or "Telling of the great things that the Lord has done for Us…"
The last couple of weeks have provided me with an opportunity to think again on the dangers of being controlled by the crowd, of being conformed to the spirits of our age rather than allowing our minds to be transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit. Two weeks ago in the “new” Orthodox liturgical calendar we read Luke’s version of Jesus’ encounter with the demoniac who was possessed by Legion, so called because the forces that were driving this poor man were many. The appearance of this reading in the lectionary was providential, as it reminded me of the readings offered by René Girard and adapted to a gay audience by theologian James Alison.
For several years now LGBTQ activists have annually applied for a permit for a Pride celebration in Moscow.
And each year, their request is rejected…
And each year, in an act of civil disobedience, the activists attempt to hold some sort of demonstration anyway.
What I find most disturbing about this year’s video is more of the same: Eastern Orthodox Christians who show up at the protests to participate in violence against against the activists.
From signs declaring that "Moscow is not Sodom," to cries of "Where are the militia (police)? They’ve caught a Sodomite!" to chants of "Sodom won’t pass!" it is clear that these folks are short on actual biblical knowledge, but long on zeal…
Others add rhetoric about the corruption of children and the fate of other civilizations that have already fallen as a result of allowing homosexual activity… The discourses of heterosexism are in full array. And like their Western counterparts, it’s not really about any individual argument — each of which can easily be debunked — but about the endless barrage of interchangeable charges and accusations designed to stoke fear and prevent any real dialogue with real people about their real lives… Instead, all we get is caricatures of evil.
If you watch long enough you’ll see a contingent of Orthodox Christians wearing black t-shirts with skulls that read "Orthodoxy or Death." Their spokesman claims that this is the choice before every Russian: either Orthodoxy as the way to salvation or death without it. But without his explanation, the images seem much closer to the threats leveled against non-believers for centuries as Christian "evangelism" has taken on coercive forms.
In another scene, a young Orthodox man declares that the actions against the activists are a show of mercy because life is short, but eternity in hell will be very long…
My brothers and sisters, sometimes you are your own worst enemies. If you truly want to show mercy, there must be a better way…
On April 14, 2012 I was received into the Eastern Orthodox Church through chrismation. Below is the letter that I wrote to my family to share news of this life-changing event.
The context of the letter is rather specific. My family consists of primarily Southern Baptists who have become either independent Missionary Baptists or nondenominational Charismatics. I wrote trying to build some bridges with those traditions, and as a result, left out many of the finer points of Church history and theology. But I post it here in case it’s helpful to anyone else.
In the third installment of factors leading to seminary, it seems good to talk about the denominations along the road and the gifts that each one gave me for the journey.
But as I started writing this entry, I realized it was waaaaaay too long. So I’ve divided it into two parts. The second half will come soon…
The last couple of weeks have provided me with an opportunity to think again on the dangers of being controlled by the crowd, of being conformed to the spirits of our age rather than allowing our minds to be transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit. Two weeks ago in the “new” Orthodox liturgical calendar we read Luke’s version of Jesus’ encounter with the demoniac who was possessed by Legion, so called because the forces that were driving this poor man were many. The appearance of this reading in the lectionary was providential, as it reminded me of the readings offered by René Girard and adapted to a gay audience by theologian James Alison.
