Topic: A TINY STEP AWAY FROM FAITH - 17-yr-old ortho convert story

[KATHXOYMENOC]

This book by a 17-year-old girl (now at Church of the Holy Cross - Catholic/Jesuit school) raised Reform Jewish and received into the Orthodox Church in 2005 is pretty good (currently at St. George Orthodox Cathedral AOC, Worcester, MA) - and VERY good considering her age. Insight/comments on aimlessness of her peers.

I bought it when I saw it yesterday at Borders, based on recommendations, and finished it in one read.

Interview on Receive.org: http://www.receive.org/index.php?menu=3&submenu=23&id=395

Also: http://marjoriecorbman.com/templates/eas04br/default.asp?id=32210 - this also has a link to the audio interview if you go to the right page ("New Reviews and an audio interview").

[Anastasios]

She used to post on this forum.  Hasn't for awhile though.  Probably too busy writing that book!

Anastasios

[Robert]

Yea, she was around awhile ago.

[Starlight]

currently at St. George Orthodox Cathedral AOC, Worcester, MA

I visited that Cathedral a couple of times, when I was living in Boston. It is a great parish!

[choirfiend]

What was her sn when she posted here?

[Pravoslavbob]

Simply "Marjorie", I believe.

[Tsarina]

She used to post on this forum.  Hasn't for awhile though.  Probably too busy writing that book!

Anastasios

She was on couple of Orthodox fourms, her name was Marjorie.

I don't think she is on any of these fourms now.

[ozgeorge]

Good Heavens! Was Marjorie only 17? She certainly had a wisdom beyond her years.

[prodromos]

Good Heavens! Was Marjorie only 17? She certainly had a wisdom beyond her years.

Yes, she certainly put a lot of us 'oldies' to shame. She even had the greater wisdom to stop posting about Orthodoxy on internet forums, something us converts tend to have a real problem in restraining ourselves.

John

[Tsarina]

Good Heavens! Was Marjorie only 17? She certainly had a wisdom beyond her years.

Yeap, only 17 years old. She definatley has wisdom beyond her years. God has granted it!  

[Anastasios]

Yes, she certainly put a lot of us 'oldies' to shame. She even had the greater wisdom to stop posting about Orthodoxy on internet forums, something us converts tend to have a real problem in restraining ourselves.

John

I don't think that's necessarily "wise."  I've noticed a growing trend of people who like to say it's better not to post on the internet about Orthodoxy and then feel guilty when they do it. Maybe it's so hard to stop because it's perfectly natural to want to fellowship with others online, which is a perfectly moral and acceptable option. With the sad state of many Orthodox parishes, the dwindling number of Orthodox worldwide, etc., internet forums are a perfectly acceptable and even beneficial way to fellowship with other Orthodox.  There are some problems with the medium if it interferes with one's spiritual development but I'm frankly not impressed with this idea that floats around these days that it's somehow more spiritual not to post online. I mean, we've had several conversions because of this site and many have told me they've learned a lot here. I've been able to meet friends all over the world that have helped to strenghthen my faith.  Why would it be a general statement then to say it's "wise" not to post? Maybe it's better for some but I don't think it's wise for most in this age.

Anastasios

[ozgeorge]

Maybe it's so hard to stop because it's perfectly natural to want to fellowship with others online

I don't think that there is anything "natural" about the virtual reality of the internet.
For all you know, I may be a female who wears a Pentacle rather than a Cross and actually worships the goddess "Falsehoodda".
I think there may be some wisdom in not using an internet forum as a means of fellowship. And in some cases, I would say that internet forums can kill dialogue rather than encourage it.

At any rate, I've ordered Marjorie's book and look forward to reading it.

[Anastasios]

I don't think that there is anything "natural" about the virtual reality of the internet.
For all you know, I may be a female who wears a Pentacle rather than a Cross and actually worships the goddess "Falsehoodda".
I think there may be some wisdom in not using an internet forum as a means of fellowship. And in some cases, I would say that internet forums can kill dialogue rather than encourage it.

At any rate, I've ordered Marjorie's book and look forward to reading it.

That's a real concern but at the same time, if one has some discernment, he can usually figure out who is fake and who is not.  I usually end up trading phone numbers and talking to IM buddies in real life and then meeting them at some point. In fact, I'd really like to get the OCnet Summerfest back on track so that more of us can have real interaction.

Anastasios

[Tsarina]

Yes, she certainly put a lot of us 'oldies' to shame. She even had the greater wisdom to stop posting about Orthodoxy on internet forums, something us converts tend to have a real problem in restraining ourselves.

John

She was in another forum as well. She said she was leaving the forums because the time spent on the computer was taking away time from her responsibilities.

[Asteriktos]

As with most subjects, I have vacillated on this one as well over the years. Is it better for people in general to avoid internet discussions? At this point, I would say that it is not necessary to avoid the internet; indeed, that it is sometimes necessary to take advantage of the internet discussion boards. Few are called to be hermits, and many people enjoy--even need--to talk about theological and philosophical and practical subjects with others. We are just social beings. So why not do this in the parish? There could be many reasons. Maybe no one at the Church is willing or able to. Maybe the priest is unable to answer most of the issues or questions. Maybe the person is even chastised for asking too many questions. Maybe the person is just shy, or like me tends to mumble and stumble over his own words in real life. There could be lots of reasons. It's true, a person probably would get a saner answer at the parish, but the problem is that often they will get no answer at all, and we should not assume that they would get a sane answer every time. And, if they do happen to get a bad answer at the parish level, they are basically stuck with that answer (and probably don't even realise that they have been misinformed), having isolated themselves for the sake of piety.

