[ImmimiFruff]

Dear Father Irenaeus,

The bigger point is whether this heterodox denominations (and their ministers) inspire their disciples to love Jesus and to do God's work on earth. I have met many heterodox Christians who are very involved in good works not because of some secular, political motive but because they were inspired by their love for Jesus. If it weren't for these heterodox denominations these people, who have no access to Orthodoxy anyway, would have been spiritually apathetic.

So that goes at the heart of my argument that although far from perfect the world is better off having all these "exuberant Christians and their heterodox denominations" in the US, rather than these apathetic atheists who now form the large majority of Europe (including in Orthodox countries like Russia and Greece).

Father, I do believe that given the opportunity someone is better off being a committed Orthodox than a committed heterodox, but in reality Orthodoxy has not been able, for reasons that are beyond the scope of this discussion, to reach the daily lives of the majority of the people even in countries where it has a practical monopoly (at least that's what people respond in Gallup polls). So as the lesser of two imperfect solutions, I do believe that a believer in our Lord Jesus (even if heterodox) pleases God more than an atheist and there lies the value of heterodox denominations who bring the message of our Lord to the people