Maybe I can piggy back off the original poster's questions. I think his question wanted to clarify any biblical defense for the apparent exclusivism seen among the actions of many Christian denominations. We often correlate Orthodoxy with strictness to ancient tradition at all expenses, including an exclusion to all those who do not strictly comply with a specific Orthodoxy. We see stories of certain Orthodox and Christian families who express a negative attitude for people who are different. Instead of preaching love, we see Orthodox hierarchy attack attempts of ecumenism (made by their own superiors). We see many people leave a church for the sole cause of crudeness against them. We see converts who love Orthodoxy constantly fight intolerance because they are not natively Greek or Egyptian or Russian. With all such negative actions seen so broadly, one must take a moment and think if there is any justification for such actions. Is there any justification for this? If not, why do we see Orthodox Christians and hierarchies commit evil acts specific to tolerance for those who are different?
