What to do about Islamic Expansion in US?

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

The Orthodox is a loser church. The young do not know the faith, the churches are dying the people are dying. and the orthodox are clueless to what is going on around here.

This is why the Jews hated Jesus, because he was of a "loser church" who did not care about "imigration" and "what was going on around him" politically, socially, and economically. He didn't care enough about the kingdoms of this world.

There are about as many Muslims in America as their are "Orthodox". It should not shock anyone that there are now 18 Mosques in Chicago; I have always wondered why their were so few.

The Muslims are not going to take over or convert any "enlightened" Westerner, who are mostly post-Christian. The Westerner already has his new religion and nothing but nothing will interfere with it, this religion is himself.

The only thing the Orthodox need to do is pray, and be concerned about his own salvation. As has been evidenced on this and other forums over many months, people are rarley convinced of anything by debates and mere words. We are wasting and squandering our time if we think anyone will be convinced of anything with mere information because it is not enough to uderstand, people can convince themselves of anything given time and motive. Far more important is for the Heart to be converted, this is the motive, and this can only be done by a person with the Grace of God. As the words of the Saints say, save yourself and thousands around you will also be saved. Those around you are the ones you love the most. Be a missionary to them by being a living example!

And I am the biggest fool of them all, having known this but not actually having accepted it.

With very few exceptions, there is no such thing as missionaries in the Orthodox Church. We do not need "missionaries", we need icons of Christ who are the lights on the lampstand, setting the example for everyone who wishes to see, see. We do not need missionaries, or internet know-it-alls like me (so I think), which is just following the well-worn path of the Protestants, we need saints!

Study even one of the pillar saints and you will see exactly what I mean - they are the antithesis of a "missionary", they were certainly, as Wheeler put it, earthly "losers"(!), but one thing is for sure, they are still "missionizing".

[Liudmilla]

Brendan wrote:

[quote]As I understand Orthodox teaching on marriage and reproduction, birth control is categorically condemned for young married couples, but how many couples are abiding by this. How many even think about it?

Children are a blessing from God. You seem to be saying children are a burden and NOT using birth control is foolish. [/quote]

1. Be careful of making assumptions.

I never intimated that I believed in birth control. If you properly follow the teachings of when and where then it is a natural birth control in and of itself. However....(never mind I won't go there...)

1. Children are not a burden, by any means and those who have been so blessed are truly blessed. That good old saying...God helps those who help themselves....certainly applies here. The children are the important thing, it is the measure of our responcibility how we take care of them. If I and my husband have to work two jobs each to support a gaggle of kids, who is going to teach, raise, supervise and so on in our absence? How have we served the children? I know of what I speak here, my uncle had twelve children and the litany of the results would turn your head gray!

OOD is right when he writes,

[quote]We are wasting and squandering our time if we think anyone will be convinced of anything with mere information because it is not enough to uderstand, people can convince themselves of anything given time and motive. Far more important is for the Heart to be converted, this is the motive, and this can only be done by a person with the Grace of God. As the words of the Saints say, save yourself and thousands around you will also be saved. Those around you are the ones you love the most. Be a missionary to them by being a living example![/quote]

Milla

[George Australia]

Our priest today said he had just returned from a meeting with other Orthodox clergy from around the country. One of the main topics of discussion was what should Orthodoxy do about the tremendous expansion of Islam in the US. In Chicago, for example, the number of mosques has increased from 2 to 18 in just the past few years and shows no sign of stopping. More disturbing, many native-born US citizens are converting to Islam and this is fueling Muslim expansion.

It was recommended that all Orthodox Christians re-dedicate themselves to their Church, pray more, and also to seriously increase proselytizing efforts. I think this is all good.

Any comments or further suggestions? I have a couple, but I'll see what you folks have to say.

brendan,
I have checked out your profile and clicked on the link to "view all posts by brendan" , and there seems to be a common thread throughout all your posts. It's interesting how often words like "jew', 'judaizers", "anti-semetism", "Islam", and "immigration" pop up in your posts.
George

[George Australia]

I would like to see a whole lot more internet presence besides a single half-hour internet radio program - Come See the LIght.

brendan,
I'm not sure, since I live in Austalia, but I believe the radio program is probably called "Come Receive the Light", as any Orthodox Christian would recognise these as the opening words of the Paschal Matins. Since we are Orthodox Christians, we have already "seen the true Light" as we sing after Communion, and don't need to tune into a radio program to "Come see the light". The internet, television and radio can be a tools for good or evil, but they are no substitute for the Church. The internet particularly is dangerous, since people can masquerade as whatever they want, claiming to be Orthodox when they are really wolves in sheep's clothing.

[Justin Kissel]

Wheeler,

Have we hurt you so much, that you feel the need to speak to us in such a way? Have we been inhospitable to you? Have we offended you in some way? Do you deem us to be so ignorant of truth that you feel led to lash out at us?

For the record: I am stupid. I do not know the scriptures (one of your charges in another thread). I do not have a college degree. I plan on going back to college, at which point I will major in something like rhetoric or history or philosophy, which would never make me rich. I am 25. I am among the "working poor". I also wear my emotions on my sleeve and am passion-driven. I am Orthodox, and in many ways dying spiritually. Perhaps I am not so different than you.

I say none of this with even a hint of self-pity, sarcasm, or anything else. It is the truth, as plainly as I can see it and state it. So, having been honest with you, I'll ask you to be honest with me: did your last post make you feel better? Where's the love, man?

[gphadraig]

Once again an angry and dismissive poster joins in on a thread. As previously the poster indulges himself in a rant without, as far as I am able to ascertain, offering anything positive. My suggestion is to ignore his postings, both for his and our own welfare. As Margaret Thatcher said, when speaking of terrorists, we should deny them the oxygen of publicity. Perhaps on an Orthodox Christian website debate should be encouraged, as in other endeavours, to set a boundary which may be to the benefit of all?

And for the record a recent report has Orthodoxy as the fastest growing faith in Britain.

[Tessa]

I also agree Orthodox couples need to strive to have more kids. I guess we (my husband and I) might be considered to be poor by some standards, I like to call it "living modestly within our means", but we are not on welfare and always seem to have everything that we REALLY need. If we ever actually thought about being to able to afford kids we probably would never have had ANY. But like my priest says, God always provides.

But, the thing with the Muslims, DEMOGRAPHIC GENOCIDE, has happend to Kosovo too, and let that be a lesson. Albanian Siptar Muslim families have 10+ kids while Serbian Orthodox families have 2 or 3 max. A few generations of that rabbit-like rate of production has nearly wiped us out. They wipe us out by breeding. :ohvey: