St Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery, Now Im On Psych Meds

[PiracyOfTheHead]

My reading list included:

 

St. Isaac of Nineveh - "On the Ascetical Life"

St. Symeon the New Theologian - "On the Mystical Life"

St. Athanasius "On the Incarnation"

and

St. John Chrysostom

St. Gregory of Nyssa

The Spiritual Counsels of Father (can't remember name) of Kronstadt

Jaraslav Pelikans series of books-The Christian Tradition

 

 

Thanks for pointing out the link to the CD. I missed it before.

 

Wow, I read maybe 5 books my first 2 weeks into the thing, maybe read 30 total, but I did A TON of audio and plus each service teaches you as well, and the feast days explain the hwole life of that saint on the day, at themonastery its very thorough.

 

Glad you like the CD, the best thing to come out of EO is Byzantine chanting

[BiMamaFeminAtheist]

For anybody that has read my posts, I now have documented evidence of the mind bending that went on with my life, all after doing a simple Google search.

 

 

This is just an insight into my definition of cult mentality when I refer to myself on the forum here, I WAS THERE!!!!!! I lived the life.

 

I am going to continue to post as I find new information, as for know I would like to get the ball rolling.

 

This is tragic, truly tragic to learn, although the truth is what I want, and need.

 

I was raised in a cult, so I'm gonna offer my utter willingness to be around to talk with you. A few people before me have made comments about basically "move on, get over it". I think they mean well but probably don't understand exactly what being in a full-blown CULT does to you mentally/emotionally. Also, I agree with what you said, that you have to research this, to understand what went wrong and how weird your own group really was. When you're in a cult, it all seems to make sense. I still discover new things all the time, it seems, that I thought were perfectly normal but confuse or bewilder people around me. (What do you mean no one told you about Santa? What do you mean they had YOU, as a six year old girl, responsible for raising dead infants???)

 

A lot of the lifestyle and daily schedule you described is pretty typical of cults - lots of manual labor, hours on end spent in prayers or other self-hypnotizing activities, very very little sleep, and a protein-depleted diet. All of these conditions make a human more malleable, more willing to believe the unbelievable, and go along with things which may very well be destructive and/or illegal.

 

Since your own cult experience is likely to be personal and specific, and maybe there aren't a lot of ex-member of the greek orthodoxy for you to bond with and talk to, I would recommend my own path. I research the heck of out ALL cults. The big three that have large ex-member presences and communities online are scientology, mormons, and jehovahs witnesses. Even though your own denominational experience was probably quite different, it's amazing how much you can find in common with the mental distress of leaving and the sadness of not being with your fellow cult members anymore. I loved everyone I knew in my cult - most of my family is still to some degree or another a believer and my own grandmother was the cult leader. So I lost a lot of the human contact I used to be surrounded with when I stopped believing, and my own leaving experience was definitely less extreme than the stories I've heard from other former cultists.

 

Tori McGoo is on YouTube and she's fantastic. She was in Scientology for 35 years and speaks out against them, but still cries in her videos if one of her old friends there becomes seperated from family members or passes away. In some ways she's a model for me of how I can still be loving and compassionate towards individual members, while hating the organization and teachings that keep people mentally enslaved.

 

And I just finished reading "Escape" by Carolyn Jessop. She was the 4th wife of the second-in-command of a polygomist mormon cult called the FLDS out in Colorado City, AZ. She managed to leave the cult with all 8 of her children, including a 4-year-old on oxygen and a feeding tube. And she was largely responsible for the raid that happened on the YFZ Ranch a couple years back, to try to save the hundreds of kids there from rampant child abuse.

 

On thing I've learned from my intense study of the subject is that the United States has NO laws against the formation, practice, existance, etc. of a cult. It's all covered under religious freedom. So we have a shockingly high number of cults in America. My hope is to eventually organize a former cultist network who would lobby congress to try to get laws enacted that would protect people from certain practices and belief structures. I don't know how I'd go about it, but the first styp clearl is just getting people stories and contact information and willingness together. From there, who knows?

