Orthodox Name

ChristosVoskrese · Post by **ChristosVoskrese** » Tue 16 October 2007 4:07 am

I recently converted to Islam, and I used to be on here with the username ChristosVoskrese. My Muslim name is Jibriil, so that is my new username.

I have a question - my fiancee is being baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Church on Friday (depending on how the priest is feeling - he's on chemotherapy), and hopefully insha'Allah we are getting married on Friday too (before the baptism). However, this priest told my fiancee that she could keep her name (Seeta) and add the Orthodox name Maria to it, becoming "Seeta Maria". However, Seeta is the name of a Hindu "goddess", so that would mean that it would be totally forbidden in Orthodoxy (to my knowledge). This priest has done some things in the past that aren't Orthodox, such as sending me to a Roman Catholic priest for confession, allowing me (a catechumen) and a Roman Catholic to serve at the altar, not using the proper catechumen service, etc. Is he wrong again on this, because the name is that of a Hindu goddess, or can she still be Seeta?

ANGELA · Post by **ANGELA** » Tue 16 October 2007 6:24 am

As far as I know, you have to be baptized first, before you can even get married in an Orthodox Church. Which means even you have to be an Orthodox. Also it dosn't seem appropriate to keep that name. It has no meaning in our orthodox faith.

Secondly, I am curious as to why you have converted to another faith. Having seen your posts, you preached Orthodoxy and also said things about moslems. You even wanted to write a book about Orthodoxy!

What happened to you that you would jump from the truth and go to the false?

Does anyone else feel saddened by this?

ChristosVoskrese · Post by **ChristosVoskrese** » Tue 16 October 2007 8:18 am

I had a lot of misconceptions about Islam, but then I started reading about it and found that it was the Truth. I accepted it a few weeks ago. My fiancee Seeta still wants to be Orthodox.

We are getting married at the mosque hopefully this Friday (she's going to talk to the sheikh about it tomorrow) and then she will be baptized. So Angela, I don't have to be Orthodox, because we're not marrying in the Orthodox Church - we'll be married in an Islamic ceremony and a civil ceremony together at the mosque. Seeta has agreed that our children will be raised as Muslims, and that Islam will be the only religion practiced in our home (she's agreed not to have icons).

But the question is this: Since her present name is that of a Hindu "goddess", can she still use it along with her Orthodox name that she will take, or does she have to stop using it completely?

Ebor · Post by **Ebor** » Tue 16 October 2007 1:04 pm

As some over at OC.net where you also posted this question have pointed out, there are EO saints with names that were once those of greek gods like "Dionysios". It is just a name.

Why is this important to you, please? Can you tell us?

With respect,

Ebor

尼古拉前执事 · Tue 16 October 2007 4:51 pm

Her secular name is a name that she can keep if she wishes, but in the church she will be known as her Baptismal name that she was made a catechumen under and receives the Holy Mysteries as. It is completely up to her if she wishes to keep her secular name for secular use or not.

GOCTheophan · Post by **GOCTheophan** » Tue 16 October 2007 5:59 pm

ANGELA wrote:
As far as I know, you have to be baptized first, before you can even get married in an Orthodox Church. Which means even you have to be an Orthodox. Also it dosn't seem appropriate to keep that name. It has no meaning in our orthodox faith.

Angela my secular friends and my family still call me Tim and not Theophan.

Do you believe that I inisist that they start calling me Theophan in order to be properly Christian (i.e. properly Orthodox)?

Have most converts here insisted on this?

Theophan.

ChristosVoskrese · Post by **ChristosVoskrese** » Tue 16 October 2007 6:58 pm

Tim is a Christian name. Seeta is a pagan Hindu name. There's a world of difference.