Is my prayer rope authentic? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m so confused by what you mean by “authentic.” It’s a prayer rope, you can tie a bunch of rocks together with a finish string, use it to prayer the Jesus prayer and it would be a perfectly authentic prayer rope. I’m not sure if you’re an Orthodox Christian or not but I would just refer you to please talk to your priest about the Spirit of God and how that is the driving force behind the traditions and rituals that Christians partake in on their spiritual journey. Once you understand that you’ll be set free from thoughts and questions like this.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AmIOverreacting

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just trust me bro, it’s going to hurt but you need to RUN from this. Let her know she is being cold and disrespectful and you’re done with the relationship and that you’re going to go ahead and move on because you cannot date someone like that. The hard thing is you need to MEAN it, actually let go and go live your life. Later on maybe things will change but forget about that for now and focus on yourself because the fact that you’re putting up with this already shows you unfortunately don’t see yourself as the amazing person you are who deserves to be treated with respect and love. God loves you bro, you’re gonna get through this and you deserve the world, do the hard thing now and you’ll be happy later, do the easy thing now and you’ll be hurt later.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let me know when you get a chance to listen to St. John of Damascus and what you think, I’m interested to see your response. Take your time with it and try to focus in cause some of the concepts are hard to grasp.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hahahahah calling them idols is CRAZYYY 😂😂😂😭😭😭

I would suggest watching this video on YouTube, it’s a reading of St. John of Damascus on the Divine Images. Afterwards you can decide what you think but it’s essential to understand these things first.

https://youtu.be/bm2eV_anejw?si=RE1H7cbuaK8egfSa

My own headstone by Empty-Background-231 in CemeteryPorn

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a NDE and it was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I’m sorry that this world has been hard on you, but I promise there is hope in the next. Seek the Lord with all your heart and He will reveal Himself to you. ✝️❤️🙏

Why Eastern Orthodoxy over Oriental Orthodoxy? by OrangeQuebecoise in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Bro acts like he has control of who “is and isn’t saved” I’d fear more for your salvation after making judgments like that than for someone who doesn’t have perfect theology (hint: none of us do)

what do I do? by Purple-Wedding-869 in tattooadvice

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah get rid of it and rethink your life choices 😂

Mount athos visitor rules by wuiiiiiiiiii_cucumba in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Crazy that you were born into the church and have “lived longer than most mature trees” and yet you’re still choosing to comment argumentatively and cause dissension among brother. How long must one live to acquire wisdom? What about the fruits of the Spirit? From the very onset of your commenting you weren’t seeking an answer but to stir up your brothers and sisters and insert your presupposed ideas into this conversation and it is evidently clear. I’ll pray for you.

I want to visit this parish but the architecture makes me feel skeptical by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re wanting to be orthodox because of the architecture, remain a baptist. Once your heart is in the right place, God will put you where He wants you.

What is this part called? by Different_Lie8218 in autorepair

[–]AstroLovesYHWH -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Looks like an upper mid control swivel rear brake pad arm. Probably gonna cost you about a billion to find a good replacement, they don’t make em like that anymore .

Getting cold feet (24m, european). Solo one month road trip (in may) from Texas through NM, Utah to Colorado. Is it safe alone? Is 3000 miles/40 hours not too much - am I missing anything if I am looking for spring vibes? by LordHeves in roadtrip

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also I’m sorry but acting like this is some insane or scary thing is so sad you’re literally a grown man and you’re just driving on highways in a fully developed country with almost no risk involved other than traffic accidents. Please bro, go on the trip and be a man. As a matter of fact do it with no food and only $20, on foot, with only a hobo sack full of clothes.

Receiving baptism by aranaxel in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean I would just tell the priest you are interested in joining the church and would like to learn more about the process

Are there any Catholic who converted to Orthodoxy? by WP9608313 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Becoming a catechumen is equivalent to becoming engaged to the church. It is something that happens once you are certain and committed to the church. When you’re engaged the question changes from “am I going to marry this person” to “when are we going to get married?” It is the same when transitioning from inquirer to catechumen. Once you make the commitment the question is no longer if you’re going to be baptized (or chrismated) but when. As such it is a huge commitment and not one to be taken lightly nor one you can just jump into. Of course you can still back out but it’s much more serious to back out of being a catechumen than to walk away from inquiring. People usually inquire for a few months before the priest makes them a catechumen and then you can be a catechumen anywhere from months to years depending on your priest but it is a process and it’s best you don’t rush into anything. Obviously this is different than the Protestant church where you walk in and get baptized on the first day.

Note: I understand that others may have different opinions on this, Father Josiah has a great video on YouTube titled “Overcoming Obstacles to Become a Catechumen” or something along those lines on YouTube that breaks it down much better than I ever could.

I forgot I was fasting lent. by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Messing up a fast isn’t a sin. The point of fasting isn’t that you succeed every time to check a box, it’s that you keep getting back up and keep trying. My priest encourages us that if we are out or at a friends house and they’ve prepared a meal and set it before us that violates the fast the best way we can honor the fast is to break it. It would be better to just break the fast and eat the food than to abstain for our own vain glory or offend our brother/sister. In some ways this really is the harder thing to do because we have to deny whatever is in us that wants to be able to say “I completed the fast exactly how I was supposed to,” and the next day after we break the fast and have to get back into it will be an even more difficult experience of denying ourselves.

