New to TAW

[Marjorie]

Hey everyone.

My name is Marjorie-- I am a convert to the Holy Orthodox Faith (I decided this about a year ago; I will probably be baptized and chrismated during this coming Pascha season.) I was born Jewish and went through periods of atheism, paganism, eastern religions, neo-gnosticism, etc., until finding, first, the Lord Jesus Christ, and, secondly, Orthodoxy.

I am a senior in high school (well, as of today! :)) and an aspiring writer. I have been lurking on this messageboard probably for months, and thought I should just post already.

While I am going to be very busy this year I hope to post as much as I can. You are a wonderful community and a strong witness to the Lord and to His Holy Church, especially in comparison with some other Orthodox forums. I hope that I am welcome here!

Also, could someone explain to me this whole blessings/reputation/etc. business? So confusing. SO confusing.

Thank you!

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[Reader Nilus]

Welcome Marjorie.
Jeff the Finn

[Moros]

Welcome.

[Constantine]

Welcome to TAW! Enjoy yourself :wave: If you have any question, don't ask me. ;)

[Michael the Iconographer]

Welcome to TAW Marjorie! I am a convert as well, although I converted from Roman Catholicism. Feel free to chat with us in the Taverna. :)

Michael

[countrymousenc]

Welcome, Marjorie :) I'm a recent convert as well, formerly United Methodist, and before that, Baptist.

[Akathist]

Also, could someone explain to me this whole blessings/reputation/etc. business? So confusing. SO confusing.

Thank you!

In IC XC,
Marjorie
Welcome. I thing a moderator might explain this better, but I'll try.

reputations are like a handclap or a pat on the back... a way of telling someone that you really liked what they posted. Your comments are private though... only the recipient can know. It gets frustrating here. We can send reputation to lots of different people and still get a message that we need to spread reputation around.

Blessings.... well. You get blessings for every post you make. People will give you blessings. (although you never know who gave them to you.) You can buy things that will go by your name, or buy permission to change your avatar or other things with blessings.

It is a good idea to bank your blessings from time to time. When the board crashes it sometimes causes your blessings to be deleted. The last time that happened Erwin gave everyone 1000 blessings but there were people saving up for some really great item to put by their name.

You buy the items by going to "armor" at the top of the screen.

I am in the process of conversion right now. I used to be protestant (Nazarene, Pentacostal, Southern Baptist, Free Methodist and I grew up United Methodist). I had a spell when I explored eastern religions too. I was also into "New Age" for a little while. So, I can understand the process that you have been through.

I am glad that you have found Orthodoxy and glad you joined our virtual community.

How have your parents reacted to your wishes to convert? What church are you attending? (Oh.. and tell us important things like do you like cats and what kind of music you like... we have been discussing these topics lately when we need to "lighten up.")

[gzt]

Howdy.

[Marjorie]

Welcome. I thing a moderator might explain this better, but I'll try.

reputations are like a handclap or a pat on the back... a way of telling someone that you really liked what they posted. Your comments are private though... only the recipient can know. It gets frustrating here. We can send reputation to lots of different people and still get a message that we need to spread reputation around.

Blessings.... well. You get blessings for every post you make. People will give you blessings. (although you never know who gave them to you.) You can buy things that will go by your name, or buy permission to change your avatar or other things with blessings.

It is a good idea to bank your blessings from time to time. When the board crashes it sometimes causes your blessings to be deleted. The last time that happened Erwin gave everyone 1000 blessings but there were people saving up for some really great item to put by their name.

You buy the items by going to "armor" at the top of the screen.Thanks! Still a little confusing, but I will figure it out. :)

I am in the process of conversion right now. I used to be protestant (Nazarene, Pentacostal, Southern Baptist, Free Methodist and I grew up United Methodist). I had a spell when I explored eastern religions too. I was also into "New Age" for a little while. So, I can understand the process that you have been through.Yeah it seems a lot of people these days have gone through the New Age thing. It was profoundly unsatisfying for me spiritually, BUT it did eventually lead me to Christ, so...

How have your parents reacted to your wishes to convert? What church are you attending? (Oh.. and tell us important things like do you like cats and what kind of music you like... we have been discussing these topics lately when we need to "lighten up.")My mom (who grew up Catholic but converted to Judaism before she met my Jewish dad) kind of went through what you would expect for the parents of children "coming out," haha. In that at first she was kind of angry, although she didn't show it as much as she could have, then she was just awkward about it, and now she is naively trying to be positive about it, like mentioning it to me at random points, "did you know that this person was Christian!" It's like a mom with a gay son who calls him up to tell him that Barbara Streisand is on TV. "Don't you people like her???"

