Put yourselves in the shoes of a devout Catholic. In Catholicism, if one dies with unconfessed mortal sins, that person goes to Hell. If people don't come to confession because they're scared of legal repercussions, they face eternal damnation. Catholics would much rather see somebody come to...
No, it's about freedom. It's about the fact that women don't have the ability to choose what they want to wear. Sure, plenty of Iranian women want to wear the traditional garb. But many want to dress more like Westerners, too, and these women don't have the freedom to do it.
Alright, and fashion trends are changing constantly nowadays, including in Hollywood and on TV. Are you saying that beards are fine now since a great many men on TV and in Hollywood now have beards and the trend seems to be getting ever more popular?
Also, what do you think of all the men of...
Yes, and beards don't stink. They're just hair. They get washed every day in the shower just like the hair on the top of your head. Do you shave your head, too?
This tells me you've never been to Europe, and it also says that you are extremely xenophobic and ethnocentric. I've lived in Austria...
Your ancestors of the 1800's and earlier would have thought very differently. On the topic of circumcision, Europeans and most other nations of the world today do think very differently. You may think facial hair and uncircumcised male genitalia look odd, but to our American ancestors from the...
By contrast, beards were common on men until the advent of modern military dress codes, which often required that men be clean-shaven, presumably in an attempt to prevent lice infestations among soldiers. But now that we have modern conveniences such as cheap mass-produced shampoo and better...
The Americans made some spelling changes in the 1800's in an attempt to create a more readable and easily learnable English orthography. The British, Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis are just sticking with the original spellings.
Alright. Let me know if you have any questions about Orthodox beliefs and teaching, finding a church, what to do, etc. Don't be afraid to take plenty of time before making a commitment. I chose to take 8 years to become Orthodox. Don't feel any pressure to make any sort of obligation on...
Then why are border apprehensions at a 13-year-high?
And yes, if you cross the border at a point other than a port of entry, it is an illegal crossing. They are crossing the border illegally and then presenting themselves to a border agent to seek asylum. That is not the proper way to do it...
Any nation that pretends to be a Christian nation should try to hold at least a minimum of Christ's commandments. Killing someone takes away their ability to repent of their sins. If we're truly concerned about the salvation of all people, the only way to be consistent is to be concerned for the...
Honestly, the sooner we get out of Afghanistan, the better. If we need to check with the Afghan government and the Taliban to make sure that the country won't entirely fall apart and create a power vacuum once we leave, then so be it. It's not like major concessions to the Taliban or release of...
Yes, the religious history of the Middle East is rather well-documented from the time of Sumer (~4,000 BC) onward. Sumer, Akkadia, Asyria, Babylon, Canaan, the Hittites, the Hurrians... We know about the religious beliefs and practices of all these peoples.
You shouldn't pick your religion based on what other people want. You should follow a religious tradition based on what you feel is true. I've considered almost every religion under the sun, but I settled on Orthodoxy because it feels like home to me and because I know that God is there. Don't...
So back during the first 1,000 years of Christian history, there were 5 major centers of Christianity: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. However, over time, Rome grew more distant from the other 4 centers all located in the East. The Roman Church went through some pretty...
I hear Orthodox priests and bishops say we don't know things all the time. Orthodox Christians at the very least seem comfortable with not being able to give an answer to every mystery of the universe.
Genetically and chromosomally, the person in question is still their birth sex. Their body may have been altered to better resemble the sex that the individual desires to be, and societally they may be treated as a member of that sex, but sex reassignment surgery doesn't fully make the...