THE MORALS OF CHRISTIANS IN THE 2ND AND 3RD CENTURY

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

The Christians was believed about themselves that they are the new Israel (=people of salvation), Israel of God, that guided by the spirit and the grace˙ that they are not citizens of the Roman Empire, but  they constitute a new nation - certainly within its territory - for this reason moreover was praying for the stability of the state and its Governor. They (for the Romans) were saying that they are alien residents and pilgrims - as highlighted very nicely in letter to Diogniton - in this world, for which they believed that will soon be elapsed because it was going to come the Second Coming of the Lord...

The narration of Harrowing of Hell, in the apocryphon Gospel of Nicodemus

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

“Apocrypha” books of the New Testament are named several texts from the 2nd century onwards, from Christians or heretics authors. They refer to it the life of Christ, for the action of the Apostles, or contain various revelations. Each one of them has a name of a known person from the early Church, for example, "At Thomas Gospel," "Acts Peter," "Letter of eleven Apostles" "Revelation Paul", etc. The “Apocrypha” are many and were written either to cover - with fantastic episodes - the gaps in the history of Christ or the Apostles, or to disseminate heretical ideas. The Christians, to distinguish the original texts of the Apostles from the inauthentic circulating then, stood out the 27 books as authentic, which have been the body of the books of the New Testament called “Canon”...

THE WORD CHRIST AND HIS MEANINGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

T

he word "Christ" is a translation of the Aramaic word MESHICHA, which also is derived from the Hebrew word MASHIACH, which in the Hellenistic years hellenized in Messiah. In the New Testament, the Greek word Μεσσίας (Messiah) is encountered twice and even is accompanied with the translation “Christ”: «First, he finds his brother Simon and tells him, “We have found the Messiah, which translated means Christ”»  John 1:41 and «He saith to him the woman “I know that will come the Messiah, the so-called Christ”» John 4:25.

The Greek word χριστός(christos) is produced from the verb χρίω(chrio), meaning anoint and was formed by the verbal adjectives ending in –τος(-tos), of the Greek language. As an adjective, the word christos is found in the ancient Greek poets of tragedy. Apart from tragedians poets, we meet this and in the “Septuagint” (O’), who - as we know - they translated the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek...

The pre-Christian religion of the Slavs

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

The God Dabog of the Slavs

T

he beliefs and rituals of Slavic peoples namely of Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Czechs, Poles and Russians are difficult to describe, due to the limited number of their sources. However, what is common in these is the word "Bong" which means the God and by linguistic aspect is related to the Indian word “Baghavata” (Lord), quite literally meaning “scrumptious” and was attributed to Vishnu and Krishna, Gods of Hinduism.

Some information about the religion of the Slavs gives us the Byzantine historian Procopius (500-565 AD). Among other things he writes the following: «Because they consider one God, this of lightning as creator and master of all and they sacrifice to him oxen and all sanctuaries ... they respect and the rivers and the nymphs and other such demons, and they sacrifice to all these, and they are making these sacrifices in divination» (Procopii opera,  J. Haury. Bellum Gothicum, III 14, Lipsiae 1906, p. 357 – 358)...

The heretic Apelles and Mr. Barthelemy - The calumny of "anti - Ecumenists"

Translated from the original by Costas Balomenos

The Ecumenical Patriarch. Mr. Barthelemy Α’

W

ith the beginning of the 20th century and specifically in 1902, the then Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim III, sent to the heads of the Orthodox Churches a text, in which he urged them to develop a dialogue with the heterodox churches.

In their reply, the Orthodox Churches stressed the need for unity, but they pointed to the difficulties which existed. The Greek Church, in fact, added that in the past had made similar attempts, but they had failed.

In January 1920 the Ecumenical Patriarchate addressed a circular letter “to the Churches of Christ around the world”, in which called them for establishing of a “society” of Churches, according to the standards of the “League of Nations” (the current UN)...

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.

S

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

J

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!...