Faith Issues - Tasbeha.org Community

Addressing the Deity of Christ

Ioannes — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:42:56 +0000

I have heard several religions and even a few protestant denominations deny the deity of Christ. They deny and misinterpret what scripture states and then go on to say that Christs deity was created at the nicene council. For those who may not know how to deal with this argument, I would like to address it right now. The Trinity is found in the OT, even in Genesis at the creation of man "Let US make man in OUR image." Enough said. In John 1 the scripture is clear "In the beginning the Word (Christ) was with God and the Word (Christ) was God." Once again, clear as day.

For the historical aspect, let us take a look at a select few writings from the ante-nicene church fathers, since it is claimed that Christians invented the deity of Christ in the 4th century, there should be no Christian writers speaking of Christs deity, especially those of the apostles, like Irenaeus and Ignatius. The claim that Christ's deity was invented is a dangerous one.

Ignatius of Antioch
"Ignatius, also called Theophorus, to the Church at Ephesus in Asia . . . predestined from eternity for a glory that is lasting and unchanging, united and chosen through true suffering by the will of the Father in Jesus Christ our God" (Letter to the Ephesians 1 [A.D. 110]).

"For our God, Jesus Christ, was conceived by Mary in accord with God’s plan: of the seed of David, it is true, but also of the Holy Spirit" (ibid., 18:2).

"[T]o the Church beloved and enlightened after the love of Jesus Christ, our God, by the will of him that has willed everything which is" (Letter to the Romans 1 [A.D. 110]).

Aristides
"[Christians] are they who, above every people of the earth, have found the truth, for they acknowledge God, the Creator and maker of all things, in the only-begotten Son and in the Holy Spirit" (Apology 16 [A.D. 140]).

Tatian the Syrian
"We are not playing the fool, you Greeks, nor do we talk nonsense, when we report that God was born in the form of a man" (Address to the Greeks 21 [A.D. 170]).

Melito of Sardis
"It is no way necessary in dealing with persons of intelligence to adduce the actions of Christ after his baptism as proof that his soul and his body, his human nature, were like ours, real and not phantasmal. The activities of Christ after his baptism, and especially his miracles, gave indication and assurance to the world of the deity hidden in his flesh. Being God and likewise perfect man, he gave positive indications of his two natures: of his deity, by the miracles during the three years following after his baptism, of his humanity, in the thirty years which came before his baptism, during which, by reason of his condition according to the flesh, he concealed the signs of his deity, although he was the true God existing before the ages" (Fragment in Anastasius of Sinai’s The Guide 13 [A.D. 177]).

Irenaeus
"For the Church, although dispersed throughout the whole world even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and from their disciples the faith in one God, Father Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who announced through the prophets the dispensations and the comings, and the birth from a Virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the bodily ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, and his coming from heaven in the glory of the Father to reestablish all things; and the raising up again of all flesh of all humanity, in order that to Jesus Christ our Lord and God and Savior and King, in accord with the approval of the invisible Father, every knee shall bend of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth . . . " (Against Heresies 1:10:1 [A.D. 189]).

"Nevertheless, what cannot be said of anyone else who ever lived, that he is himself in his own right God and Lord . . . may be seen by all who have attained to even a small portion of the truth" (ibid., 3:19:1).

Clement of Alexandria
"The Word, then, the Christ, is the cause both of our ancient beginning—for he was in God—and of our well-being. And now this same Word has appeared as man. He alone is both God and man, and the source of all our good things" (Exhortation to the Greeks 1:7:1 [A.D. 190]).

"Despised as to appearance but in reality adored, [Jesus is] the expiator, the Savior, the soother, the divine Word, he that is quite evidently true God, he that is put on a level with the Lord of the universe because he was his Son" (ibid., 10:110:1).

Tertullian
"The origins of both his substances display him as man and as God: from the one, born, and from the other, not born" (The Flesh of Christ 5:6–7 [A.D. 210]).

"That there are two gods and two Lords, however, is a statement which we will never allow to issue from our mouth; not as if the Father and the Son were not God, nor the Spirit God, and each of them God; but formerly two were spoken of as gods and two as Lords, so that when Christ would come, he might both be acknowledged as God and be called Lord, because he is the Son of him who is both God and Lord" (Against Praxeas 13:6 [A.D. 216]).

Origen
"Although he was God, he took flesh; and having been made man, he remained what he was: God" (The Fundamental Doctrines 1:0:4 [A.D. 225]).

Hippolytus
"Only [God’s] Word is from himself and is therefore also God, becoming the substance of God" (Refutation of All Heresies 10:33 [A.D. 228]).

Hippolytus of Rome
"For Christ is the God over all, who has arranged to wash away sin from mankind, rendering the old man new" (ibid., 10:34).

Novatian
"If Christ was only man, why did he lay down for us such a rule of believing as that in which he said, ‘And this is life eternal, that they should know you, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent?’ [John 17:3]. Had he not wished that he also should be understood to be God, why did he add, ‘And Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent,’ except because he wished to be received as God also? Because if he had not wished to be understood to be God, he would have added, ‘And the man Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent;’ but, in fact, he neither added this, nor did Christ deliver himself to us as man only, but associated himself with God, as he wished to be understood by this conjunction to be God also, as he is. We must therefore believe, according to the rule prescribed, on the Lord, the one true God, and consequently on him whom he has sent, Jesus Christ, who by no means, as we have said, would have linked himself to the Father had he not wished to be understood to be God also. For he would have separated himself from him had he not wished to be understood to be God" (Treatise on the Trinity 16 [A.D. 235]).

Cyprian of Carthage
"One who denies that Christ is God cannot become his temple [of the Holy Spirit] . . . " (Letters 73:12 [A.D. 253]).

Gregory the Wonderworker
"There is one God, the Father of the living Word, who is his subsistent wisdom and power and eternal image: perfect begetter of the perfect begotten, Father of the only-begotten Son. There is one Lord, only of the only, God of God, image and likeness of deity, efficient Word, wisdom comprehensive of the constitution of all things, and power formative of the whole creation, true Son of true Father, invisible of invisible, and incorruptible of incorruptible, and immortal of immortal and eternal of eternal. . . . And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son; but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abides ever" (Declaration of Faith [A.D. 265]).

Arnobius
"‘Well, then,’ some raging, angry, and excited man will say, ‘is that Christ your God?’ ‘God indeed,’ we shall answer, ‘and God of the hidden powers’" (Against the Pagans 1:42 [A.D. 305]).

Lactantius
"He was made both Son of God in the spirit and Son of man in the flesh, that is, both God and man" (Divine Institutes 4:13:5 [A.D. 307]).

"We, on the other hand, are [truly] religious, who make our supplications to the one true God. Someone may perhaps ask how, when we say that we worship one God only, we nevertheless assert that there are two, God the Father and God the Son—which assertion has driven many into the greatest error . . . [thinking] that we confess that there is another God, and that he is mortal. . . . [But w]hen we speak of God the Father and God the Son, we do not speak of them as different, nor do we separate each, because the Father cannot exist without the Son, nor can the Son be separated from the Father" (ibid., 4:28–29).

Council of Nicaea I
"We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made" (Creed of Nicaea [A.D. 325]).

"But those who say, ‘There was a time when he [the Son] did not exist,’ and ‘Before he was born, he did not exist,’ and ‘Because he was made from non-existing matter, he is either of another substance or essence,’ and those who call ‘God the Son of God changeable and mutable,’ these the Catholic Church anathematizes" (Appendix to the Creed of Nicaea [A.D. 325]).