For thousands of years it has been a natural and beneficial practice for people to meet and discuss the serious things of life. The ancient Greeks met and discussed philosophy (and Paul took advantage of this). The ancient Hebrews also met and discussed in the synagogue (again Paul took advantage). The ancient Byzantine (oops, sorry, Roman ) Christians talked theology in the markets. The English in Chesterton's day talked in the pubs. But where do Americans talk about important subjects? Largely, nowhere.  Nowhere, that is, until the internet exploded. Psychologists have long noted that Americans need more "personal space" than people from many other countries. We just like independence. This has had both good and bad consequences. The internet has allowed us to keep our independence, and sense of people not violating our "personal space," while at the same time engaging in the social interaction that almost all humans seek after.

[Elisha]

That's a real concern but at the same time, if one has some discernment, he can usually figure out who is fake and who is not.  I usually end up trading phone numbers and talking to IM buddies in real life and then meeting them at some point. In fact, I'd really like to get the OCnet Summerfest back on track so that more of us can have real interaction.

Anastasios

So, do you think His Grace +Tikhon should post more on the internet (i.e. Indiana List and elsewhere he may post) to help enlighten us all?  Even though I think you know the answer, I'd like you put it in writing.

[Asteriktos]

I think Bp. Tikhon has probably been made bitter, defensive, and paranoid by his discussions at certain places, and amongst certain people, on the internet. After debating Gregory of CO and his ilk for years and years, wouldn't you be a bit frazzled as well?   That is not to say that if Bp. Tikhon only participated on Monachos.net and OC.net that he'd be the most irenic fellow you'd ever meet... but I think he'd probably be different. For some people, an internet change can be good, just like if someone was getting apathetic at their parish because it was in a language that they didn't understand, that would also be a problem that would require some type of change.

[Anastasios]

So, do you think His Grace +Tikhon should post more on the internet (i.e. Indiana List and elsewhere he may post) to help enlighten us all?  Even though I think you know the answer, I'd like you put it in writing.

Like I said Elisha, for some quitting is the answer; I objected to the generality of the post (btw, Prodromos clarified what he meant in PM and it made sense). I am actually very sympathetic to the reason Marjorie gave on the other forum--that she just doesn't have time.  I know how that goes.  I just wish she had said goodbye to us. I liked her posts and was worried about her. I hope someday she'll pop in.

Anastasios

[PeterTheAleut]

Well, I must admit that it has been good for me to interact with Orthodox of other parishes, jurisdictions, and localities.  It's good for me to be reminded that Orthodoxy is not confined to my parish or my city, such mentality as can creep into peoples' heads if we're not careful.  I've actually learned a lot from talking and sometimes even arguing with posters here, especially those with whom I disagree.  If anything, our discussions have shown me just how limited my understanding of the Orthodox Faith really is and just how much I have yet to learn.

[Panagiotis]

To be onest, I do not have a whole lot of time to spend online myself. So I can understand the need to pull away from time to time. The internet can be interfering sometimes, as well as a distraction for some in the hard, harsh, real world. But we need money to support our habits, too.

Panagiotis

[ozgeorge]

My copy of Marjorie's book, "A Tiny Step Away From Deepest Faith" arrived today. Marjorie is one of the most engaging writers I've come across. Her eloquence, humour and insight just draw me in (even more than GiC's!).
Being "cradle Orthodox", one of the difficulties I have is understanding converts, and being nearly 40 years old ( :'( ) , another difficulty I have is understanding teenagers. In Marjorie's book, a door of understanding to both these states of being has been opened a little for me.  I've read several "convert journey books" in the past, but, to be honest, the empathy was just not there- there was nothing I could identify with and say "yes! I understand that experience!". But Marjorie's book is entirely different. I was able to sympathise with her experiences, because they didn't seem "alien" to me.
I also found her book is filled with simple, yet profound insights which resonate with me about Christianity, the search for truth, the importance of not taking oneself too seriously while taking God completely seriously.....
Marjorie's search for truth reminds me of Simone Weil's Essays and Letters in the book "Waiting on God". The difference is that Marjorie took that step which Simone Weil never took. Both Corbman and Weil come across to me as feircely intellectually independant and individual in their writing, but Weil would never take that "tiny step"- she was not a "joiner" of anything, neither ideological movements nor religions, and I almost get the sense that at some level she feared that "joining" anything would mean the loss of "self"- which of course, it does. But in the case of Christianity, this leap of faith into the the waters of Baptism in which the old self is drowned does not mean a loss of "personality"- and to me, Marjorie's story is living proof of that.
I highly recommend it.

[Tsarina]

Looks like the book is highly reccomended. I'm going to read it one day, thanks for putting it out there guys.