Common Misconceptions (Corrected) About Religion

[Jetavan]

From one, non-scientific survey:

1. Belief does not equal faith.
2. Atheists are not anti-religion.
3. All Christians are like not like ones you see on T.V.
4. Atheism and Agnosticism are not mutually exclusive.
5. People who believe in God are not less intelligent.
6. Episcopalians are not all white, rich and privileged.
7. Non-theists are not evil.
8. The Buddha is not a diety.
9. Being Christian does not mean anti-science.
10. Lutherans are not all German.
11. Muslims are not terrorists.
12. The Pope is fallible.
13. All priests are not pedophiles.
14. Some Catholics are pro-choice.
15. Predestination is a thing of the past.
et cetera.

Are there any common misconceptions about Orthodoxy? And what would be the corresponding correct conception?

[Asteriktos]

These misconceptions are false:

- You can find an Orthodox Church by the smell, just search for the onion scent
Onion domes do not, in fact, smell like onions.

- Orthodoxy doesn't have hats as cool as Catholicism, Sikhism, etc.
Orthodoxy has the coolest hats.

- All Orthodox priests and bishops have beards
One or two do not. I've seen pictures.

- The Pat. of Constantinople is like an eastern version of the Roman Pope
Not really. Even "spiritual leader" is pushing it.

- Orthodoxy is mostly isolated to Greece, Russia, and a few backwater countries
The majority of Orthodoxy is concentrated in a specific region, but this above statement exaggerates.

- There are 5-6 million Orthodox in America
More like a million, probably somewhat less.

- There are 250-350 million Orthodox in the world
More like 100 million, if you're talking about active participants.

- Constantine founded the Orthodox Church
O rly?

- The Orthodox Church was started in 1054
O rly?

- Orthodox protest the Roman Pope visiting because they're still hung up on 1204
There's a bit more to it than that. You may not agree with them, but there are a ton of theological, political, and nationalistic issues at play.

- Traditionalists are schismatics
Nuh uh!

- Orthodox theology is stuck in the past
Well, ok, maybe a little bit.

[KBN1]

These misconceptions are false:

Wait, so these are true statements?   

[Asteriktos]

 

[JamesR]

-All Orthodox are not crazy ethnocentric weirdos from Greece/Russia
-Not all Orthodox converts are like Hyperdox Herman
-The Orthodox don't worship the Theotokos
-The Ecumenical Patriarch is not the "head" of the Church like the Latin Pope
-Orthodoxy isn't just Roman Catholicism mixed with Russian/Greek culture without a Pope
-Not all Orthodox are alcoholic chainsmokers
-There are actuallly Middle-Eastern Orthodox Christians, not all Arabs are Muslim

[KBN1]

-Not all Orthodox are alcoholic chainsmokers

They are converts.  It takes time to acquire Orthodox phronema.

[jmbejdl]

-Not all Orthodox are alcoholic chainsmokers

They are converts.  It takes time to acquire Orthodox phronema.

All I can say is that it's a good job you've never met the decidedly cradle, decidedly ethnic priests I've known over here. They've all been decidedly opposed to both excessive drinking and any smoking at all. In fact, the fact that I ever managed to quit smoking at all is down to my desperation to avoid ever having to confess that particular sin to my priest again. If you're talking about the 'Easter Orthodox' (yes I deliberately omitted the 'n') and the culture of their home countries you're right, but don't confuse that with actually practising Orthodoxy.

James

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