ORTHODOX DIVINE LITURGY: A BORING CEREMONY?!

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

«And (Jesus) spoke to them for many things in parables. He was saying to them, “Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who is looking for good pearls. And when, find a precious pearl, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it”»  Matthew 13: 3.45 - 46.

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uch a pearl, like that described by the Lord in the parable above, we have in our hands the Orthodox Christians, which unfortunately we do not appreciate duly. And it is none other than the Divine Liturgy, because the Orthodox Church is eminently worshipful Church. Doctrine and Worship keep pace...

My impressions on the annual international convention of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Alexia Krinitis

The annual international convention of Jehovah's Witnesses took place in Athens on 27-29 June, atthe Olympic Stadium (a.k.a OAKA). If you live in Athens or if you visited the “famed city” the weekprior to the convention, probably you noticed groups of Jehovah's Witnesses, from different nations and countries,  wearing their badges and walking around Athens. Also, you might noticed anincreased activity in the field service. Within 5 days, I received three times the invitation to their international convention!...

MORALS - CUSTOMS AND WORSHIP OF ANCIENT PEOPLES AND RELIGIONS

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

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esus Christ can was born as a man from a virgin daughter, our Panagia, but was not the same as in Christianity. Christianity was not born from parthenogenesis, but it came into a world that was full of different religions and religious beliefs. So, that from those beliefs do not was devaluing the structure and his doctrine, Christianity incorporated it, giving to them a new content and color. But, what it was considered as impermissible and sinful, either tried to it change it, either to remove it completely...

EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FOR THE PENTECOSTALS (in questions and answers)

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

Rollup of Pentecostals; Many of them have fall into trance state and “they are speaking in tongues”

Question; What are the Pentecostals, why they are called so and what is their teaching?

Answer; The Pentecostals is heresy of Christianity. It is not a single group, but is fragmented in various groups - they say churches - and under various names such as “Church of God of Pentecost”, “Apostolic Church of Pentecost”, “Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost”, “Church of Prophecy” etc. It is also important to emphasize that many of these groups allow their members to be also members of the Orthodox Church and for this reason also some Orthodox believers fall victims. These groups also are called hyper-dogmatics. All but without exception argue that only within these is given the real salvation. They believe and teach that they get the baptism of the Holy Spirit - in the same way that and the Apostles they got it, on the day of Pentecost - that's why they are called so...

Plenty laughing from the “Watchtower”.org, part two

1. Jesus Christ and the angels threw down Satan and his demons to the neighbourhood of our earth!

Not directly, of course; for Jesus Christ is now enthroned at God’s right hand in the heavens, impossible for the nations to reach even by space ships. After his kingdom was born in the heavens in 1914, he at once began ruling in the midst of his enemies. He cast Satan the Devil and his demon angels out of heaven and down to the neighborhood of our earth, never to return to the heavens of God’s holy organization.

The “Watchtower”, January 15, 1962, p. 46

Comment; It seems that Christ and the angels had better anti-aircraft weapons systems!

2. Jehovah he will survey the battlefield of Har–Magedon and the enemy battle lines!

According to the way that Jehovah has acted long ago under given circumstances, he will survey the battlefield of Har–Magedon and take note of the deployment of the enemy battle lines.

The “Watchtower”, December 15, 1973, p. 753

Comment; Present Arms!...

Birth of Christ; Son is born in Israel, it is a cause of joy!

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

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n a few days we will celebrate the birth of Christ. A birth, which was the reason to be happy the people, where - finally - is opened again the way for meeting of people with God, which was closed by the sin of Adam.

But we must not forget that for our salvation, Christ chose to be born as a man in the country of Israel. So it is worth at this point to ask ourselves. What it meant to the Israelites the birth of a child, and what manners and customs were following this birth, which were applied to the infant Jesus?

In a Jewish family when a child is born, it was a great pleasure for parents, but also for their relatives and family friends. The village or the neighborhood was learning immediately the joyful event and knew that soon - according to the old custom – they would call their relatives, friends and neighbors to have fun...

The daily life in Israel in the time of Christ, based on the testimonies of the New Testament

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

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n Israel, the inhabitants were mainly engaged in agricultural work, in animal husbandry and fishing, those who lived on the coast. The working hours were not specific and defined and often the needs imposed a hard and continuous work throughout the daytime and sometimes at night. In this case is characteristic the response of Peter to Jesus when he motivates them to throw their nets to catch fishes: «Master, we have labored all night without anything to catch ...» Luke 5:5. The shepherds because of the heatwave that prevailed on the day were touring their flocks in the grassland during the evening hours when it had cooled...

THE ANCIENT TRANSLATIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

T

he New Testament contains texts of the Agreement that Christ did with all people, for their exemption from evil and death. This collection of texts became with the passage of time a closed list of 27 books that in the theological language is called "norm". And these 27 books of the New Testament were written in the "international" language of that era, which was no other than the ancient Greek. Only a collection of words of Christ, known as "Words", which formed the original core of Matthew's Gospel, written originally in Aramaic - a dialect of Syrian language - as we are informed by the tradition of our Church and in particular from Papias , bishop of Hierapolis. But then were translated in Greek and incorporated in the Gospel of Matthew: “On Matthew tells them: while although then Matthew drew up words in the Hebrew dialect, they interpreted him as anyone could be”, Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History III 39, 16. Indeed, the modern Greeks feel shocked when they think that God chose as “utensil” of enunciation of speech, his Greek language, evolution of which is the Greek language who speaks today. But this must not see racist and elitist, for the simple reason that - instead he was born in Greece - could have been born in another country...

The "infallibility" of the Pope: What is it, and when was enacted

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

           

Pope Pius I, who adopted the infallible

T

he bishop of Rome, known today as Pope (= father) always enjoyed special appreciation to the Church because he was bishop of the capital of the Roman Empire, but also because - according to tradition - there martyred the two top apostles, Peter and Paul. Indeed, was destined to acquire of great importance and value, since it was the sole support for the residents of the West, when the barbarian tribes of the Vandals, in 476 AD, catalyzed the Western Roman Empire, spreading the terror and panic...

WHY THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE NOT ROUSED TO DETER THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST?

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

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 anyone bears in his mind the narratives of the gospels which describing the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem and almost his delirious reception from the enthusiastic crowd, and the subsequent derisory and humiliating course to the painful death of the Cross, it is reasonable to put the big question: The negative attitude of the Jewish ruling class and especially of his omnipotent priesthood was also the attitude of whole the people? In simple words, all compatriots of Jesus knew his divine mission, the new message of love that brought to the enemy, by proclaiming himself as the Messiah, in short, they was able to distinguish what it was that who made ​​him a controversial point?