https://tasbeha.org/community/categories/faith-issues/p25/feed.rss Mon, 22 Jun 2026 07:38:13 +0000 Faith Issues - Tasbeha.org Community en-CA https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13246/using-facebook-to-evangelize Tue, 01 May 2012 07:02:43 +0000 Zoxsasi 13246@/community/discussions
I added a ton of Bishops to my Facebook in the hope that they would post useful quotes from the Bible on my wall. I don't know what they are doing.

If Facebook is like a congregation, then i have 80% of lost sheep as friends.

Why aren't they talking about Christ? Why aren't they posting edifying messages that lead to repentance?

What's wrong with everyone!??

I'm not even sure they are reading the quotes that my friends are writing where they openly admit they have issues .

This is odd!!

Its like me, I'm a software engineer, and my friends are writing code on their walls that will destroy their operating systems.. wouldn't i at least tell them :"No no .. you are writing statements that will cause more damage than good - change your code!" . Wouldn't i at least point out the problems , or at least the solutions???

Why aren't you using this medium to evangelize? Yourselves??

I just find the bishops and priests are posting messages without even reading what others are saying. Do they not know that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks? That what you write reflects what's in your heart, and our God wants to abide in our hearts??? Are they not aware that they ought to be interested also as to what is in our hearts??]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/1569/ Sat, 14 May 2005 09:14:17 +0000 1569@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13234/non-resistance-to-evil-by-force Sun, 29 Apr 2012 01:37:24 +0000 kalsam 13234@/community/discussions The assumption seems to be that there are only two political options: Either conservative support of the administration, or liberal condemnation of the administration followed by efforts to let the U.N. handle it.
          "You know, you have a point," I said. "What would be a Christian response to this?" Then I answered, right off the top of my head, "A Christian response might be that tomorrow morning the United Methodist Church announces that it is sending a thousand missionaries to Libya. We have discovered that it is a fertile field for the gospel. We know how to send missionaries. Here is at least a traditional Christian response."
          "You can’t do that," said my adversary.
          "Why?" I asked. "You tell me why."
          "Because it’s illegal to travel in Libya. President Reagan will not give you a visa to go there."
          "No! That’s not right," I said. "I’ll admit that we can’t go to Libya, but not because of President Reagan. We can’t go there because we no longer have a church that produces people who can do something this bold. But we once did."
What is the Orthodox church's position and what can be done?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13226/views-of-hell Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:19:49 +0000 kalsam 13226@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13091/help-me-please-to-convince-a-muslim-that-jesus-is-god Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:24:27 +0000 marmar357 13091@/community/discussions
I would like to convince a muslim that Jesus is God. Someone sent me a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW99U4JWNEc and he wanted my opion on it. I told him that nobody can convince me that he isn't God so I won't even pay attention to this video. My English is also not very well, so I am afraid that I might make mistakes. He answered me, where's your proof from the bible that Jesus is god? don't be stubborn and watch it and try to disprove them, who knows if ur convincing enough i might even be interested in Christianity.

So this is maybe a beautiful chance for someone to convince, but I don't know what to tell him exactly.

Any help? Thx. GBU.]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13223/baptism-of-jesus Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:12:06 +0000 jerry 13223@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13211/video-podcast-on-prayer-by-father-peter Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:46:27 +0000 peterfarrington 13211@/community/discussions
You can find it here...

]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13203/judaization Sat, 21 Apr 2012 10:29:49 +0000 kalsam 13203@/community/discussions

[li]We observe saturday as a sabbath along with sunday(although sunday is given prominence) and in the rural areas many don't work after noon friday.[/li]
[li]We don't wear shoes in church(Exodus 3:5)[/li]

• 
  [li]We don't eat pork and most fathers of confession won't let you near communion if you ate pork.
  [/li]
  [li]We use replicas of The Ark of the Covenant as an altar.[/li]
  

etc.

Is this Judaization? protestants in this country use this to justify their claim that the church has been corrupted by Jews. Can this be supported scripturally? Many theologians say that it is our choice and not our dogma while others state that christianity is the fullfilment of Judaism not it's destruction. Can I get some clarification please?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13202/crowns-given-to-saints Sat, 21 Apr 2012 09:27:34 +0000 PaNo5 13202@/community/discussions
I was wondering what type of Crowns there are that God can reward people (Saints) with them.
By crown I mean the arabic word "Ekleel", such as Crown of martyrdom, hope etc.
Forgive me if I use a wrong term to describe the word I mean.