 

Well this reply was rather rambling, so I'm sorry. I just wanted to say that I can identify a lot with what you're going through and how you may be feeling. There are still things I miss at times (like you miss the chanting, I miss the sense of magic prayer used to hold for me) but I wouldn't go back for anything. I hope you find the strength and peace you need to get through all of this on your own time.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

Tthanks BiMFA, I hadnt seen the thread in a long while.

 

Yes, you are right, I know everybody means well, its just not many were in a system that was just as powerful as Jim Jones' and the Branch Davidians and Heavens Gate's brainwashing, they cant know the extent....so I appreciate the support and dont find any fault.....you have to experience it to know it really, unfortunately.

 

I was just checking this thread to find the Youtube link to my Home Church priest, see I had a home Church cult and then the Monastery, so I actually left 2 cults at the same time, one is Antiochian Orthodox and the other was the Greek Orthodox, they ae both in communion so there was no qualms about me having the Ant. as my home base church and also become a Greek Orth. monk.

 

Back when things were real bad, while I was a catechumen the priest-monk told me not to seek medical care in certain instances, I was pushed away from seeing a psychiatrist or even any counselling. I was told that the Nous, the eye of the soul which is the power, the I in greek understanding was energetically destroyed and fragmented, that Satan had 100% rights over me and that I COULD NOT become psychologically well until baptism, they dangled baptism over my head for more than 3 years, I was forced to confess many sins that were committed due to my physical and psychological imbalances then had the cure withheld from me, by telling me not to seek secular help as well as not baptizing me.

 

So I was basically being broken down on purpose.

 

It was officially confirmed that I needed an exorcism of my house, and my home priest never even got around to doing it, a priest in a neighboring city came by to perform the rituals. I was told by my priest-monk that the Elder of the monastery wanted me to be so spiritually strong that I could be sitting in my house with things flying around the room like in the movie Poltergeist, and sit without being affected and be able to repeat the Jesus prayer non stop, I was told by my priest-monk that this was my spiritual goal. Therefore the exorcism was done by my request in secret at my home base.

 

So I was being told that on the one hand I was to become a spiritual warrior and NOT have the proper Orthodox exorcisms and cleansings and be immediately baptised to protect me.......then I was being told that I had absolutely no power to do so because of the condition of the Nous before baptism.

 

I was told all psychological problems were to be spiritually healed, yet I was denied the healing which is Exorcism of the Catechumen, denouncing Satan, having hands layed on, being baptized and born of the spirit immediately aligning the Nous, then receiving the "True Eucharist", the body and blood of Christ which would absolve me of every single sin committed, all this on the day of baptism.

 

In fact talking about it now, my mind is saying "You are deceived, you are now in the dark, you were so close and you blew it...." Thats how poweful they made my becoming Orthodox seem to me.

 

For years I was enticed with what would happen at that event, how i would become alive from the dead.

 

I was told so many stories of miraculous baptisms, the Orthodox pride themselves concerning their spiritual powers...I was told numerous miracle stories about first communion, that the neophyte would experience total catharsis as well as euphoria, I was told that at baptism I would be absolutely in touch with god until the first sin committed after baptism, which would begin the cycle of sin/confession/absolution/communion. The stories of baptism are so amazing that many plan ahead to go and be alone somewhere for days and weeks after baptism in order to retain the full blown connection with God, pray for all their needs at this time and they would be answered, read books and know their meaning, read scripture and be instantly enlightened. I was to be baptized at the Monastery when the time came and was to spend weeks alone in my cell with pre picked books, audio tapes, CDs and food brought to me.

 

 

As I have found out how much psychological damage was done to me now that I have learned what it was they were doing and teaching and how it affected me, I am trying to find a specialist in de-programming....to be honest, I am going to post this but I am sure i will have to EDIT a lot of it later today, I can actually feel my mind fighting itself and becoming confused.

 

I am willing to bet this entire post is fragmented and hard to follow...I cant get my thoughts straight, the words arent coming out the way I would normally be able to.

