Question about an article by Raphael Masterjohn

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

Hello!

i ran across this article and it really shocked me! i am wondering if you can read it and shed some light on it? Is this the belief of the Orthodox church or some crazed writer? Have you read this? Do you as Orthodox feel the same about the Pope?? I am very interested to know if this article is legitimate and if the person who wrote it is a big whig in the Orthodox church or anyone that people listen too? thanks much.

here is the link
http://members.cox.net/orthodoxheritage/MOM%2008%202007.htm

[MariaRegina]

Not all Orthodox Christians would agree with the style in which this article was written.

Certainly not St. Seraphim of Sarov who prayed with Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox alike. He was not an ecumenist, but he truly loved God and desired that all would come to the Light of Christ.

[Orthosdoxa]

Eh. I think the writer has a bug in his craw. Yes, we are not in communion with Rome, yes, Rome is in error, but I for one was GLAD when this Pope acknowledged our differences - that is the ONLY way there will ever be true communication.

[Rowan]

I'd say the article was a little much.

[Saint Melania]

I, personally, have more problems with some TV evangelists (who will remain unnamed) than with the present Pope.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

Karen, I would suggest that you PM the mods and have this this topic transferred over to St. Justin's Debate Subforum.

http://christianforums.com/f827-st-justin-martyrs-corner-debate-an-orthodox-christian.html


And no, not all Orthodox Christians would agree with the style in which this article was written.

Certainly not St. Seraphim of Sarov who prayed with Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox alike. He was not an ecumenist, but he truly loved God and desired that all would come to the Light of Christ.
Aria,
I really am not looking for a debate and that is why i posted here instead of the debate forum. From everything i have seen on CF it always seems like the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics come to bat for each other and treat each other as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I just happened to run across this article and was really shocked by its harshness and style of writing, coming close to calling the Pope anti-Christ almost. I felt like i was reading a Jack Chick tract. I really came here to find out if this website and article were legitimate and if the majority of Orthodox agreed with it or not. If someone feels this needs to be moved to the debate sub-forum, feel free to move it, of course.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

I come in Peace, Brothers and Sisters, please don't think i am here to cause trouble or harm. Those that know me can vouch for this! I am genuinely looking for an answer and would appreciate if someone could explain if this is a legitimate site and article? Thanks much.

[AJB4]

That article seems like a bunch of madness.

It makes me wonder why I want to become Orthodox...

[Avatar]

I come in Peace, Brothers and Sisters, please don't think i am here to cause trouble or harm. Those that know me can vouch for this!

Consider yourself vouched for. :)

[Saint Melania]

That article seems like a bunch of madness.

It makes me wonder why I want to become Orthodox...
You're judging us by ONE Website??? :eek:

Astonishing! :doh:

[MariaRegina]

Aria,
I really am not looking for a debate and that is why i posted here instead of the debate forum. From everything i have seen on CF it always seems like the Orthodox and the Roman Catholics come to bat for each other and treat each other as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I just happened to run across this article and was really shocked by its harshness and style of writing, coming close to calling the Pope anti-Christ almost. I felt like i was reading a Jack Chick tract. I really came here to find out if this website and article were legitimate and if the majority of Orthodox agreed with it or not. If someone feels this needs to be moved to the debate sub-forum, feel free to move it, of course.

When I was a catechumen in the Orthodox Church, I too was shocked at some of the anti-Catholic rhetoric. Some of this rhetoric came from Greece (where the people were sacked in 1204 AD) while other recent Protestant converts to Orthodoxy still had bones to pick.

However, I think as people approach theosis, then they begin to realize that we should pray for one another that we all may be saved.

Personally, I have never heard of this site which you mention in your OP, and my priest tells people not to go and search the net because you do not know if a site is reputable or not.

Even in college they tell us to beware of websites.

[Orthosdoxa]

RTM, I think we all know you come in peace. No worries.

And I think a number of us have already said that writer needs to take a chill pill, so I think that's the answer you're looking for. Remember that in Orthodoxy, no one man speaks for the Church - it is always done by consensus. I can't control what other people say, I can only point to the flow of Church teachings. And I think my prior answer points to that - we have no problem saying that Rome is in schism with us, we have no problem saying which teachings of theirs we find erroneous - but the hateful tone of that article was totally un-necessary. We unfortunately have a member or two who I could see defending it :( but I think overall most of us would say he's gone way, way over the top.

[AJB4]

You're judging us by ONE Website??? :eek:

Astonishing! :doh:
Well, no, but you must know how it looks to objective outsiders.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

Thanks for all your comments and I am sorry if my post caused any waves. I didn't mean for it to steer anyone away from the Orthodox church! Apparently this article is just the opinion of one person from what your all saying. Thanks for your time.

[Saint Melania]

Well, no, but you must know how it looks to objective outsiders.
Check out the Orthodox sites such as:

http://www.oca.org/
http://www.antiochian.org/
http://www.goarch.org/

Etc.