Plans to serve God

user157 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:59:56 +0000

I know we have already gone over the concept of serving. Does my life really have a purpose? I have often wondered why I had problems serving people. Now I think I finally may have got it or I know what to do. However I have not got enough support from other people to know if it is God's will for me. I plan on dying doing none of my ambitions. I gave up by being discouraged from my attempts to serve God. Plus I feel it will lead to some negative results in peoples life.

One of the ways I plan on serving God is making my own website. However I know it will be tough.
I often had plans to serve God and wrote them on paper and I never did nothing. Such as being great at chess so I can make my own chess club is just 1 of my small plans. I know this is silly but I have thought of being a body builder for whatever reason and I have thought just recently of being a famous soccer player but my dad tells me you have to have realistic goals. Now I know he is right and now is too late to be a soccer player and I am crap at it. Anyway to serve God, is to serve the needs of people. I planned on making posters such as "Enter by the narrow gate of orthodoxy" but my inside I had voices making me feel it would be a sin to force my views on others. Now these are not my main plans, I just forget them now. I went to servants prep to be a servant several times but never graduated and I felt it was not for me to be a teacher anyway. I had plans on being a monk so I can feel the presence of God much closer but I found I had got sick through fasting improperly and I had gotten crazy by wanting to sing songs in public and people interfering me always reading the bible. I felt I could never read the bible publicly. Even at home my parents would come in my room when I am reading. I had plans to knock on peoples door and preach the gospel but I found it to be a wrong approach and I found I was turning even more away from God. I had plans on feeding the poor, visiting all the sick in hospital but I felt even the sick do not want to be visited sometimes and it is inappropriate plus I knew I felt uncomfortable meeting the sick because I did not know how to talk to them and would want to leave since I feel I could be bringing even more souls to God or being more productive somewhere else. I never knew how to get saved or how to save other people. How could it be that this world would become a world of people who do not seek after God and do not want to know the truth? surely I still believed in the good of people and gave them excuses. I thought their must be another way to reach them. I tried other things like going on chat rooms and I don't know what else I tried. I tried to pray more, so I wanted to memorise the bible but struggled to even memorise 1 book, the books of ecclesiastes. When I looked at the things pope shenouda iii did I thought surely I am not serving people and have accomplished nothing, the wretch that I am. I wanted to control the world but I knew it would be impossible.

I really believe now that this life is for the next, where we will have all eternity to fulfill our ambitions. There is just not enough time on this earth.

About Jesus Christ who says He came to serve and not to be served, to give his life a ransom for many. So did Jesus Christ serve all of humanity so our good works are not neccessary to go to heaven? Did He really die that whosoever only believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life? even though He says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven? Can we have that security that we can never be lost if we die just in the faith no matter how much we go astray for whatever reason? My only hope is that God will accept Jesus's ransom for myself who can not do righteousness. What I mean is that He accepts me if I am doing my best with what I know 100% I should be doing even though I sin sometimes when I know I should not. I dread the day when God will seperate the sheep from the goat and I find that I have missed something.

What is it that I need to be doing that noone told me and will I be judged for thinking it unimportant and not doing it? I do not want to live this life anymore with no security of my salvation

If I must Strive to enter through the narrow gate then LORD show me the Way

I don't have any great goal and I have accomplished nothing great in my life. Though I know I can accomplish great things if I am lucky and I work hard and if there is motivation for it, I say to myself it is not necessary and it will not really bring fruit to God and help the world that much anyway even though I imagine it could since ive tried other things which God was not willing for it to work out and there may be obstacles, not because of the devil but because my ideas are outlandish or not God's will

Does God want me to trouble myself all day long to find out what I should be doing even though my plans never get anywhere, frustrate me and others around me. Make me not able to do other important things or live my life?

Taking communion

sodr2 — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:58:34 +0000

If one comes to mass after the reading of the Gospel, they're not allowed to take communion, right? What if someone comes during the reading? Also, if someone hasn't taken communion in a long time, is it permissible for the person to take communion if he comes late?

