You're right Peter; I should do the Orthodox thing and chuck my reason at the door. The mind was given by God for the sole purpose of searching the writings of the Saints.
You do realize I never counseled you to do that? What I DID ask you to do is to stop parading your own reasoning around as though it were the Orthodox teaching on the subject, especially considering that, IIRC, you're still a catechumen or newbie Orthodox who should be investing more energy into learning what the faith teaches rather than arguing as if you already know everything. Take ownership of your reasoning and call it what it is: your own opinions.
I suppose someone should have told St. Ambrose to shut up, then, when he went to the church, where the election to replace Auxentius, Bishop of Milan, was telling place, to prevent an uproar. It was during that speech that the unbaptized Ambrose was elected bishop. I suppose the people were wrong to call for his ordination, seeing as how he was but still unbaptized; and I suppose the friend who's house he was hiding in after this election was wrong to have given him up, seeing as how he was but still unbaptized; and I suppose those bishops who ordained him to the episcopate were wrong to have done so when it was just a week prior that he had been yet unbaptized.
Did St. Ambrose appoint himself bishop?
Is this really a germane question?
Yes, it is. You cited the example of St. Ambrose's election to the episcopacy as precedent to justify your self-appointed authority on this thread, so yes, my question is germane to our debate. Only if St. Ambrose appointed himself bishop is his example analogous to your defense of your authority to teach the Orthodox faith even though you're not yet Orthodox.
No, I cited St. Ambrose going to a church to give a speech during the election of the replacement for the bishop of Milan, as similar to this. No one appointed St. Ambrose to go give a speech.
But, as governor of the province of Milan, public speeches were part of his job description. Whereas it may indeed be true that St. Ambrose appointed himself to give a speech at the assembly that eventually elected him bishop, it is also true that he most likely gave the speech because he felt that his role as provincial governor placed on him the demand that he do so. Are you a civic authority as St. Ambrose was when he gave his speech? Does your role on this forum demand that you pontificate?
So the Premier of China has a right to give speeches in Orthodox contexts, but I should refrain from giving an opinion?
No, I never said you should refrain from giving your opinion. Feel free to share your opinions as much as you want, but make sure you identify those opinions you share as nothing more than your personal opinions. The only thing I ask you to stop doing is passing your personal opinions off as the teachings of the Church.
When did I pass my opinion off as the Church's? Unless I state "Orthodoxy teaches..." or "The Orthodox believe..." why should someone assume I am speaking other than as a private individual?
Someone asked if it's possible to kill in war and still be Orthodox. You said, "Absolutely," and went on to defend this assertion with your interpretation of Scripture. When I challenged you on that, you pointed out the many Orthodox warrior-saints as evidence of the "Orthodoxy" of your position. For one, I read the question as requesting a definitive Orthodox response. And for two, you said nothing in your response to indicate that you were giving anything different and made a clear attempt to defend the "Orthodoxy" of your point of view when questioned. Therefore, the clear implication is that you were passing off your personal interpretation of Scripture and your own logic as representative of the Orthodox Tradition.
I also think that your earlier aggressive pontification on this thread bears that out even more.
Alright, time to settle this once and for all. Would an Orthodox Saint be considered Orthodox?
St. Olaf was killed in battle...so up until the event of his very death he was engaged in combat.
St. Olaf is an Orthodox Saint.
If an Orthodox Saint is Orthodox, then someone must be able to take part in war and still be Orthodox, even if they are unable to attend confession afterwards due to an unfortunate case of death.
Or do you deny St. Olaf's Sainthood?
Are you replying to me? If so, you're barking at the wrong mailman.
I was. I'm barking because your entire argument is that since James is not a Saint or a Holy Father his opinion does not carry any weight. Well, his opinion not only stands to reason, but it also is backed up by at least one example which I have provided.
So I put it to you, which Holy Father blocked St. Olaf's canonization?
Which Holy Father renounced the Battle of the Milvian Bridge? When God spoke to St. Constantine, you might note that He wasn't saying "put away your sword" but "in this sign you shall
conquer".
James brought up the Old Testament. You asked which Holy Father he could quote. How about Moses? You know, a man who spoke to God in person. God didn't tell the Israelites to go into Canaan and set up a drum circle, He not only allowed them to fight their enemies, but He often aided them or dispensed battle tactics. When Samson was about to die, God gave him his strength back, not so that he could endure his torment, but so that he could KILL THOUSANDS OF THE ENEMY.
I think there are plenty of examples that back up James' assertion. So, do you have any writings from the Holy Fathers that state clearly that war is NEVER allowed? I would also be interested to know how they explained the examples from the Lives of the Saints and from the Holy Scripture.