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Author Topic: What Would the Saints Think of Modern Society?  (Read 136 times) Average Rating: 0
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JamesR
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'St. Augustine Pray for Me'


« on: January 10, 2013, 04:56:01 AM »

So let's ask an interesting question. If all of the Saints and Apostles in the Church came back alive on Earth right now, what would they think of the world today and its current state of affairs? Would they be pleased, disappointed, saddened, happy, overwhelmed? etc. How do you think they would interact? Would the Apostles be disheartened by the splits and schisms in Christendom due to rejection of the Orthodox Church? Would the Saints believe that they were in Heaven simply due to how great our technology now is compared to how it was back then? I can imagine St. John Chrysostom becoming a television evangelist due to his amazing speaking powers and knowing how anti-wealth consumerism he was, I imagine that he would be appalled by the sight of modern shopping malls and department stores.
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"'Blessed are the peacemakers' For those are peacemakers in themselves who, in conquering and subjecting to reason all the motions of their souls and having their carnal desires tamed, have become in themselves a Kingdom of God."-St. Augustine of Hippo
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« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2013, 05:30:13 AM »

If we believe all the prophecies, they had no time for anything other than getting involved in Greek and Russian politics.
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Just a little reminder: this forum is not called OrthodoxChristianityUSA.net  Wink Cheesy
LBK
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« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2013, 05:47:00 AM »

The saints in general, and St John Chrysostom in particular, were faced with much the same "degeneration of society" problems and manifestations familiar to us today. The fine details might vary, but there never was a "golden age" where everything was sweetness and light. So they would very likely recognize a great deal of today's societal ills.

One of my favorite St John quotes:

You are a hopeless lot. You know the names of all the charioteers but not even the names of the evangelists.

Yup. Nothing new under the sun.  laugh
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Kerdy
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« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2013, 08:10:30 AM »

They would be just as disgusted as many of us are, but I agree they would not be surprised.
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"Let it be understood that those who are not found living as He taught are not Christian- even though they profess with the lips the teaching of Christ." - Justin Martyr  ( c.160 )

"we recognize that the war is ultimately spiritual rather than carnal." - Gebre Menfes Kidus
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« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2013, 08:43:55 AM »

To echo what LBK said:

Quote
"If a man should come here with earnestness--even though he does not read the Scriptures at home - and if he pays attention to what is said here, within the space of even one year he will be able to  obtain  a  considerable  acquaintance  with  them. For we do not read these Scriptures today, and tomorrow others that are quite different, but always the same section and consecutively. However, in spite of this, many have such an apathetic attitude that after such reading they do not even know the names of the books. And they are not ashamed, nor do they shudder with dread, because they have come so carelessly to the hearing of the word of God. On the other hand, if a musician, or a dancer, or anyone else connected with the theater should summon them to the city, they all hurry eagerly, and thank the one who invited them, and spend an entire half-day with their attention fixed on the performer exclusively. Yet when God addresses us through the prophets and apostles, we yawn, we are bored, we become drowsy." (St. John Chrystom, Homily 58 On John)

"Is it not strange that those who sit in the marketplace tell the names, and races, and  cities and talents of charioteers and dancers, even accurately state the good and bad qualities of horses, while those who assemble in this place [the church]  understand nothing of what is taking place here and even are ignorant of the number of the [sacred] Books?" (St. John Chrysostom, Homily 32 On John)

- More quotes...
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Shanghaiski
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« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2013, 11:39:52 AM »

The saints are alive. And they're working now for people's salvation.
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O Master Lord our God...who are wondrous in glory; who keeps his covenant and his mercy to them who love him with all their heart; who has given us redemption...through his only-begotten son, Jesus Christ...the life of everyone, the help of those who flee to him, the hope of those who cry to him.
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