Also, I recently went on a church trip to a church in port said (fantastic city, i was surprised at how many churches there were) and we came during the communion and most people from the trip took communion anyways, and my dad said i should because we couldnt control being late, but i refused...was this wrong?

A Plea To My People

Ioannes — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:23:03 +0000

To my dearest brothers and sisters,
It is about 2 am and I just finished my prayers and felt compelled to write this. I know that I am not the best example of an Orthodox Christian. I have often acted foolishly out of my frustration. I know that I know nothing, but I see our church under attack. While most see the physical threat posed to us in Egypt, they are unaware of the spiritual ones behind us. (namely liberalism, protestantism, and atheism) Physical death is nothing but a spiritual one costs us an eternity. My plea is that we shed the ideological shackles placed upon us by this world and stand up against those who attack our beloved Church. We cannot stand aside and allow these ideologies infiltrate our church. I know that I am nothing, but I see the seeds of these ideologies taking root in the hearts of our people. I hear these ideologies in the words and ideas of our people. Must we compromise our religion by adopting these to appease the world? Must we remain silent to avoid upsetting another? What price are we willing to pay to appease the world? I beg of you my brothers and sisters to put on the armor of Christ and defend the church in the same spirit as the great saints from this very church!

This life is for the next, not for the moment.

+Ioa+

Praying in Rest and Peace?

marmar357 — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:50:01 +0000

Hey everyone,

I would like to bring up a issue about prayer.

I have got some moments that I really long to be with God and to talk to him and to feel him.
Especially when I am hearing some spiritual songs, like this one from the movie of Abouna Yostos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abe9goxafMA
However, when I finally pray, e.g. in the morning before having breakfast, I feel that I am facing some limitations.

Like this morning. I waked up at 9.45 am, gave my dad a good morning and I told him that I am going to pray. He told me good, meshy, ro7y sally. Now I like it to listen first a spiritual song before praying and sometimes even while I am praying I listen to it. I was praying and 10 minutes later my dad opened the door of my room carefully to see what I was doing. When he saw me praying, he walked away. Then I turned the spiritual song on at my mobile again (I stopped it, because I was worrying that my dad would tell me that I can't concentrate at prayer the same time) and 5 minutes later he did the same thing. My problem is that I CAN NOT concentrate and enjoy prayer when I know someone is watching me and while I know he is waiting for me to finish. I don't like it to hurry in prayer. I felt that my concentration and peace escaped and I finished my prayer and walked to my dad. I asked him why he did that and he told me that he wanted to see if I am finished so that I can having breakfast. A point I have to add: my dad is very worried about my time, because like the most of us do, I am studying. And I am in the first year of college (applied psychology) which is asking very much time to study because it's intensive, (and I am not used to finish everything quickly and my dad knows that I am not efficient with time and he finds that I am doing everything slowly.)
Then I tried him to explain that I can't stand it what he did, and he find that I was talking with a loud voice and get upset. I didn't pass to explain him and I get angry because I didn't get a oppurtunity to tell it (and I must admit that sometimes t I am loosing my temper fastly and probably I don't notice how I talk).
I lost my peace of prayer and I find this really a pity!!

Nowadays, everyone is in a rush (studying fast fast, working fast fast, everthing must be done fast). Sometimes I just wish I could go to a convenant of the monastry of Fr. Yostos, to pray there in rest, peace and silene. I just want to spend enough time with God, but unfortunately there are always things that stop me or don't make me able to do it properly. What a shame that there is no monastery in the country where I life. We have got a church, but I won't be able (and not even allowed) to go there unless there is a liturgy or something. And even then my dad wants me to hurry and I don't have got enough time to enjoy my time with God.