In all seriousness though, I am grateful that I have parents that will drive me to church services, even, like, the midnight Pascha service (Mom picked me up at 2 AM.) My mom can be very annoying sometimes about it but she's better than a lot of parents. My dad... I don't even know. I don't really talk to him about this stuff. He seems fine with it.

I am attending Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (OCA) in Randolph, NJ. I would link to it but apparently I am not allowed to! :(

I LOVE cats. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Do not have one as my mother is allergic. I do have a buppy dog though. :D His name is Punky; he is a Maltese.

My music taste sucks. I basically like classical, musical theater, Byzantine/Russian chant and whiny girl music. :)

Thanks again!

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[MaRiNa_Orthodox]

Hey welcome!!!!!!!

Your taste of music doesn't suck, hey I play violin:) Do you play anything? Byebyezzzzz:hug:

Marina

[gzt]

Dude, I have a Maltese, too.

[Marjorie]

Dude, I have a Maltese, too.Awesome! They're the cutest little doggies. What's your Maltese's name?

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[Rick of Wessex]

Hi, Marjorie! Welcome to TAW. :wave:

In XC,
Rick

[gzt]

Buster. He's named for Buster Keaton. He makes funny noises when he yawns.

[MariaRegina]

Welcome to TAW

I'm a convert from Catholicism also.

Maybe your mom will convert with you.

It's funny that out here on the West Coast, many people think I'm Jewish when I mention that I am Orthodox.

LA has a huge Jewish population. So, when you say the word "Orthodox" they think that you are referring to Orthodox Jews. One of our Orthodox Priests was greeted at the airport by a Jewish person who thought he was a rabbi. When he said he was a Greek Orthodox Priest, they asked him if he worshipped Zeus. Oh Well!

A lot of the Orthodox Jews dress very modestly like I do. Only thing - I wear a cross - so they look at me kind of funny and wonder if I am a Messianic Jew.

Orthodox Christianity is still the best kept secret in Los Angeles, although the Greek Festivals are starting to change that. We get a lot of Jewish converts (they love our food and dancing) from the Greek Festivals. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!

[NewToLife]

:clap: :wave: :thumbsup: Welcome!

As are many others here, I too am a convert, directly from Anglicanism but I have in my life flirted with many other systems of religious / philosophical thought.

[prodromos]

Welcome Marjorie :wave:. Say, that's an awful lot of blessings you've got there. I reckon you've got enough to give yourself a nice avatar by now :D
Obviously we didn't put you off too much while you were lurking so I guess you will be sticking around a while :). Were very glad to have you on board.

John

[Photini]

Welcome to TAW Marjorie!

[vlinder]

To Life Immortal

here is a hello for you
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/Tijger/hello.jpg

I am a convert from Paganism. I was Asatru then did the Egyptian thing for a while. This is a nice place to learn about Orthodoxy and meet friendly people.

Peace and Long Life
~*~ Vlinder/Balafenn ~*~

[Mary of Bethany]

Welcome, Marjorie! :wave:

I enjoyed reading your conversion story. You seem to have learned a lot for one so young! God is good!

Mary

[CyberSponge]

Welcome aboard!

[Marjorie]

Maybe your mom will convert with you.Not very likely, but I suppose that stranger things have happened!

It's funny that out here on the West Coast, many people think I'm Jewish when I mention that I am Orthodox.
I get that too! Then I have to explain that, yes, I am culturally and ethnically Jewish, but, no, I am not becoming an Orthodox Jew... usually it's too much for people.

Orthodox Christianity is still the best kept secret in Los Angeles, although the Greek Festivals are starting to change that. We get a lot of Jewish converts (they love our food and dancing) from the Greek Festivals. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach!At least to a Jew's/Orthodox Christian's heart. :D One of the small things that makes me happy about Orthodoxy is the Christian version of the oneg that follows Liturgy-- coffee hour. The RCs don't usually have anything afterwards. Next time someone asks me why I'm not Catholic I'll just say that. :)

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[Orthodox Andrew]

Wlecome!:wave:

[Marjorie]

Welcome Marjorie :wave:. Say, that's an awful lot of blessings you've got there. I reckon you've got enough to give yourself a nice avatar by now :DI know! All these blessings out of nowhere. Thanks everyone!

And yes, avatar "purchased"!

In IC XC,
Marjorie

[Marjorie]

Hey welcome!!!!!!!

Your taste of music doesn't suck, hey I play violin:) Do you play anything? Byebyezzzzz:hug:

MarinaI used to play violin, and piano, and viola, etc., but none very well! I sing, which I do much better. :)

In IC XC,
Marjorie