Nihilism by Father Seraphim Rose

[SpyridonOCA]

This book might touch on some political issues, but I don't believe that a book by Father Seraphim Rose should be marginalized to a political subforum. In what I've read so far, Father Seraphim claims that all modern rebellion is attributable to nihilism.

18th century Liberalism, foundational to the American and French revolutions, shares the same end goal as Fascism and Communism, according to Father Seraphim. This is because, in emphasizing individualism over hierarchy and tradition, and treating all religions as equally valid, Liberalism ultimately leads to the abolition of absolute truth and the negation of man's inherent dignity in favor of violence and chaos.

Was Father Seraphim right in saying these things? Has the American experiment been doomed from the beginning to become a totalitarian and godless state? Remember, Hitler used the language of Christianity, while actively working on the side of Satan.

Looking at the horrors of life under Peter the Great, it's hard for me to imagine that secular democracy is so inherently evil compared to Orthodox Tsardom. Given that absolute monarchy and popular democracy both share their origin in ancient pagan culture, how is one more inherently Orthodox than the other?

[SeraphimSarov]

America already is a godless state.

[SpyridonOCA]

America already is a godless state.

That might be true, but does that make Peter the Great preferrable to President Bush?

[MacariusRomanus]

Looking at the horrors of life under Peter the Great, it's hard for me to imagine that secular democracy is so inherently evil compared to Orthodox Tsardom. Given that absolute monarchy and popular democracy both share their origin in ancient pagan culture, how is one more inherently Orthodox than the other?

Peter the Great was influenced by 18th century Enlightenment thinking. It was his desire to Westernize and Modernize that caused much trouble in Russia. He was not, and never has been looked up to as an example of a good Orthodox ruler.

[SeraphimSarov]

That might be true, but does that make Peter the Great preferrable to President Bush?
I never said he was.

[nestoj]

That might be true, but does that make Peter the Great preferrable to President Bush?
I like St. Nicholas of Myra better then all rulers of the world trough history put together. And I wouldn't prefer none of those two.

God helps

[SpyridonOCA]

Peter the Great was influenced by 18th century Enlightenment thinking. It was his desire to Westernize and Modernize that caused much trouble in Russia. He was not, and never has been looked up to as an example of a good Orthodox ruler.

Look at the Byzantine emperors who also committed acts contrary to the greater good. Are they preferable to our current president? I'm serious in asking this.

[SeraphimSarov]

I think it's a problem to declare any kind of political system to be Orthodox. No human, aside from Christ Himself, will ever establish God's Kingdom on this earth. We are not capable of creating such an utopia, and anyone who thinks otherwise is suffering delusion. Byzantium had plenty of problems, and so did Orthodox Russia of old. Those weren't the Kingdom.

[SpyridonOCA]

I think it's a problem to declare any kind of political system to be Orthodox. No human, aside from Christ Himself, will ever establish God's Kingdom on this earth. We are not capable of creating such an utopia, and anyone who thinks otherwise is suffering delusion. Byzantium had plenty of problems, and so did Orthodox Russia of old. Those weren't the Kingdom.

As the Psalmist wrote, "Trust not in princes and sons of men, in whom there is no salvation."