Why is the supposition that young people and others need to feed the easy path so readily pushed. Among those I see taking up following a faith not a few chose anything but the easy path. When reading the Faith section online of London's The Times yesterday a lengthy article focused on the surprising number of women converting to Islam.
True we should avoid judging others, sometimes easier said than done, but challenging or pointing something out is not judging (and that when men need to adjust their dress). And assuming a fanciful and sinful pride in presuming we are better than others has no basis in the Faith handed down to us.
An example in my experience: A very accomplished Archimandrite who often corrects the reader or choir was stopped by a woman over some small error in the service. She was immediately lauded and he asked why she, and she alone had done such a thing before going on to say that all believers had a duty to correct any error he might make in serving immediately the error was made.
Why if a senior priest is open to anyone challenging him should he make a mistake in serving, cannot those who are not appropriately dressed when standing before their maker in church be challenged and accept it humbly?
I have experienced in the EO faith that there is a time and place for everything. If a woman is dressed somewhat immodestly, a priest (or better yet his wife) may be able to give her a paper on dress code. There is no reason to "challenge her" by calling her out and embarrassing her. If she's OBVIOUSLY dressed very immodest (like major cleavage) she can be quietly be given another woman's sweater, jacket, etc.
Now if she comes dressed like Lady Gaga in a meat suit during lent, I think that's a little bit different. Call her out.
If a parishoner sees a small/slight error during a service, or issue, nudge it later on. No reason to call it out.
I've seen priests even correct themselves after divine liturgy on an error they made during the service and corrected themselves. It was during a litnay and it was a visiting priest who commemorated his GOA bishop instead of the jurisdictional bishop in an OCA church. After the cross veneration at the end of the service, he made an announcement and said "I have a correction to make, out of habit I commemorated my bishop, and I want to commemorate your bishop XYZ right now". Most of the church sang "Lord have Mercy". Then a couple people said "we commemorate yours too".
When we people are brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be able to nudge each other rather than beat people down and get them to humbly accept corrections... Unless of course they wear a meat suit.... Especially thinly sliced lamb cutlets already seasoned with rosemary.