Thanks in advance!]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13127/can-someone-lives-a-happy-successful-life-while-being-religious Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:09:30 +0000 Tenacpi esna onkh 13127@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/12687/atheists-ramp-up-attack Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:24:16 +0000 Ioannes 12687@/community/discussions http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/13/9420141-atheists-ramp-up-message-for-the-holidays-humbug

This article demonstrates the growing atheist attack on Christendom. The recent years have shown an increase in literature and popular documentaries that attack the faith. It is time for us as a people to stand up and put our faith first, to stand up and act like Christians. Need I remind you of our history? The parabalani who defended Christians in Egypt. Our patriarchs who spoke boldly against heretics and jews. One of the greatest saints in the church, St Cyril, who removed the jews from Egypt and solidified Christianity in Egypt. We have become too liberal, I hear this excuse that what I say is "offensive" or not spoken in love. Allowing the faith to be trampled upon is a greater offense than saving someones precious feelings.

Keep in mind my book response to scientific atheism is available for free via email. If you wish to have a paperback copy, it is available on lulu.com and amazon.com just pm me your email.]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/12965/trust Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:29:28 +0000 roubir2010 12965@/community/discussions Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

How to trust God with?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13162/hades-vs-purgatory Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:38:04 +0000 Theophilus 1 13162@/community/discussions
We know that Christ descended into Hades through the Cross and preached to souls in there (1 Peter 3:18 – 20).
How is our Orthodox concept of Hades different from the Roman Catholic concept of Purgatory? Do Catholics still believe in Purgatory?

In Christ
Theophilus
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/12724/disbelief-in-souls-that-leave-bodies-among-some-eastern-orthodox Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:15:44 +0000 metouro 12724@/community/discussions
Specifically, he teaches that not only do we not believe in the platonic ideas that the soul preexists the body and that the soul is entrapped in the body, but he denies completely that the soul can survive the death of the body and enter paradise, despite our Lord's teaching that this in fact happens as in the story of the rich man and Lazarus and despite the many sayings of the Fathers that tell of sightings of souls leaving bodies and being crowned with life IMMEDIATELY after death.
He states:

"Those who have been Baptised have died, raised and sealed with the life creating Spirit. They are literally raised from the dead and can not die, and death becomes the transfiguration or the passage of everlasting life in Christ, because Christ is risen. This is important, not because we have an immortal soul; our soul is as dead as our body is, as far as the Bible is concerned. We do not teach immortality of the soul in our Church; we are not Socrates or Plato, but we follow the Bible. Death is the enemy of the body and soul, and Christ raises us up in body and soul. It is because Christ is risen that we have hope over death, not because of any 'natural' teaching."

"We see it all in terms of the end and not some immortal soul that is out there floating around somewhere and we wonder where.

No, we see it all in terms of the final victory of Christ that is already anticipated by us on earth in the Church by our Baptism and Eucharist. Furthermore, when we die we leave the temporal and spatial conditions of the planet earth and enter the very presence of God anticipating already the age to come." http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/afterdeath.htm

How do we leave the temporal and spatial conditions if we have not soul/spirit that departs the body????

1) THIS IS MIND BOGGLING Fr. Thomas Hopko states duriong his lecture on The Descent Of Jesus Into Hades
on April 30, 2008

"... we do not ever want to imagine the dead as disincarnate souls. Some of the great teachers of Christianity do that, even Metropolitan of Nafpaktos, Hierotheos, he does that. I must say honestly say I do not agree with him when he does that. The dead are simply completely and totally dead. And then when you are alive, you are completely and totally alive. And I believe that when Christ rose from the dead in His glorified body, He gave the glorified body to all those in the tombs immediately, that they enter into eternal life with Him. That is why when we glorify the saints we glorify them as completely and totally alive. When they appear to people they do not appear as disincarnate souls, they appear as people in their glorified bodies, with their risen bodies. They are clothed with the raised body of Jesus Christ. The relic of their physical body might still be in the tombs, and they are in the tombs until the last day when all the tombs will be empty and there will be no more cemeteries and no more death anymore at all. But the dead in Christ are already entering into that splendid glory of the age to come. That is how we relate to them and venerate them within the Orthodox Church."