Probably the problem is in myself and not in anyone/anything else. (E.g. I know my dad loves me a lot and wants me to pray and to be very good with God. But despite that I am feeling I am not gettin' better. The most important cause of this, is a lack of time. Or the fact that I am not being efficient/careful enough with time). Could you please give me any advice on how to deal with this? Please, answer the following questions, they are important to me to find a solution.
1. [b]How to pray in rest and peace, without being disturbed by anything/anyone and without having to hurry?[/b]

2.Also how to combine study with prayer and that I can be efficient with time so that I don't have to hurry in everything?
3. How can I hold my peace even when someone is getting angry at me???? And the most important, how to not getting angry too?? (--> has to do with having a humble heart)
And everyting I told above.

Thanks in advance,

GBU.

Closed Doors

Copticdeacon — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:37:55 +0000

Hey everyone

Someone once told me that if God see's a person who is not repenting and He knows in the future he/she will not repent then He will "close the door" on them. Is God giving up or is this His justice?

really good spiritual reading! tips on being close to God

mabsoota — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:17:44 +0000

thanks to dzheremi for this link he posted on orthodoxChristianity.net,
it is one of the best books i have read.
i will include a small extract here on avoiding self righteousness:
link: http://www.cccnet.ca/Menu/Books/HH_QuestionsIII_SpiritualGeneral.pdf
(p156)
[ 42 ]
THOUGHTS OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Question?
What should I do when Satan attacks me with thoughts of
self righteousness?.
Answer:
There are two basic methods of fighting thoughts of selfrighteousness,
and they are for a person to remember his sins,
and to recall the highest stages reached by the saints.
Recalling his sins will make a person humble, contrite and
ashamed, because even a single sin can cause him to perish.
Likewise, bringing to mind the highest stages which the saints
attained in each form of virtue, will make a person realise how
insignificant he is if he should compare himself to that level.

We must also attribute to God's grace, any virtue or
goodness that we might have done, and must remember
that self-righteousness will make God's grace forsake us
and leave us to fall.. which would soon make us aware of our
weakness and return to a humble position.
So you have to remember to be afraid of falling, whenever you
submit to thoughts of self-righteousness because, 'Pride goes
before a fall'.

may God give us mercy and peace and keep our honoured father baba shenouda for many years and peaceful times.

Observing vs judging

peter_saad — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:30:59 +0000

A topic come up in the youth meeting today on your ego and how you look at other people. The speaker said always try to help people if you see they have a problem, but he also said not to judge.

For example, say you See someone come to church late, and you feel like its becoming a problem for that person, so you automatically make an assumption on why that person is late.

Where is the line between observing that someone has a certain issue and judging them?

QUESTION

yousiegtennis — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:43:49 +0000

Hello,
I had a question. Before anyone goes crazy on me, I'm not trying to start a discussion lol. I'm simply looking to be directed to information if it exists out there. Does anyone know where I might be able to find Orthodox sources (credible, not written by some random person) discussing homosexuality, transsexuality (i.e. sex changes), as well as altering one's body other than for health reasons (for example, removing uterus for women, etc., vasectomy for men, etc.)? More specifically if it discusses what happens if a person does this and if they can be forgiven or not...thanks a lot in advance.
I'll stress it again, I need credible sources please. Thanks a lot.

The Watchtower Society LOL

Ioannes — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:55:33 +0000

The other day I checked my mail and seen that I got something from the local kingdom hall. This letter was from a nice lady named "alma" and in this letter she told me she had the answers to lifes questions, exiciting huh? She gave me her number and said that I can call anytime.......so I did. Unfortunately I did not get "alma", but I got her voicemail and left a nice message so that she might call back. I am going to record our "conversation" or as I like to call these things, verbal beat downs. What I was wondering is, is it wrong to crush somebodies beliefs? I have zero tolerance for these worms, and will not hold back anything in my attempt to utterly destroy their heretical belief system.

Am I in the wrong for doing this? I have done this before to Jehovah Witness' and they had nothing to say, nothing to combat anything I said. Is this one instance where my tenacity and insanity can be used?

