DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Study finds more U.S. Orthodox Christian converts

**amberamuletuk** · 10-27-2008, 10:22 PM

And second of all, who cares what Protestants and Catholics do? We don't care when Mormons celebrate their holidays, so why should we with other religious groups? We are Orthodox, we have our own Tradition, and there is no need to change it for the sake of other religions!

My sentiments exactly. =) But part of the reason for wanting things to co-ordinate could be the fact that most converts still have a family and friends who are protestant (or RC) and they cannot celebrate together anymore... because, we are usually in the middle of a fast, when others are busy feasting.

Was it last year? When our Pascha and their Easter, turned out to be the same? I thought I'd hate it, because I hate all the commercializing stuff that goes along with any holiday. But on Sunday, driving through town to get to church, it was such a glorious feeling to see every single store closed for Easter! I've never felt such deep peacefulness, in the whole town all at one time.

So, if PC and RC can change their dates and co-ordinate with us, the whole place, including non-Christians, will get some kind of blessing.

couldn't that be what "They also want their clergy to work with their Catholic and Protestant counterparts to coordinate a common date for Easter" means?

Not necessarily. Whenever I've encountered any kind of 'working together' for a 'common' anything, there's this underlying expectation that everyone will let go of their own strong ideas at least a little bit and accept a little bit of someone else's. And, if I, as an Orthodox, let go of any of my Traditions for the sole reason of accepting a bit of another's, I have just broken faith with my own. So, the only talk possible, would be, if PC and RC want to inform the OC that they'd like to celebrate on the same dates that we do. Not that it matters to us, because it still wouldn't make a difference to us, when they celebrate. *

Our celebrations do not happen on a particular date. We begin weeks and weeks earlier, with the fasts, and for Pascha, we begin even before the fast. And then, there's all the services, that are specific to that period of fasting, to prepare us for the feast. So, even if PC and RC set aside the same dates as ours for Easter and Christmas, we still won't be celebrating together.

I hope this isn't offensive. It is probably not politically correct to be faithful to your own Church. But this isn't a political issue.

In Christ,
Mary.

*Purely my sentiments. I'm not in charge of public relations, and for a good reason. =)

10-27-2008, 10:22 PM	#6
amberamuletuk Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 363 Senior Member	And second of all, who cares what Protestants and Catholics do? We don't care when Mormons celebrate their holidays, so why should we with other religious groups? We are Orthodox, we have our own Tradition, and there is no need to change it for the sake of other religions! My sentiments exactly. =) But part of the reason for wanting things to co-ordinate could be the fact that most converts still have a family and friends who are protestant (or RC) and they cannot celebrate together anymore... because, we are usually in the middle of a fast, when others are busy feasting. Was it last year? When our Pascha and their Easter, turned out to be the same? I thought I'd hate it, because I hate all the commercializing stuff that goes along with any holiday. But on Sunday, driving through town to get to church, it was such a glorious feeling to see every single store closed for Easter! I've never felt such deep peacefulness, in the whole town all at one time. So, if PC and RC can change their dates and co-ordinate with us, the whole place, including non-Christians, will get some kind of blessing. couldn't that be what "They also want their clergy to work with their Catholic and Protestant counterparts to coordinate a common date for Easter" means? Not necessarily. Whenever I've encountered any kind of 'working together' for a 'common' anything, there's this underlying expectation that everyone will let go of their own strong ideas at least a little bit and accept a little bit of someone else's. And, if I, as an Orthodox, let go of any of my Traditions for the sole reason of accepting a bit of another's, I have just broken faith with my own. So, the only talk possible, would be, if PC and RC want to inform the OC that they'd like to celebrate on the same dates that we do. Not that it matters to us, because it still wouldn't make a difference to us, when they celebrate. * Our celebrations do not happen on a particular date. We begin weeks and weeks earlier, with the fasts, and for Pascha, we begin even before the fast. And then, there's all the services, that are specific to that period of fasting, to prepare us for the feast. So, even if PC and RC set aside the same dates as ours for Easter and Christmas, we still won't be celebrating together. I hope this isn't offensive. It is probably not politically correct to be faithful to your own Church. But this isn't a political issue. In Christ, Mary. *Purely my sentiments. I'm not in charge of public relations, and for a good reason. =)
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