Met. Valentine's Arrest for the Federal Crime of Smuggling

[Mykael]

I originally came to this forum in the hope to learn something spiritually profitable...but there are things here that profit no one. If is true that to bury the dead is an act of mercy pleaseing to God; I move that this whole topic find its paupers grave. As it has become a rather fetid and pustulant corpse... quite frankly it's beginn' to stink up the joint.

If in fact Met. Valintine did the things he is accused of then that is an issue for the civil authorities. And not something to be judged by a sinner like me. If he did not do these things why are they being disscused at all? I am sure that there are some who would say that "We must defend his good name!" True, but his good name IS his defence...

I guess what I am tryng to say is... I am a Christian, by the Grace of God Orthodox. We are called to bear one anothers burdens and cover one anothers failings. Even as Shem and Japheth covered the nakedness of thier father so should we. The fact that these accusations has been repeated is a shame to us all. Because you love and respect The man, you should not repeat these things. Because you hold dear our Church and the dignity of his office you should not repeat these things. Because you hate and revile him but still seek the salvation of your soul you should not repeat such things. Let us grow forgetfull and blind to the faults of other men and pray the Lord our God can be as forgetfull of our failings come our time for judgement.

As ever asking your prayers
The unworthy servant of God
Mykael

[TomS]

I originally came to this forum in the hope to learn something spiritually profitable...but there are things here that profit no one.

Welcome to EARTH and the weakness of HUMANKIND. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" - the Wizard in the "Wizard of Oz"

[Mykael]

Welcome to EARTH and the weakness of HUMANKIND. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" - the Wizard in the "Wizard of Oz"

Thank you are too kind. Unfortuantely Earth is where I have spent entirely too much time. Id rather look to Heaven. The weakness of humankind is all I have known. I desire the strength of God.

You are absolutly right we should... "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain". Bishops are chosen by God to lead and teach His people. Unfortunately many, if not most are unworthy of that office. They are mearly men after all and not saints(yet). When I read the 'Lives of the Saints' I am struck by one constant; they speak only of their SPIRITUAL life, not their WORLDLY one. Our only concern and question of our Bishops should be "Do they preach heresy?" No. We should ignore the rest for the salvation of our souls. And "Do what they say and not what they do..."[/quote]

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

Mykael,

The problem is when a bishop doesn't do as you suggest (which may not be entirely right), and begins to cause a great deal of commotion. Is everyone to simply stick their head in the sand and not talk about it? Of course it is not spiritually profitable.

There is a story of a monk who told his spiritual father he wanted to leave the monastery to go and live like the angels. He did not want any earthly distractions so he intended to strip of all his clothes and not care about a thing in the world. The abbot allowed this. So the monk left the monastery and retreated into the wilderness to live like the angels. It was not long however when the monk returned, cold, tired, and very hungry; he begged the abbot to forgive him and to let him back into the monastary to have something to eat. The abbot explained to the monk that we are NOT angels and we are bound to concern ourselves with certain earthly nessesities, even when they do not profit us spiritually.

The issues being discussed in this thread obviously do not concern you, and if you feel spiritually harmed by them, then I strongly recommend you stay away from the thread. There are many other ones much more edifying for sure.

[scyldscefing]

disprove a non event

well, in this case Abp. Valentine was supposedly deported and wouldn't be allowed to enter the country for quite some time, hence it could be disproved by his arrival in the U.S.A., with the full knowledge of customs authorities and the russian consolate.

[scyldscefing]

sorry

prove a non event

i should remember to just copy and paste..

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

well, in this case Abp. Valentine was supposedly deported and wouldn't be allowed to enter the country for quite some time, hence it could be disproved by his arrival in the U.S.A., with the full knowledge of customs authorities and the russian consolate.

I am sure the Metropolitan is too concerned with proving anything; the only people who are very concerned about such proofs are those who feel they need justification.