Do you have to like fasting?

peter_saad — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:20:55 +0000

We were talking in the youth meeting last week, and the topic was fasting. The speaker said we don't have to necessarily like fasting. I personally thought it was a pretty risky statement to make.

How do you guys feel about that? Is fasting something to be liked or enjoyed?

How should one reply to this?

Tzegemariam — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:28:16 +0000

In the name of the Holy Father, and the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God Amen

The question is this: Why is Judas considered such a villain. If Christ did indeed have to be sacrificed, if this was his destiny as ordained directly by God the Father, then didn't Judas simply help fulfill this destiny? I understand he sold out Jesus to the Romans, but it always seemed to me to be part and parcel of the bigger picture in which the crucifixion was Jesus' inevitable fate, in which case Judas may have been a pawn and a weak man, but in fact he was doing God's work in delivering Jesus to the Romans. By the logic that dictates this fate was inevitable, if Judas hadn’t betrayed Jesus, someone else would have had to carry out the task in some other way that ultimately led to the crucifixion.

This is a question i found on a website, how would you respond?

May God bless you all and give you the grace to answer this question. Amen

Importance of Fasting

ForeverYours — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:07:10 +0000

hey all,
this is a great article about the essence of fasting, for all of us that struggle to understand the meaning of fasting.
as the nativity fast is approaching, its important to know what role fasting plays.

http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/the-nativity-fast-why-we-fast-2/

Happy thanksgiving :)

Are there degrees of sin?

ashsofennoub — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:21:36 +0000

Are there different degrees of sin? For example, is murder worse than lying? And if so, are there varying punishments for these sins or is everyone who sins and does not repent going to the same hell?

Where to?

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:53:40 +0000

Hello,

The Theory of Evolution seems to hold true. There have been many attempts to debunk it, such as Creation Ministries, Don Waller, and books like "Case for the Creator." They all seem to be written by foolish people, who's arguments are either incomplete, out-dated, or, as is the case in Creation Ministries, they seem to twist the truth. My question now is where to? If evolution is true, and evolution claims that there is no guiding force, and that everything is random, where does the biblical creation story come in? If the biblical story is false, then what reason is there in the belief in the bible?

Where does religion show any shred of truth where evolution is so strong an opponent. As Christians, it is foolishness to deny science. Religion is day by day seemingly becoming against science rather than above it.

Where to?

ReturnOrthodoxy

Christianity and Patriotism

Biboboy — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:28:44 +0000

Agape,

I came across the following reflection on the ancient faith radio website on the topic of "Christianity and Patriotism." I thought it was beneficial to share this reflection considering the times we live in today and the issues we're facing in Egypt and in the Diaspora. I also thought it interesting considering how the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches are strongly ethnocentric, and this reflection is coming from an Eastern Orthodox priest.

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/mysterion/christianity_and_patriotism

I also thought it would be nice to type out the whole quote mentioned at the end of the podcast, which is from the Epistle to Diognetus, written by an unknown Christian author in the second century:

"For the Christians are distinguished from other people neither by country, nor language, not the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation of deliberation of inquisitive people; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking way of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers.... They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven."

(Trans. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Church Library, Edinburgh 1897, Vol. 1, 307).

that one mistake

benjaminjoshua23 — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:39:08 +0000

my life seems to suddenly revolve around christ more but it seems strange. i work andd usualy have an incredible like two weeks of amazing prayer and then make one big mistake and feel as though i ruined all my hard work and i have to start over then i will gonother week and do the same EXACT mistake
i have trouble taking to my father of confession because he is poor in the english language but my father won't allow me to visit any other churches because he says i must be loyal to my church
i want to stop doing this mistake because i understand its terrible
should i talk to my dad so i can find a new father of confession?
and should i feel this sense of pure loss like i lost all my hard work after i commit this sin?

