Orthodox have it better... (I think)

[Hesychios]

First I just have to accept Branch Theory.

I don’t accept the branch theory myself. I don’t think you should either

 

[Freshman88]

031064, depending on where you are in Ontario I know of two places which may pleasently suprise you. They are both Ukrainian Catholic, being Orthodox in communion with Rome.

First off the top of my list is St. Cyril and Methodius’ Greek Catholic Church in St. Catharine’s, the liturgy and the church is so amazing, that I experienced my reversion here. It’s easily accessible too, being right off the QEW. If you ever see a 6’7 lug with a 4’10 babushka, that would be me and my Baba
http://members.becon.org/~choly/pano.jpg
members.becon.org/~choly/index.html

There is also St. Elias Ukrainain Catholic Church in Brampton, which is of the wooden architecture common to Southern Poland and Western Ukraine.

http://www.saintelias.com/foto/big/eliakk_willow.jpg
saintelias.com/ca/index.php
If I didn’t know better, i’d say I was looking at scene from the “old country.”

Otherwise if you want to taste a bit of heaven within the Latin rite, I’d suggest the FSSP in Ottawa or St. Cathrines, or the Oratorians in Toronto. They may not have the best Churches, but their liturgy is truly heaven on Earth - and that’s saying something given my 20 years of experience with the Church in Ontario, which isn’t exactly a bastion of liturgical beauty or orthodoxy.

 

[Volodymyr]

DISTINCTIVE ICELAND CHURCH

the very distinctive and triangular church which some admire is a Luteran church in Iceland of fairl architectural renown:
Hallgrimskirkaja Church Reykjavik Iceland
Hallgrimskirkaja Church Reykjavik Iceland
http://www.fotosearch.com/comp/six/SIX119/hallgrimskirkaja-church-reykjavik_~011ar1.jpg

 

[Peter_J]

I don’t accept the branch theory myself. I don’t think you should either

Yes, I know.

Technically I should have said “First I just have to either accept Branch Theory or decide that it’s the Eastern Orthodox Church rather than the Roman Catholic Church which is the one true church.”

 

[Peter_J]

There’s a short Time article called Ugly Churches.

That’s from 1925, btw.

 

[KingAlfred]

"I look at the EO and think to myself “nicer vestments, way nicer churches, the priests ALWAYS were their clerical garb (unlike ours who wear ‘street clothes’), nicer music, nicer symbolism, more ‘heavenly’ liturgy etc.”

You sound as though you’re very aesthetically oriented, and ritualistic. I’m the opposite. I see the essence of our faith in how we live, interact with others, particularly in what we do for others.

 

[1234]

I would greatly appreciate if someone could post some pictures of places with comparable beauty in Latin catholocism- I just can;t find them. how did the Orthodox manage to get all the best sites, etc? It boggles my mind- even the lowest of there holy places are beautiful.

I drove by a catholic church the other day and honestly I predicted it was catholic but prayed to God that it wasn’t. It looked like this: http://strattonhouse.com/images/catholic_church_new_lg.jpg

we are not glorifying God in a material sense as well as a spiritual sense- to me this is important. Can anyone provide a picture of an EO Church this ugly- I doubt it (almost all of there Churches are testaments to the glory of God).

I think that it’s a very nice church. simple. A LOT CHEAPER TO BUILD.

De gustibus, kiddo. You’re the Latin scholar.

 

[1234]

Interesting, but doesn’t appeal to me all that much because I’m not a big fan of organ music.

I think that it’s hideous.

It’s grandiose and monolithic. it looks like a missile or an erect phallus.

sorry.

 

[1234]

Why doesn’t the Original Poster join an eastern rite church?

Get the ritual and beauty and stay affiliated.

 

[wynd]

Why doesn’t the Original Poster join an eastern rite church?

Get the ritual and beauty and stay affiliated.

There’s a little more to it than that.

 

[031064]

I hope joining an EC church is my last resort. I’m really familiar with Latin Catholocism.

 

[Dauphin]

The Eastern Orthodox will be damned. So no, they don’t have it better.

 

[Peter_J]

The Eastern Orthodox will be damned. So no, they don’t have it better.

You’re are a Jesuit by any chance?

“No, and I don’t think we should even try. To hell with Moscow.”

• Fr. Robert Taft (responding to the question “So the Catholic church is never going to persuade the Orthodox to accept the [UGCC] patriarchate?”)

 

[Dauphin]

You’re are a Jesuit by any chance?

“No, and I don’t think we should even try. To hell with Moscow.”

