Thinking about converting to Orthodoxism

[lord of the mark]

Re: Thinking about converting to Orthodoxism

Originally posted by monkspider
The main things Orthodoxism has going for it is cool architecture (there are some beautiful Orthodox churches around here), that it doesn't seem as heavy and depressing as Catholicism, and that it just seems like it would be fun to be Orthodox.

Would anyone like to share their thoughts? Any big downsides to Orthodoxism that I may not be aware of?

Judaism:
Not heavy or depressing - well loads of optimism, singing and dancing, etc, but also a lot of stuff about oppression and suffering - your call.
Fun - great holidays, including gambling (hanukkah), drinking (purim, and to a lesser degree Passover) masquerades (purim) feasting (er, well, most of the time) etc, etc. Check, definitelty.
Cool architecture - no check, sadly. Most synagogue architecture, both modern and traditional, is boring and derivative.

Might want to give it a whirl though.

[lord of the mark]

MS - heres a quote to think about while you search

"I am a Jew because the faith of Israel demands of me no abdication of the mind.

I am a Jew because the faith of Israel requires of me all the devotion of my heart.

I am a Jew because in every place where suffering weeps, the Jew weeps.

I am a Jew because at every time when despair cries out, the Jew hopes.

I am a Jew because the word of Israel is the oldest and the newest.

I am a Jew because the promise of Israel is the universal promise.

I am a Jew because, for Israel, the world is not yet completed; men are completing it.

I am a Jew because, above the nations and Israel, Israel places man and his Unity.

I am a Jew because above man, image of the divine Unity, Israel places the divine Unity, and its divinity."

[Adam Smith]

Monkspider:

I was raised as a Byzantine Catholic (catholic churches in eastern europe which did not become orthodox during the split), am now a practicing Roman Catholic (what most people refer to as "Catholic"), and have many friends who are Orthodox. A few observations.

1. While I find Orthodoxy certainly more spiritual than most strains of Catholicism, I also find Orthodox services pretty depressing. My theory is that the earliest parishoners were constantly worried about the next wave of Mongols or Rus putting an arrow through their necks.

2. I have also found both Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches to be based heavily on ethnic ties. In my experience, if you are not a member of the relevant ethnic group, it can be pretty hard to become accepted and fit in.

3. There are many different variations in how Catholicism is practiced. I am a screaming liberal in the eyes of the Catholic Church. My best experiences have come in small faith comunities, often with ties to a local Catholic Worker House or to Pax Christi. Perhaps you might want to investigate these alternatives?

4. I never lost a minute's sleep worrying about kissing icons, or having communion from a spoon for that matter. My faith extends that far at least.

[Ben Kenobi]

My best experiences have come in small faith comunities, often with ties to a local Catholic Worker House or to Pax Christi.

Same here. I'm very fortunate with my Catholic friends in sharing these sorts of experiences.

[Elok]

We're making LOTS of Protestant converts these days, Ben. My church was founded only ten years ago by an entire episcopal church that converted en masse, including the priest. There were nineteen founding members. There are now over three hundred of us. I'm one of the twenty or so grown members of the parish who were baptized Orthodox at birth.

There are a lot of speculative reasons. Partially, it has something to do with the modern attack on true religion; being the most ancient and unchanged of the Christian churches, Orthodoxy is more difficult to attack with modern cynicism. Also, the increasingly silly "low-church" services prevalent in some parts of protestantism are making some people hungry for a more traditional church, where there are no powerpoint presentations in church and nobody would ever dare to refer to their savior as "my homey J.C." Those are the two big reasons I can think of.

To take advantage of LotM's blatant threadjack, Orthodoxy is sort of like Catholicism with a more Jewish attitude towards life.

[Elok]

Argh. DP.

[Ben Kenobi]

My church was founded only ten years ago by an entire episcopal church that converted en masse, including the priest.

Might that have something to do with the other problems in the Episcopal church? Many traditionalists have felt abandoned by their own church in the past while.

I'm starting to see the same thing happen in the Anglican diocese here in Vancouver. About 30% of the diocese has dissociated itself from their bishop and now subsist as individual congregations. I've been urging the Catholics to reach out to these people, and encourage them to join the Catholic church, where they will be much better off than by themselves.

Also, the increasingly silly "low-church" services prevalent in some parts of protestantism are making some people hungry for a more traditional church, where there are no powerpoint presentations in church and nobody would ever dare to refer to their savior as "my homey J.C."

Felt that myself, though Willingdon really does not have a choice with a congregation of 1500 people in EACH of the three English services on Sunday. That's why I've found myself going to the Russian service in the same church which keeps a more traditional pattern of worship in keeping with their smaller congregation.

[Sprayber]

In my experience the bigger the church is, the less inspirational it is. The smaller churches are better in my opinion. Then again, that may just a Protestant thing. I would bet all those Protestant converts you guys are talking about comes from those large churches in the cities that have lost their personal touch. In case anyone is wondering, I'm one of those evil Baptists that everyone talks about

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Elok

To take advantage of LotM's blatant threadjack, Orthodoxy is sort of like Catholicism with a more Jewish attitude towards life.

The guy mentioned Buddism, for goodness sake. Seems like his search is a tad wider than Orthodox Christianity (for obvious reasons it would be confusing if i just called that "Orthodoxy") and i thought he might not have considered my option.

[monkspider]

No problems LoTM. Judiaism is a cool religion, but I don't think it's quite my thing. You make a good case for it though.

BTW, Thanks Elok, Ben, Adam, and everyone else who has commented.

[Verto]

Originally posted by Sprayber
In case anyone is wondering, I'm one of those evil Baptists that everyone talks about

The ones that give away PS2s to children for accepting Jesus as their Saviour?

[cinch]

I feel you should turn Orthy, if only for the beards:



C'mon, that guy looks like he's having a grand ol' time, no?

Eh?

Have you considered becoming a Mohammedan? They reject icons, much like the previously mentioned Leo the Iconoclast. Gotta love those iconoclasts!

[Shi Huangdi]

monkspider: You are looking at this in the wrong way. You ought not to pick your religion based on how you would like it to be or what you think fits your style best, but what you think is true.

[St Leo]

Orthodox Theravada Buddhism.

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
monkspider: You are looking at this in the wrong way. You ought not to pick your religion based on how you would like it to be or what you think fits your style best, but what you think is true.

Well, I find that religion is much more fun as long as you don't take it too seriously.