www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall I’m supicious of President Putin’s support for Orthodoxy

I am sure that all that you say is true, dear Stuart, but you seem to conveniently ignore the FACT that the American entertainment industry and influence has spread sexual sins of all kinds as normal (not to mention gore and violence as entertainment) in this country and to many others.

I have seen the degradation American entertainment has brought to another culture through my life. I have heard people say that they don't understand the crassness of imported American 'sitcoms' and movies. Yes, I do speak another language, and have had one foot in another culture--and Orthodox one from the time of my childhood. I have seen young girls evolve from desiring purity and virtue in marriage to being 'modern' like the 'American girls' in movies, and a whole culture eventually embracing the cool 'American values' of immorality.

BRAVO to a country and leader that at least *recognizes* this and doesn't go along with the gang! Those who want to condemn Churches as being corrupt will always find things.

As for Orthodoxy being 'fashion', well, thank God for that 'fashion', and for the thousands of people who approach to venerate saints like Matrona of Moscow and Xenia of Petersburg for assistance in their pains and sorrow. Yes, thank God for that 'fashion'! Sure beats American fashions of 'There is no God' and let's all jump into bed like Hollywood brainwashes us to do to feel better!

I would rather be OUR form of decadent than theirs. So would you, if you lived there.

That does not mean that we are right or that this country is the beacon of virtue, honesty, morality and ethics it once aspired to be. Those responsible for pushing the immoral envelope to the world will answer heavily for their sins one day.

As Christians, we all should strive to live a better life and help to fashion a better, a more just and through justice, a more moral society. The problems facing moral men and women in the face of an immoral society are as old as time. Idealizing any particular era can be dangerous as can overstating the sins of another era. Living a Christian life in the midst of Babylon has always been the challenge. Yes, Russia has produced her Saints and Martyrs but but she also produced murderous monsters - some even cloaked with the authority of a "Christian" king. If human history teaches us anything, it is that the shining city on the hill, the illusive city of God, remains just beyond our grasp. We are not to despair lest Christ's sacrifice and resurrection be for naught.

Alice,

Everything you have said in this thread, I entirely agree with.

I'm deeply sorry for the way things I going.

In one thread you said "The problem is that today's issues have become all about immorality rights".

Indeed.

What bothers me is that, as Christians, there is un written code of conduct, or agreement between others that we will not impose our morals/values on others - but surely the case is that those whom I consider immoral, in a Christian perspective, are forcing their morals on me.

I see pictures of naked men in subways, and men kissing each other. Why? Naked women , scantily dressed on billboards. Is this not forcing your values (or lack) on me?

My opinion is this:

I hope each country in Europe adopts a federal system of governance, a bit like the US - where its citizens can vote on the legislation is wants. Hopefully, I'll just relocate to an area where some Christian values are still adhered to.

This is just downright awful. We all want to be patriotic and law-abiding, but no matter what you tell me, I cannot see that gay marriage is right. Allowing gays to adopt children also? Is this sane?

The US entertainment industry's push with pre-marital sex is quite worrying also. The media seems to be showing the many ways you can lose your virginity, and live immorally, but nothing about how to live in Holiness. I thought a free society was one where we could chose to live according to our aspirations, not influenced against them!

In France, the government's drive (via its latest programme) to assist teenagers with abortion, sex, sexuality etc is more along the lines of "what you can do and get away with". Its completely irresponsible.

Now I have met many Christians who were never baptised at first, and lived a life according to what was marketed to them, and this obviously led them to Christ. That's good, but the damage was already done.

What bothers me the most, is that you, and your identity is being taken away from you. When immorality becomes the defining force behind your laws, who do you, as a nation become? What defines you? What characterises you? What do you stand for?

+1
I'd rather vice pay its tribute to virtue, than virtue be locked up in vice's closet.

The French have a saying: "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose."

From the Mail Online come a timely review of a 2008 exhibit at a London museum: "Dynasty of decadence: Behind the Romanov's glittering facade lay an epic saga of depravity and unspeakable cruelty."

My point is not to "bash" Russia, Russians or the Church, but rather to point out that living a faithful Christian life has never been easy and in the real world, no society has ever, by itself, been a Christian ideal.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...y-unspeakable-cruelty.html#ixzz2VCUrFsIr