Longing for Monastacism

peter_saad — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:46:09 +0000

Right now, I'm so stressed with work, family, school, and a million other things. Over the summer, I went to St. Antony's Monastery, and honestly, that was the first time I actually felt relaxed. (not that a monk's life is easy). I just feel like this world has nothing to offer.

"Do not love the world, nor the things which are in the world, for the world shall pass away and it's always desire"

Ever since I left the monastery, I've been wanting to go back everyday. and i'm sure i'm not the only one who felt this way when going to a monastery. I know it's it's wrong to want to go to a monastery just to escape the pressures of the world.

I guess what I'm trying to say is everyone wants to grow up, have kids, a family, a financially steady job, and just a happy regular life. I don't want any of that. Honestly, I'm just in school right now so I can get a degree, not even for the money.

So my question is: Is it wrong to desire priesthood or monasticism? Is it a 100% calling and 0% choice?

Using the Lord's name in Vain

Tenacpi esna onkh — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:03:03 +0000

well, a lot of people consider stuff like "Oh my G-d" is using the Lord's name in vain and I personally considers it the same, but what about stuff like "God Bless you",, is it the same because i simply don't have the power to do so??

Serving

user157 — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:53:08 +0000

I have a question about serving.

Does God need us to serve his people? Can God not raise up special people to serve his people such as robots who appear to be humans? if i choose not to serve his people will some go to hell? where is the justice in that.. and why is it that some got more benefits over others? as in they were given more attention and favorable circumstances.

Thankyou

God said pray the LORD of the harvest to send forth laborers into his field.

I feel serving is sometimes unhealthy because it ruins your focus on other important areas of life and robs you of the abundant life God plans for us

I think we may need to befriend many people no matter who they are.. so we be like Jesus. Unlike the pharisees who rejected some people or could that be harmful? we have to show who we follow.. God perhaps desires mercy and not sacrifice

Demon Possession

servant33 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:43:39 +0000

Well we're reading the Gospel of Mark in my humanities class and the professor called out demon possession, which appears to be especially prevalent in the book of Mark, but not so much in today's world.

Is demon possession actually the way we think of it, like an evil spirit totally taking control of someone and causing them to do crazy things? There are some threads on the forums that express that demon possession is distinct from a mental illness. So then what is it and why was it apparently so prevalent in Jesus' time but not anymore? Has anyone seen someone who was demon possessed?

Be thankful that you are a Coptic Christian

geomike — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:22:48 +0000

Hi guys, it's been a while since i posted here. I just found this video series about the life of a former muslim named Khalil. He was told by his elder (spiritual islamic father, or something like that) to read the Bible and write a paper on how Mohammed was prophesied about in the Bible, and how the Bible is inconsistent. He took on the project and realized that the Bible was the truth and the Qua'ran had many faults in it and he wrote hundreds of pages proving that the Bible was accurate and there was no prophecy of Mohammed in it. I don't want to spoil the whole thing for u as i want you to see for yourself, it was a very awakening series for me.

That's part 3, i am sorry idk where part 1 is, but i think a search will bring it up.

It is in arabic, but there are English subtitles so it is beneficial and available for everyone.

A really important video to watch.

[Deleted User] — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:56:37 +0000

This video I am about to show you is imperative to take it in with all seriousness because I believe that its somewhat true, you must watch it.

This video is about a girl who went to hell and heaven for a total of 23 hours realized the importance of repentance.

<<

If you truely love God, you would watch this, even if its 80 min.

