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**texbrease** · 10-18-2007, 04:48 PM

I was not referring to the political situation in the area, I was saying that Muslims have destroyed churches and monasteries in the Kosovo area.

What is the point of targeting Orthodox buildings? Isn't it religious?

Effie

Dear Effie,
I may not have been clear. I felt that the Albanians who desecrate churches in Greece would be better defined as delinquents than Muslims, in the same way that those Orthodox Christians involved in the massacre at Srebrenica would be better defined as war criminals.
If a group of Muslims has proposed better relations with Cristians, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. They were brought up in an environment where the Christian message was taboo. However, God will not be blind when a Muslim gives alms, forgives his neighbour or loves his enemy, just as He won't be if one of us does the opposite.
Patriarch Pavel of Serbia was asked in an interview if he had had problems living with other religious communities in Bosnia or Kossovo. He replied with words to the effect that religion is what you are on the outside, not what you really are inside, and the that the only certain thing is that a man's existence is not cancelled at the moment of death.
If I am not deeply mistaken, we Orthodox pray for the salvation of all of humanity - so Fr. Mathew of Vatopaidi on Mt. Athos told me. I try to use my faith to be a slightly less awful sinner than I would otherwise be, and on occasional moments to bathe in a spiritual bath of bliss, which I take to be an answer to sincere implorations to Theotikos to make me feel better. And to live in as much harmony with other human beings as I am able to.
I am unable and unwilling to shake off the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect I was brought up with before becoming Orthodox, and as Patriarch Pavel seems to say, I try to think of people as people, not as Orthodox or Muslim or RC, or whatever.

Effie, where do you live in Greece? I love Thessaloniki so much, I'm seriously thinking of leaving Italy and moving there!

Love,

Simon

10-18-2007, 04:48 PM	#19
texbrease Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 465 Senior Member	I was not referring to the political situation in the area, I was saying that Muslims have destroyed churches and monasteries in the Kosovo area. What is the point of targeting Orthodox buildings? Isn't it religious? Effie Dear Effie, I may not have been clear. I felt that the Albanians who desecrate churches in Greece would be better defined as delinquents than Muslims, in the same way that those Orthodox Christians involved in the massacre at Srebrenica would be better defined as war criminals. If a group of Muslims has proposed better relations with Cristians, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. They were brought up in an environment where the Christian message was taboo. However, God will not be blind when a Muslim gives alms, forgives his neighbour or loves his enemy, just as He won't be if one of us does the opposite. Patriarch Pavel of Serbia was asked in an interview if he had had problems living with other religious communities in Bosnia or Kossovo. He replied with words to the effect that religion is what you are on the outside, not what you really are inside, and the that the only certain thing is that a man's existence is not cancelled at the moment of death. If I am not deeply mistaken, we Orthodox pray for the salvation of all of humanity - so Fr. Mathew of Vatopaidi on Mt. Athos told me. I try to use my faith to be a slightly less awful sinner than I would otherwise be, and on occasional moments to bathe in a spiritual bath of bliss, which I take to be an answer to sincere implorations to Theotikos to make me feel better. And to live in as much harmony with other human beings as I am able to. I am unable and unwilling to shake off the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect I was brought up with before becoming Orthodox, and as Patriarch Pavel seems to say, I try to think of people as people, not as Orthodox or Muslim or RC, or whatever. Effie, where do you live in Greece? I love Thessaloniki so much, I'm seriously thinking of leaving Italy and moving there! Love, Simon
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