MEPs Approve Resolution Seeking to Allow Women on Mt Athos

[Gregory2]

What right does the EU have to impose its beliefs on Mt Athos? As I understand it, even though the Holy Mountain is in Greece proper, it is an independent entity under the direct authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate -- it's not even administered by the Church of Greece. Why would a bunch of Western, protestant secular humanists -- who have contempt for Orthodox Christianity in the first place -- be even allowed to have an opinion on this?

[sue57]

At the risk of causing members of this group to have multiple strokes, you can read the statement of MEP member, Anna Karamanou at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/balkanhr/message/5006

You'll have to paste this into your browser, and then behold the horror! Her statement defies description, to put it nicely.

Sues57

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

They want to talk about the "human rights" of woman on the Holy Mountain, but they have not even succeeded in gauranteeing the human rights of the men at Esphigmenou, who even now, cannot get basic food, fuel, and medical supplies, but have to sneak it through dangerous mountain passes.

If these woman were truly concerned about "human rights", and not just their debauchery and selfish ambitions, they would first be seriously concerned with what is happening with Esphigmenou. Do they care there are elderly men who cannot get medical supplies?

This is not about "human rights", this is about selfish disrespecting people who are not happy so long as there is anything good left on the planet witnessing against their dark spirits and evil ambitions.

Furthermore, what has the anti-monastic Bartholomew said against these woman, 19 of the monasteries are ruled by him with an iron fist, he has plenty of time to cruise the Baltic Sea complaining to the press about everyone's responsibility to the environment?

[Seraphim Reeves]

• Undoubtedly, the Greeks who voted in favour of this abomination, are at least nominally Orthodox; has the EP, or does the EP plan on disciplinary action against these individuals?

• One thing I've long noticed about European godlessness, is that it is much more overt, at least compared to what one finds in North America. I think it's easy for us to overlook how "religious" North Americans, on average, really are compared to Europeans. As a Roman Catholic seminarian put it to me once, "here, few people have an understanding of Who Christ the King is, and what His Kingship means for civilization - in Europe, they know full well what this means, and have long rejected it."

• Does this mean that the fundamentalist Protestants, for all of their grave errors, were right in their assessment of the EU from the get-go?

Seraphim

[sue57]

Sorry for my not realizing that the link to Yahoo would indeed work.

Anyway, the belligerence of this woman's "arguement" amazed me. Even in Alabama, with the Ten Commandments situation, the S. Poverty Law Center had to tread very carefully to try not to be too "offensive" with their opposition.
It is very disturbing to see how truely godless Europe has become. But, there is also the issue of this kind of "feminist" argument not even being grounded in reality. Obviously, no women's human rights are violated by not being able to visit Mt. Athos, and only a dissident Orthodox women would view it from this fatally wrong perspective.
I love it the way "modern" European women never seem to address the human rights issue of how porn has horribly exploited the women from the former Soviet Union, or that countries like Holland and Belgium have been involved in the victimization of children (correction: not the countries themselves, but law enforcement has not been vigilent in these areas.) Instead, they pick on....Mt. Athos??? Obviously this must appeal to Greek feminists who probably hate Orthodoxy as just another "patriarchial" institution. EVERY church in Europe should be afraid, since the autonomy of belief is under attack. Orthodox Jewish women have to stand on their own side, opposite men, in the synagogue. Is this a violation of human rights? I hope that the church in Greece takes a vocal stance against this attack, but churches in Europe seem to want to remain invisible.

[Natasha]

"I love it the way "modern" European women never seem to address the human rights issue of how porn has horribly exploited the women from the former Soviet Union, or that countries like Holland and Belgium have been involved in the victimization of children (correction: not the countries themselves, but law enforcement has not been vigilent in these areas.)"

How true! I would not just include European women, but women around the globe. Especially radical feminist women from America who see prostitution as an empowering way to make money using their body.

As far as the people pursuing the idea that women should be allowed on Mt. Athos, it never occurred to me that it could be coming from our own Orthodox brothers and sisters. I think the majority of the argument must be coming from people from non-Orthodox countries who have no clue as to what we are, or what we believe in.

[Gregory2]

Tradition holds that the Most Holy Theotokos appeared on the Holy Mountain (Mt Athos) and declared it for herself -- THIS is the reason that no woman is allowed on it!

I recommend that Ms. Karamanou take this issue up with the Theotokos Herself, rather than with Greece, the EU, or even the monastics on Mt Athos.

I'm thinking of sending her an e-mail to this effect. Does anyone think I should, or should not?