Topic: Famous Orthodox Christian Apostates

[Cantor Krishnich]

List famous people who left the Church. This is certainly NOT a celebration of their apostasy!

[JamesR]

Jennifer Aniston having a non-Orthodox wedding. It's always those danged Greeks!!!

*shakes fist*

EDIT: Also the Kardashians. They were raised Orthodox by their father (funny how an Orthodox Christian could support such a despicable man as OJ with a clean conscience) but later apostatized for Roman Catholicism from their mother.

[Orthodox11]

Benny Hinn

[Cavaradossi]

Jennifer Aniston having a non-Orthodox wedding. It's always those danged Greeks!!!

[Cantor Krishnich]

Benny Hinn

Yep, Toufik Benedictus Hinn was a Orthodox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIHx_rG27e8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbwxwdyoGxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt4JuJ55Ms0

[JamesR]

Idk how relevant this is, but Snoop Dogg is kinda half-Oriental Orthodox now since he became a rasta fairy or something.

[Cantor Krishnich]

Jennifer Aniston having a non-Orthodox wedding. It's always those danged Greeks!!!

*shakes fist*

EDIT: Also the Kardashians. They were raised Orthodox by their father (funny how an Orthodox Christian could support such a despicable man as OJ with a clean conscience) but later apostatized for Roman Catholicism from their mother.

Actually, they weren't raised Orthodox (at least as far as I know). Kris was raised Roman Catholic but she left the Latin church. They occasionally go to a celebrity Protestant church in LA. Maybe I can marry one of the youngest ones and bring them back to the church    .

[Arachne]

Oksana Baiul was raised Orthodox, but since she discovered Jewish ancestry on her mother's side, she identifies as Jewish. Matrilinear lineage and all that.

[theistgal]

Oksana Baiul was raised Orthodox, but since she discovered Jewish ancestry on her mother's side, she identifies as Jewish. Matrilinear lineage and all that.

Is she at least Orthodox Jewish?

[Cantor Krishnich]

Oksana Baiul was raised Orthodox, but since she discovered Jewish ancestry on her mother's side, she identifies as Jewish. Matrilinear lineage and all that.

Is she at least Orthodox Jewish?

Not that it makes any difference (heresy is heresy) but she probably is an Orthodox Jew, since most non-Orthodox Jews (Reform, Conservative, etc.) originally come from the US and the UK and was almost unheard of in other Jewish circles.

[William]

Zach Galifianakis, Alexander Rodriguez, Christopher Hitchens, Tolstoy, Lenin, Stalin.

I feel like I'm leaving out a ton of actors but I'm blanking.

Also, I'd count every pro-choice Greek politician (Olympia Snowe, Dukakis, etc.) but someone will get mad at me for saying that so whatever.

[Cantor Krishnich]

Her Majesty, Queen Noor al Hussein of Jordan. Her father was a Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Christian. In accordance to Royal law, she had to convert to Islam to marry the King.  

[William]

Prince-consort Phillip

[Cantor Krishnich]

British pop-star Steven Demetre Georgiou "Cat Stevens" (Yusuf Islam) born to a Greek-Cypriot Orthodox Christian father, converted to Islam in 1978.

[Cantor Krishnich]

Could we also consider the post-Schismatic office of the Papacy to be apostasy?

[augustin717]

^You could even say that all post-schism Italian cats are in apostasy but it doesn't mean you're using the right lens to look at the thing.

[Kerdy]

Idk how relevant this is, but Snoop Dogg is kinda half-Oriental Orthodox now since he became a rasta fairy or something.

Not so much...

[Nephi]

Benny Hinn

Yep, Toufik Benedictus Hinn was a Orthodox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIHx_rG27e8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbwxwdyoGxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt4JuJ55Ms0

The Greek Orthodox apparently use "Gregorian chant." Hmm...

[Shanghaiski]

Benny Hinn

Yep, Toufik Benedictus Hinn was a Orthodox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIHx_rG27e8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbwxwdyoGxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt4JuJ55Ms0

The Greek Orthodox apparently use "Gregorian chant." Hmm...

