[CS-FSLUG] NI: Russian Orthodox bishop appeals for Catholic-Orthodox alliance

[Fred A. Miller]

On Tuesday 04 October 2005 8:24 pm, dmc wrote:
> >> Given the history of Roman Catholic and Orthodox abuse of government
> >> power to violently repress other denominations, and recent history of
> >> the Orthodox church doing (or attempting) precisely that in Russia and
> >> other former Soviet client States, this is not necessarily good news.
> >
> > Considering what I know of what happened in the Soviet States, I have to
> > take exception with this as it relates to Orthodoxy. I happen to KNOW
> > that there was a great deal of protection given to other Christians
> > during that time. I'm sure not everyone who carried the "Russian
> > Orthodox" title was guiltless, and in fact I know that there were some
> > who weren't. Man is temptable and totalitarian gov'ts are VERY good at
> > it.
>
> I was referring to recent history -- where I know from first-hand
> accounts that the Orthodox church is trying to abuse its official
> position to suppress evangelical activities under the guise of
> preventing heretical cults.

I'd want to read evidence of that, sorry.

> >>  > ... "alliance to negotiate with European institutions and members
> >>  > of other faiths on behalf of "traditional Christianity."
> >>
> >> Sounds like code words for re-establishing the unholy church-state
> >> alliance wherein which legalist tradtionalism is forced upon all.
> >
> > NOT at all.
>
> We will have to agree to disagree, especially given the traditional
> understanding of later days of the end times prophesy that predict
> pecisely that.

'Guess we will.

[snip]

> Islam did evil, neo-christians did evil, Islam brought some
> elements of enlightenment to an intellectually blighted area
> ... one wonders if true Christians (few that there were) witnessed
> to Muslims or just plotted how they would kill them.

Sure they did, and many died for it..........a few lived but under very poor 
conditions.

> One wonders if God permitted the Islamic activities for His
> own glory in a way that we fail to see?

I never pretend to know His mind. Someday we'll know, I'm sure. I suspect that 
Islam WILL play a very big part in the Trib. and all that happens.

> Church leaders have often confused physical freedom or
> political domination with spiritual freedom and spiritual
> opportunity.

Some have, many haven't.

> I would hardly rush to defend the era (error?) of the Crusades
> as a high moment in the history of the church, indeed there
> is little anywhere in the history of the church-government
> alliance to be hailed as good.

More than you might think. But, there is the "bad" history as well.

> It is, in fact, rare in the history of Christendom that
> anything other than individual Christians acting out of
> true faith-driven relationships with Christ that have been
> terribly worthy of celebration.

That is your perspective.

> The more "organized" the church becomes the less missionary
> and more bureaucratized and corrupt it tends to become.
> God protect us from government-like churches!

Gov't yes......organized isn't always bad.

> Or so it seems from my studies and observations ...

We have differing views. ;)

Fred

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