 

I am going ot post it as a testimony to the power of the brain washing and finish it up later,hopefully it made enough sense for you to understand how much control they had over me.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

I have sent numerous emails to the monastery and have received no replies

 

As far as I know, they know nothing of my deconversion, these attempts to contact them were made over the last year, I think that they somehow got wind of me telling my home priest to shine on and ave labeled me a paraya (sp?).

 

I think I am going to get a professional involved as well as contact the media who have already looked into the problems there, I want some closure and I want my voice heard.

 

I want to be able to put this behind me and I cant do that without making my story heard, they need to know and I need to know that they know.

[Guest sorenna]

That is an incredible story. You are very educated and suffered so much, and for what?

 

I have often wondered how much of my own depression and chaos would have been totally avoided if I have believed in something different or nothing at all.

 

Does it get any better?

[PiracyOfTheHead]

That is an incredible story. You are very educated and suffered so much, and for what?

 

I have often wondered how much of my own depression and chaos would have been totally avoided if I have believed in something different or nothing at all.

 

Does it get any better?

 

Yeah, it gets better.

 

But I have worked 2 months straight at it, hard work, I still have a lot left to do......it has its ups and downs and I was absolutely rock bottom in every way when I decided to de-convert. I have to think it can get better for anybody.

:welcome:

How did you end up here??

[Guest QuidEstCaritas?]

For anybody that has read my posts, I now have documented evidence of the mind bending that went on with my life, all after doing a simple Google search.

 

It seems that I was involved with a cult that has not only gained National attention but Global, extending especially back to Greece itself, Mt Athos in particular.

 

I was 6 months in residence at the monastery when I left, I decided not to become a novice despite the attempts of my Hieromonk and elder monks to convince me to leave the world, not because I didnt believe their doctrine, I was about as convinced as anyone there of the beliefs, but because I wanted to marry, I wasnt being healed of my depression or physical pain and because I think some deep part of me knew to run.

 

This is a video I found of St Anthony's as they were being investigated, I knew Fr Nikos from seeing him around a lot but I was friends with and worked side by side with Fr Paul (Pavlos) who was conveniently re-named, while I was there, apparently the same time as a lot of inquiries were taking place, I did not know of the controversy nor the inquiries at the time, I believed we called him Father although he was not yet tonsured since he was so in step with the monastery, like an honorary title, when he was tonsured he was given a different name, as is custom, but I know it is to further the disassociation with the self in hindsight...On to the video, it is cut into two parts and i included the link to a webpage because it also exposes the monastery as a cult and was my initial source for the video...... http://pseudo-prophet.tripod.com/

 

Fr Paul, I decline to state his new name out of respect for his adult decision to become a Monk at St Anthony's, became a quick friend to me due to his sincerity, his friendliness and the fact that before I became involved in the Eastern Orthodox Church I was training to become a Navy SEAL, and Fr Paul had asked for a discharge from the Navy while preparing to do the same thing, he had been a medal winning Swimmer in his high school and I think joined the Navy right afterwards....so we had common ground and that sparked many discussions as we labored in the blazing Arizona sun, planting trees for jesus, intermittenly reciting the Unceasing Prayer, Kyrie Iesou Xpiste Eleisov Me (Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy On Me).

 

The other monk I do not know by face as its not fully bearded nor partly covered with a cassock in the picture shown, nor by name as that would have been changed (maybe I missed something)....I have my assumptions though, yet another close friend during my stay.

 

This is just an insight into my definition of cult mentality when I refer to myself on the forum here, I WAS THERE!!!!!! I lived the life.

 

I am going to continue to post as I find new information, as for know I would like to get the ball rolling.

 

This is tragic, truly tragic to learn, although the truth is what I want, and need.

 

I totally understand where you are coming from. I was in a cult my parents partially raised me in for 8 years, and that was their second cult. The first one only lasted eleven months before they got away from the Queen Bitch cult leader.

[Guest QuidEstCaritas?]

That is an incredible story. You are very educated and suffered so much, and for what?

 

I have often wondered how much of my own depression and chaos would have been totally avoided if I have believed in something different or nothing at all.

