Good Works of Ecumenists and Heterodox Gain Nothing

[Matthew]

A serious problem occurs when the father of the house (non-Orthodox husband), who is supposed to be the spiritual head of the family, is told to be quiet by the Orthodox wife as she prays. It will not work. There is a thread in another board where a man describes his frustrations because his wife is converting to Orthodoxy, while he does not feel led to convert.

The reverse situation is described in another board, where the husband is an inquirer into Orthodoxy, but his wife is a fundamentalist who thinks that Orthodoxy is a cult. After conferring with her mother and friends, she just announced that their marriage was over. His inquiry into Orthodoxy was too much for her. Thankfully, they do not have any children.

Lord Have Mercy! I am shocked that such things take place when Christians have married as Christians, regardless of their denomination, they should stick it out and try to make it work. Besides, how can this woman complain when so many people have pagan husbands who even mistreat them and insult them and beat them, but for the glory of God choose to exercise patience, love, compassion towards their unbelieving husband to seek his conversion and salvation. That woman whose Christ-loving and God-seeking husband wishes to be Orthodox should consider her blessings and be content with what she has and what so many have far less of, yet endure.

[Jean-Serge]

A serious problem occurs when the father of the house (non-Orthodox husband), who is supposed to be the spiritual head of the family, is told to be quiet by the Orthodox wife as she prays. It will not work. There is a thread in another board where a man describes his frustrations because his wife is converting to Orthodoxy, while he does not feel led to convert.

The reverse situation is described in another board, where the husband is an inquirer into Orthodoxy, but his wife is a fundamentalist who thinks that Orthodoxy is a cult. After conferring with her mother and friends, she just announced that their marriage was over. His inquiry into Orthodoxy was too much for her. Thankfully, they do not have any children.

Lord Have Mercy! I am shocked that such things take place when Christians have married as Christians, regardless of their denomination, they should stick it out and try to make it work.

I understand this behaviour and it is not shocking. As christian of denomination X having entered in marriage with a christian of denomination X, I fell perfectly entitled to divorce if my spouse makes apostasy since that the bases of marriage, i.e common faith, no longer exists. Even for the orthodox, the apostasy of the spouse (previously orthodox) is a motive for divorce.

[Maria]

A serious problem occurs when the father of the house (non-Orthodox husband), who is supposed to be the spiritual head of the family, is told to be quiet by the Orthodox wife as she prays. It will not work. There is a thread in another board where a man describes his frustrations because his wife is converting to Orthodoxy, while he does not feel led to convert.

The reverse situation is described in another board, where the husband is an inquirer into Orthodoxy, but his wife is a fundamentalist who thinks that Orthodoxy is a cult. After conferring with her mother and friends, she just announced that their marriage was over. His inquiry into Orthodoxy was too much for her. Thankfully, they do not have any children.

Lord Have Mercy! I am shocked that such things take place when Christians have married as Christians, regardless of their denomination, they should stick it out and try to make it work. Besides, how can this woman complain when so many people have pagan husbands who even mistreat them and insult them and beat them, but for the glory of God choose to exercise patience, love, compassion towards their unbelieving husband to seek his conversion and salvation. That woman whose Christ-loving and God-seeking husband wishes to be Orthodox should consider her blessings and be content with what she has and what so many have far less of, yet endure.

There is the image in the Dance of Isaiah which takes place at the Crowning, that marriage is a martyrdom.

[Matthew]

I understand this behaviour and it is not shocking. As christian of denomination X having entered in marriage with a christian of denomination X, I fell perfectly entitled to divorce if my spouse makes apostasy since that the bases of marriage, i.e common faith, no longer exists. Even for the orthodox, the apostasy of the spouse (previously orthodox) is a motive for divorce.

Yes, I suppose you make a good point, Father. However, I am feeling shocked because Protestants do not have any faith in One True Church, but advocate the invisible Church and accept as Saved Brothers and Sisters among all kinds of Christian Sects, even Catholics. So it seems like her evangelical standard theology should accommodate this difference between them. Most Evangelicals would consider her actions extreme to say the least. I know this by personal experience of being a long time main line Evangelical.

[Matthew]

Lord Have Mercy! I am shocked that such things take place when Christians have married as Christians, regardless of their denomination, they should stick it out and try to make it work. Besides, how can this woman complain when so many people have pagan husbands who even mistreat them and insult them and beat them, but for the glory of God choose to exercise patience, love, compassion towards their unbelieving husband to seek his conversion and salvation. That woman whose Christ-loving and God-seeking husband wishes to be Orthodox should consider her blessings and be content with what she has and what so many have far less of, yet endure.

There is the image in the Dance of Isaiah which takes place at the Crowning, that marriage is a martyrdom.

Yes, I have heard that at almost every homily that an Orthodox priest gives at the crowning of the couple in Orthodox marriage ceremonies.

[Jean-Serge]

I understand this behaviour and it is not shocking. As christian of denomination X having entered in marriage with a christian of denomination X, I fell perfectly entitled to divorce if my spouse makes apostasy since that the bases of marriage, i.e common faith, no longer exists. Even for the orthodox, the apostasy of the spouse (previously orthodox) is a motive for divorce.

Yes, I suppose you make a good point, Father.

I'm neither a priest nor your father

[Maria]

I understand this behaviour and it is not shocking. As christian of denomination X having entered in marriage with a christian of denomination X, I fell perfectly entitled to divorce if my spouse makes apostasy since that the bases of marriage, i.e common faith, no longer exists. Even for the orthodox, the apostasy of the spouse (previously orthodox) is a motive for divorce.

Yes, I suppose you make a good point, Father. However, I am feeling shocked because Protestants do not have any faith in One True Church, but advocate the invisible Church and accept as Saved Brothers and Sisters among all kinds of Christian Sects, even Catholics. So it seems like her evangelical standard theology should accommodate this difference between them. Most Evangelicals would consider her actions extreme to say the least. I know this by personal experience of being a long time main line Evangelical.

There is a protestant online website, which I will not link, that lists Orthodox Christians as a cult.
They recommend that any Orthodox Christian relatives be deprogrammed.
This woman wanted her Orthodox (inquirer) husband to undergo deprogramming. Of course, he refused.