www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Open & Closing Topics & Discussions

Dear brethern, moderators and administrators,

Yes this is a Byzantine/Eastern forum, however closing threads & discussions where "constructive" comparisons and differences can be explored one would think that it would benefit evangelism and understandings.

I cannot understand why so many people run or hide their heads in the sand.

We preach the Church has "Two Lungs", yet we run and hide.

I repeat again, "constructive & mature" discussions, with both problems and remedies, not endless blame and finger pointing as I have seen and experienced on other boards.

If the ship is listing to port or starboard too much, then let us ALL help in righting it and get it to port.

If my brethern are in trouble and need of help or assistance, do I dare to play the East-West card ? Or are the branches/lungs detached from the trunk/body ?

Just my 2 cents worth, but I dislike running from, ignoring or dening that problems exist, and looking away to discuss the easy things.

james

I love this forum and the people on it, but if you are saying it suffers from multiple personalities and confused identity, I would have to agree with you. Some days it is more Byzantine, other days more Orthodox, and at time more Latin. It has eastern clergy whose posts are more than 90% Latin spirituality. It has western clergy who seem more eastern in practice than western. Then there are those who aren't sure what they are. It's either a healthy mix, or hopelessly schizophrenic. I haven't decided. Maybe some of both. Who knows? You have to love this place, since there is none other like it.

Could it be that we are a diverse bunch?

Papal documents and I believe Vatican II tell
us that diversity shows the unity of the church.

I like to think of the Eastern and Western Churches as a beautiful multicolored robe.

James,
Are we bashful about showing our colors?

My 2-cents

Paul

Us? Bashful? No Way!

Dear Charles,

I like to think that I belong to the "healthy mix."

Oops . . . where's my parachute . . . I better put it on . . .

Alex

Alex:

That's OK if you belong to the "healthy mix," for as long as you do not "mix and match!"

Amado

hehehe

Myself, I'm terribly bashful - this perhaps explains my habit of wearing a paper bag over my head. However, I do my best to conceal my own bashfulness. My friends (both of them) assure me that I have succeeded in this effort reasonably well.

Incognitus

We are sort of a stew: Some of us are meat, some potatoes, some flour and water, some veggies, a few mushrooms, some spices, and some onions and garlic. All together we make a tasty stew...Yummmm. I love this place!

Such talk is making me hungry!

Mary Jo...excuse please must fix dinner.

IMHO the most controversal topic on the Forum the last couple of years was pews.

I don't want go there again. My head is now stuck in the sand.

Paul

Jakub, CHRIST IS RISEN! If you are referring to the 'PRAYER' section, it is NOT a place for ANY kind of debate of discussion. It is very simply a place for PRAYERS and PRAYER INTENTIONS. Any discussion or debate should take place in other sections of the Forum. At least that is my understanding.

In the Risen Lord,
+Fr. Gregory

Bless you, Father.

Thanks for taking good care of the prayer forum and us.

In Christ,

Mary Jo

wasn't there a poster here who exhibited these symptoms? I thought that poster's screen name was "legion".

Dear Fr. Gregory,

You misunderstood, I love the prayer section, I spend the most time there, it is about the only thing I can do for all.

As I've stated elsewhere on various forums, the Liturgy and it's practice is very different, East & West at this time. I visit D.T. Brown's site often because there is so much info and links, mucho stuff to generate good mature and constructive comparisons and discussions.

I've read many posts & articles on the Net, and have come to the conclusion that the West needs the East to correct some imperfections, and the "big if", placing the "pride" factor aside.

Don't get me wrong, this is the place of my "spiritual re-birth", I love and cherish it, and I don't see me leaving here, God willing.

I love a good stew, be it with or without meat !

And I'm not saying one is better than the other, it's something like the hare & the tortise, one is steady and sure footed, the other is quick and sometimes it leaves the road abit. Sometimes a small tweek is needed, then again, if it runs good why mess with it.

I'm for building and strengthening, not destroying or disassembly, though I've stirred the pot sometimes, and I'm not a saint...yet

james

True, there is no other place like this on the 'Net. I love it!

Sometimes it does seem as if us pushy, overbearing Latins need to be put in our place. May the Moderators feel free to do so at each opportunity!

Seriously, there seemed to be a lot more nastiness several years ago. I see little of that now. I pray that I do not contribute to it.

EHEM!
What is wrong about that if i may ask?
This is only an evedence that we all are Christians, we all are the same, no one is better than the other. why see it as "cunfused identity" or "multiple personalities" when we can look at it and called it "a Byzantine person" (complex) whose parts complete eachother to form the perfect body in CHRIST?!

I don't think that Charles sees anything wrong with this - it's a statement of fact - and our emphasis can change from day to day depending on who the people posting are.

That's actually what makes this place so interesting - the people here .

We behave like all families do - we agree , we disagree, we agree to disagree [ at times :p ] and we look after each other.

We celebrate each other's Feasts

We support each other through the fast periods - even if we do talk about forbidden foods then :p

We rejoice in each other's victories and we share our sorrow when things go wrong.

Anhelyna - who could go on and on about the friendships she has made here and the education she has received

I agree with what Anhelyna wrote, even though I am still a relative newcomer here. This website is what I had been looking for, for a long time. It is a place where I can explore and share my spiritual yearnings that are both from the Christian East and the Christian West. It is a place where I can interact with others who have similar yearnings. And, it is a place of genuine fellowship. Thanks be to God and to you all for this place.

--John