• Fr. Robert Taft (responding to the question “So the Catholic church is never going to persuade the Orthodox to accept the [UGCC] patriarchate?”)

Believe it or not, I have a special esteem for the Russian Orthodox. If it wouldn’t damn my soul to hell, I’d go off and join them immediately.

They’re so incredibly obstinate and certain in their faith. They’re much more Catholic than the vast majority of Catholics.

They won’t pray with heretics, they won’t vie for counterfeit unity, and they won’t falsify the gospel with modernist nonsense.

I admire them deeply.

 

[Nicholas82]

The Eastern Orthodox will be damned. So no, they don’t have it better.

You come off as(to me, anyway) the most obnoxious, self-righteous poster I have ever read. You are a bull in a china shop, possibly two bulls even. You do little but put people off with your lack of tact and I think you get off on that. You’re lucky you’re 20 years old and have a possible excuse. Is that blunt enough? I don’t say that to be mean, but I would hope someone would let me know if I was doing more harm than good to my position because of my attitude.

 

[Dauphin]

You come off as(to me, anyway) the most obnoxious, self-righteous poster I have ever read. You are a bull in a china shop, possibly two bulls even. You do little but put people off with your lack of tact and I think you get off on that. You’re lucky you’re 20 years old and have a possible excuse. Is that blunt enough? I don’t say that to be mean, but I would hope someone would let me know if I was doing more harm than good to my position because of my attitude.

I’m not self-righteous; I’m church-righteous. Like it or not, I’m just telling you the doctrine of the Church.

Think of me as making up for all those wishy-washy modernists who like to sweet-talk you Orthodox. Don’t tell me you guys are flattered by it?

 

[Nicholas82]

I’m not self-righteous; I’m church-righteous. Like it or not, I’m just telling you the doctrine of the Church.

Think of me as making up for all those wishy-washy modernists who like to sweet-talk you Orthodox. Don’t tell me you guys are
flattered by it?

Yea, Church-righteous, that’s cute. I respect your conviction, I decry your lack of tact and readiness to damn entire groups. You seemingly never miss an opportunity to call someone a heretic or condemn something or other. Yea, you’re a heretic too as far as I’m concerned, now that accomplished a lot, didn’t it. The majority of your Church’s hierarchy fit your definition of ‘modernist’, including the Pope for their supposed sweet-talking of us Orthodox. You are 20 years old though and all grown-up, of course you know it all! Spend more time praying and less time showing-off and condemning.

 

[Dauphin]

I respect your conviction, I decry your lack of tact and readiness to damn entire groups. You seemingly never iss an opportunity to call someone a heretic or condemn something or other. Yea, you’re a heretic too as far as I’m concerned, now that accomplished a lot, didn’t it. The majority of your Church’s hierarchy fit your definition of ‘modernist’, including the Pope for their supposed sweet-talking of us Orthodox. You are 20 years old though and all grown-up, of course you know it all! Spend more time praying and less time showing-off and condemning.

My tact is usually better - see my posts on the Traditional Catholicism Forum. I’ve decided to try this new approach - especially with the Orthdox - because I’m tired of hearing such vague, diplomatic nonsense from so many Catholics.

The reason that I call you a bunch of bloody schismatics and heretics is because most Catholics don’t actually believe that you are. Modern men think that doctrine doesn’t matter - let’s just all get together and be friends and stop calling eachother names. It’s irritating.

 

[belgianwaffles9]

The reason that I call you a bunch of bloody schismatics and heretics is because most Catholics don’t actually believe that you are. Modern men think that doctrine doesn’t matter - let’s just all get together and be friends and stop calling eachother names. It’s irritating.

The Orthodox are without a doubt quilty of the sin of Schism. There is some debate as to how heretical they are. I think, on an individual level, there is not so much heterodoxy among the Orthodox.

And your eagerness to damn each and every Orthodox christian belies, i think, a lack of understanding of Church teaching regarding salvation.

 

[josephdaniel29]

You sound as though you’re very aesthetically oriented, and ritualistic. I’m the opposite. I see the essence of our faith in how we live, interact with others, particularly in what we do for others.

Why do they have to be opposed? That’s the problem with Western Christianity, you put up a false distinction between the spiritual and the physical. I think you tend to downplay the true significance of the Incarnation, Resurrection and Ascension. Now not only man but all of creation can once again be what it was created to be, vehicles for communion with God. We are to bless our first fruits and offer them in thanksgiving (eucharistos) back to God. All of creation was given to us for communion with God, to offer back anything less than the best we have, including in our temples, is an affront to God and diminishes from our communion with Him.

Yours in Christ
Joe