....that's being objective - judging by one site that seems to be over the top is not being objective at all. :)

[rusmeister]

I, personally, have more problems with some TV evangelists (who will remain unnamed) than with the present Pope.
Amen! I mean, Hallelujah! I mean,...I don't know what I mean... :P

Seriously...
I've felt for some time that the previous Pope was very much a product of and in tune with modern pluralism, and with pleasing the world in the hope of attracting them to the Catholic faith.
I feel like the current Pope stands much more for identifying and defending the doctrine of their faith, which is overall a good thing - for Catholics, Orthodox and other Christians in general, even though many will not like it and disagree with what he holds to be true - and for this reason the world naturally complains about him more.

It's a given he's not Orthodox. So what? I admire that he has the courage of his convictions, even if they are not the Truth. A person who admits that there IS Truth is much more likely to eventually find it.

[Lukaris]

Thanks for all your comments and I am sorry if my post caused any waves. I didn't mean for it to steer anyone away from the Orthodox church! Apparently this article is just the opinion of one person from what your all saying. Thanks for your time.
You caused no problems whatsoever; honest inquiry is necessary so you feel that this may be a forum you may want to have some fellowship with and see what kind of mindset is in it. We hope that one was presented that would make you feel welcome. God bless and hope you had a nice Christmas.

[resoto]

Some of this rhetoric came from Greece (where the people were sacked in 1204 AD) while other recent Protestant converts to Orthodoxy still had bones to pick.

I have noted the same. Is mostly some Greeks and some exprotestants. The Russian Church while have some issues with Rome of their own is more secure on Herself and generaly do not use that language.

[Aristokles]

As near as I have been able to research in the past, this brotherhood is legitimate. This article is written by a "layman" but it does not state whether this layman is a monk (non-ordained) or just an Orthodox.
Welcome to the world of Athonite monasticism with its well-known penchant for polemics and reactionary views - whether from Greek, Russian, or Serbian or any other local church.
Other than its confrontational style, what EXACTLY do you find incorrect here?

[Akathist]

Thread was moved to the debate area as it is about a comparision of EO and another faith. This allows members who are not EO to debate in this thread.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

Consider yourself vouched for. :)
LOL..thanks so much Av!

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

You caused no problems whatsoever; honest inquiry is necessary so you feel that this may be a forum you may want to have some fellowship with and see what kind of mindset is in it. We hope that one was presented that would make you feel welcome. God bless and hope you had a nice Christmas.
Thank you very much i appreciate your kindness

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

I have noted the same. Is mostly some Greeks and some exprotestants. The Russian Church while have some issues with Rome of their own is more secure on Herself and generaly do not use that language.

Yes, the article is on a website of the Greek Orthodox church!

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

As near as I have been able to research in the past, this brotherhood is legitimate. This article is written by a "layman" but it does not state whether this layman is a monk (non-ordained) or just an Orthodox.
Welcome to the world of Athonite monasticism with its well-known penchant for polemics and reactionary views - whether from Greek, Russian, or Serbian or any other local church.
Other than its confrontational style, what EXACTLY do you find incorrect here?
I guess the grandstanding. The way it is written is like Jack Chick style. I can't say what i find incorrect or correct to be honest, i just felt it wasnt very charitable.

[MariaRegina]

As near as I have been able to research in the past, this brotherhood is legitimate. This article is written by a "layman" but it does not state whether this layman is a monk (non-ordained) or just an Orthodox.
Welcome to the world of Athonite monasticism with its well-known penchant for polemics and reactionary views - whether from Greek, Russian, or Serbian or any other local church.
Other than its confrontational style, what EXACTLY do you find incorrect here?

(1) If your mother-in-law was a Catholic, would you send this article to her?

(2) Is the above referenced article found in the OP an effective way to witness the love of Christ?

I would answer NO to both rhetorical questions.

[Lukaris]

I guess the grandstanding. The way it is written is like Jack Chick style. I can't say what i find incorrect or correct to be honest, i just felt it wasnt very charitable.
RTM, Granted having perused the article it is a bit difficult for someone unfamiliar to Orthodoxy to fathom but sometimes the monks are the guardians of the faith when hierarchs of the faith in the world have gone astray. Most of the polemic is usually not directed at rank and file people of any Christian confession or other religions. There can be a fine line between contending for the faith or phariseeism truly. There are times when some brotherhoods have also lapsed into pharisaical heresy and excommunicated all of humanity except themselves. I have no criticism of any apprehension you may have since this new to you. All I can tell you is that Mt Athos can be the ground zero of some calamities that have been wrought upon Orthodoxy (like 911 in NYC). On the other hand to offer a more positive perspective on monastics, I suggest reading a recent book by Kyriakos Markides called Wisdom of the Desert Fathers; the author is from Cyprus whose Greek community was attacked by Turkish aggression in 1974 & the island partitioned since. There is true Christian forgiveness in this book albeit with a tinge of new agey spirituality at times (on the author's part). Hope this is making sense and again please continue to visit us here. God bless.