The good, the bad, and the ugly, or for whom the bell tolls

[Joanna Higginbotham]

I did not see that as a temptation - to me it looked like a gentle tongue-in-cheek way of helping you see yourself. Kinda hit the target, didn't it?

[Kybihetz21]

As spring approaches, think about planting this garden:

Plant three rows of peas:

• Peace of mind
• Peace of heart
• Peace of soul.

Plant four rows of squash:

• Squash gossip
• Squash indifference
• Squash grumbling
• Squash selfishness.

Plant four rows of lettuce:

• Lettuce be faithful
• Lettuce be kind
• Lettuce be happy
• Lettuce really love one another.

No garden should be without turnips:

• Turnip for service when needed
• Turnip to help one another.

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There will be much
fruit in your garden ... we reap what we sow.

To conclude our garden we must have thyme:

• Thyme for Christ
• Thyme for others
• Thyme for love.

Pretty nice garden, don't you think?

[jgress]

Cute.

[Anastasios]

Alithos anesti!

Now, if you have heard that our meeting with them went beyond this in any way, you need to provide evidence. The same goes for the visits we have paid to the Cyprianite/Agafangelite churches. There was no concelebration, nor even joint prayers as far as I know. But if you know of such things you should provide some sources.

I will gladly provide you a source, from your own HOTCA website:

Visit of HOCNA clergy to St. Maximus Parish
Thursday, 27 August 2009 21:37
http://www.hotca.org/index.php?option=c ... &Itemid=74

On August 10/23 Bishop Demetrius of Carlisle, together with two other priests of HOCNA, Fr. John Fleser and Fr. Peter Farnsworth, attended a festal Liturgy at St. Maximus parish in Owego, New York. At this celebration Metropolitan Pavlos awarded Fr. Thomas Marretta, the rector of St. Maximus, the office of Protopresbyter for his dedicated service to the Church as a priest for 30 years. Metropolitan Pavlos invited the clergy from Boston to attend as a sign of unity among the True Orthodox Christians; this being especially appropriate in view of Fr. Thomas’s long-standing friendship with the clergy of HOCNA and the fact that he was baptized into the Orthodox Faith at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston, MA. We wish Fr. Thomas Many Years on his reception of the honor of the protopresbytery, and pray that such demonstrations of brotherly support from other True Orthodox jurisdictions will become more frequent!

Christos Anesti!

I'm the person that actually wrote that paragraph above on our website, and what you are saying does not match my intent when I wrote that paragraph, and I can't allow you to misunderstand my intent, or misrepresent what I actually wrote, which I believe you are doing by going beyond the context and splicing two sentences together.

1) It's a scandal to non-Orthodox who investigate Orthodoxy to see divisions among Orthodox, especially among True Orthodox. It's something I, as a mission priest that actually goes around trying to start Orthodox Churches and convert heretics to it, encounter every week.

2) Another fact is that HOCNA and the GOC have had a series of informal meetings where the issues that divide the HOCNA and the GOC have been discussed, both canonical, and on some of the topics that you are always expressing concern over. In fact, some of our clergy have the same concerns as you have expressed about theological issues.

Given 1 and 2, we have had informal meetings with HOCNA and even invited HOCNA clergy to come to Fr Thomas's elevation to the protopresbytery and we hope that such visits will bring a spirit of cooperation and investigation of the truth that will lead to a union IF we agree on the topics that divide us.

You bolding my statement that "we pray such demonstrations..." is evidence of joint liturgical prayer is perplexing, since it is an expression of a wish after the fact. We did not invite the HOCNA clergy to vest and enter the altar and concelebrate.

Please don't try to make things out of things that don't exist. It's unproductive for the cause of furthering the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Catherine5]

Back for a moment to Kybihetz' beautiful as well as clever imagery, that is so a propos for all True Orthodox - why not make that a very easy to understand guideline for interracting with other groups and other individuals?

No need to sting other people/jurisdictions/religions like wasps and hornets. Why? All that vitriol released boomerangs back to the sender and also harms the target group or individuals on a spiritual plane. Whoever speaks so crabbily aiming darts out of discontent, personal vindictiveness or other conditions at this or that has to realize that he or she will suffer the consequences directly in his or her own life as God adjudicates.

