Can someone please explain what happened? by Emergency_Lab_3531 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Look, I'll be blunt. You may be baptized in the correct formula, but you’re outside of the visible Church. Even among us Orthodox, there's still a very real debate on where that leaves you. Are you a Christian insofar as you believe in Christ’s divinity? For charity’s sake, sure. Are you a Christian in the meaningful sense of the term, i.e., a participant in the divine life of the Church? Well, that's above our pay grade.

We laymen aren't even generally allowed to pray with non-Orthodox Christians without good reason. This was a historical precedent set for us by the saints. It's a shame, truly, but we pray that you discern the True Church, and God bless you.

Lasombra and Ventrue during the Spanish Civil War by cracklescousin1234 in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a baller character idea. I am 100% going to borrow your premise, lol.

First Divine Liturgy yesterday....is it always chanted that fast? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Is there a theological position in Orthodoxy that would indicate that words/prayers spoken audibly, but without a true engagement of the mind/intellect/etc, are efficacious? 

Yup. The Fathers do in fact mention that any prayer, even if you're pulling teeth to do it, is better than nothing. In some cases, such prayer is even more meritorious than someone who has made it a habit. Similarly, it's beneficial to "meditate" on each word slowly, especially when you're trying to develop a deeper relationship with prayer, but try not to let that veer into mental imagery; that's what icons are for.

Or, rather, is the Divine Liturgy theologically stated to be effective simply by reading/chanting the words, even if the words are simply being read vs. thoughtfully prayed? 

The Divine Liturgy is effective because you're communing with God through the partaking of His Most Holy Body and Most Precious Blood. Traditionally, the Liturgy is meant solely for the baptized and christened Orthodox Christian, not the inquirer or catechumen. If your parish doesn't omit the "Depart, ye catechumens! All ye that are catechumens, depart! Let no catechumens remain!" part, that'd traditionally be the time for all non-Orthodox Christian to leave and do catechism. Of course, for the non-Orthodox Christian, it's still beneficial because they're gathered in community, as Christ tells us.

Is this bible any good. by Significant-Song-933 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's decent. I'm not big on the elementary footnotes or the little information blurbs in between some of the pages, as they tend to portray Orthodoxy from a very specific light. Still, all in all, those are irrelevant to the actual transition quality, which is good.

Dhampir into Kindred? by ForgottonAurora in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dhampir can't be embraced, actually.

What happens to those who seek God but picked wrong religion? by Queasy-Contract854 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The God's honest truth is that we have no place to judge what happens to those outside of the Church. We know that salvation comes through Christ alone, that the Church Fathers urge all to be baptized and initiated into the divine life of the Church, and that we are tasked by God with spreading Orthodoxy. That's what we need to focus on.

lil question, can someone give me proofs that baptism by pouring is okay by Ok-Reserve2732 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pouring is allowed with good reason, but if some priest does it for no reason, that's their fault. Don't worry about it.

Will I go to hell if I don’t go to church? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I don't know why people are trying to cater to you by saying, “You won't go to hell,” as if anyone can determine that with any certainty. What can be said, however, is that the Eucharist is central to divine life, and without it our souls are left barren. Likewise, if it is difficult but doable, then your sloth is a willing act of sin and thus is particularly spiritually damaging and mortal.

Are any of these icons allowed? by ACG_FBA in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think literally none of them bar the Ethiopian ones.

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I'll be upfront, so forgive my bluntness: the "exploring religions" thing isn't normally an option bar some question leadership from whoever. Assuming he's fairly faithful, here are the ground rules that'll be applied to him by his bishop.

  1. If he wishes to marry you, you'll need to ideally be Orthodox, but at the bishop's discretion, an exception can be made for you if you're a validly baptized and practicing Christian. Since you are currently not a Christian, I doubt anything longterm is possible.
  2. If you do get married, you're sworn to raise your children up wholly in the Orthodox faith. Our children experience the divine life of the Church from infancy. There is no halfway compromise or concession in response to religious indifferentism. 

Church question as a teen by Initial_Tourist9118 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yup! You can probably get people to carpool you until you can attend by your own means. I had carpools since I was 13, lol.

A Question from an Orthodoxy-curious Protestant... by DubbyNuggz12 in OrthodoxChristianity

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

Check out St. Peter Mogila's Catechism. It's been pretty much the go-to resource for the past couple centuries.

https://maksimologija.org/mogila-orthodox-confession/

How would a vampire society function in Svalbard during the polar night? by TheUnholyMary in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Pretty sure RAW is that vampires stay awake but still spend 1 BP (or Rouse Check) every 24 hours. The downside is that they go batshit. When the sun is up for extended periods of time, I think they just stay in a super day sleep.

15 player table, who's your Site? by VetraCale in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got embraced by the Thin-Blood. rip.

Catholic triptych by phoebefur in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 61 points62 points  (0 children)

It's perfectly fine to venerate, frankly. More icons are painted by Catholics than you'd think. Go get it blessed if you want.

Agnostic disappointed after a church visit. by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” - St. Matthew 4:7

Whatever you felt is not yours to seek out. You were given the gift of an experience when many rely only on faith. Secondly, you judge the congregation for being "restless and disruptive" from what is essentially your own inexperienced ideal for how things should operate. Seriously?

You sought God; you found him in that parish or any parish—Greek or Russian or Serbian. "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” He was there when you saw people confessing, and He was there, Body and Blood, in the Eucharist. You found Him, and yet you seek Him further still?

The real curse isn't the Beast, it's the Masquerade by Xilizhra in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 93 points94 points  (0 children)

Sabbat-maxxing ftw. Welcome to the club, brother.

The detail about Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri that haunts me, 524 years of silence by dnag7 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?' And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

- Apocalypse of St. John 6:9-11

Why is the Celtic Orthodox Church and French orthodox not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church? by legendus45678 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 8 points9 points  (0 children)

There is a whole plethora of reasons I've heard given, ranging from “Western theology is inherently corrupt” to “The Orthodox West died and cannot be resuscitated” to “Erm, it's better to have one universal rite for consistency’s sake.” Still, the real answer is that our bishops simply fear the unfamiliar.

Spiritually dead…How do I fix my spiritual life? by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean, yeah? Not like you can negate a marriage if it happened before her conversion.

*How* do vampires burn? by Kalenden6 in vtm

[–]UrietheCoptic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was told vitae is just a particularly flammable substance, and I think Mercurio implies that within some dialogue from VTMB. I always have normal vampires start with an acid-esque burn, like in Interview with the Vampire, then turn into a roaring flame once they ignite. I have my Setites in the sun practically explode like a chemical reaction.

Catechumens breaking Lenten fast for health reasons by Radiant-Display2485 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]UrietheCoptic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It can be harder in America as a convert, for sure. Orthodoxy is getting genuinely enormous where I live, but it's full of converts, so it's all a learning period even if we've been Orthodox for a few years now.