The Bloodthirsty Serbs

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

dear Greek friend,

Thank you kindly for your support. We at http://Srpska-Mreza.com agree with each and every word you said. The times are very difficult for the Orthodox people. This is why we should do our best to unite our efforts. There are hundreds of millions of us! Not a small force. In this country also, we should unite efforts of Greek, Serbian and Armenian lobby. We should learn more about each other and stick together. We have a saying that in every evil one can find a tiny island of goodness. In these terrible times we Serbs rediscovered our Greek brothers and their greatness. Here is what I experienced myself.

In summer 1992 the Serbs organized demonstrations in New York in front of the United Nations. We invited different groups of people to join us. I obtained a phone number of some Greek clergy in Astoria [Cathedral of St. Markella]. I called them to join us. They eagerly agreed to come.

As the demonstration started we saw what we already knew: the Serbs were alone. No-one wanted to deal with Serbs, the people that American media already painted as bloodthirsty Nazis, mass-rapists etc, etc. We were the worst people on Earth.

Suddenly, and right at the start, thirteen Greek priests in their traditional robes and with Greek flags appeared. Father Pavlos [now Metropolitan of America] asked to speak. He climbed on the podium. First, he tied Serbian and Greek flags together! He made a passionate speech. He said: "We know who you Serbs are. They can say what they want. We know you. You are our brothers. We know why you suffer. You suffer because you are our brothers, because you are Eastern Orthodox. We know your suffering because we always suffered with you. Endure. God is testing the strength of your faith. Endure, decent and proud people as you always were."

Never in my life did I see so many adults in tears as the Serbs crowded to thank Father Pavlos and kiss his hands.

I can say much, much more about personal Greek friends I obtained. What great people! But, I should say this one. I was already 40 in 1992 and I still did not know the meaning of my seemingly weird, unusual last name. "Makara" explained to me my dear Greek friends means "blessed" in the old-Greek. That is why among Eastern Orthodox people there are so many peoples with last names that use the same root: Makarov (for Russians), Makarenko (for Ukrainians), Makarios (for Greeks).

Thanks to Greeks I learned the meaning of my name! I am blessed. Even in this evil that tortures me so much for so many years, thousands of miles away from my home and my suffering people, I am blessed. Even this terrible war which seems to always linger above my people was a blessing as it flooded me with strong feelings I would never have and gave me friends I would never have. Together we can fight the dark and the depression. Let the Truth be our first victory.

I worked tirelessly defending the simple Truth that the Serbs were and are decent people; people who in their long history never had a reason to be ashamed. Never before and not today. It is the West that should be ashamed to have attacked in such a vicious fashion one whole people. Our very honor is attacked. But when I defend the Truth about the Serbs I know that it is not only the Serbs but the entire Orthodoxy that is attacked in this disgusting, Nazi-like fashion. I defend the dignity of our common heritage.

Feel free to take a look. I spent years collecting this documentation. The Serbs do not have a reason to be ashamed about the "massacres" in Sarajevo:
http://srpska-mreza.com/Bosnia/Sarajevo/index.html

or Srebrenica
http://srpska-mreza.com/Bosnia/Srebrenica/index.html

or Kosovo
http://srpska-mreza.com/Kosovo/index.html

or any other place or time:
http://srpska-mreza.com/LIBRARY.html

[gphadraig]

Yes, I saw in Greece collections being made by monastics and laypeople for their brothers in Serbia. There was considerable support.

One reward that the Greeks earned was an American warning to to U.S. citizens about travell risks for those intending to visit Greece.

Greece is, of course, dependent for a significant portion of her GDP on tourist derived income. My experience travelling showed me that security there was a least as good as other destinations not the subject of similar warnings at the time.

Two points have struck me, reflecting on these matters over time. First, the tendency historically of all superpowers to resort to 'arm twisting' and 'blatant' bully of smaller nations. The U.S. is very keen for other countries to be democracies and you would therefore think they would respect the actions of democracies behaving in accordance with their populations sentiments? Possibly not. Second, where is the line between solidarity with our Orthodox brethren and any form of super-phyletism?

[George Australia]

Second, where is the line between solidarity with our Orthodox brethren and any form of super-phyletism?

So far as this point is concerned, I would say that the bond between the Faithful of the Church is stronger than that of race or nation or even family. The strongest tie that any of these can have is that of human blood ties. The Faithful of the Church are united in the Blood of Christ. And this, I think, is as it should be. The collection which St. Paul gathered from the Church in Corinth was for the suffering Church in Jerusalem (1Cor 16:1-3). Here we see 'Gentile' Christians collecting money to help the suffering 'Jewish' Christians whom they'd probably never meet. The mutual love between the Faithful cannot be phyletism, since the Church is not phyletist, it is Catholic. That the Greek Faithful should show concern for the Serbian Faithful seems to me to be the opposite of phyletism- just as the Pentecost was the opposite of the Tower of Babel.

[gphadraig]

George Australia, I do not think there is any difference of opinion between us on this troubling issue. My worry is perhaps having experienced tribalism at its cruellest that sometimes a righteous solidarity becomes something very perverse. Against something and someone rather than for something and someone.

The tribalism I speak of lead to the worst kind of strike and hatred between neighbours. Often carried out in the name supposedly of defending this or that one's particular brand of 'Christianity'.

[George Australia]

The tribalism I speak of lead to the worst kind of strike and hatred between neighbours. Often carried out in the name supposedly of defending this or that one's particular brand of 'Christianity'.

Dear Servant of God,
I see nothing in the original post which speaks of hatred. The actions and words of Father Pavlos were not about revenge or hatred towards anyone, but of encouragement to fellow Orthodox Christians to endure their Gogotha:

First, he tied Serbian and Greek flags together! He made a passionate speech. He said: "We know who you Serbs are. They can say what they want. We know you. You are our brothers. We know why you suffer. You suffer because you are our brothers, because you are Eastern Orthodox. We know your suffering because we always suffered with you. Endure. God is testing the strength of your faith. Endure, decent and proud people as you always were."

Father Pavlos did not say: "You must raise an army to defend yourselves against these unbelievers," instead he was encouraging them to turn the other cheek like brave Christians.
If this was the US President talking to Americans, do you think he would have said the same?

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

George Australia, I do not think there is any difference of opinion between us on this troubling issue. My worry is perhaps having experienced tribalism at its cruellest that sometimes a righteous solidarity becomes something very perverse. Against something and someone rather than for something and someone.

The tribalism I speak of lead to the worst kind of strike and hatred between neighbours. Often carried out in the name supposedly of defending this or that one's particular brand of 'Christianity'.

gphadraig,

Strange isn't it, how "patriotic" it is in America for its people to stand and wave the flag, and even shout revenge(!), and to even hint to question this behavior will almost certainly win you a dirty look.

But when another country or people stand in solidarity it is immediatley, and I do mean immediatley, branded "nationalism", or "tribalism", or "ethicity", or something, just never "patriotism".

I'll never forget the OCA evangelical convert priest who told me very triumphantly, "we are going to start an American church for Americans!". He was obviously not aware of his own ethnic ambitions.