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Thread: Small Orthodox corner

  1. #1

    Default Small Orthodox corner

    Of course I am not trying to influence anyone and I strongly condemn proselytism.
    As it is clearly seen in other threads as well, those with closed hearts will keep them closed no matter what. BUT to those with a small crack – opening I dedicate this thread. The aim of this thread is to show the Christian philosophy, thinking and way of life (especially the Orthodox thinking which I know better) caught in small and big stories I find interesting in some things I read here and there.

    TO FIND SERENITY IN LIFE
    Athos 2003
    "What good wind brings you here?" Asked the wise hermit the hiker who desperately sought to meet him.
    "I want peace," he replied wistfully. The hermit took a stick and wrote in the dust:
    “I want peace ...”
    "Look now how simple it is," said to the hiker and deleted with a the "I" with his stick.

    "First Quench the" I ". It is impossible to find peace one that has absolute confidence in himself and thinks he can find it on his own, away from God.
    The ego will always feel threatened by all around him, so he will be always afraid. It turns into selfishness to prevail, and banishes God and His peace. "
    In a second move he deleted the "want".
    "We have to erase the word "want ". The “want” indicates desire, need and attachment.
    When you run behind your vain desires, you will never find time to calm down and become happy.
    It is known as the "effect of the mosquito". If in a room there are ten mosquitoes and you kill nine, the tenth mosquito will not let you sleep. If you kill all ten of them another one will sneak in sooner or later.
    So are the desires. Many satisfactions and yet there will always be something new that will not let you sleep. "
    After erasing the "I" and the "want" all that is left is Serenity ...

  2. #2

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Orthodox Christian services are deeply beautiful and holy. The reflected candlelight in the icons, the room charged with intensity, it almost induces a trance.

    You can see why Protestants cringe because it can slip into idolatry, but instead it's mystical.

    When I'm in an Orthodox Christian church, in the midst of all of this, instead I feel this:
    1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:
    “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

    4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
    5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
    6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”
    8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
    And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isiah 6:1-8
    To me, it is as if Heaven is revealed, and the Afterlife witnessed.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    More posts coming that hopefully will bring up dicussions or thinking. I am just in the process of translating..
    (A note to our friendly moderators that maybe want to close this thread as well)

  4. #4

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    The theory of hot chocolate !!!! (fictional story)
    Some former students were discussing their lives at a school reunion celebration.
    They decided to visit their old teacher, now retired, who was always a source of inspiration for them.
    During the visit, the discussion revolved around their grievances about work, life and relationships with others.
    Their professor brought hot chocolate in a large carafe, bringing together many cups of various types and materials, expensive and cheap, beautiful and ugly.
    Then he invited them to help themselves.
    When everyone got a cup of their teacher said:
    Notice that all preferred beautiful and expensive cups, leaving the bad and cheap mugs for the others.
    In what is natural for you to want the best for yourself, this exactly is the cause of your problems.
    The cup does not add anything to the quality of chocolate. Usually, it is simply more expensive and in some cases hiding what you drink.
    What I really wanted was the hot chocolate. Not the mug.
    But consciously you all chose the finer mug. And very soon started to look and compare it with the cups of others ...
    Now consider this: The job and money are the mug. It is simply the tools to keep up your lives. The cup you have, does not define or change the quality of your life. Sometimes the focus to the cup, makes you not enjoying hot chocolate -the life- that God gave you.
    Always Remember: God gives the hot chocolate, do not chooses the mug !!
    The happiest people are not those who have the best things, but those who make the best with what they have.
    Live simply, love generously, interested in others talk politely and leave rest to God.


    So my point is that through everyday problems and worries we forget our goal. I strongly believe that there is a marker that show us if we are moving in the right direction but this marker is very sensitive and need total care to be able to sense it. It is the consciousness. I strongly belive that if we reamain calm and check ouselves every day and every moment and most of all we are honest to ourselves and not lying to him we know if we are moving in the right direction. If we are calm and without unecessary worries this is a good sign. If we are constantly full of stress and anxiety this tells us that we are doing something wrong. Something in our lives is missing and usually this something is God. If we keep our consciousness clean and we let it express itself and its objections without forcing it to shut up then we are in the correct path to find God regardless religions and procedures.

