what are some things, rules etc., about your denomination that you don't like?

[tweety234]

anything you feel must not be from God, but cannot prove it?

[JamesR]

Everything in the Church I am convinced has come from God. But whether or not I like it is another story. I can think of SEVERAL things in the Orthodox Church that I believe are from God even though I do not like them. Among those things are 2 1/2 hour Liturgies, fasting, not being able to have sex unless I'm married, not being able to masturbate, having a rule against practically anything fun, etc.

[Asteriktos]

having a rule against practically anything fun, etc.

Canasta and Rummy 500 are still allowed aren't they? 

[Asteriktos]

Hell bugs me. Not that I think the Church got it wrong. Just bugs me. Is all.

And this thread, it will not end well. Mark. My. Wor--

[Jetavan]

Hell bugs me. Not that I think the Church got it wrong. Just bugs me. Is all.

And this thread, it will not end well. Mark. My. Wor--

All's well that ends well. And everything ends well.

[Asteriktos]

"All good things must come to an end" - Q

[Jetavan]

"All good things must come to an end" - Q

I don't think that the Q Document has been definitively found.

[Asteriktos]

"All good things must come to an end" - Q

I don't think that the Q Document has been definitively found.

[Melodist]

anything you feel must not be from God, but cannot prove it?

I love my Church.

[PeterTheAleut]

anything you feel must not be from God, but cannot prove it?

Tweety, why do you have a link to a Gnostic/New Age website in your signature?

[Hiwot]

Hell bugs me. Not that I think the Church got it wrong. Just bugs me. Is all.

I don't know if I can convey this correctly, but Asteriktos it would have bugged me if the concept of hell did not bug you.

one of the deep revulsion I feel is triggered when I hear self proclaimed saintly beings talk gleefully about the existence of hell. when they go on in a fantasy journey of imagining the different tortures that awaits those they are certain would go to hell. with a thinly veiled sadism they hid behind a facade of spirituality they enjoy indulging in their perverse thrill either from pulpit or in their personal conviction as they imagine the smoke of those burning sinners rising without redeeming hope.....For. All. Eternity.

if you think about it, if by their own definition such are the people who will be in heaven...best if this sentence is not finished.


on the other hand we have folks like mosses who would say to God on the behalf of the rebellious: far be it from you to do such a thing, wipe my name of the Book of Life before you wipe them off.

and that beautiful man origen...

oh and there is this one Ethiopian Saint Kristos Semra, she couldn't bear the thought of eternal separation from the Divine Love or that anyone who knows God truly can possibly hate him .she was convinced that God is a Loving God who will commune with anyone willing to commune with Him no matter what their sins might have been. she was a seraphic soul burning with the Love of God and everything He created so she set out to pray for the Devil himself not because she liked what he has become and his deeds but because she burned with love and compassion for the tortured being she imagined him to be. the devil being the one who was ensnaring the Children of Adam she thought if Lucifer was to repent then God will forgive him which will inturn will eliminate the greatest adversary of the Children of Adam who wields death as his weapon of their enslavement. the Devil attacked her in many trials, the Lord allowed her to see the depth of the hatred in there, at her final battle when the darkness fought her to capture her, she managed to rescue tens of thousands by her intercession. she became the light they followed to escape the darkness that held them.

whatever fairness and justice we might think we understand, if we know the guiding principle of everything is Love then I think it would be better while we stick to what is reveled to us, still like all those about to be sentenced to death we must hope that love will find a way to win over even the most hardened hearts. because I believe in hoping for that we hope for what  is Worthy of Love.

forgive the length of the maundering, I cant sleep.

[Ashman618]

"All good things must come to an end" - Q

"everything that has a beginning has an end, Neo"

[Hiwot]

@ Peter, I dig your new avatar,LOL although I do miss that adventurous cat.