 

Does it get any better?

 

Yeah, it gets better.

 

But I have worked 2 months straight at it, hard work, I still have a lot left to do......it has its ups and downs and I was absolutely rock bottom in every way when I decided to de-convert. I have to think it can get better for anybody.

:welcome:

How did you end up here??

 

It does get better. I think perhaps you might enjoy reading a book that you would relate to quite a bit:

 

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism by Dr. Robert J. Lifton

 

That book will have things in it which I can almost guarantee you will relate to. Grab a copy from the library or something, you won't be disappointed.

 

Also, it does get better over time and if you can find a cognitive behavioral therapist you will be better off for it as they are trained to address PTSD. If you ever come across the whole FactNET/ICSA "Anti-Cult" movement then I suggest you take some of what they say with a grain of salt. They are mostly ex-members but a lot of them gave up their cult for a fundamentalist variety of X-tianity and a bunch of people in the leadership of that movement has a real hard time seeing the forest for the trees. For instance, there are certain "cults" that are officially approved Orders within the Roman Catholic Church and that have RCC Hierarchy (bishops and archbishops) who are members in good standing that are also part of the cults, but I doubt you will see anyone from the FactNET/ICSA/reFOCUS organizations presenting this reality to you (or similar parallels within Orthodoxy or Protestantism) as anything other than "uninformed" or "duped" clergy. I don't buy that line, and it is my contention that a lot of the archbishops and bishops in the RCC know damn full well what goes on in these cults and allow it to happen because the cults get the job done when it comes to making more Catholics. I have even heard as much said myself by people who weren't in one of those kinds of cults.

 

So all in all there is help out there, but you have to develop the ability to think for yourself as much as you possibly can. Even when it comes to so-called "cult experts" they may try to sell you the idea that theirs is the best form of therapy you can get once your out of the cult and that what you could benefit most from is an exit-counselor. I will warn you in advance that so-called "exit-counseling" can run you into serious debt and that the only known place for exit-counseling that exists where one can attend relatively inexpensively is run by two very loving and kind, but fundamentalist Christians who really cannot see the forest for the trees and seriously lack the ability to understand and admit that coercive influence can exist heavily outside of cults in just everyday religion. Such people mean well no doubt, but the particular people I know of in the "anti-cult" movement can easily get a sort of "witchhunt" mentality when it comes to JW's, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. However, when one brings up Bob Jones University or the Amish then their double standards start to show.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

That is an incredible story. You are very educated and suffered so much, and for what?

 

I have often wondered how much of my own depression and chaos would have been totally avoided if I have believed in something different or nothing at all.

 

Does it get any better?

 

Yeah, it gets better.

 

But I have worked 2 months straight at it, hard work, I still have a lot left to do......it has its ups and downs and I was absolutely rock bottom in every way when I decided to de-convert. I have to think it can get better for anybody.

:welcome:

How did you end up here??

 

It does get better. I think perhaps you might enjoy reading a book that you would relate to quite a bit:

 

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism by Dr. Robert J. Lifton

 

That book will have things in it which I can almost guarantee you will relate to. Grab a copy from the library or something, you won't be disappointed.

 

Also, it does get better over time and if you can find a cognitive behavioral therapist you will be better off for it as they are trained to address PTSD. If you ever come across the whole FactNET/ICSA "Anti-Cult" movement then I suggest you take some of what they say with a grain of salt. They are mostly ex-members but a lot of them gave up their cult for a fundamentalist variety of X-tianity and a bunch of people in the leadership of that movement has a real hard time seeing the forest for the trees. For instance, there are certain "cults" that are officially approved Orders within the Roman Catholic Church and that have RCC Hierarchy (bishops and archbishops) who are members in good standing that are also part of the cults, but I doubt you will see anyone from the FactNET/ICSA/reFOCUS organizations presenting this reality to you (or similar parallels within Orthodoxy or Protestantism) as anything other than "uninformed" or "duped" clergy. I don't buy that line, and it is my contention that a lot of the archbishops and bishops in the RCC know damn full well what goes on in these cults and allow it to happen because the cults get the job done when it comes to making more Catholics. I have even heard as much said myself by people who weren't in one of those kinds of cults.