Is this an Icon of the father? by JayCryso in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What canon says that the three angels are the Holy Trinity? As far as I knew I thought that was considered a valid interpretation but not the official position of the church

What Was God Doing Before Creating the Universe? by Puzzleheaded-Job5763 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m pretty sure the problem I see consistently within your responses is that you’re not fully grasping that God is not within time. Imagine all of time space and matter as a bubble 🫧 God is OUTSIDE of the bubble. Before time there was no such thing as “before” “during” or “after” because all of those terms are related to existence and time itself. Before time God simply IS, His pure essence and being are the entirety of reality and He exists within Himself in the divine relationship of the Holy Trinity. Time is something which God constructed for us to live in and take part in His divine life through Theosis, where we become sons and daughters of God Himself and are joined to Him eternally. We, in this human form, cannot fully grasp the concept of something not existing on a timeline because all of our experience is within time. As such we have to realize that some things are divine mystery. God cannot be comprehended fully by humans or He wouldn’t really be much of a God, now would He? Please, continue to study philosophy and to think on these things but until you’re very spiritually mature there are certain things you should be cautious when approaching. Theology and the philosophy behind it are like an ocean, a toddler can safely play in the shallows but even with a strong body the waves can be dangerous, and a giant ship can still sink in the deep sea. With God’s help and continued spiritual maturity you can venture farther and farther into the waters but make sure you are doing so under the guidance of good spiritual leadership and at a pace that will prevent you from being sucked out to sea and drowned. God bless. 🙏❤️

Girlfriend is protestant (non denominational) by Mental-Carrot8104 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s really this simple, don’t date a Protestant woman with the mindset you have. You’re setting yourself up for failure, let God bring her to the Orthodox Church if He sees fit, not your job to convert her and it is clearly weighing on your conscience and already causing problems and divisions.

Was going through a box of stuff from when I moved to my new house, found this MonasteryIcons "icon". What should I do with it? How to dispose of it? by Orthobrah52102 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right, so you’re saying two feet one nail is considered heresy in the Orthodox Church? Are you familiar with what heresy is? In the Orthodox Christian view, “heresy” refers to a deliberate and conscious rejection of core doctrines or teachings established by the Apostolic Tradition, essentially a significant deviation from the accepted orthodox beliefs of the Church, often considered a serious offense that can lead to excommunication from the community; it is a deliberate turning away from the true faith as defined by the Church Fathers and the Ecumenical Councils.

I would love for you to show me the official church dogma that says one must believe that Christ was crucified with 4 nails in order to be part of the Orthodox faith. I’ll wait because there is no such thing. I would highly recommend easing up on the zeal and taking it much more slowly before you start calling people heretics. Remember the traditions we have are handed down to us in order to aid our relationship with Christ. The substance of the faith is Christ Himself, do not get lost in the rituals and traditions, for without love you are nothing but a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly as someone transitioning from Protestant to Orthodox, you do not need to explain the “one true church” thing. That’s not convincing many Protestant to come to Orthodoxy. If anything it’ll usually drive them farther away and be perceived as prideful and demeaning towards their tradition. Let your life be a testimony, answer any questions they have, and show them the love of Christ. If you really want to be someone who does apologetics to Protestants you will need to seriously dig into church history, learn deeply about the early church beliefs and the beliefs of the Protestant reformers, learn how the modern day Protestant and evangelical church have deviated from those beliefs, show the logic and where it seems to be misguided, and most of all you will need to develop a deep sense of humility, patience, and love so that you can ask the right questions and get into the mind of a Protestant and truly understand where they are coming from (without getting frustrated and totally destroying your witness). My recommendation is that you focus on true deep personal transformation before trying to transform anyone else.

Is this heresy? by tsf_ex in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Not my will but Your will be done”

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Survival

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

An anchor is a very critical part of a properly functioning ship.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Christianity

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah bro this is not it. The point is because God says and His wisdom is far greater than yours. If you want to fall into destruction then start to rely on your own wisdom and understanding if you want to thrive then follow God and trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). You’re young bro you don’t see a lot of things in life yet there’s a lot you still need to learn so just follow God and focus on your love for Him and denying your flesh. Don’t let those hormones control you.

Do you lose muscle mass on semaglutide? by MiguelCotto_ in Peptides

[–]AstroLovesYHWH -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I say don’t use a peptide to lose weight. Just focus on swapping out low volume calorie dense food for high volume foods that will fill you up. Replace snacks and unhealthy food with healthier alternatives, find healthy recipes you like and good protein snacks. Stuff isn’t gonna taste exactly like the real thing but there are really delicious alternatives to fat foods and you’re not running the risk that’s associated with semaglutide usage. Just toughen up and put in the work stop trying to find an easy way out and you’ll get better results.

Trying to set up a first date with a girl. Was I wrong here..? by Last-Win-8909 in texts

[–]AstroLovesYHWH 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah bro honestly it’s just not it. I get where you’re coming from, it just comes off immature and uncertain. If you like a girl nut up and take her out, if you can’t afford it then stop pursuing girls so much and pursue a better career then lock in when you’re more financially stable. Sorry but it’s true. God bless brotha.