WHEN in the last 2000 years did ANY of the FATHERS TEACH THIS?

It appears to me that Father Hopko does NOT believe in spirits/souls of the departed being able to servive outside of the body.

At time 1:26 of the video at the following link, Father Thomas claims that "somehow" you are immediately in the age to come, resurrected, supposedly (transported in time). He believes when the saints appear, they are appearing in their resurrected body. At 1:31 he states that it is "absurd" that disincarnate souls are what we are seeing when Saints make apparitions http://ancientfaith.com/specials/hopko_lectures/the_death_of_christ_and_our_death_in_him

Does this mean that Saints are going back in time to appear to us? Am I already physically dead and resurrected in the future kingdom?


3) In the following article he appreas to be equating "soul" with life as though when saying that the soul leaves the body, all is meant is that the life leaves the body. He seems to insist that eternal life is eternal biological life.

He says that that idea of saying that you have a soul that leaves your body is not the biblical teaching that it is Platonism: "'You have a spirit in you. You have a soul in you. And when you die, your body rots, but your soul goes off to contemplate eternal realities in some purely spiritually heavenly world.' That’s Platonism, basically, and even in some sense, that’s Hinduism and Buddhism, that the spiritual reality somehow remains and so on. But that’s not the Biblical teaching at all."

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/nam...the_life/print

While Plato believed that souls are eternal, preexist the body, trapped in the body, then leaves the body to be free, he shares the idea of a soul leaving the body with Christianity which, according to the parabled of the rich man and Lazarus, there IS a soul that leaves the body and goes somewhere. Fr. Hopko seems to deny that there is a soul that leaves the body simply because plato had other wrong ideas about the soul.

I am confused and now confused and somewhat apprehesive of physical death. To my knowledge, all martyrs went bravely to their physical deaths believing that they will continue to be in the love of Christ as their spirit/soul departs the body to live conciously and immediately after death.

I often read works by Father Thomas Hopko as he is very precise and knowledgable about Orthodox Church history and Fathers. But on this issue he has confused me completely. It appears that many Eastern Orthodox Christians share similar teachings as he does.

Do we have souls/spirits that are sustained by God and grant us conciousness immediately after physical death or not, according to Orthodoxy?? If not, and what Fr. Thomas Hopko teaches is correct, then what is it in our nature that is created by God that allows us to have a presence in the immediate afterlife after physical death if we do not have conscious minds/souls that leave the body?
Please assist me as I am greatly troubled by this confusion. Do we have immediate coniousness after death, according to the Consensus of the Fathers and Eastern Orthodox understanding???

Although I am Coptic Orthodox, I often read many of his writings as I thought he was a very precise and learned theologian. 

I corresponded with him briefly and he does believe in immediate consciousness after death for all humans, but he does not believe in disincarnate human souls, that is souls outside of the body.

It seems that he is going against the ideas of Plato who taught that the soul pre-existed the body and is naturally immortal on its own, but I think he went to the other extreme in completely denying that there is a separate soul that leaves the body and enters into the afterlife.]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13185/trinity-for-dummies-muslims Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:27:31 +0000 peter_saad 13185@/community/discussions https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13172/god-creating-the-fallen-angle Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:30:56 +0000 markmarcos 13172@/community/discussions Why did he create the angle who god  knew would fall and become Satan and would cause him to send his only son the the world to die for is and to trample down Satan with his death. Why didnt god just not create that angle the he knew would fall ?? ]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13169/the-suffering-of-chirst Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:15:32 +0000 Ioannes 13169@/community/discussions If I posted this before, forgive me, I am forgetful. This is a meditation on the crucifixion that I had last year.



