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CopticSoldier

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CopticSoldier
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  • I'm going to chime in with a modest explanation of the Orthodox approach to knowledge of God.  There is a key supposition which must be accepted before we can begin. The first is that God is a personal God and if He is known, He is known like the w…
  • Scripturally, the knowledge of the existence of God, is from God's self-revelation to someone who is willing and ready to hear. More than anything else God is the one who converts the souls of men.  He does this with beauty, when someone sees, touc…
  • [quote author=drilago99 link=topic=13315.msg155640#msg155640 date=1337214180] [quote author=markmarcos link=topic=13315.msg155637#msg155637 date=1337212225] people ask ....god who doesnt have any other option to forgive sins but to sacrifice himself…
  • A lot of contemporary Orthodox people consider the Orthodox Church to be pre-denominational i.e. it existed before any denominations. Here is a site with a short evangelical blurb, its not from a group of Coptic affiliation and it a bit technical b…
  • I stumbled upon a really good podcast given by an ex-protestant who is now an Orthodox Priest: http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/illuminedheart/can_we_really_know_god Its not on the faith/works issue per se but he does explain why we don't just req…
  • [quote author=qawe link=topic=13172.msg154580#msg154580 date=1334455402] This argument has been thoroughly rejected by theologians. God did not need to create us. He doesn't need us. [/quote] The allowance of the fall was intentional, not the creati…
  • God did it intentionally to show us humans that He loves us so much He would leave His glory to come and save us.  He also did it because by the incarnation He has a special kind of closeness and brotherhood with us (because He is not just God, He …
  • [quote author=imikhail link=topic=13059.msg153860#msg153860 date=1332959946] The Bible tells us that we should be aware of those around us and not to accompany or befriend sinners when they insist on sinning. Do not get me wrong. We are all sinner…
  • [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=13099.msg153937#msg153937 date=1333141326] good points, but to go as far as saying any saints 'save' us is going further than the church hymns and church tradition. we say in the midnight praises 'all joy befits you…
  • Yes Mary can save us, and all of the saints. Salvation is a term which Biblically speaking is synonymous with healing; this is the reason why Christ used to perform miracles because the two expressions can be used interchangeably. When saints perf…
  • I suppose the other things is the mind has a way of building invisible walls to block God out, it sounds like that's what is happening to you here. Its like a defence mechanism we have where rather than be in the presence of God and accept ourselve…
  • [quote author=geomike link=topic=13059.msg153576#msg153576 date=1332569696] A beautiful story LookingInDesire. Your love really touched me and it probably touched your friend even more. When Pope Shenouda was in the army he had many Muslim members …
  • I am an ancient faith radio addict!!! :) I love Fr. Thomas Hopko. There will be moments when you will want to censor what they say like on the topic of Chalcedon but otherwise I have benefited so much from listening to their podcasts. My brother …
  • I can answer with a really difficult story from my own experience, noting that my experience is by far inferior to His Holiness. I was working with a friend I had known for some time and he started to go through a difficult time and you could see i…
  • There are many things in life so difficult to navigate, I find that the experience of Brother Lawrence is most helpful: "Brother Lawrence First Conversation" said:THE first time I saw Brother Lawrence was upon the 3rd of August, 1666. He told me tha…
  • There are stories about how Bob Marley converted and became Ethiopian Orthodox towards the end of his life.  This is something which is very contentious and the Rastafarians have denied that no such conversion ever occurred. Bob Marley's wife howeve…
  • The loss of a wonderful man who gave so much to his people.  His courage and wisdom among so many other virtues are unattainable examples for us.  I have encountered so many people from Eastern Orthodox backgrounds, unrelated to our own. Who belie…
  • I tried it too but I keep getting an error.  The two files are in the same directory.
  • Another story from Fr Athanasius Iskander in Canada I quite like is of a soldier who is fighting in a war.  He is called to defend a town and is out numbered and then falls injured in the line of duty.  No one in their right mind would call that per…
  • I remember discussing with a friend the topic of an alcoholic and if he lapsed and drank himself into a stupor right before he died.  In the case of something like this I don't think we can say that this person would be condemned.  The reason is alc…
  • It depends on what we make the judgement relative to. Theologically speaking, we were no longer capable of being in the likeness of God, and the image of God was tarnished.  We were also no longer fit for purpose as temples of the Holy Spirit, citiz…
  • [quote author=qawe link=topic=13028.msg153039#msg153039 date=1331708754] I know that human nature is corruptible not corrupt both before and after the Fall. So what changed then? [/quote] Corruption set into human nature and changed it from somethi…
  • [quote author=minatasgeel link=topic=13026.msg153034#msg153034 date=1331701587] [quote author=George_Mina_Awad link=topic=13026.msg153033#msg153033 date=1331698875] If they've been fighting against the sin, they will surely inherit the Kingdom. If …
  • I think an interesting and often neglected aspect of divine justice arguments is that is is all about what man deserves for his actions.  i.e. man did xyz sin so he must be punished. It neglects a more important argument - if justice is to be a mot…
  • As you get older, you understand that sometimes the safest and best answer is 'I don't know'.
  • [quote author=Meena_Ameen link=topic=10910.msg132135#msg132135 date=1299366105] This has been confusing me for sometime, the entire idea of the sacrifice of christ was that there was NO forgiveness of sins before he died on the cross, yet in many ex…
  • [quote author=TITL link=topic=12974.msg152586#msg152586 date=1330445309] [quote author=✞Je Nai Nan✞ link=topic=12974.msg152570#msg152570 date=1330400161] what do you suggest i could do in order to replace my sitting alone?? [/quote] Take Fr. Peter'…
  • [quote author=user157 link=topic=12945.msg152396#msg152396 date=1329999336] If I have to be wise with what I say I am leaving this forum because as much as I try to be wise I am still a fool So I can make other people lost it seems [/quote] I didn…
  • [quote author=user157 link=topic=12945.msg152391#msg152391 date=1329991494] What do u mean by Gehenna isnt that where the rubbish is burnt If they are not going to Gehenna where are they going[/quote] Gehenna is eternal abode of the damned, or hel…
  • I think you posted something before and kind of hit the nail on the head.  The talk of hell is only mentioned in the Gospel in the context of people who hear and reject it. It is given as a warning to people who reject His salvation. I am quite sur…