 

So all in all there is help out there, but you have to develop the ability to think for yourself as much as you possibly can. Even when it comes to so-called "cult experts" they may try to sell you the idea that theirs is the best form of therapy you can get once your out of the cult and that what you could benefit most from is an exit-counselor. I will warn you in advance that so-called "exit-counseling" can run you into serious debt and that the only known place for exit-counseling that exists where one can attend relatively inexpensively is run by two very loving and kind, but fundamentalist Christians who really cannot see the forest for the trees and seriously lack the ability to understand and admit that coercive influence can exist heavily outside of cults in just everyday religion. Such people mean well no doubt, but the particular people I know of in the "anti-cult" movement can easily get a sort of "witchhunt" mentality when it comes to JW's, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. However, when one brings up Bob Jones University or the Amish then their double standards start to show.

 

Did you go through an exit counseling experience??

[Guest QuidEstCaritas?]

That is an incredible story. You are very educated and suffered so much, and for what?

 

I have often wondered how much of my own depression and chaos would have been totally avoided if I have believed in something different or nothing at all.

 

Does it get any better?

 

Yeah, it gets better.

 

But I have worked 2 months straight at it, hard work, I still have a lot left to do......it has its ups and downs and I was absolutely rock bottom in every way when I decided to de-convert. I have to think it can get better for anybody.

:welcome:

How did you end up here??

 

It does get better. I think perhaps you might enjoy reading a book that you would relate to quite a bit:

 

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism by Dr. Robert J. Lifton

 

That book will have things in it which I can almost guarantee you will relate to. Grab a copy from the library or something, you won't be disappointed.

 

Also, it does get better over time and if you can find a cognitive behavioral therapist you will be better off for it as they are trained to address PTSD. If you ever come across the whole FactNET/ICSA "Anti-Cult" movement then I suggest you take some of what they say with a grain of salt. They are mostly ex-members but a lot of them gave up their cult for a fundamentalist variety of X-tianity and a bunch of people in the leadership of that movement has a real hard time seeing the forest for the trees. For instance, there are certain "cults" that are officially approved Orders within the Roman Catholic Church and that have RCC Hierarchy (bishops and archbishops) who are members in good standing that are also part of the cults, but I doubt you will see anyone from the FactNET/ICSA/reFOCUS organizations presenting this reality to you (or similar parallels within Orthodoxy or Protestantism) as anything other than "uninformed" or "duped" clergy. I don't buy that line, and it is my contention that a lot of the archbishops and bishops in the RCC know damn full well what goes on in these cults and allow it to happen because the cults get the job done when it comes to making more Catholics. I have even heard as much said myself by people who weren't in one of those kinds of cults.

 

So all in all there is help out there, but you have to develop the ability to think for yourself as much as you possibly can. Even when it comes to so-called "cult experts" they may try to sell you the idea that theirs is the best form of therapy you can get once your out of the cult and that what you could benefit most from is an exit-counselor. I will warn you in advance that so-called "exit-counseling" can run you into serious debt and that the only known place for exit-counseling that exists where one can attend relatively inexpensively is run by two very loving and kind, but fundamentalist Christians who really cannot see the forest for the trees and seriously lack the ability to understand and admit that coercive influence can exist heavily outside of cults in just everyday religion. Such people mean well no doubt, but the particular people I know of in the "anti-cult" movement can easily get a sort of "witchhunt" mentality when it comes to JW's, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. However, when one brings up Bob Jones University or the Amish then their double standards start to show.

 

Did you go through an exit counseling experience??

 

Yes I did.

 

It had it's pros and it's cons. For me the cons would have outweighed the pros had I had other options at the time and foreknowledge of certain factors in the exit counseling situation where people were encouraged indirectly to drop their cultism for a "normal" brand of fundamentalist Christianity of one sort or another.

