Well, I know as a Catholic on these forums from day 1 that quite often a ‘question’ will come up and my spidey-sense will start tingling. . .or I will be just so TIRED of seeing the ‘same old’ questions that I have already answered 10,000 times. . .or I’ll have just come off a thread where the ‘venom level’ is horrific and I’ll be feeling more than usually ‘sensitive’. . .
I’ll see a post, and while I won’t be rude or nasty, I may be a little more ‘terse’ or verging on brusque than I would have at another time. . . and, of course, if as the thread goes on I get more ‘insight’ into the poster(s) I can become more ‘specific’ and usually in doing that alone the ‘terseness’ disappears. Conversely, if as the thread goes on it becomes obvious through insight that the thread was started for less than straightforward reasons, I’ll either leave or continue with ‘terse’ (yet not rude) remarks since going into ‘detail’ would not ‘change’ the tenor and might in fact make things worse.
Now having seen how incredibly patient Isa is on other threads. . .I really don’t see his remarks as being any more ‘rude’ than some of my posts (or others-- and I hasten to add I personally don’t think them rude AT ALL or I wouldn’t have made them!! I;m just using the word ‘rude’ because that is how somebody apepars to have perceived certain remarks, that is all) which reiterate a Catholic position (see my sig below) may have appeared to somebody who ‘questions’ that position. . .over and over and over, naming no names of course (nobody on here yet, anyway.
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Sometimes, the answer just 'is what it is."
It wasn’t Isa who said the ‘approval’ either-and even that remark I don’t find rude per se–I think (knowing again the person who made it to be a very patient ‘veteran’ of these forums). I’ve seen–and made–similar remarks myself. As a Catholic, I am not looking for Protestant approval, for example. That’s just the way it is.
I mean, think of how this would be, if it were us asked by Protestants if we think THEIR sacraments are valid. We would have to say no. (Even to the Lutherans and Episcopalians–most of whom would welcome us to THEIR sacraments, for example).
And it might look harsh. . .but it is true.
I think Isa is wisely trying to be as plain as he can without ‘putting us down’.
And while we Catholics and Orthodox do remain ‘saveable’ in each others’ eyes (and very much closer in most doctrinal issues than Catholics/Protestants and Orthodox/ Protestants), the split has been twice as long as the Protestant split, and thus the wounds, while longer ‘healing’, run deeper. We will (I firmly believe) be reunited first in the ‘reuniting’ that will most definitely occur, either in this world or the one to come–and that will be a great joy–but it won’t happen overnight. The mere fact that Isa will come onto a forum like this and speak, kindly but candidly, of his beliefs --and that we, for the most part, will do likewise. . .and (for the most part) without shouting matches of “You left us!” “Did not!” “Did too!” but a recognition of error on both parts and a growing conviction that there must be unity, with great prayer as to how to help bring this about–is a great good. . .and I hope as Catholics that we do our best to keep this conviction for unity growing by our firm commitment to it and our deep, abiding charity to our dear brothers and sisters in Christ --first, our Orthodox brethren and then of course our Protestant brethren and all humanity who (whether they know it or not) belong to Christ and whose salvation we seek in His name.
