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**Seiblybiozy** · 01-06-2008, 02:01 AM

Andreas, in my opinion, the church should be separate from the state. I hope I'm not offending anyone here. And priests should definitely not be public servants as they are here in Greece, with a monthly salary from the government. This, to my mind, is not religious freedom because people who are neither christian nor orthodox also pay the taxes which are used for the priests' salaries.

Effie

I may not be remembering this correctly, but the Byzantine double headed Eagle which is in the middle of our church floor does represent the perfect union of church and state at least as it was early on. I think this is also the case in the Russian state when the Tszars were still with us. The church did not run the state nor the state run the church. They worked in perfect harmony with each other.

Personally, the way it should be. Being American I was taught how a dictatorship under a Tsar was a terrible thing for the country and people. It was not until I became Orthodox that I understood the true symbiosis of the two.

Frs. David & Raphael please correct my understanding.

Paul

01-06-2008, 02:01 AM	#36
Seiblybiozy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 587 Senior Member	Andreas, in my opinion, the church should be separate from the state. I hope I'm not offending anyone here. And priests should definitely not be public servants as they are here in Greece, with a monthly salary from the government. This, to my mind, is not religious freedom because people who are neither christian nor orthodox also pay the taxes which are used for the priests' salaries. Effie I may not be remembering this correctly, but the Byzantine double headed Eagle which is in the middle of our church floor does represent the perfect union of church and state at least as it was early on. I think this is also the case in the Russian state when the Tszars were still with us. The church did not run the state nor the state run the church. They worked in perfect harmony with each other. Personally, the way it should be. Being American I was taught how a dictatorship under a Tsar was a terrible thing for the country and people. It was not until I became Orthodox that I understood the true symbiosis of the two. Frs. David & Raphael please correct my understanding. Paul
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