[R. S. Martin]

However, when one brings up Bob Jones University or the Amish then their double standards start to show.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!

 

So often when I talk about my experiences people look at me puzzled and say, "But I thought the Mennonites were such nice people...."

 

That is exactly what the Mennonites (and probably the Amish) want the public to think. They work tooth and claw to put out that image. Nothing is more important to them than identity. Those are the words they use--the terminology. They want to be identifiable as Mennonites--as Christians. Nothing is more despicable to the horse and buggy people than the modern Mennonites who claim the name but don't maintain the outward identity.

 

When I first got to know RCC people I was stunned at the similarity of mindset. And what Piracy describes in this thread (I didn't see the thread earlier, for some reason) fits the same bill. It seems all these religious groups have direct links to pre-modern times--and pride themselves in keeping up the old traditions. Maintaining old traditions in the face of rapid social change like the West has seen in recent centuries has a price. What worked just fine in 1400 AD does not necessarily work in 2000 AD.BTW, the Amish and Mennonites did not exist in 1400 anymore than did the Lutherans or any other Protestants.

[Guest QuidEstCaritas?]

Ahhhhhh ROCOR?? Did you do all your homework on Fr Seraphim Rose while in the Russian aena?? I was given the book written about him by Father Damascene, I read the whole bleeding thing, it was like a 10 pound book.

 

I seem to remember the name, but that is all. I don't remember reading anything substantial on Fr. Rose. It has been probably 7, 8 years since I did my investigation.

 

Did you get the New Testament only version or the OT and NT, it hadnt been released when I got mine

 

It is the Orthodox Study Bible New Testament and Psalms.

 

Did you read Athonite monks?? Those doods were very very simple people for the most part, a lot of the stories were absolutely tragic and sad. they live like the homeless on this rock in the boonies of Greece and they do nothing but talk to an invisible man like 20 hours of the day, IF they get that much sleep......

 

My reading list included:

 

St. Isaac of Nineveh - "On the Ascetical Life"

St. Symeon the New Theologian - "On the Mystical Life"

St. Athanasius "On the Incarnation"

and

St. John Chrysostom

St. Gregory of Nyssa

The Spiritual Counsels of Father (can't remember name) of Kronstadt

Jaraslav Pelikans series of books-The Christian Tradition

 

Im not surprised you were so interested in the Church,its amazing how I never heard of it until I was mid twenties, then you see its everywhere and it has so many facets to delveinto, I thought I had finally "come home" when I entered St Andrew in Riverside for the first time, too bad....just too bad.

 

Yes, there were a lot of things about the Orthodox Church that appealed to me, but I couldn't get past the sin/confession, guilt trip part. Also at one service everyone was kissing the hand of the priest. I was in line for a blessing, since I could not take communion, but since everyone else was doing it I felt I was put in the position of doing it as well. I did, but it really put me off, and after that I never attended another orthodox service.

 

Thanks for pointing out the link to the CD. I missed it before.

 

 

St. Athanasius once said:

 

"God became Man so that Man might become God" I meditated on that saying for a week while I was engaging in hardcore fasting. It was fucked up.

[R. S. Martin]

St. Athanasius once said:

 

"God became Man so that Man might become God" I meditated on that saying for a week while I was engaging in hardcore fasting. It was fucked up.

 

That's mysticism, isn't it?

 

I did it when working in the dewy garden picking peas or pulling weeds. I could almost see fairy wings.

 

Oops! I suppose it was angel wings. Hmmm. Maybe the chirping sound was crickets and sparrows. And that filmy stuff...that's spider webs.

 

But it can make for pleasant meditating all the same. The more distance I get from religion the more they bleed into each other. QEC, what you say fits so into Buddhism. That's what hit me. Except the words are Christian. No Buddhist would use that particular terminology. The underlying mysticism is the same, though.

 

May I ask what the Latin words of you screen name mean?

 

I have a very rough/approximate idea. I've dabbled in Spanish, etc. though I can't put any sentences together or translate anything. I'll take a stab at it just so I can't say "I thought so" without proof. So please don't take offense if I'm waaaaayy off, okay?