Some travellogue makers think so. I've seen a few films about Greek Orthodox monasteries and the soundtrack chant is Gregorian.

[Nephi]

Some travellogue makers think so. I've seen a few films about Greek Orthodox monasteries and the soundtrack chant is Gregorian.

That's almost justifiable ignorance, but coming from a (self-portrayedly devout and educated) ex-cradle like him?

[Justin Kissel]

This thread... this is not my kinda thread... 

[Shanghaiski]

Some travellogue makers think so. I've seen a few films about Greek Orthodox monasteries and the soundtrack chant is Gregorian.

That's almost justifiable ignorance, but coming from a (self-portrayedly devout and educated) ex-cradle like him?

Well, I'm sure he'll have to answer for that, too.

[Cantor Krishnich]

Benny Hinn

Yep, Toufik Benedictus Hinn was a Orthodox.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIHx_rG27e8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbwxwdyoGxg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt4JuJ55Ms0

The Greek Orthodox apparently use "Gregorian chant." Hmm...

Some travellogue makers think so. I've seen a few films about Greek Orthodox monasteries and the soundtrack chant is Gregorian.

And...whenever I search for Georgian chant, it always asks "Did you mean: Gregorian chant? lol. 

[Nephi]

And...whenever I search for Georgian chant, it always asks "Did you mean: Gregorian chant? lol. 

You're right, it does.

[mike]

Władysław Jagiełło, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki.

[Arachne]

British composer Sir John Tavener is rumoured to have left Orthodoxy to explore other religious traditions. It may be just the press making up things, of course, because his music has been incorporating non-western elements in recent years.

[Alpo]

British composer Sir John Tavener is rumoured to have left Orthodoxy to explore other religious traditions. It may be just the press making up things, of course, because his music has been incorporating non-western elements in recent years.

Sir? I would have never guessed that there are British nobes who are Orthodox Christians.

[Arachne]

British composer Sir John Tavener is rumoured to have left Orthodoxy to explore other religious traditions. It may be just the press making up things, of course, because his music has been incorporating non-western elements in recent years.

Sir? I would have never guessed that there are British nobes who are Orthodox Christians.

Heh. A knighthood is hardly nobility... And he is Prince Philip's favourite composer.

[Alpo]

British composer Sir John Tavener is rumoured to have left Orthodoxy to explore other religious traditions. It may be just the press making up things, of course, because his music has been incorporating non-western elements in recent years.

Sir? I would have never guessed that there are British nobes who are Orthodox Christians.

Heh. A knighthood is hardly nobility...

It isn't? I learnt something new today.

Btw, what's the use of being noble in today's Britain? Is there anything more to it than family history and fancy title?

[Arachne]

Heh. A knighthood is hardly nobility...

It isn't? I learnt something new today.

Btw, what's the use of being noble in today's Britain? Is there anything more to it than family history and fancy title?

A knighthood is pretty much just a state honour, on a par with a doctorate honoris causa. There's a bunch of them conferred a couple of times a year.

As for nobility, beyond the chance of a seat in the House of Lords (which is populated mostly by life peers, which are not hereditary, anyway), there's not much difference from non-nobles. An old, illustrious name may be some pretty big shoes to fit, but it guarantees nothing beyond connections. Most titled people work and live like everyone else; those with old estates tend not to be very well-off either (maintenance costs). With the social climate having changed in favour of 'who you are' rather than 'who your family is', there are not many Honourables and Ladies going around openly.

[Ebor]

A knighthood is pretty much just a state honour, on a par with a doctorate honoris causa. There's a bunch of them conferred a couple of times a year.

Yes, such things are recognitions of accomplishment or service in some area.  One that rather tickled a lot of people about two years ago was the knighting of Terry Pratchett the author of the Discworld books.  His arms incorporate such things as "Morepork" birds.  Here's a link to the College of Arms newsletter with the description and drawing about halfway down:

http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/Newsletter/026.htm

[Shanghaiski]

Władysław Jagiełło, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki.

