Sexuality in the Fathers

[Justin Kissel]

Could you provide a source for the above?

[Justin Kissel]

Nevermind, I (ie. Google) found the source. I'm not going to comment on Very Rev. Ihor Kutash's quotation. I've said what I can say twice, and I don't think restating the same thing a third time will satisfy you any more than the last two attempts. If I am unable to properly articulate it, I apologize. Please pray that I may, in the future, be able to better say how I understand the teaching of the Fathers on this subject.

Justin

PS. Your questions would be similar to asking: "why does God want us to fast now if we won't fast in heaven?" I think you already know the answer

[Logos]

Perhaps Orthodoxy is just a shut up and believe religion. The more questions I ask, the I more that I believe it is so.

[尼古拉前执事]

logos, I have not found that to be true at all. If we have helped make you think that I apologize.

[Justin Kissel]

Logos,

With all due respect, take a step back and think for a few moments please! I've spent (probably) 4-5 hours coming up with responses trying to answer your concerns on this thread. That's 4-5 hours I could have spent in prayer, with my wife, or maybe just chillin' watching MacGyver. My last post was one of frustration exactly because I hadn't shut up, but had spent so much time trying to answer you, but had utterly failed (I realise that this is my fault, I fall far short of the clarity of the Fathers, though the Fathers spoke with clarity to their own time, and sometimes their words come across wrong in our time and get misunderstood). With that said, I can only offer two pieces of advice:

1) Orthodoxy does not say that you should "shut up and believe" if by this you mean that asking questions is not allowed; however

2) Orthodoxy does say that sometimes you should "shut up and believe," if something is explained to you and you don't understand it. So you don't understand something. Big deal!!! If I had a dollar for every theological thing I didn't understand I'd be a rich man. If anyone said that you'd understand everything you read in the Fathers, they were wrong. If you had this impression, I suggest you change it, because there's a ton of stuff in there that our 21st century western minds will have trouble with. The key element is time and further reflection/study/prayer. Almost all of the "issues" I had a couple years ago are no longer issues for me: not because I went off on some mega-study and figured everything out, but because I "let it be" and moved on to a new subject. Sometime in between, I figured it out without even trying. Sometimes we are yelling at God "TELL ME WHY!" so loudly that we can't hear his soft, loving voice. Please don't "shut up and believe," just leave it be and have faith that it will be answered.

[Logos]

I am sorry Paradosis I misinterpreted your comments. I have trouble understanding the fathers because a lot of what they say either goes over my head or I try to do too much with their teaching. I feel like I should know more about Orthodoxy being a cradle-born but I don't. Sometimes I feel like I have too many questions.

[Natasha]

Just because we are "cradle" born, that doesn't mean that we were instantly endowed with all of the knowledge about the Faith. A lot of what was written by the Church Fathers is very complicated for the layman to understand. If you have a great desire to learn about these topics, maybe you should take some classes at a seminary. I think in order to truly gain a great understanding of these issues, one would need instruction & guidance. Don't forget to occasionally pick up a simple book about the life of a Saint, and you will become inspired by their story and maybe it will help you see things clearer.

Take care!