Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

[Holyfield]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

No wonder why many orthodox monks become hermits.

[Greg_the_Cretian]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Oh, I forgot to get to the point. At the monastery on the weekend there were long services, sometimes as long as nine or ten hours, which involved reading the psalms and such, and during every meal they would read from scripture, we probably went through the whole bible in about four months, but the rest of the time was prayer, work to keep the monastery running, and sleep. Even the meals were part of a church service!

[Greg_the_Cretian]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Just to be clear, when I suggest reading the Bible from cover to cover in one sitting, you are allowed to take breaks to use the bathroom, eat food, and maybe even sleep for an hour or two each night.

Oh, I've done something like that, I was briefly Russian Orthodox and spent some time in a monastery, something like five hours of prayer in church each day (services and the like), as well as an expectation to spend all of your time praying what they called the "Jesus Prayer", basically "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.". We'd just repeat it quietly or silently to ourselves, with the expectation it would take root in our heart and every breath and heartbeat would give praise to, and ask forgiveness of, our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ. I did between five and ten thousand a day before I left, I guess I left because it seemed a bit cultish and too interested in it's own position, power, and weird Russian nationalism. American is the Greatest nation on earth, I guess, if Russia is so great, why did they lose in Afghanistan, and why did the USSR collapse? If Orthodox is so great, why are their churches falling apart? Anyway, they also believe some weird stuff, like idolatry is bad, but you're supposed to kiss these pictures of 'saints' and Jesus that they call 'Icons' (not sure how it relates to computers) which are supposedly not idolatry if they are painted or carved, but then statues are? Anyway, it's strange and confusing and a bit wishy-washy for me. But yeah, like I said, I've been basically every religion.

[Greg_the_Cretian]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Yeah, not a big fan of Anglicanism, woman priests seem strange to me too, as they certainly weren't serving in the Temple. I noticed my names been changed, which is fine, I'm not a fan of my own errors, and was pretty sick of looking at it. Not from Crete, though I did visit/live there at a very young age. I'm not sure how they forum new that?

[Marisa L Sanchez]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Hi Greg and welcome.

Like you, I'm uncertain of many things too. What I AM certain of though, is that Anglicist church is just a diluted type of catholic church. So I think you're doing the right thing to keep away from that.

I've been on an anglican mass and it wasn't much different than a catholic one. Except it had a woman 'priest'.

All the best, Marisa L.

[Faith_Machine]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Just to be clear, when I suggest reading the Bible from cover to cover in one sitting, you are allowed to take breaks to use the bathroom, eat food, and maybe even sleep for an hour or two each night. You just shouldn't let anything else occupy your schedule during this, your special time with the Bible.

I usually rent a cabin out in the woods somewhere and just hole up with my Bible and enough food and water to get me through the experience.

[Greg_the_Cretian]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Welcome, Greg, to God's Favorite Forum™.

Thanks Reverend, I'm happy to be here.

You do realize that uncertainty is just the Devil trying to lead you astray from the true path, right?
...
Revelation 3:16
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Yeah, I know, it's a painful struggle for me, Reverend. I try, I really do, but I can't seem to shake the doubt, the inability to commit to anything completely. I've prayed, I've fasted, I've done vigils (do you folks do that? Interesting tradition), nothing seems to help. The really bitter thing is that I feel like it's my lack of faith that's keeping me from loosing my wishy-washyness. Well, pray for me, you know, if you like.

[Rev. Jim Osborne]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Welcome, Greg, to God's Favorite Forum(tm).

You do realize that uncertainty is just the Devil trying to lead you astray from the true path, right? Whatever doubts you have in your mind have been planted their by him. What you need is total devoted and blind faith that Jesus Christ died for your sins. When He comes on Judgment Day, you best be believing in Jesus 100% because anything less is a ticket to Hell.

Revelation 3:16
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

[Greg_the_Cretian]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

How many sons has your wife borne?

Not married, I'm worried, because I'm pretty sure Paul says men should be chaste if they can, and I'm pretty good at being chaste, controlling my senses and the like.

"Protestantism" is nothing more than an heretical sub-sect of Catholicism.

Yeah? I'll have to pray on that I guess, Protestantism seems a bit off to me too, though, a bit too touchy-feely and weird.

What you need to do is get yourself to a real Baptist church.

Any specific Baptist Convention, not sure what's around. Maybe I'll just browse/pray a bit, see what seems right?

Tell me, how many times have you read the Bible from cover to cover in one sitting?

Less than one? I've read the whole King James, not sure if it's 1911, think so, but not in one sitting. Not personally blessed with that sort of stamina, God be praised that your are, though.

[Faith_Machine]

Re: Glory to God! Praise Jesus! Hi, how are ya?

Welcome, Greg!

How many sons has your wife borne?

I won't even comment on Anglicanism, but regarding this "Evangelical Protestant" thing, I'll say this:

I used to think I was OK attending a Lutheran church because it was, after all, a Protestant, i.e., not Catholic church.

It took the Pastors here at Landover to set me straight regarding that. They're the ones who made me understand that "Protestantism" is nothing more than an heretical sub-sect of Catholicism.

What you need to do is get yourself to a real Baptist church.

Tell me, how many times have you read the Bible from cover to cover in one sitting?

[Greg_the_Cretian]

I'm Greg, and I'm Greg the Uncertain because, well, I am. I never seem to be as strong in my faith as I should be, I'm a bit wishy-washy about politics, and, well, I travel a lot, doing any sort of work that lets me move around the roads. Taking a personal break from my travels to sort of set myself right, reset, and get a little closer with the Lord, as I've been woefully slipping. I feel like a good cure to my 'uncertainty' might be uncompromising, complete and total faith in the Lord, so I've come here seeking that.

It's a bit common, maybe, but my favourite Bible verse (I've always preferred the KJV myself too, the writing's absolutely beautiful) honestly is 1 Corinthians 13:13.

I tend to go where ever I can when I'm out and about, these days I'm semi-regularly attending a Evangelical Protestant church not to far from here (the church itself looks like a gym, right down to the lines on the floor for various sports, which is a bit of a turn off, I kind of feel like maybe a church should be church and not a church and basketball court. Hmmm.)

I've sort of always known Christ, and not just in that tugs-at-your-soul kind of way. Didn't get the religion at home, but we were a military family, travelling about, and in England and the like (British Military) you get Anglicanism at least in school, so, I grew up with that, though, it's not really for me.

Anyway, God Bless you all, I hope/pray this little quest of mine proves fruitful and I, you know, learn something here.

Thanks,
Greg


ps.
This: is the funniest thing I've ever seen.