M
Maria65
Guest
I have a question I hope one of our Orthodox posters can answer.
I was having a conversation with my sister last night on the phone, and in the course of our conversation, I said something about Mount Athos. My sister jumped in with, “Oh, that’s that place where they don’t let even female animals in there. I don’t know where they get that idea. It’s not Christian. Maybe it’s something in their culture that goes way back or something, but it’s not in the Gospels. It’s just bizarro.”
I was really taken aback and my volatile Italian temper got the better of me. I told her that she had no right to criticize those holy men, and they had their reasons for what they do, which she may not understand, but it gave her no right to criticize, and I thought it extremely disrespectful to call them “bizarro.” She countered with, “Well, do YOU know why they do it?” I just got angry and told her I had had enough of this conversation and pretty much hung up on her.
It might be worth mentioning that my sister does not go to church, doesn’t really believe in God, and in fact doesn’t leave my parents’ house and has no real knowledge of the world, but somehow is an expert on everything.
I also might mention that our brother is a Benedictine monk, so you would think she might have a little more appreciation for those who live the monastic life. Well, I guess that’s what I get for thinking.
I think I may have read about the reason for the prohibition on having even female animals on Mount Athos, because I seem to remember reading that it didn’t apply to birds, because they obviously had no control over birds flying in from outside, but for the life of me, I can’t remember. I don’t care to reopen the debate with my sister, but now it’s kind of bugging me.
Lord, grant me the patience to deal with my sister!
I was having a conversation with my sister last night on the phone, and in the course of our conversation, I said something about Mount Athos. My sister jumped in with, “Oh, that’s that place where they don’t let even female animals in there. I don’t know where they get that idea. It’s not Christian. Maybe it’s something in their culture that goes way back or something, but it’s not in the Gospels. It’s just bizarro.”
I was really taken aback and my volatile Italian temper got the better of me. I told her that she had no right to criticize those holy men, and they had their reasons for what they do, which she may not understand, but it gave her no right to criticize, and I thought it extremely disrespectful to call them “bizarro.” She countered with, “Well, do YOU know why they do it?” I just got angry and told her I had had enough of this conversation and pretty much hung up on her.
It might be worth mentioning that my sister does not go to church, doesn’t really believe in God, and in fact doesn’t leave my parents’ house and has no real knowledge of the world, but somehow is an expert on everything.
I also might mention that our brother is a Benedictine monk, so you would think she might have a little more appreciation for those who live the monastic life. Well, I guess that’s what I get for thinking.I think I may have read about the reason for the prohibition on having even female animals on Mount Athos, because I seem to remember reading that it didn’t apply to birds, because they obviously had no control over birds flying in from outside, but for the life of me, I can’t remember. I don’t care to reopen the debate with my sister, but now it’s kind of bugging me.
Lord, grant me the patience to deal with my sister!