[dzheremi]

I like everything about the church, but I don't think I fit in well with the Egyptian personality. Sometimes I have to set a time limit on how much of the agape meal I'll stay for, because I get overloaded with all the yelling and talking over each other. Often I am glad that it is mostly or completely in Arabic so that I only have to deal with about 10% of it. I know that's not the right attitude, but usually I'm already tired from the liturgy, so I'm not really in the mood for yelling and politics and a lot of questions. We're eating beans and rice, folks...why get all worked up? It never leads to anything good, anyway. Here's something that's never happened between two people in my parish arguing, in any language: A: "Yeah, well...here is a string of calmly-presented, well-considered points about an uncontroversial topic for you to consider, should you be looking to expand your viewpoint!" B: "Wow...I never thought of things that way. It turns out I was wrong and you were right. Let's celebrate by enjoying our meal together while I silently consider how to change my viewpoint and/or behavior as a consequence of this new information that you have presented me with."

Granted, these are more interpersonal issues than faith issues, but I can't think of anything that's actually major or a matter of faith that I don't like. There's plenty I don't understand, sure, but not liking it? It is what it is whether I like it or not, so I don't see why that matters.

[Αριστοκλής]

Hell bugs me. Not that I think the Church got it wrong. Just bugs me. Is all.

And this thread, it will not end well. Mark. My. Wor--

You are right; it's a baiting thread.

The Church is not a denomination, hence no issues.

[Michał Kalina]

Mentality of the people.

[Αριστοκλής]

Mentality of the people.

"I resemble that remark!"

[Michał Kalina]

Mentality of the people.

"I resemble that remark!"

I know I do.

[Arachne]

Eh. There are several things that make me say 'oh, bother!', but they have their place too. I mean, if everything fit me as I am right now and there were no challenges, what motivation would I have to advance?

[Dominika]

Mentality of the people.

From my perspective I can extend it in such way: not being open for other Orthodox traditions (it's the case of Poland) in all areas:
- liturgical practices (it's not only about other jurisdictions, but also about older practices which can't be brought back e.g proper hours of the Holy Week services),
- way of chanting (only Russian composers and synodal, very rarerely something else),
- language (I'm for Church Slavonic for services, but not for readings, and why sometimes - fortunately less and less - there is used a mix of Russian, Polish and something else in the sermons - it's lower level and most people don't understand it clearly)
- view on Holy Mysteries of some laity, especially artificial Sacrament of "Confession and Holy Eucharist"

As for Serbia, the mentality of people means following some stupid rules of "grannies tales".


But there are also many things I find common among various Orthodox nations and Churches (including OO) and I like them.

[biro]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

[jmbejdl]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

Wow, I thought that was just me. Most people seem to struggle with the lack of meat, for me that's much easier to live without than cheese is.

James

[Arachne]

Wow, I thought that was just me. Most people seem to struggle with the lack of meat, for me that's much easier to live without than cheese is.

I find myself missing eggs most. Which is doubly 'wha?' because I don't eat them that often during the rest of the year.

[Cyrillic]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

Cheese? Blergh.

[biro]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

Cheese? Blergh.

Fie upon you. Fie, I say!

[Jetavan]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

Cheese? Blergh.

Fie upon you. Fie, I say!

Fie or Brie?

[LBK]

No cheese sandwiches during Lent

Cheese? Blergh.

If you mean the processed stuff, I agree with you. Otherwise ....

[Cyrillic]

I seriously hope you don't put cheese on sandwiches. And I certainly hope you don't use butter with it as well.

[Michał Kalina]

I seriously hope you don't put cheese on sandwiches. And I certainly hope you don't use butter with it as well.

Don't forget about ketchup!

[Cyrillic]

I seriously hope you don't put cheese on sandwiches. And I certainly hope you don't use butter with it as well.

Don't forget about ketchup!

People... do thing like that? What has the world come to?

 

[biro]

Sigh.   

[PeterTheAleut]

I seriously hope you don't put cheese on sandwiches. And I certainly hope you don't use butter with it as well.

Don't forget about ketchup!

Ketchup on a cheese sandwich? We don't do that in kitchen. IS OUTRAGE!

[Michał Kalina]

You can also have a student version:



cheese is written with ketchup

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