I am angry that my church doesn't offer some things that others do

benjaminjoshua23 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:13:10 +0000

so to begin with i feel that my church isn't really helping me to get closer to god
the specific scenario on why I'm mad is that today i went to the youth meeting to hear abuna speak(we NEVER have abunas speak it is always the same people) and the meeting starts at 430 i showed up and waited with abuna till 515 and no one came so we canceled it and went to the college youth meeting. i was so bummed that we couldn't hear abuna speak then at 530 my friend came and he is always late but i felt so insulted that he cared so little about this.
no one else from the high school meeting came
this is why we don't have good speakers it is because no one shows up we have a huge group of kids in the high school but they all hate the meeting. i argued with my dad about going to a different meeting an hour away with another coptic orthodox church but he says no.
im a senior and a servant at this church and it kills me to see the kids in my fathers sunday school curse and do such other terrible things in high school as soon as they leave the church. i feel so lonely and deserted because i made a decision to not surround my self with bad people any more(i used to be a very "bad" kid but now i just want to be "gods" kid) and now i can't even look to my church for good friends. i try so hard to make the meeting more fun and i tell the servants in charge and were all killing ourselves trying to bring people but we can't. and i just got into a fight with my father trying to tell him that his kids are not were they should be and he got offended and yelled at me. i honestly feel sad, and alone i want to learn so bad but no one else in church does. i guess what I'm asking is is it ok to leave this church and go to one that can help me ? or is this disloyalty

i want to be closer to god but i can't

benjaminjoshua23 — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 23:23:15 +0000

i feel as though the worlds closing in. i run to god but he runs away. its not that he doesn't help me he does and i feel ilke he solves my problems but they the solution usually does more harm then good. for example ill ask job to help me with a job i do very well in that job and get more hours. this results in me losing time for him. and the cycle keeps going and I'm stretching out to the empty void where my god used to be. i see my friends get so close to him and cry that i can't, that i dnt see him like i used too. where did he go and why is he helping me like this. i can't quit my job or work less i have to pay for college, and i can't work harder because it'll cause more distance between us. i recently became a servant in my church and am in fear that my negligence will spread. i want to get closer to god but nothing works ....... i miss him how do i get back to him

How far does God helps people?

binC — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:30:26 +0000

Dear all,

I have a question to you all. Let us say there is one student who did not prepare very well for the finals and the exam arrived. At that time the student prayed to God to help him in the exams. Will his prayers be answered? how far does God involve in our lives? or how does God help you in your duties?

Thank you

Discussion with non-believer: soon help please!

marmar357 — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:22:32 +0000

Hey all,

I have got a discussion now with a non believer and it start with the question: How was the earth created?
He started to tell about the evolution theory and I explained that this isn't true, awith reference to this link:http://www.suscopts.org/pdf/conference/2001college_abstract-evolution.pdf

Now the asked me if i believe in the Holy bible. He said: "The bible says that the earth is x amount of years old (I do not know the specifics) however science has proven that the earth is not nearlly x years old. Instead its 2 billion years old. And what about the morality of religion. Nearlly all religions expel Gay rights. They are still people, they have a heart, a mind, a skeleton. They are the same as you and me. Do you believe that they will burn in etarnal hell?"

But where in the Bible is written how many years the earth exists? And is it true that science proved that the earth is 2 billion years old? Please help me guys. Thanks.

GBU

all saint and all souls

henrik.hank — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:38:02 +0000

Nofri!
Do Copts celebrate All Saints and All Souls? and when do you celebrate it?

The Role of Jesus

George_Mina_Awad — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:31:03 +0000

In the Gregorian Liturgy the priest says, "But You Yourself, without change, took flesh and became man, and resembled us in everything except sin alone. You became for us a Mediator with the Father;..."

In 1 Timothy, St. Paul writes, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6). Additionally, in the book of Hebrews, we read, "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises." (Hebrews 8:6) and "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem...to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant..." (Hebrews 12:22-24).

My question is:

[li]What do we mean when we refer to Christ as the "Mediator with the Father" or "Mediator of the new covenant?"[/li]
[li]What is the significance of Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane if he is "of one essence with the Father?" Obviously he was not praying to Himself, but how was He really able to do that?[/li]
[li]What is the difference between Christ's mediation and the intercession of a saint?[/li]

Thanksgiving

TITL — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:08:35 +0000

What are your views? Do you celebrate it with your family? Have any of our church fathers/leaders addressed this topic before?