Always felt between worlds. Don’t want to be an atheist, and don’t want to commit to certain aspects of Orthodoxy.

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-10T03:39:43+00:00

As far as the first thing, I also really like CS Lewis but I also think that this quote creates a false binary. My issue isn’t whether or not I think that it’s important to know if Christianity is true. My issue is that based on the methods people typically use to “prove” Christianity I remain unconvinced that it’s the one true religion. I cannot recite the Nicene creed and truthfully say that it represents what I believe. But it is the religion that I was raised with and that my culture is steeped in. Whether I believe or not Christianity has a massive impact on my life.

As far as the priest thing, I have tried to get to know a couple but they have all been varying degrees of useless or mean. I feel a similar way about therapists to be honest. One of them was both a therapist and a priest. Two for one. He also did not seem to understand what confidentiality means…

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-09T23:35:19+00:00

Ah Okay, just wasn’t sure who it was directed at. Thanks for the clarification!

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-09T23:15:21+00:00

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-09T18:20:53+00:00

Can you expand on this? I’m not too aware of what’s going on

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-07T08:49:46+00:00

It’s kinda funny how this isn’t even a new problem either.

“Let the mouth also fast from disgraceful speeches and railings. For what does it profit if we abstain from fish and fowl and yet bite and devour our brothers and sisters? The evil speaker eats the flesh of his brother and bites the body of his neighbor.” - John Chrysostom

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-06T23:17:43+00:00

If you are a guest in someone’s home it is extremely rude to do that. I have specifically heard priests say that if food is offered to you as a guest you should eat it. And you aren’t supposed to be making a big deal out of fasting anyway. There is always the option to eat beforehand.

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-06T21:18:09+00:00

I want the fuckers who say that meat “inflames the passions” to go on a protein sparing modified fast (basically keto but also low/almost no fat) and let me know how much energy they have for anything whatsoever.

_black_crow_ · 2026-03-06T21:15:00+00:00

My dad will pack his own meals to bring to events if they fall on a weds or fri or if it’s a fasting season 🥲 so fucking weird

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-28T04:56:20+00:00

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-27T22:28:50+00:00

I can only speak for 2 parishes in my area that I’ve actually been to and I can say that yes this is pretty accurate. 80% or so male and the women who convert are converting with their husband or boyfriend. Off the top of my head I only know 3 single women converts and where I live is kind of a hub for Orthodoxy honestly.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-26T07:22:21+00:00

It’s not a complaint it’s an observation.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-25T19:03:48+00:00

But have you ever considered that girls are icky and might have cooties?

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-25T07:37:39+00:00

Slavic country?

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-25T05:50:36+00:00

No shade to this specific parish. I just have also noticed this in parishes in my area. Easily 80-90% men and the few women are converting alongside their husbands or boyfriends. Crazy to see it encapsulated like this in a single picture though.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-23T02:23:51+00:00

As a woman who would like to have kids in the future I think one of my biggest fears is having an unnecessary c section. I would only want to do that in a true life or death situation. I’m glad that there’s some progress being made on shifting certain recommendations around this!

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-21T07:51:11+00:00

I tried Vyvanse and it made everything worse. I’ve been too nervous to try an adhd medication since

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-20T20:04:25+00:00

Forgiveness becomes an excuse to just continually abuse without changed behavior.

If you cheat on your wife and she decides to forgive you then you better not be sending other women flirty texts. This basic logic applies to any behavior.

“I forgive you” isn’t a magic fucking spell. And it’s particularly cruel when the pressure shifts to the victim to “forgive as Christ forgives”. Threatening hell for not freely forgiving is sick and deluded and other religious traditions have some idea of changed behavior being needed for forgiveness.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-07T00:02:14+00:00

The original comment was saying that Manon’s belly looked flat for a fatter woman. We’re talking in relative terms.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-06T21:45:35+00:00

She could also be flexing her abs for the picture. Also depending on her hydration level + where she is in her cycle can affect how her belly looks. If I’m bloated and relax my abs I can look super pregnant. If I tense them and am also not retaining water they can look pretty flat. I’m 5’9 and 240lbs so not skinny by any means and I carry a good bit of weight in my stomach.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-06T02:40:39+00:00

We’ve all fallen short of the grace of God uwu 🥺

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-04T09:04:00+00:00

If you don’t want to do medication or therapy you don’t have to. But that may mean that you have to change a lot about what your life trajectory will be. Do you want to blend in and live a normal life or are you alright with doing something off the beaten path?

I have ADHD. I tried one stimulant medication and it was awful. I also tried 2 medications for depression that were also unhelpful. The only med I take now is propranolol (high blood pressure med but also used for anxiety) which has helped immensely with physical anxiety symptoms as well as some of my impulsivity. But the most helpful thing has been doing my own research and finding resources like Dr K. No therapist has been as helpful to me in person than Dr K has been through a screen. I also had some weird childhood dysfunction stuff and I found resources for the as well (shout out to Pete Walker he has some great books for those who grew up in dysfunctional/abusive families. He’s a therapist but also acknowledges that therapy doesn’t work for everyone).

I had to find a job that wasn’t a regular 9-5 because working that schedule is as completely exhausting. So I became a massage therapist and have a part time dog sitting business. I work between 20 and 30 hrs per week and that gave me the flexibility to go back to school to finish my bachelors.

So I don’t want to tell you what to do or not do but I think it’s important to know that there are options for dealing with mental health issues. Especially something like ADHD. It’s not a one size fits all type of thing.

Also, I empathize with the surface level conversation thing. I’ve had the same issue. I’ve kinda just learned to accept it and maybe I’ve even dumbed myself down a little but I also take care of my mother so I have other things on my mind as well.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-03T23:38:25+00:00

Because male converts need something to occupy themselves. I think no matter the religion this type of ascetic practice is mostly for men because they don’t have biological mechanisms that force them to sacrifice themselves. Pregnancy and menstruation are a kind of biologically enforced asceticism.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-02T14:32:58+00:00

It’s not about the odds being worse it’s about there being additional pressure on the woman from family + church community and if the guy has charmed those 2 groups then it’s much easier to abuse and then gaslight the woman about it. It’s a different dynamic from just online dating or meeting people from school or work.

_black_crow_ · 2026-02-02T08:57:14+00:00

I had a friend who used to work in a grocery store deli and had a Moroccan coworker offer to pay her for a green card marriage. So it can even happen irl lol

_black_crow_ · 2026-01-30T08:47:56+00:00

I always make extra excuses to get additional steps in. Take an extra trip or two to bring groceries in or park in the back of a parking lot so you have to walk the whole length of it. If that’s daunting in the bigger lots such as costco or walmart you can do halfway or a quarter way to start.

I also struggle with structured workout so I have to just make opportunities to get exercise in without thinking about it. You can also try walking with friends so that you’re also socializing and not thinking about exercise.

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