BOGATYR writes: What do you expect from the OCA, with their "female readers" in Washington, DC and their new calendar, their ecumenism, their renovationism, their endorsement of sergianism, their false "autocephaly"?! Then really question yourself, how a loyal DEMOCRAT can be an Orthodox Bishop, a party which believes in ABORTION ON DEMAND, MILITANT SECULARISM--they believe things like Nativity Scenes are hate speach. They endorse homosexual civil unions, etc. How serious can that be taken or any of the people that follow that nonsense?! Having personally seen the OCA Diocese of the West, well, I can say it is nothing more than ROCOR-"light" which attracts converts like this fellow "who are not ready for ROCOR". Hence, the motive, one of the great sins...envy. I wonder if Bishop Tikhon has done ANYTHING about the OPEN AND ACTIVE HOMOSEXUALS communing at his San Francisco Cathedral?! As a democrat, I doubt he can.
ORTHODOXIA I THANATOS!
Rostislav Mikhailovich Malleev-Pokrovsky
Wow, here I was attending a ROCOR Monastery with my family and we now attend an OCA parish. Have we changed our views in anyway since leaving the Monastery to attend an Orthodox Church that is only 10 minutes away from home - No. Oh, that is, except I now go to a New Calendar Church, instead of an Old Calendar Church. Because of this one issue, the calendar, my family and I are now outcasts, as far I can surmize, based on the verbage that is displayed on this board. I guess
it is unfortunate that my family and I do not attend an OCA Church in Alaska, they are still Old Calendar. Perhaps my family and I would qualify to stay within your and others acceptable standards of what an Orthodox Christian is. Fortunately, that is not the standard by which my family and I go by. My OCA Parish, in the time my family and I have attended, have not had these discussions about the new calendar, ecumenism, renovationism, our endorsement of sergianism, whether we are democrats, republicans, libertarians or greens. Our supposed "false" autocephaly is not on the forefront of our discussions. My conversations usually are in regards to their health, their family, their struggles, their crosses, their lives. I discuss with some, writings that I have read from the Early Church Fathers, or the lives of Saints, that I will pray for them, and do pray for them. I try to encourage them, greet new people. I don't have time, nor desire to discuss many of the issues that seem to be most pressing on you and others on this board. Am I aware of the issues - yes, but I do not fret, rather pray. As to our Bishop Tikhon, the small conversations that I have had with him personally, or heard him speak, have never address issues of being democratic or republican, or many of the concerns you listed. Rather, about how we, as Orthodox Christians are called to live on a daily basis. Our Orthodox ethos. I look at all of us on this board, who are Orthodox Christians, regardless of their jurisdiction, as brothers and sisters in Christ. If I am a simpleton or Fool for Christ, so be it.....
With humble bow,
Reader Chrysostomos