 

Quid....what

Est....is

Caritas?....body?

 

Does it mean: Whose body is that? Or: The Body of What?

 

As you can tell, I'm just guessing, rearranging words, and playing with theology.

 

I guess I could just look it up in an online Latin dictionary but I've been doing research all day and my brain is exhausted.

[Guest QuidEstCaritas?]

St. Athanasius once said:

 

"God became Man so that Man might become God" I meditated on that saying for a week while I was engaging in hardcore fasting. It was fucked up.

 

That's mysticism, isn't it?

 

I did it when working in the dewy garden picking peas or pulling weeds. I could almost see fairy wings.

 

Oops! I suppose it was angel wings. Hmmm. Maybe the chirping sound was crickets and sparrows. And that filmy stuff...that's spider webs.

 

But it can make for pleasant meditating all the same. The more distance I get from religion the more they bleed into each other. QEC, what you say fits so into Buddhism. That's what hit me. Except the words are Christian. No Buddhist would use that particular terminology. The underlying mysticism is the same, though.

 

May I ask what the Latin words of you screen name mean?

 

I have a very rough/approximate idea. I've dabbled in Spanish, etc. though I can't put any sentences together or translate anything. I'll take a stab at it just so I can't say "I thought so" without proof. So please don't take offense if I'm waaaaayy off, okay?

 

Quid....what

Est....is

Caritas?....body?

 

Does it mean: Whose body is that? Or: The Body of What?

 

As you can tell, I'm just guessing, rearranging words, and playing with theology.

 

I guess I could just look it up in an online Latin dictionary but I've been doing research all day and my brain is exhausted.

 

What is Love?

[Deva]

But it can make for pleasant meditating all the same. The more distance I get from religion the more they bleed into each other. QEC, what you say fits so into Buddhism. That's what hit me. Except the words are Christian. No Buddhist would use that particular terminology. The underlying mysticism is the same, though.

 

That is Christian mysticism. You are right, no Buddhist would use that terminology.

 

I question whether the underlying mysticism is the same. Buddhist mysticism is seeing the barrier between yourself and others as nonexistent. There is no merging with a God (in the Biblical sense of that word) idea involved at all.

 

There may have been a few Christian mystics that expressed union with God, but mostly they ended up suppressed or on the rack somewhere.

[R. S. Martin]

 

May I ask what the Latin words of you screen name mean?

 

I have a very rough/approximate idea. I've dabbled in Spanish, etc. though I can't put any sentences together or translate anything. I'll take a stab at it just so I can't say "I thought so" without proof. So please don't take offense if I'm waaaaayy off, okay?

 

Quid....what

Est....is

Caritas?....body?

 

Does it mean: Whose body is that? Or: The Body of What?

 

As you can tell, I'm just guessing, rearranging words, and playing with theology.

 

I guess I could just look it up in an online Latin dictionary but I've been doing research all day and my brain is exhausted.

 

What is Love?

 

Thank you. I can see why you're asking.

 

I looked at the "car" part and thought of words like "carcass."

[zealot777]

Saint Anthony's Monastery is in perfectly good standing with the Greek Archdiocese and World Orthodoxy as a whole. There is nothing cultic about them. If they were operating in an independent fashion outside their jurisdiction, yet claiming to belong to it, then I might have some concerns. But everything they do is Orthodox. The author of this thread is probably just unfamiliar with the Orthodox ascetical lifestyle. I have visited the monastery twice. They're wonderful people. That the author is now on psych meds, does not prove the monastery is to blame.

[Chikirin]

Saint Anthony's Monastery is in perfectly good standing with the Greek Archdiocese and World Orthodoxy as a whole. There is nothing cultic about them.

 

 

We are ex christians therefore we believe all of Christendom is a cult (at least I do any way)

[Antlerman]

Christians are not allowed to evangelize or debate their beliefs in the Testimonies Forum. The Lions Den forum on this site is open for that. Please carefully read and respect the rules of this forum before posting in here: http://www.ex-christ...ction=rules&f=5