tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post1315033499238043633..comments2024-03-22T11:37:52.668-05:00Comments on Byzantine, Texas: American Orthodoxy in "Progressive Captivity"Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-19427504536933791192013-08-24T16:18:18.923-05:002013-08-24T16:18:18.923-05:00It was good that the conference brought to attenti...It was good that the conference brought to attention the embarrassment of the Orthodox being part of the world council of churches. I suspect much that occured with the conference was good, but not all, because the acton institute is fundamentally an evil organization run by a homosexual priest (Sirico) who refuses his obligation of priestly duties in favour of his secular job. I urge the Orthodox Church to divest itself of all politicization in any form whateversoever. I say this as one who would never vote for the democratic party in the USA. One must be cautious of both the so-called left and so-called right, for they are quite frequently anti-christian and against the Orthodox faith in distinctively different ways. If you research Fr. Sirico's past, it is very shady and Acton's funding has come from very shady groups with nefarious principals.<br /><br />"Homosexual archivists like Gary Atkins consider Sirico a pivotal figure in the history of the "gay" civil rights movement, and they are correct. His entrepreneurial genius united, organized, and gave purpose to the fledging "gay" Seattle community at a time when they were confused,<br />divided, and subjected to a well-organized vice-squad. He pioneered legal gay marriages, challenged vice laws, organized and led protests and marches, preached in churches and on the radio, and built a gay infrastructure that exists for the most part to this day. His public<br />victories in Seattle include the founding of the first "gay" church, the creation of a new "gay" theology, and a new political paradigm that shifted the debate on homosexuality from the morality of homosexual acts to the civil rights of gays and the repeal of laws against sodomy and hustling, and the obtaining of marriage licenses for and performing homosexual marriages, including his own anticipated "marriage."Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471650005449587155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-27728514285766891242013-06-16T16:50:59.758-05:002013-06-16T16:50:59.758-05:00I am afraid that at times this polarization is no ...I am afraid that at times this polarization is no different than what we see in the political life: people talking past each other (or, often, yelling past each other), discounting the other position from the start, and digging the heels in for whatever one's position happens to be.<br /><br />I do not know a lot about the conference - and that is only partially the focus of the linked article - but I read the one currently available transcript of one of the sessions: http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/svsvoices/poverty_conference_four. Leaving aside some off-topic banter, I think there were points made that are worth thinking about, in particular in Sdn. Paul Abernathy's remarks.<br />Virgil Petrisorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05467744522668766048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-48287759841543636862013-06-15T02:37:08.437-05:002013-06-15T02:37:08.437-05:00Looking from afar, and from what I see online whic...Looking from afar, and from what I see online which I hope is misleading, I would have thought that American Orthodoxy was in far more danger of becoming captive to the far right. Things like this post being, it seems, like rather a case in point!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-45705850488044857422013-06-14T11:17:40.470-05:002013-06-14T11:17:40.470-05:00Unfortunately, AOI style rubbish is really what...Unfortunately, AOI style rubbish is really what's imposing a kind of right wing captivity on Orthodoxy in America. I say "in America" because it is the recent converts who want to try import their politics (usually neocon, libertarian, or some fanciful "crunchy" version), especially economic ones, as essential to the faith. <br /><br />Those of us who oppose such godless, ruthless economic policies should just speak out: You can be Orthodox and believe that the economic and some social policies of "conservatism" are genuinely evil. The social policies I speak of are the latent racism, anti-science stupidity, and merciless individualism of the right.<br /><br />Furthermore, holding these views opposing the right does not automatically mean that one sides with sodomites and baby murderers. In fact, there are plenty of leftist critiques of things like the sham they call "gay marriage". To the extent that the left in this country has turned almost exclusively to identity politics, it has weakened its credibility. Abortion is murder, always, but the excuse given for why it happens is usually an economic excuse. That excuse remains as long as economic policies create an environment that make having children excessively expensive (i.e., an environment where employers don't have to provide a living wage, where healthcare costs are ridiculous, etc.).Anaxagorashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06740822202435477034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-27203200390231101132013-06-14T09:58:21.778-05:002013-06-14T09:58:21.778-05:00Fr Jacobse's tying the question of abortion, w...Fr Jacobse's tying the question of abortion, which, as Lucas points out above, he addresses in a disingenuous way, is kind of a red herring in this context. His attempting to paint those who oppose St Vladimir's partnering with a highly partisan think-tank and bringing in a speaker from the Discovery Institute(!!!) with support for abortion is both ridiculous and insulting.Samn!https://www.blogger.com/profile/14142811721903345946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-67136754194435343332013-06-14T08:48:27.894-05:002013-06-14T08:48:27.894-05:00The AOI article about Patriarch Bartholomew linked...The AOI article about Patriarch Bartholomew linked to in the full text is unfair (although this would be par for the course with AOI). When bloggers repost someone else's text & selectively highlight/bold text it lifts it out of its appropriate context; it gives undue weight to a particular phrase when it's meant to be taken as part of a whole (the same problem with biblical 'prooftexting' out of context).<br /><br />When actually reading what the Patriarch says, he is making the point that the sacredness of the human person is paramount in the discussion. He also lists as example of a reason for not making a universal condemnation the health of the mother, explicitly condemning 'convenience' as motive. While he does mention sexual assault, he doesn't exonerate the mother in such a case. <br /><br />When read without selective highlighting & the usual Limbaugh-esque preamble his text reads as one who feels this is a weighty issue that is pastorally-sensitive & should be taken in consultation with a spiritual father who knows them & the situation; but he is clearly not advocating a libertine lifestyle.Dn. Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00731228557190885290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-91899106645102694412013-06-14T07:22:48.908-05:002013-06-14T07:22:48.908-05:00I agree with Pontus. The Orthodox Church is a chu...I agree with Pontus. The Orthodox Church is a church of compassion. Let's keep politics out of the church please. I am fearful of the Orthodox fundamentalism expressed in this piece.Steve_Barriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700596373993979010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-51166913862239191042013-06-14T00:28:32.313-05:002013-06-14T00:28:32.313-05:00The real problem is a captivity to the false liber...The real problem is a captivity to the false liberal or conservative paradigm. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com