Pray for Orthodox Christians at a Certain Forum

[Maria]

Dear fellow Orthodox Christians:

There is a certain forum that shall remained unnamed (don't ask/don't search/just pray) where most of the moderators allow Catholics to bash the Orthodox. If the Orthodox try to defend themselves, these Orthodox are warned and banned from that forum. The Catholics continually attack the Orthodox by posting highly obnoxious threads at least weekly. For example, because we Orthodox have not defined venial versus mortal sins, some Catholics are boldly implying that our theology is at an immature stage.

Listed below are 12 reasons why we should not reunite with Rome:

1 ) The Vatican has deleted many Holy Saints of Orthodoxy from the Roman Calendar - few saints are honored each month. Currently, the Roman calendar of saints is almost devoid of saints.
2 ) Rome added the filioque to the Nicene Creed
3 ) Rome added the belief in a state/place called Purgatory
4 ) Rome added the belief in indulgences
5 ) Rome adopted the distinction between venial and mortal sins, thus leading to toleration of sin, and a lack of repentance.
6) Rome adopted the distinction between imperfect and perfect contrition leading to an increase in indifference and a lack of repentance.
7 ) Rome abandoned the holy fasts (fasting is only mandated on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday).
8 ) The Vatican promised the Orthodox who came into unity with Rome that the Vatican would not interfere with their Eastern Traditions and customs, but to this day Rome does not permit the ordination of married men to the Byzantine Priesthood in the United States of America. Yet they do allow married priests from Anglicanism and Lutheranism to be ordained as Catholic priests. Dare I say hypocrisy? This led to the conversion of St. Alexis Toth to Holy Orthodoxy along with thousands of other Byzantine Catholics. (Their loss = our gain)
9 ) The Vatican doesn't believe in using leavened bread for Holy Communion;
10 ) Rome has changed our Holy Canons and continue to do so to suit modern pleasures - adding altar girls, etc.
11 ) Papal powers have increased with papal infallibility and papal supremacy being defined recently in 1870;
12) The Vatican has tampered with the Holy Divine Liturgy and the Holy Sacraments and has introduced novel forms of worship.

If I dare to mention any one of these twelve points, I would be history in that forum.

How can we dare speak of unity when these conditions remain. Yet the Catholics on that unnamed board dare to say that we are so proud because we will not abandon our Holy Traditions and accept the authority of the Roman Pope as the Vicar of Christ.

Please pray for these Orthodox that they do not abandon their faith due to these constant attacks. Pray for the EP that he does not submit to Rome.

Begging God to shower His merciful love on us all and to raise up Holy Orthodox Priests and Bishops who rightly divide the word of Truth.

Maria

P.S. Please correct me if I have misrepresented any of the 12 points or omitted any. I was a devout Catholic who studied theology at a Catholic university. Praised be to God who guided me to Holy Orthodoxy. To Him be all praise and honor and glory forever. Amen.

[TomS]

For example, because we Orthodox have not defined venial versus mortal sins, some Catholics are boldly implying that our theology is at an immature stage.

My question is: Why do you care what they say? Just don't visit that board anymore. The Evil One uses things like this to confuse and distract us. Just say "No" to bad boards!

[Maria]

For example, because we Orthodox have not defined venial versus mortal sins, some Catholics are boldly implying that our theology is at an immature stage.

My question is: Why do you care what they say? Just don't visit that board anymore. The Evil One uses things like this to confuse and distract us. Just say "No" to bad boards!

Dear Tom:

I care for the souls there. Some people I am able to reach. Others are lost causes.

I have been posting new threads with thought-provoking comments to perhaps wake some people up.

Thanks,
Maria

P.S. Several good Orthodox people have left that forum because of the rampant false ecumenism. Perhaps you are right and it is time to move on.

[TomS]

I understand what you are saying Maria, but I think that it is unlikely that anyone one who is still an apologist for the Roman Catholic church, after what has happened in that church in the last 5-10 years, is ever going to listen to any other viewpoints.

[PFC Nektarios]

That board sounds like "byzcath.org" I got banned from that board because of these very reasons.

In Christ
Nektarios

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

Maria,

Its OK Maria, you are right to say "pray"!

But don't worry about the masses of people, who whether they know it or not have accepted innumermerable corruptions as a faith, but not only that, use them to fight the Church of Christ.

Ones head spins and despairs contemplating the time we're living in. A time completley insane and dark in which madness and senselessness rule the whole world, and the few who have'nt accepted it, dare to speak against it. If one musters the strength to say to a Latin, or anyone, that this "great era", as its admirers call it, is bleak and many people have been fooled, they look at you with contempt as if your someone whose lost his mind. But more than by the madness itself today, one is nauseated by the foolish things said in praise of the madness. You see intelligent people and you think surley, they will understand reason. But instead they are full of foolishness and absurdity -- fanatical defenders of this era and vigilant guardians of our big madhouse!

Let us resign ourselves to the fact that evil cannot be restrianed by anything in our power. Those who speak and write in the hope of bringing back to the straight path even one who has broken ranks need to know that they're only beating the air - only the Grace of God can enlighten the soul of a man. Today, even if one should be a saint, he won't find ears that will listen. The world will not change its course. Lets not expect anything better. The world after today will only be going towards the worse. Those few who have the fear of God in them will remain the "little flock", as Christ said. And if we write, we write for them and for ourselves who are in danger of being caught and tangled in the same nets of the enemy. And if we're to remain vigilant, don't dream about enlightening anyone who neither want you or care to listen,. The world is driving itself to complete insanity and contemorary man is only man in his external appearance. In his opinion, which is the opinion of the Latins and all the allies of the world, the world is ascending to its triumph. In our opinion, its descending to oblivion.

Above the trumpet will call, the end of the world is coming. Oh how the frightening voice of God shouts, "I am coming quickly!" And who among us is prepared to receive Him? Blessed John the Theologian heard, "Yea, I come quickley", and he wasn't frightened; rather, he rejoiced because he was prepared. And he called out, "Amen. Yea, come Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20) But we, with our whole body trembling, cry in terror, "Do not come, Lord! Do not come."

[Maria]

That board sounds like "byzcath.org" I got banned from that board because of these very reasons.

In Christ
Nektarios

Dear Nektarios:

I enjoyed your posts at byzcath.org. Actually other Orthodox Christians and I are being treated quite nicely there compared with TFTSNBN (that forum shall not be named).

These Catholics in TFTSNBN don't even recognize how arrogant they really are. Since I was a Catholic, I realize now how much my Orthodox Priest had to pray and fast for me to come to repentance and the knowledge of the truth (what little I still know).

Yes, we must pray. Pray for the conversion of the hearts of men and pray for our fellow Orthodox Christians that they may remain steadfast and persevere until the end of ages, which I think is rapidly approaching.

Prayerfully,
Maria