The latter is the Riurikid prince from Siekiewicz's "With Fire and Sword," yes?

[mike]

Władysław Jagiełło, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki.

The latter is the Riurikid prince from Siekiewicz's "With Fire and Sword," yes?

He was portrayed in that book. However there is no certainty whether Wiśniowieccy were descendants of Rurikids (that theory becoming more popular now) or Gediminids (as they claimed).

[mike]

John VIII Paleologos, Constantine XI Paleologos, Francysk Skaryna, Lew Sapieha, Archbishop Meletius (Smotrycki) of Połotsk.

[mabsoota]

ok, i'm a bit behind on this thread, but you're saying benny hinn used to be orthodox?
i'll pray for him.

[mike]

Tesla.

[William]

Tesla.

Proof?

[mike]

Tesla.

Proof?

"For ages this idea [that each of us is only part of a whole] has been proclaimed in the consummately wise teachings of religion, probably not alone as a means of insuring peace and harmony among men, but as a deeply founded truth. The Buddhist expresses it in one way, the Christian in another, but both say the same: We are all one."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla#Religious_views

[Jason.Wike]

Tesla.

Proof?

His father was a Serbian priest. I'm not sure he ever actually left but it doesn't seem it was particularly important to him either.

[Basil 320]

Queen Sofia of Spain, the daughter of former King Paul of Greece and sister of Ex-King Constantine II, was an Orthodox Christian prior to her marriage in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Athens, Greece, in 1962, to Prince Juan Carlos, who later became King of Spain; Princess Sophia of Greece converted to Roman Catholicism for her marriage.  

Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, former Prince of Greece, consort of Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, converted from Eastern Orthodoxy to Anglicanism prior to his marriage.

[Ioannis Climacus]

H. P. Blavatsky

[Ikonguru]

H. P. Blavatsky

''The facts of her life, as documented and reconstructed, show Blavatsky to have been at the very least psychologically disturbed and, at times, an outright charlatan and fraud. Today, in our more "tolerant'' age, many prefer to see her as a colorful "eccentric'' who was also a charismatic forerunner of modern "feminism" and the New Age Movement. But from an objective Christian standpoint, however, she was in all likelihood possessed by an unclean spirit who often spoke and dictated through her by means of automatic writing.''
-Fr. Alexey Young
http://www.roca.org/OA/94/94p.htm

[mike]

Witold (going pagan-RC-EO back and forth almost 10 times). Not sure what he was when he died.

[Ioannis Climacus]

H. P. Blavatsky

''The facts of her life, as documented and reconstructed, show Blavatsky to have been at the very least psychologically disturbed and, at times, an outright charlatan and fraud. Today, in our more "tolerant'' age, many prefer to see her as a colorful "eccentric'' who was also a charismatic forerunner of modern "feminism" and the New Age Movement. But from an objective Christian standpoint, however, she was in all likelihood possessed by an unclean spirit who often spoke and dictated through her by means of automatic writing.''
-Fr. Alexey Young
http://www.roca.org/OA/94/94p.htm

I wouldn't call the writings of Marion Meade (of which Fr. Young uses as his primary source) "documentation". I wouldn't even call it good fiction. Meade never once read Blavatsky's major works or even a significant amount of her letters (concerning the latter, the vast majority were not yet published). She is notorious for fabricating details of Blavatsky's life (or at least she refuses to share these alleged "sources" with the rest of us). As far as biographies go, this is the False Decretals and Braveheart rolled into one.

[Jetavan]

Tesla.

Proof?

"For ages this idea [that each of us is only part of a whole] has been proclaimed in the consummately wise teachings of religion, probably not alone as a means of insuring peace and harmony among men, but as a deeply founded truth. The Buddhist expresses it in one way, the Christian in another, but both say the same: We are all one."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla#Religious_views

That's hardly the statement of an apostate. "We are all one" is true in various, perhaps metaphorical, ways: we all have the image and likeness of God within us, we are all made bodily of the same types of atoms, we all share a common destiny (how we respond to that destiny is another issue), etc.