              Not only did Christ suffer in order to save us, but He also suffered in order to teach us. Suffering is an inescapable fact of life and often times it seems as if the righteous suffer more than the wicked. It seems as if life is unfair, why do believers suffer more afflictions? The world persecutes the righteous and God permits this suffering that we might draw closer to Him. In Christ's passion we are taught exactly how we are to suffer. When Christ was before the High Priest, he was questioned, beat, and spat upon, and yet He remained silent in action and word. It was only when Caiphas asked if He was the messiah did Christ reply, testifying to the truth. From this response Christ was spit upon, struck in the face, and mocked. Again he remained silent in action and word. Christ teaches us through this that we should remain silent in the face of our accusers except in proclaiming the truth of Christ. Trying to reason with the unreasonable will not bring about any fruit, remain silent in action and word.

                When Christ was scourged He did not complain, or even plead His case. When the crown of thorns was placed upon Him and the soldiers mocked Him, He remained silent in action and word. He did not try and explain to them that He is God in the flesh, nor did He condemn them. Christ shows us that no matter how we are afflicted, by illness or persecution, that we are to remain silent in action and word. Bearing these afflictions with a contrite and humble heart is a greater testimony of Christ than any word or deed. When we are mocked for being Christian we do not judge nor hate, but again remain humbly silent in action and word.

                When Christ embraced His cross and carried it to Golgotha, after being beaten, scourged, and mocked, could have easily given up had He chose to. Instead Christ carried on, despite the torment, pain, and the mockery. We too must embrace our cross, this means to accept our suffering, afflictions, and mockery. Carry our cross to golgotha (golgotha, the place of the skull, representing death) despite everything we may face, the humility we may encounter, and the seemingly unbearable weight of the cross.

                On the cross, Christ had clearly gone through inexplicable torture and pain. Watching the children He created curse Him, drive nails into His flesh, and mock Him, yet He prayed for them all. He listened to a condemned man, the thief, and forgave him putting this thief before Himself. Even in His final moments He was concerned not for Himself, but for His mother, giving her to His apostle, St. John. When we have reached our threshold for pain and suffering, the only words we should speak are those of prayers. Especially for those who may be persecuting us, and above all forgive them. We also learn that we should put ourselves aside for others who may be in need, no matter what we may be dealing with, we should never be so selfish as to put ourselves above others. The same is said for when Christ, despite Him being near death, still had concern for His mother's well being.

              How much love Christ has for us that He consistently put others before Himself, yet He is God incarnate! To remain silent and humble, to embrace your very suffering and death, to pray for those driving nails into your flesh, to put everyone before you, even though you have suffered tremendously and are on the verge of dying. Christ has taught us how to love through suffering. That suffering is not a condemnation, but a virtue. If we can follow the example of Christ and suffer patiently with a humble and contrite heart, then through this we might know Him and attain salvation.

And remember "He that endures to the end shall be saved." Mt. 10:22
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13131/the-gospel Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:39:55 +0000 mikeforjesus 13131@/community/discussions
It is necessary for all the world to accept Jesus to go to heaven
God is fair in saving all which come to Him for they know they need forgiveness

But the only reason it is fair that God accepts all who come to Him and repent even if at the last moment it is because the rest of the world who do not accept Him now but can change will accept Him later and be saved for it was said tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you to those who did not want Him now

This is the gospel my friends and unless it is preached noone is accountable for their faith but rather their conscience will be a witness to them when God judges the secrets of men by the gospel of Jesus Christ
There will be mercy to even non Christian sinners if there is mercy to Christians who do not do all His will with regards to preaching the gospel but probably they will both go to hell but especially the unbeliever

Only the gospel of peace makes accountability it must be a go
Gospel which is glad tidings for all if it does not give comfort for all it is not the gospel

The gospel might even be that Jesus will save all people

However I have a little fear that the disobedient will perish or be lost
and there will be abuse of His grace

I do not know but perhaps we must preach it]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13102/my-never-ending-social-problems Fri, 30 Mar 2012 09:50:00 +0000 mikeforjesus 13102@/community/discussions But I am going to see a counselor and try to fix that]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13144/war-and-capital-punishment Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:04:55 +0000 kalsam 13144@/community/discussions
War is a MAJOR issue that has faced humanity since its begining. the New Testament seems very clear in condemning war but many in the church teach that war can be justified. Is this true? If so then how? What about the sermon on the mount? I ask because here in Ethiopia many believe that St. George fought besides Ethiopians at the battle of Adwa and I find that hard to swallow. thanks!]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13128/on-the-incarnation-st-athanasius Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:15:55 +0000 Amoussa01 13128@/community/discussions Please refrain from commenting unless you know what you are saying or have references from the fathers.

