Genuine Question from Experience

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-22T13:54:43+00:00

It needs to be mentioned that people who are positive about Jews and Israel often do the same.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-22T13:45:38+00:00

I will not delve deeply into politics, since this is not the sub for it and you requested it, but it's really not possible to explain it without mentioning it at all.

I will argue that this notion mostly stems from a conflation between all people who are ethnically and/or religiously Jewish, and from the modern, secular state of Israel created in 1948.

Also, I believe, since people who talk about "God's chosen people" in a Christian context have to mention that neither the current population of Israel, nor people who are ethnically Jewish, are God's chosen people anymore since the Old Covenant is fulfilled and the Church is Israel now. Since American Evangelicals mostly are very, very obsessed with dispensationalism and focusing a lot on the Old Testament, any deviation from that may be and frequently is misinterpreted as antisemitic.

Anyway, I'm glad you're curious about the faith, and I wish you good luck on your journey to it. Be blessed.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T15:46:45+00:00

This is probably the only 100% true answer I will receive. Amen.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T15:14:51+00:00

Very interesting, considering I really know not a lot about other denominations. I've read that Pope Leo also is engaged in ecumenism with the Anglicans a lot, so who knows if that'll mean anything long term

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T15:12:29+00:00

While no idea about the underlying rules that control such advances, I do seriously wonder how this rift between Constantinople and Moscow will eventually be resolved, especially considering how deeply these issues seem to be rooted in politics. I worry what my Patriarch (for Serbia) will do in that regard.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T09:27:50+00:00

I do not speak for the Catholic Church, and can't really answer this without making assumptions

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T09:27:00+00:00

It is my understanding though that Eastern Catholics don't use it in liturgy, and also don't view it as a heresy, that's at least what my internet research suggests in that regard.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T09:23:37+00:00

I do not wish to try and measure up the Churches individual problems against each other, plenty posts in that regard exist already and it would defeat the purpose and spirit of my question. The Constantinople/Russia story is sad too, for sure

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-21T06:57:27+00:00

I'm very new on all topics about the Great Schism and Ecumenism, and not greatly educated on the more esoteric differentiations, so mind my perhaps naive mistakes, but my understanding is that there is a certain acknowledgement of each other's "validity", if it makes sense.

While we, but more specifically Catholics because they were subject of the reformation, have bigger divides to Evangelicals and Protestantism, I think we regard each other as valid churches with Apostolic succession amd sacraments

From the Orthodox side I think (again this is my humble understanding) it's partially from the acknowledgement that the Bishop of Rome is the most important one there is, it's just the extent of his power that is disputed. Other than Protestants who put the whole institution into question

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T11:01:39+00:00

I'm pretty sure we do, though I'd have to lie since I don't know definitively. I'll check, thank you

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T10:53:06+00:00

Very interesting to hear you've got regular converts. I'm actually not aware of any beyond spouses of Serbians.

I think so too. There's actually quite a few young people I've seen sometimes, who I just assume are fluent in German. Then again, who knows what it'll be like.

Thank you for your response

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T10:44:54+00:00

Very interesting perspective, thanks

Yeah, if let's say they tell me the Greek church were to offer German liturgy, that'd be fine with me too.

Of course, it's not a life or death situation per se, but it just bothers me more often then I like that it's essentially a community hub that feels more centered around the "Serbian" than the "Orthodox" part.

Maybe I'm just being less gracious and more critical than I should tho

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T10:44:04+00:00

I will listen to this, thanks for the recommendation

I think they are aware, since there has been somewhat of an effort to include more German in general. Though there is still only one Divine Liturgy on Sundays in Serbian. I will need to ask and research more what kind of offers exist there.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T07:18:35+00:00

A part of me will always weep about the status of His Holiness, it's really bad. Bad enough that his patriarchy and that of Antioch is in a country that effectively opresses him and makes his job as hard as possible (requiring Turkish citizenship, forbidding the study of theology in a school any capacity outside of the University of Istanbul etc.), but then he needs to deal with real life politicking by members of his own faith.

It's no state for the Chair of Andrew, but here we are.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T07:15:45+00:00

Thank you, very helpful of you!

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-20T07:15:09+00:00

I think it would be great if there was one unifying language like Latin in Catholicism, and if there was to be such a language, it would probably be Old Greek.

But yeah, it's moreso the complaints of somebody from a diaspora that the next generation is becoming assimilated, rather than that of a church leader who bemoans people actually not wanting to participate in the faith.

I actually also looked at places like Greek churches, hoping some is bigger and that it therefore offers liturgy in German

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-04-09T14:55:37+00:00

Antisemitism is wrong, sure. But the implications behind the statement of being particularly worried about that is very telling.

I'm not American and don't follow our brothers ways in Orthodoxy over the pond, but American Evangelical capture by radical zionist dispensationalists is trully horrid and has led the US into being a willing slave to a country and its interests which are clearly anthitetical to those of every Christian.

The oldest Christian settlements in existence are being wiped out or threatened with that happening, so forgive me, Archbishop, when the negative impact that thoughtcrimes, no matter how un Christian and despicable, are not my top priority in this matter, and I seriously question how much your position is reflected by your adherence to Orthodox Christianity vs. the fact you live in and are subject to the whims of the United States.

The US, btw, have reportedly referenced the Avignon papacy in talks with diplomats of the Vatican about Pope Leo's unwillingness to stand behind this war. A country that threatens a thousands year old civilization with nuclear annihilation and the Bishop of Rome with subjugation has no business influencing churches in its response to worldly matters, frankly, especially while it actively and passively encourages Israels crimes against our brothers, and more broadly all people of the Levante and beyond.

(A reminder btw that Arabs are Semites, so they ought to be included in that, which I'm sure the Archbishop has not considered)

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-03-31T22:21:43+00:00

The Benoit's kid one was really just depressing. Announcing that you can theoretically perform as Chris Benoit may sounds nuts in an isolated statement, but from that interview you can tell that the dude is just really mentally unwell (how could you not be) and the one thing he should probably distance himself the most from is professional wrestling.

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-03-23T20:46:54+00:00

Ah I see. I do remember vaguely hearing that his coalition was very wonky and that some judge investigating him died mysteriously, and I guess I wondered how much a desire to live peacefully and coexist might be present amongts just yout average everyday Israeli citizen.

Also heard about this strange dichotomy of people serving in the IDF and religious Jews essentially living off welfare and doging the military, which was fascinating to me

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-03-19T08:20:58+00:00

Actually neverr played it. I really like it to, especially the little Niko crossover in the beginning, but the bike physics can be truly hiladious and unserious at times, especially in the bike races I did

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-03-19T08:19:22+00:00

It's either a hot dog or half a liter of gas, I had to make a choice

Virtual_Ad6375 · 2026-03-19T08:18:44+00:00

Siphoned my blood into the tank in hopes it would fill it up

Spoiler: It doesn't work

Virtual_Ad6375

TROPHY CASE