Is Elder Ephraim, and his monasteries are cults or business

[romiosini]

Is Elder Ephraim, and his monasteries are cults or business places. Or torturing young novices in slavery of "Monasticism"?

[Justin Kissel]

I think it's hard for Americans to understand monasticism. Most Americans (including we Orthodox, perhaps) would simply shake our heads in disbelief at a lot of the stuff in monastic literature and spirituality. One Abbot told a father to throw his son into the river (to drown) so as to prove his obedience. The father did so immediately. The abbot had people waiting downstream to save the kid, but such precautions were not central in the mind of the Father. It reminds one of the story of Isaac being sacrificed. And what would we think of such "obedience" today? More than likely such stories shock us or disgust us. But who are wrong, we or the monks? When I hear about "slavery" and monsticism, my first (admittedly exaggerated) reaction is: "Isn't monasticism suppose to be the complete surrendering of oneself to someone? and isn't that what slavery in principle is?" I admit that this is exaggerated (I don't condone abbots sexually molesting their monks, for example), but I think there's something to that idea.

[尼古拉前执事]

My choice is not listed, so I did not vote.

[Etienne]

Dear Romiosini,

Like Nicholas, I too have not voted as the possible answers are more complex than your questions allow for.

Having visited and reflected on all the sites, I feel able only to offer the following inadequate responses.

• The critics include Archb. Lazar Puhalo. This fails to give me confidence.

• Parental responses such as is shown in the examples quoted is, as another commentator writes, is nothing new. Monastacism is fine, until one of your own children announces they want to follow this vocation. I have seen amazingly negative reactions in what were thought of as pious families in the diaspora and in Greece. (Similar stories are not unknown among Catholics and Anglicans, too).

• The 'order' indicated in guidelines given to visitors and pilgrims on the monastery website is what one might expect for any monastery of the 'Athonite' tradition.

• The books on offer are sound, 'traditional' Orthodox offerings.

• An oddity, forgive me, is the very business like and professionalism of the bookstore. I am too used to the warm chaos of many Russian Church stores. (A flak-shirt might be handy here).

Pray. Particularly when subject to strong emotional responses, pray and pray hard. If the Elder is being attacked, then it is possible he is working to save souls and Satan is doing what he always does. As the 'father of lies' he may delude even pious people.

Sorry that a clearer answer eludes me