|
Christianity as a Set of Values
|
|
| Teacher | Date: Thursday, 03.12.2009, 13:29 | Message # 1 |
 Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| What is Christianity for you? What are there many Christian confessions? Why do we all tend to become church-goers kater in life? Why must people go to church? What is it that makes us talk to God? Is belief based on reason or faith?
I am inviting you to brainstorm similar questions so that we would have a list of questions that we always keep asking ourselves. I think I will then invite a Church priest to answer some of them in English.
It will be a good project between Ryazan Church and Ryazan Teachers Community.
What do you think?
|
| |
| |
| Natalie | Date: Saturday, 19.12.2009, 00:33 | Message # 2 |
 Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 25
Status: Offline
| Christianity has become one of the most important parts in the life of my children and my own life. We have a subject "World Art Culture" at our school and do much to find the real spiritual make-up. The forms of our work are lectures, computer presentations, pilgrimage, meetings with such interesting people as Sergey Rybakov, Father Vitaliy, Father Konstantin (Degtyanoe, Spassky Region), Sophie Nikulina and others. We cooperate with our Christian Centre "Istoki" and Cristian Cafe "Lybed". That's why I'm very interested in your idea to invite a Church priest to answer our questions in English. It's great! I have never had such a wonderful idea!
And some more things. I don't often go to church and I know about church service a little, but Crist is always in my heart and my soul.
I'm sure people must go to church to stay for some time alone, think about their life and thank the God for joy and happiness.
I wish you and our netters "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"
|
| |
| |
| Teacher | Date: Tuesday, 22.12.2009, 10:08 | Message # 3 |
|
Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| I am glad that you are interested in the topic. Your thought that "Christ is always in your heart and soul" is right but it is not enough. I think it's a protestant approach to church culture. True orthodoxy is another thing. Going to church means that you devote a special time (regularly or periodically) to the matters of real faith. It does not mean to be alone. Attending a church service as a mass activity. When you go to church, you go for the church protection and help, for the church language and arguments, for the church images and rituals, for the church vision of and approach to earthly matters. Going to church means going to speak and listen to another language that enlightens, eliviates, soothes, makes you wise and... When we say, including myself, that Christ is always in my heart, we mean to say one simple thing - I have no time to go church, church will wait, I am fine, I have other things to do like going winterfishing, for example.
|
| |
| |
| Natalie | Date: Friday, 15.01.2010, 21:54 | Message # 4 |
|
Sergeant
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 25
Status: Offline
| You are absolutely right. On one hand we haven't got enough time to go to church because there are a lot of different things which are more attractive and important for us in our life. But on the other hand some people are really busy and work without rest from morning till night every day. They can't go to church regularly but believe in God, pray at home and have Christ in their hearts. So do I.
Fortunately we had 10 days to relax and I had a good opportunity to attend church with all my family. We went to Murom and then to Vladimir. We were at X-mas survice in the Murom's Cathedral where the sepulcher of St. Prince Peter and Princess Fevroniah, the symbol of faith and love, is and then at X-mas survice in Vladimir Cathedral which has always been the main centre of our Russian Orthodox culture.
Though I am a sinner and an ignoramus I have hope for God's mercy and grace.
|
| |
| |
| Lisa | Date: Friday, 22.01.2010, 17:00 | Message # 5 |
 Private
Group: Пользователи
Messages: 14
Status: Offline
| I go to chirch very rarely. And i think if you want to speak to God you can do it anywhere. God is in your heart and it's everywhere...You can be silent or speak or even sing, it just doen't matter.
|
| |
| |
| Teacher | Date: Saturday, 23.01.2010, 09:30 | Message # 6 |
|
Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Lisa, I regret to disagree with you. I understand that Church going is an entirely private affair. Your logic comes from our common soviet past when we were brought up not to go to church. Faith is very sacred, that's why it is to have its own sacred places. A church is a Body of Christ and a Heavenly Home. These two symbols are not that simple. Saying that God is in our hearts is only a little part of faith. Why do you not visit God's home? Why do you refuse to touch his body? Why do you refuse to hear his language? Why do you avoid talking to his followers?
|
| |
| |
| Lisa | Date: Monday, 15.02.2010, 22:11 | Message # 7 |
|
Private
Group: Пользователи
Messages: 14
Status: Offline
| I knew that it would be difficult to understand my point of view. Why do you think that I don't touch his body and don't listen to his language. May be it'll be a surprise for you but God is in evrybody and in everything. If you don't understand that you a part of him then you are nothing. In any way the institute of church nowadays is not the one that was in the past. How can you come to his palace and pay a certain fee for different purposes.
Of coure I go to church from time to time but the reason of my visits is my wish and desire, I feel that I want to go there, and I don't understand why should I go there every week even if I don't want to, God is always with me, with you and with every creature in the world.
|
| |
| |
| lyudmila | Date: Sunday, 21.02.2010, 19:47 | Message # 8 |
 Private
Group: Модераторы
Messages: 10
Status: Offline
| Hello? I'd like to add some words about religion. Why do people begin to believe ? Some-because of illness? some-because of death of the nearest? others - because of train or other disaster and so on. As for me, i was an atheist of soviet period and didn't believe in God, but when I was seriously ill and was waiting for operation I asked God to save me and then I would take a belief. I don't know who saved me, but after the operation I went to Church and changed my point of view. But I am not a regularly church goer, I agree with Liza that our belief lives in our heart and soul and never mind if we go or not to Church.
|
| |
| |
| Teacher | Date: Tuesday, 18.05.2010, 12:29 | Message # 9 |
|
Lieutenant colonel
Group: Администраторы
Messages: 114
Status: Offline
| Getting back to the issue of going to church or not. When we say that God id part of us and it is not always necessary to go to church, we mean to protest. Protestantism is also christianity. Whereas I am talking of Orthodoxy. We should not make up belief according to our desires and conveniences. Believing in God and church going is a great spiritual job. When we speak of going to church, besides mere going, we come there to attune to his mysteries and sacraments - the Eucharist, confession, repentence, baptizing, praying in front of the Iconstasis and others.
|
| |
| |
