My experience (addressed to Roman and Orthodox Catholics)

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My experience (addressed to Roman and Orthodox Catholics) Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 10:59:50 070415 No.712975

I was raised secular and only got interested in religion in my late teens. Since then I have been investigating, reading, etc. After initial assessment I was left with Abrahamic faiths, quickly dismissed Islam, then studied Judaism and found that Talmudism is not true to the source and that Karaites are in grave error, so I was left with Christianity. So from then on I was investigating the denominations, and quickly came to the conclusion that Protestantism is not valid due to their main position being self refuting - rejecting tradition but embracing one aspect of tradition as self standing (the Biblical Canon). So I was left with Roman Catholicism (at the time I thought Orthodoxy was just Catholicism from Eastern Europe). I started attending mass, questioning priests, etc, but I wasn't feeling any connection (granted, it was Novus Ordu), the mass seemed empty, the people seemed uninterested and it was hard to find the Holy Spirit whenever attending mass or speaking with priests and layman. It was discouraging me from even praying alone at home, and I couldn't convince my girlfriend either. Then I discovered that there was a small Orthodox community and chapel, so I went there and immediately I felt something different. Since then I have been going there and my home praying also improved and got regular. Now the issue here is this: I started talking with my Catholic friends about this, and the truth is they are no longer my friends. They attacked me relentlessly, dismissed my experience and basically said I was weak in my faith (whereas I feel my faith has gotten much stronger since I got involved with the Orthodox Church), the Roman priests didn't seem to care. Even though I still have doubts, as the culture is Roman Catholic and most people I know who are religious are Catholics, the Orthodox priest and laymen don't attack me in this way, they don't dismiss me just for having doubts, and always made me feel welcome. I asked God for guidance, and it seems to be pointing me more and more towards Orthodoxy, not just because of how the mass and the church experience impacts me but also because of the difference in treatment.

Is this normal? Have any of you been dismissed for your doubts? Or did I just have bad luck?

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 11:04:55 a84528 No.712976

Didn't you make a thread like this already?? Feel like I read the exact same post or something similar to it already.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 11:10:09 070415 No.712977

first time posting. only found this forum a couple of days ago from a discord server.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 12:11:57 9cbedd No.712987

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>>712976

It's probably because there's a Catholic vs Orthodox thread every day

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 12:15:36 070415 No.712988

I wasn't looking for a Cath vs. Orth thread. Just an experience of dealing with newcomers, joiners, leavers, etc.

Sorry if it's spam.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 12:36:59 b5d0c9 No.712990

We traditional Catholics tend to have knee jerk reactions sometimes in this regard.

I think the main cause is that we are very upset and unsatisfied with the current state of the Church, however we know and believe in how the Church truly was and will be again. We know this to be truth, yet we have to admit the majority of modern Catholicism is wrong and often disgusting. In us this creates sometimes denial, sometimes bitterness, sometimes anger.

We see someone like you, who is interested in Catholicism for the things we hold dear (tradition, liturgy, true spirituality, etc..), but then we see the state of the modern Church turn you to Orthodoxy we become angry. Often we project it on you for making the bad choice, but we really are mad about the state of the Church knowing many are misled by the errors of modernists.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 12:55:27 cc77c0 No.712992

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You could become Eastern Catholic/dual communion, friend. I plan on becoming an RC catechumen soon, but I'm considering becoming Melkite (which is Byzantine Catholic), either way I will always love the eastern traditions and what they have.

Beware of both these internet trad orthodox and catholics that fight relentlessly, without compassion or understanding, they have no charity and no good will for each other.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 14:18:38 fa306f No.713008

>>712975

The priest at my local (orthodox) church converted while training to be a catholic priest. He was completely ostracized for it lol, can't even go to the same cafes.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 14:52:00 3c8cb4 No.713018

>>713008

Ouch.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 15:02:24 9f29b5 No.713023

I think Orthodoxy is the truth so if that makes you compelled to begome ordodox, I wouldn't tell you not to.

However, you will most definitely encounter bullshit in Orthodoxy too. Comically liberal or conservative parishioners and clergymen who seem to care more about winning culture wars than about salvation, parishes full of hateful people who will most definitely disregard if not explicitly reject you if you're not a straight, Eastern European, cradle Orthodox, and so on.

If your "friends" act shitty with you because you decide to become Orthodox, they were probably not your "friends" to begin with, you know. Our bishops are in ecumenical dialogue specifically to avoid such things happening. Anathemas won't be lifted and heresies won't be healed if laypeople of both sides can't tolerate each other to begin with.

>>713008

Interesting. One of my 3 priests (I have 2 parishes and one has 2 priests) became Orthodox after he became a Catholic monk (I forgot what order). He is still on good terms with the Catholics he knew though.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 15:11:57 74f22b No.713025

>>713023

Tbh, most Catholics and Orthodoxs get along…here we are so extreme thanks to the anonymity of the internet.

I made friends with many Orthosand they know I’m a Cath.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 15:33:31 9f29b5 No.713031

>>713025

>Tbh, most Catholics and Orthodoxs get along…here we are so extreme thanks to the anonymity of the internet.

Not necessarily. It depends of where you are. I know for a fact that being a Catholic in some Eastern European countries and trying to get along with the Orthodox is suicide. One of the most anti-Catholic priests I've known about ("Catholics are Mary-worshippig pagans", etc) was Lebanese as well.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 15:43:22 74f22b No.713033

>>713031

I am Italian, and I’m more often closer to my Orthodox friends than most Italians. I’m sorry to hear your story, I should heave said “from my personal experience “ when posting.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 20:02:27 22fbaf No.713083

>>713033

How many Orthodox are there in Italy?

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 20:25:31 06faf7 No.713089

>>713083

If they organize themselves, they can install an Orthodox bishop in Rome – new Pope.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 21:05:53 9f29b5 No.713094

>>713089

What? This is ridiculous. There are definitely not enough Orthodox in Italy for there to be a renewed Church of Rome, it's not a matter of "organization".

It's not like there isn't already a bishop with authority over that area too.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 21:23:44 06faf7 No.713110

>>713094

>There are definitely not enough Orthodox in Italy

"Enough" is irrelevant. There are more Orthodox in Italy than in Constantinople, you know. What matters is that they become organized to require what they are entitled to have.

Christanon 10/11/18 (Thu) 21:50:54 b5d0c9 No.713122

>>713089

>>713110

Constantinople would never allow it. It would ruin 60 years of improved relations with Rome and most likely result in heavy retaliation by Catholics everywhere.

You know there is basically a silent mutual agreement not to do heavy proselytism in each other countries.

I'm also italian, most Orthodox here are under Romania, some are under Moscow. There are also a few fringe groups with their own italian "metropolite" but I'm not sure if any major patriarchate recognize them. Some converted due to marrying eastern imigrants and end up in the ethnic church of their husband/wife.