Frustrated.

[Chocolatesa]

There's a christian here on CF who I got to messaging every so often for the past 6 months or so since he didn't post much here for a while. I'm reading a recent thread of his, about his life, and I'm frustrated cause I want to tell him lots of things about Orthodoxy because I know Orthodoxy would help him so much, but at the same time I don't want to push things, possibly push him in the opposite direction, or worse. I've been praying for him for a while now. I don't want to seem like I'm trying to convert him or otherwise interest him in something he might not be interested on his own. He mentioned about feeling in a dream, before he became Christian, that everyone, even Christians, were being deceived, and I felt like telling him "Yes! a lot of us are!!!" with reference to Protestants, but I just can't do that. *sigh*. I'm afraid of mentioning anything contrary to his Protestant beleifs for fear that he'll just outright reject it and think something like "ok what kind of crazy talk is that?" But on the other hand he might not. I don't know. So I'm not saying anything about it for the moment, with one exception where I mentioned something I learned about Orthodoxy myself lately that had to do with something he mentioned, but not telling him he should come poke his nose in here or anything.

[Lukaris]

Well we must remember that there are many varieties of Protestants many of whom have sober, sound, and basic Christian beliefs and others definitely not so; the latter ranging from rigid fundamentalists to carnal liberals. Perhaps you could share some basic Orthodox Christian aspects in living a daily Christian life that should be common to all Christians but often not since focus is often lacking. The basic commands to pray (at least the Lord's prayer), fast (in some mild form), and alms giving as outlined by Christ in Matthew 6. These could be applied to seeking to live daily by the 10 commandments and striving toward he Beatitudes. What I am stating here is from a basic framework of a 1949 catechism of the Syrian Antiochian Orthodox church which I tried to harmonize with Christian basics that should be shared by all Christians. Hope this is being helpful in some way.:crosseo:

[Chocolatesa]

Thanks :)