My question is regarding the work of the great St. Athanasius On the Incarnation, in particular the chapter where he addresses the gentiles (Chapter 7). In it he states:

"But if the Word of God is in the universe, which is a body, and has entered into it in its every part, what is there surprising or unfitting in our saying that He has entered also into human nature?"

My issue is simply this:  I have a hard time accepting the part which states that He enters into every part. I believe there is a huge difference between being present everywhere (Omnipotence) and entering a certain body (thereby deifying it).  This sounds as if the universe makes up God. Can someone please clarify? I am not following the saint's train of thought. Is it possible he is trying to refute what the gentiles believe by applying their logic regarding the matter?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13111/christian-orthodox-campus-ministry-love-god-or-fear-him Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:25:25 +0000 mikeforjesus 13111@/community/discussions
I typed it all up but then deleted it. The scans are more easier to read

I found this on the church walls]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13075/salvation-of-others Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:30:58 +0000 joekeliny 13075@/community/discussions
Forgive me if it is not clear, but the only other terms i could think of putting the question is, is: Will those outside the true faith be saved, also does the bible mention much regarding such a topic...

Thanks]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13066/what-if-you-had-to-work-with-them Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:34:53 +0000 Zoxsasi 13066@/community/discussions
Blessed is the one
  who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
  or sit in the company of mockers,

But what if you had to work with them?

What do you do??

What if you had to live with them? If they were your neighbors?? Your school teachers??

It seems that the only way to live in any kind of Holiness would be to become a monk and live in the desert, in solitude.]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13065/father-peter-s-podcasts Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:07:38 +0000 peterfarrington 13065@/community/discussions
http://orthodoxfaith.podbean.com/

It's a 30 minute talk about monasticism and might interest a few people. The London School of Orthodox Christian Studies is taking registrations for the Orthodox Monasticism course, which together with the Church History and Orthodox Christology courses now make up the first three courses at www.lsocs.co.uk]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13063/pope-s-commandments-keep-the-faith-of-the-holy-trinity Wed, 21 Mar 2012 05:20:04 +0000 Zoxsasi 13063@/community/discussions
Out of everything the Pope wanted to tell us before his passing away, it was to keep the faith of the Trinity - to understand it, to believe in HOW our God expresses His Love.

The Coptic Corner app (GOD BLESS THE GUYS THAT WROTE THIS) has an entire section on understanding Divinity with books from Fr. Tadros Malaty and His Holiness. I was reading it today whilst on the Metro.

If you go to the section on Theology, I recommend that you all read the books on:

* The Trinity
* Can God be Three?
* Can God have a Son?
* Does God Die?

But more importantly, why would he ask this of us now??


]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13024/only-asking-for-some-feedback Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:48:24 +0000 coptic 13024@/community/discussions


I dont know how to respond to it, any orthodox feedback?]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13026/i-dont-understand-what-happens-if-you-dont-repent-1-sin-and-die Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:26:27 +0000 markmarcos 13026@/community/discussions
thanks for your explanations  ]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/13018/african-clothes Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:11:27 +0000 johncarlos 13018@/community/discussions Afrawear.com  wants to encourage African-American from all over the globe to promote African fashions and culture in any way possible. This fashion portal wants to work closely with reputable importers and traders and introduce art works, dress, clothes, musical instruments, jewelry, and health  products of Africa to pave the way for a worldwide revelation.  Being able to carry out and express the African tradition  and heritage while living and working in a Western World can be pretty tough and deterring. One classic way of doing so is a mix and match of a suit and embellished African beaded headdress.  That is just one classic example but the list goes on.
]]> https://tasbeha.org/community/discussion/12982/icon-of-st-paul-in-chains Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:57:49 +0000 Theophilus 1 12982@/community/discussions
http://theglobalherald.com/patriarch-antonios-of-eritrea-an-icon-of-st-paul-in-chains/27878/]]>