Asparagus should also be planted in the garden, to remind not to speak uselessly dis-paraging words about others out of envy or free-floating anger and antagonism.

Aloe Vera plants would remind one to say "Hello, Faith and Truth" in a soothing way which removes inflammation. Without that strident deprecation of those anywhere who may not have such measure of faith and truth - yet! Optimistic, not ingrown and pessimistic.

The freshly painted white picket gate to the Victoria Rose section should always be kept open inviting change. A kind approach leads to victory over the lower instincts urging one to gloat over the mistakes and weak spots of those perceived as their religious enemies.

It's different to calmly state that is something is wrong, to alert those people who may wish to be informed so to avoid X, Y or Z person alive or dead/teaching or group. A constructive spirit radiates out when one is sincerely seeking to warn and educate that there may be something wrong or even harmful from such and such writing or a cult of personality around an individual has prevailed.

This is very distinct from slinging insults to make oneself feel better. I know people will bridle at this, but the pejorative jeering at Roman Catholics on a different site, for example, does no good for God! [I am happy that the Euphrosynos Cafe these days maintains a dignified restraint in this regard, and I hope that will endure as it elevates the whole tone to a higher level.] Why not just say "here are the disagreements"? Not run these people through with a javelin, so all Orthodox and True Orthodox can beat their chests like angry gorillas! The same spite that is flung mindlessly out toward anyone - usually in a bid for popularity with peers - will come back to haunt those who engage in it. Taunting all the usual suspects - Catholics, Muslims - is like eating sugar: gives a temporary boost of energy, but not long after, the blood sugar plummets way down to a far lower level, leaving the consumer far more depleted than he was before. This is a scientific fact.

Voices and even the thoughts behind the voices zap with unimagined power, reverberating and magnifying themselves to cause "good, bad or ugly" effects. To illustrate how this may work against Orthodox tangibly, let's say there's a Catholic displeased with a nasty Vatican II who is investigating True Orthodoxy. That soul may subtly perceive the verbal lance attack. But it is not felt by the mind.
The disquiet produced in that person's heart can result in this scenario: the inquirer into True Orthodoxy will wake up one day with a repelled feeling and decide "well, maybe it's not the Will of God for me to pursue this avenue after all".

Thus this mockery doesn't work in the short or long-term and is harmful to one's own cause.

[mmcxristidis]

Mr Cyprian,
Please advise me as to what synod I should follow. I'm sure you must be in the true genuinely correct Orthodox one. Which one(s) is or are the real deal? Who is your bishop ? Thanks in advance for your kind rely.

Mr Cyprian,
I did'nt think when I asked this question that you would or could answer it. I see i may have been correct. Would you like to try and prove me wrong or will you just be silent and prove me right. Thank you for your kind consideration in advance.

Christ is Risen!

Thank you as well, mmcxristidis, for confessing your true motivation for asking me the question. I could tell you were not being sincere, but were merely tempting me, just like the pharisees tempted Christ with their unwarranted questions.

I am not interested in answering any of your questions.

Ha ha oh I see, you are using the excuse for not answering my questions by compare yourself to Christ being temped by the Pharisees, how convenient. Please Mr Cyprian don't flatter yourself by comparing yourself to The Lord or me to a pharisee. Why don't you just compare me to Satan temping Christ in the wilderness, that would make just about as much sense I think.
You run your mouth saying the Synod in Resistance under Met Cyprian and the ROCOR under Met. Agafangel are heretic's and this and that. yet,the fact is, at least last time I checked, you have yet to be even baptized by any Orthodox synod, so it's more like you are the pharisee here if anyone is. If your not thinking in your head that your another St. Constantine the Great and are waiting to be baptized on your deathbed,and in fact, you have since been baptized, then please, do tell us what synod is the truly Orthodox one and who is your bishop, otherwise, perhaps you shouldn't be trying to act like you know what your talking about by teaching other baptized Orthodox believers what is and what isn't truely Orthodox

[mmcxristidis]

I did not see that as a temptation - to me it looked like a gentle tongue-in-cheek way of helping you see yourself. Kinda hit the target, didn't it?

Thank you Joanna