Maybe you hate God?
Most protestants rest assured (blessed even) that they are saved. And it's easy to be saved, really, you simply fill out the right form and then you get a permit. Yes, I know I am simplifying things here, but there is no doubt that when it comes to salvation for the Protestants you are either in or out and its easy to know which you are.
But maybe you really hate God, you just don't realize it. Sure Sure you sing the songs and get all teary eyed, and you feed the homeless, do a little witnessing, etc etc...but maybe you really hate God.
Stop and consider: have you got any sercrets? Are there any dark desires in your heart that you'd prefer others didn't know about? Do you have some secret sins that you feel bad about, but have never really made any progress to overcome? Maybe you even kind of like them and haven given up fighting them? Anything in particular in your life that you'd just DIE to see published in a newspaper? Any pride in there that is leading you to dishonesty - perhaps even to yourself?
The Scripture tells us that in the end, the "books" will be opened. Some of the fathers of the Chruch have said that what this means is that your heart will be opened and the darkness therein will be exposed to the absolute light and truth of God. In my experience, dealing with the truth about yourself is THE hardest thing we must do in life and I suspect most of us fail at dealing with it. How many of you know someone who was/is living in complete denial about themselves...don't think about this for too long...get bcak to your own heart: any denial in there? We humans are experts at denial, to the point that we lie to ourselves and we can actually reach the point of forgetting the truth and believing the lies, which is an astonishing thing if you really think about it.
But, when you stand before absolute truth and light, we cannot hide behind our self-deceit anymore. The lies vanish away "like wax before the fire", and we are left utterly naked in every sense. Pride, I think, is what will primarily be our downfall in this context. Pride that will lead us to be embarrassed at our nakedness...we may run to try and escape the light...to hide ourselves...anything to escape the truth. You may be holier than me (or perhaps more deceived - were that possible), but I am somewhat alarmed about this.
I say, that those who are suffering in hell, are suffering in being scourged by love.... It is totally false to think that the sinners in hell are deprived of God's love. Love is a child of the knowledge of truth, and is unquestionably given commonly to all. But love's power acts in two ways: it torments sinners, while at the same time it delights those who have lived in accord with it(Homily 84 of Saint Isaac the Syrian)
The medicine of confession is likely one of the greatest "tools" given to us by the Church to prepare us for God's love. Many of you, like myself, were terrified of confession...sometimes I still am...but you can see how neccesary it is. Like stretching exercises, we prepare our hearts to be seen and examined and healed. Plus, trained in the wisdom of the Church, we look to our father-confessors to help guide us away from self-deceit. And not only our father-confessors, but the whole Church as well - those of today and yesterday all work together to bring us healing.
The Way then, is the way by which we learn to love God. And what this also means, I think, is that we learn how to accept and experience God's unwavering and eternal love. To do this, we must experience an ontological change ourselves.
In the future life the Christian is not examined if he has renounced the whole world for Christ's love, or if he has distributed his riches to the poor or if he fasted or kept vigil or prayed, or if he wept and lamented for his sins, or if he has done any other good in this life, but he is examined attentively if he has any similitude with Christ, as a son does with his father.
Saint Symeon the New Theologian
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Comments
If you read this post as being predominantly critical as opposed to predominantly positive by presently the Orthodox view in contrast to the most common protestant view - as you may know I live in a soceity dominated by a protestant understanding of Christianity - then you have read the post wrong.
I challenge you to show that I have spent MOST of my time criticizing Protestantism...and you may not use the posts on Spencer's book since I was asked to do that by Spencer and theooze.com
And last but not least...how about this: it would be truly wonderful to have people own their comments that are mostly cricitizing a blog's author.
sf
Actually, never having been a protestant, the only way I am going to hear about protestantism is via the criticism of converts.
-Rick
sf
In our modern time most people claim to be Buddhists if they want to pretend to be religious without having the burden of doing anything. As you know I did actually study with a Zen Master of a famous lineage and came to the conclusion that the brutal training did not result in anything that I respected. Those who became Zen Masters didn't seem to me any different than guys who had successful business careers. The only difference was the guys with business careers did not pretend that they had any important knowledge.
Ironically, I have now made my original request come true!
-Rick
:)
Which means I'm just as much a jerk I suppose.
Anyway, I stand by the notion that one of the best ways to understand any concept is to compare and contrast with concepts more familiar to yourself.
Of course, I'll try not to be snotty about it...well....I'll try.
*HUGS JAMES THE CRITICAL*