  5. #5
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    The most beautiful song in Christianity. Written by Saint Nektarios to the music of the angels


    Last edited by Sir Adrian; July 16, 2016 at 04:58 PM.
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  6. #6

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Ahh Yes. Also Simonopetra monks are known for their nice Byzantine choir.
    If anyone is interested in more of Simonopetra choir I like very much this also


  7. #7

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    "I believe there is no one deeper, lovelier, more sympathetic and more perfect than Jesus. If someone proved to me that Christ is outside the truth and that in reality the truth were outside of Christ, then I should prefer to remain with Christ rather than with the truth."
    Feodor Dostoyevsky.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    It came to my attention a very interesting book of metropolitan of Lauriotikis and Mesogeas Nikolaos. He is a very spiritual man and a very interesting case. He started his life as a strong atheist. He has doctronal thesis in biomedicine , astrophysics etc. He is a very interesting personality and I think he has his way to adressing the questions that might rise from the atheist's philisophy

    A small Biography HERE
    Some samples HERE (VIDEO)
    and HERE (extensive interview)

    I will try to translate slowly one of his books that answers the mainstream questions. From is there a God to why there is evil in life etc.. I think there could be plenty food for talk
    Last edited by Phalangitis; July 29, 2016 at 07:11 AM.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Isnt there a tradition of meditation in orthodox christianity? I've never looked into it but I am sure I have come across this before, so I am not sure how it differs to the other forms.

  10. #10
    CtrlAltDe1337's Avatar Praepositus
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Greek Orthodox here

    Quote Originally Posted by MayaLin View Post
    Isnt there a tradition of meditation in orthodox christianity? I've never looked into it but I am sure I have come across this before, so I am not sure how it differs to the other forms.
    A form of Christ centered meditation, yes. It differs from "eastern" meditation in that it is not an emptying of oneself, but a filling of oneself with Christ. You might look up the term Hesychasm in orthodox monastic literature if you want to gain a detailed understanding. I am just a layman and they could probably expound upon it in much greater detail...
    Last edited by CtrlAltDe1337; September 18, 2016 at 09:05 AM.


  11. #11
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    The Christ's funeral service in byzantine tempo. Probably the second most beautiful song in Orthodoxy





    Lyrics are in Romanian but any orthodox who knows this service should be able to understand them
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  12. #12
    alhoon's Avatar Comes Rei Militaris
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Just thinking to drop that here. It's the new Testament, translated by the Metropolis of Thessaloniki in Greek that modern Greeks can finally understand along with the original text of course.
    http://www.imth.gr/default.aspx?lang...loc=1&page=258

    It has changed the way I think, for the better.
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  13. #13

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    A great topic.For those of you more artistically inclined, here are some lessons on painting Byzantine icons:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKTT4M-Z36g

    The Truth is Hate for those who hate the Truth.

  14. #14
    bigdaddy1204's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    I like Byzantine history. Thanks for sharing this artistic video.
    Quote Originally Posted by Adar View Post
    I am quite impressed by the fact that you managed to make such a rant but still manage to phrase it in such a way that it is neither relevant to the thread nor to the topic you are trying to introduce to the thread.

  15. #15
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Exceptional arabic chant

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  16. #16

    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    http://myocn.net/
    A site including some interesting articles on various subjects of Orthodox theology.

  17. #17
    alhoon's Avatar Comes Rei Militaris
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    Default Re: Small Orthodox corner

    Quote Originally Posted by paraskevikaidekatris View Post
    http://myocn.net/
    A site including some interesting articles on various subjects of Orthodox theology.
    Which church controls this site? Or is it unaffiliated and neutral?
    Is the Coptic Orthodox church, officially in Schism with ours since 451AD but with closer ties than other heterodox Christians, included?

    As a note, according to the Last Holy Synod, we're viewing the other denominations as Heterodox Christians now that we should engage in discussion, not Heretics to be avoided. The church of Greece (and the Patriarchate of Russia through the letters prior to the synod) opposed this, but it passed.
    alhoon is not a member of the infamous Hoons: a (fictional) nazi-sympathizer KKK clan. Of course, no Hoon would openly admit affiliation to the uninitiated.
    "Angry Uncle Gordon" describes me well.
    _______________________________________________________
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  18. #18
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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  19. #19
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Traditional Easter troparion in 3 languages (a troparion is a short hymn of only one stanza a few verses long) and some parts of Saint John's sermon


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  20. #20
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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