I have been well aware, all along that Br. Nathanael's news blog took yellow journalism to new lows, but I continued reading them for some time, because they seemed to be the only source that would keep me informed on the continuing developements within the various groups of dissenters within and without ROCOR-MP. I knew that I had to use discretion in reading them because the articles were in a tabloid format and were anything but sober.
Until recently I even had a sort of admiration for Br. Nathanael as crazy as he is, because he was inflamatory towards all the right people, and some of his antics made me burst out with roaring laughter.
However, after he defamed Bp. Christodoulos, I was utterly appalled and disgusted. Although I am with HOCNA, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Bp. Christodoulos. Br. Nathanael had defamed him by publishing details of His Grace's past from BEFORE he became a monastic. Namely, that the man once was in the entertainment industry and that he directed a horror film.
For Bp. Christodoulos to go through such a profound transformation from a secular Greek who was part of the entertainment industry, to a monastic and later a bishop, shows that he must have gone through a profound spiritual transformation and repentance. This makes me admire His Grace all the more. br. Nathanael mistakenly believes that since he was a filmmaker after his baptism that he is disqualified from being fit for the episcopacy, but Bp. Christodoulos is cradle Orthodox, and most pious cradle Orthodox who grow up in this hedonistic society usually go through an "inner conversion," very analogous to the one that we converts go through when we encounter Orthodoxy.
I'm sorry if my bringing this up offends anyone. I only brought it up because there are many who still read this blog for the same reasons that I did, and I feel that something should be said on behalf of the person being defamed.
It would also not surprise me if the entire story were concocted.