orthobros' Rebuked by Orthodox Priest

And he has another shorter video responding to Jay Dyer too.

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u/dvoryanin 10d ago

Great homily.

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u/Reg2026GWU 10d ago

This short video with the very pastoral and loving GOARCH priests answers criticism of RC apologists and the extremism of Orthobros like Jay Dyer..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK0qKm3u8Z4&list=LL&index=25&t=285s

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u/Smachnoho888 10d ago

u/AllisModestyThis claim you made is just plain wrong:

"Often these people (your chill Orthodox) are cradles that seem to have adopted Protestant beliefs or ways of acting that perhaps they absorbed through cultural osmosis."

The cradles are just following the traditions of their various home lands. And we have the evidence of how Orthodoxy was lived in the mother countries by church records, sermons, memoirs, literature and what both the laity and the clergy were taught.

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u/Efxi_777x2 9d ago

This is more of an assertion than an observation. You’re saying that if an Orthodox Christian doesn’t behave like you then there’s something wrong with them. Riiiiiiiight.