Ignorant of Orthodoxy

[michaeldimmickjr]

I went to my local Christian bookstore about 2 weeks ago to see if they carried the Orthodox Study Bible. I didn't see it amongst the Bibles, so naturally I made my way to the cashier. I asked her if they carried it. She looked it up on the computer, but could not find a listing. She asked me a bunch of questions which I can't really remember, but pale in comparision to what she asked me next. She said, "Is Orthodoxy Christian?" I couldn't believe what she had asked me. When I got home I realized that I too, at one time was ignorant of what Orthodoxy was. For some reason I was thinking about that a lot today and just wanted to share. Have any of you had any similiar experiences?

In Him,

Michael

[gzt]

I usually say, "Like, Russian Orthodox..." if it doesn't register at first. It's unfortunate, but whatever works. I also usually say "Orthodox Christian" instead of just "Orthodox" because of the confusion with Judaism. But, yes, I get massive ignorance.

[RobNJ]

I AM that experience!!;)

I'm within a half hour to fourty minutes of six Orthodox churches, the smallest of which must average at least eighty at Divine Liturgy, an I knew next to nothing about it, until I came to this site:clap:

[Dust and Ashes]

I went to my local Christian bookstore about 2 weeks ago to see if they carried the Orthodox Study Bible. I didn't see it amongst the Bibles, so naturally I made my way to the cashier. I asked her if they carried it. She looked it up on the computer, but could not find a listing. She asked me a bunch of questions which I can't really remember, but pale in comparision to what she asked me next. She said, "Is Orthodoxy Christian?" I couldn't believe what she had asked me. When I got home I realized that I too, at one time was ignorant of what Orthodoxy was. For some reason I was thinking about that a lot today and just wanted to share. Have any of you had any similiar experiences?

In Him,

Michael

When I told my mom we were converting to Orthodoxy, her reply was, "Do they believe in the Lord?" :D

I recently ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in 10+ years and when I told him I was Orthodox and went to Church in Memphis, he told me that he knew a Jewish guy who lived near him but he didn't know where he went to "church."
"No, no, I mean Orthodox Christian." ^_^

[sin_vladimirov]

Aussies are generally much more informed...

Mostly thanks to the fact that Melbourne (pronaunced Melbrn... not MelbOURNE, funny I know, honest truth mate, every time we hear americans say it... its very very painful:D) is the biggest greek city after Athens.
(also, percentige wise, there is much more Orthodox in Australia per capita then in USA)

So, you are bound to run into a greek sometime, and they tell ya what they are LOL, same with other Orthodox.

Plus aussies love to party and there is nothing like a good old greek kebab after the night on the "turps" (turpentine LOL). So you are bound to get the sweetest Kebab of your life from a greek or a lebanese (and these are mostly Orthodox)...

Serbs are having a huge "DO" for Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day-28/15 June, read more at http://www.kosovo.com/kosbitka.html

We celebrate the Serbian Testament, every 28 June. This year, in Perth Western Australia, Honourable Geoff Gallop PM of Western Australia will celebrate with us, also half a dozen of Cabinet Ministers as well as most of Christian Leaders in WA.

So, Aussie do know about Orthodxy. Myself have never come accros a person that did not know about it.



Come to think of it, there is a funny story about my life.

I was in the Australian Army for 6 years. One year I was on guard (duty) this particular weekend. This was before I came to Holy Faith. At this time I just cooled from SDA and was not really into religion that much.
Anyway, I was on duty when the unit Padre (regimental Priest, this one was Protestant, I never figured out which denomination though) came over to the guard room to give the boys some cakes that his wife used make for the "martyrs" (as he used to call soldiers doing duty during the weekend^_^).
Anyway he came in and started dishing out the cakes and when he saw me he asked me what in the name of the God am I doing on duty. I said that I was rostered. And he asked if all Orthodox work on holidays (he assumed that I was Orthodox because I was a serb). I didn't have a clue what he was on about.
He turned and walked out. Some time later the RSM (Regimental Sargent Major-the most senior enlisted man in the regiment) came over yelling at me for being on duty and not telling anyone that it was Orthodox Easter. He was angry that I didn't tell him and that Padre got him to come over from his cozy flat on a weekend.^_^

So, I got the two days off.


Funny stuff.

[Greg the byzantine]

Mostly thanks to the fact that Melbourne (pronaunced Melbrn... not MelbOURNE, funny I know, honest truth mate, every time we hear americans say it... its very very painful:D) is the biggest greek city after Athens.


Actually Astoria here in New York City has the largest ethnically Greek population outside of Athens, no Joke .

[Xpycoctomos]

Yeah, this is common in my experience too. At first I used to be offended or thought "what a stupid question" when I heard such things said.. and then I realized two things 1) I was like that 2) how in the heck are they supposed to ahve any idea? It's not like we're very numerous, and the OC DOES tend to keep to itself... even to a fault.

My girlfriend told her mom (protestant.. although her mom used to be Catholic and is certainly not Anti-Catholic... long story) that she was thinking aobut becoming Orthodox. Her Mom just said okay and asked a few questions (probably one of them being "Is it Christian". Well, one day she was cleaning my gf's room and found "The Orthodox Way" and read the first chapter. When my gf came home for Spring Break, her Mom told her she had read part of the book and just want to make sure it truly was Christian and nothing "wierd". She jokingly told her "I approve, you can become Orthodox" :) I thought that was great that she took such an interest. I mean, she didn't have an agenda set out for or against Orthodoxy... she just knew that it wasn't good if it was about idolizing saints or if it really wasn't about the Trinity. God bless her. I wish more parents were genuinely concerned like that. That's much better than "They're idol worshippers!" or "Sure man, whatever floats your boat!".

John

[OrthodoxyUSA]

Let me preface this with saying: I wear three very visible triple bar crosses around my neck, on the outside of my clothes.

At the hardware store, this past Friday, I was buying smelting metals (pewter) and a iron ladel... The clerk asked what I was going to be doing... so I showed him a few wooden crosses and told him that I wanted to start making metal ones....

He next asked about my beliefs.. and I said that I was Orthodox....

He very quietly asked, Is that Jewish?:doh:

Needless to say I explained as long as time would comfortably allow and gave him a card from my pocket...

I print these cards using MS Word XP on "Avery 28877" business cards available from Walmart in the stationary section. They have websites that help for inquirers http://home.comcast.net/~pasudduth/tbar_10psht_lnd.doc (http://home.comcast.net/~pasudduth/tbar_10psht_lnd.doc) (save to your computer and modify as you wish.)

I find these helpful, perhaps you will too.


Forgive me.....:liturgy:

[Marjorie]

As I've said before on other threads, the confusion between Orthodox Judaism and Orthodox Christianity is even worse for me, because I am a convert from Judaism, so I have to explain that YES I was Jewish but NO now I am Orthodox. :D

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[ufonium2]

O-USA, that's a great card! I actually had a pack of blank business card that I was trying to discern what to do with, and now I know. Thanks!

[OrthodoxyUSA]

O-USA, that's a great card! I actually had a pack of blank business card that I was trying to discern what to do with, and now I know. Thanks!

Glad you find them useful... I started a new thread just for cards.....

Forgive me....

[Xpycoctomos]

O-USA.... what am I forgiving you for?

Nice cards by the way.

[OrthodoxyUSA]

O-USA.... what am I forgiving you for?

Nice cards by the way.

For anything and and everything...

Forgive me...:liturgy: