I served for 20 years in the Navy. I became a Christian during the first two. The next 18 years I looked on every duty station as a mission field and every deployment as a missions trip courtesy of the US Government. I do not know how many lives were impacted with the Gospel during this time, but I know of a few, and that is enough.

Additionally, before there was DADT, there was the simple UCMJ prohibition against homosexual behavior. While serving on ships, I knew of a number of sailors that were more or less openly practicing homosexual behavior. What was the response of their shipmates? Leave it at the gate and you will be left alone, bring on board and you will be “written up”.

Bottom line, before DADT, everyone was “mission focused” on our job and did not worry or care about what sailors did in their off time. It was Clinton’s trying to force a change in the UCMJ that brought about DADT, which required the chain of command to prosecute and discharge those who practiced homosexual behaviors. Prior to that there was much leeway in a commander’s decisions on when to enforce the UCMJ based on his understanding of how things would impact the mission and unit cohesion.

M. Stankovich : You are probably correct in your assessment. Still, it is sad and tragic that a fellow human being can deteriorate into such a pitiable state. A solitary confinement would probably help such a person to focus on self exploration, on inward exploration of meaning and self-awareness of the divine spark, however dim, resident within him/her.

“Scott” has done us a great service by illustrating what “progressives” will do to Christians if (when?) given the chance.

I certainly hope you are kidding. “Scott” has done nothing but garner post after post of “satisfaction” by hanging meat in front of what he perceives as hungry dogs; otherwise known as the “payoff.” Seriously, you need to be able to clearly distinguish between “progressives” and psychopaths. And by offering no definition of what a “progressive” might be – homosexual, vulgar, hostile? – or what it is “they” might do to Christians, your words hang in the air like a lurid “catch can” of inclusiveness for all “disagreeables.” I urge prudence in “diagnosis,” as it can be a tricky business.

I think we should express compassion and sorrow for “Scott”‘s state and for the state of all “Scotts” out there.

If my assessment is correct, Scott’s “state” is neither angry nor “tormented,” because he feels nothing at all. This is the hallmark of an anti-social personality, a psychopath. And the tip off? Provocation; increasing hostility toward “sober” reaction; increasing hostility commensurate to the increasing “outrage”; and provocation leading to “forced exclusion.” And just to be sure we’re clear, “provocation.” He or she has moved on to fish elsewhere. If Fr. Johannes had responded at comment at 3.1 as he did at comment 5.1.2.1.1, he would have accomplished what I strive for daily working in a state prison: “containing” anti-social personalities. It is the only behaviour to which they will respond.

Fr. Peter:

One of my concerns as a priest serving in the Army as a chaplain has to do with what I would characterize as benign neglect of our service members and their families by the Church[…] Our Orthodox sons and daughters are among the most least prepared spiritually to enter such a spiritual battlefield as the military.

Certainly there is a need to reassess how we are “doing business”…

If in some schools students consistently fail to pass their exams or if professional sports teams lose most of their games we expect those in charge (teachers, principals, coaches) to be reprimanded or replaced. When the vast majority of Orthodox Christians do not grasp essential doctrines certainly there is a need to reassess how we are “doing business.”

A complex worldly institution teaching novelties without grounding in authentic church tradition is not the way to go. Catholicism- and its offspring, Protestantism, and the present state of the post-Cristian Europe it is a clear indication that such an approach is doomed to end in failure.

There is no “formula” for the truly God-pleasing Orthodox life; the confession of faith must be in godliness.

The Restoration of the Orthodox Way of Life
by Archbishop Andrew of New-Diveyevo
On how to survive as an Orthodox Christian in the anti-Christian 20th century.
[…]

In every place where historical circumstances have driven him—Kiev, Berlin, Wendlingen, New York State—a close-knit Orthodox community has formed around him; and this is closer to a key to understanding his teaching. Such communities, rare today among Orthodox Christians, do not arise spontaneously, but only in especially favorable circumstances, if there is present a conscious Orthodox philosophy of life. This conscious Patristic philosophy is what, most of all, we can learn from Archbishop Andrew.
[…]

There is no “formula” for the truly God-pleasing Orthodox life; anything outward can become a counterfeit; everything depends on the state of the soul, which must be trembling before God, having the law of God before it in every area of life, every moment keeping what is God’s in honor, in the first place in life.
[…]
Humanism takes possession of men in various ways, not usually by a conscious intellectual conversion to it, but more often by laxness and unawareness in spiritual life. The Orthodox answer to this danger—whose ultimate end is the reign of Antichrist—is a conscious Orthodox philosophy of life.
[…]
Elder Nectarius showed me my path, the path of pastoral service, and prepared me for it with the help of his disciple, Fr. Vincent. He taught me that the confession of faith must be in godliness. The Divine must enter into every side of our life, personal, family, and public.
[…]
For the course of nearly two years, under ceaseless bombings, Divine services were celebrated every day in the cathedral.

[…]
Against contemporary man the same temptations, the same passions and seductions battle that tempted men a thousand years ago. Sin remains sin forever, and not a jot or tittle of the law of Christ changes: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Seek ye first the of God and its Kingdom righteousness, and all else will be added unto you.” The most important thing is to create a pure heart and keep it that way. Here there can be no talk of reforms. The Lord Himself has already given us everything needful in His Church.
[…]
“The dogmas of faith, faith itself is revealed to us, and none of us doubts it; but the confession of faith must be in godliness. ‘No one is good save God alone’—this is to hold what is God’s in honor. It is the Divine that must be our concern; it must enter into all sides of our life—personal, family, public. […] One of the methods for godliness is given by the Holy Church in a spiritual exercise which trains our mind to the remembrance of the Name of God—’Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.’ Monastics are given a prayer-rope, but for a priest in the world the prayerful remembrance of his spiritual children can serve for training in the remembrance of the Name of God.”

Fr. Peter, thank you so much for this perspective. It is much needed. May the Lord have mercy on you and your colleagues as you minister, especially among the faithful, within our troops. I agree, let’s not concede any part of the arena of our spiritual warfare to the enemy willingly. Let’s at least go out fighting with everything we’ve got.

How true. The Lord Jesus, His followers, and Christian civilization have contributed so much to the good of mankind, especially in the realms of law, music, science, medicine, architecture, etc. I would highly recommend Olasky and Schmidt’s “The Great Divide,” which compares and contrasts Christianity and Islam. Christianity and religion aside, homosexuality absolutely makes no sense.

Well said, Eliot. Spoken in love and concern.

Father J:
Nice job in fending off Scott’s verbal attacks with calm and reason. Usually when someone uses nicknames or other sorts of inanity, he or she has lost the argument.

Three observations:
a) The vehement opposition and moral indignation expressed by many in the religious community against gay marriage and homosexuality are out of proportion to the degree of sin, even when using the yardstick of Scriptural norms. Senator Ruben Diaz at a Nation for Marriage rally made a point of quoting the Leviticus mandate of death in regards to homosexuality (ignoring that the Old Testament required death for working on the Sabbath as well). Even Fr. Hans incorrectly referred to the destruction of Sodom as occurring solely due to God’s wrath over the sin of homosexuality (see Ezekiel 16:49). As a gay person, what should one gather from such assertions? We reserve the death penalty only for the most heinous of crimes. It seems that we’re suggesting that to engage in homosexual conduct is to have reached the nadir of the human soul. If that is the case, what does one do when confronting real and monstrous evil in this world? A gang loyal to a Mexican drug lord recently kidnapped some narc agents, bound them, sawed off their heads with a hacksaw and then hung their bodies upside down beneath a bridge in a callous display of contempt. What is there left to say to such things when you’ve already reserved your supreme indignation towards two men who are physically affectionate with each other?

b) Those who claim to speak purely from the vantage point of Biblical morality are inconsistent in their treatment of it. To me, divorce causes more tangible harm in some instances than gay marriage. It leaves one or more children without a parent and causes cynicism in their hearts regarding the potential and good of marriage. It often involves the violation of a sacred vow. Yet, few seem really interested in legislating or even critiquing divorce laws, despite God’s explicitly mentioned hatred of divorce (Malachi 2:16) as well as three passages detailing Christ’s condemnation of it. Further, I can’t recall a single instance of a divorcee being labeled with the same pejorative terms that gays are (reprobate, pervert, etc.).

c) The arguments against gay marriage are often incoherent. On several news casts when arguing against gay marriage, some pro-family spokesperson will often trot out the statistics of gay male promiscuity. It does need to be addressed, but why is it being discussed with those who are striving to repudiate that type of behavior? Further, they talk in vague terms about the decline of the “traditional family” as if gays are somehow responsible
for the divorce or reluctance to marry on the part of heterosexuals. I, for one, do not see the correlation.

When you look at these things, it does make sense that some will feel they are being “targeted” and that the opposition to homosexual conduct is based less on principle than on prejudice. In Africa, numerous Christian pastors have pushed for the criminalization of homosexual conduct – up to 10 years – as well as anyone who hides/assists known homosexuals. Pravo fears the gulag. I’m thinking gay men and women do as well. At this point, I think we can still avoid a fiery conflagration between forces if we resolve to uphold the notions of mutual respect and the freedoms this nation was founded upon, even if it’s freedom to express our beliefs or live in ways we do not always understand or agree with (and I suggest this to both sides).

I think we should express compassion and sorrow for “Scott”‘s state and for the state of all “Scotts” out there. There is much confusion in the world today, and it is truly difficult to move from confusion to clarity.

On Conscience

Just as the Law of God puts the fear of God’s judgement into a sinner, so likewise conscience puts fear into him and cries within the sinner, “Man, it shall go miserably for you.” Just as the effect of the Law of God and of conscience are the same, so shall they be the same at the Judgement of Christ. There the Law of God which he violated will accuse the sinner; the conscience offended by his sins will also accuse him.

There, these two, conscience and the Law of God, will be the witnesses and the accusers against every sinner. It happens that an evil conscience is as though asleep; but when it awakens and begins to accuse the sinner, then cruel torment will come upon him through his conscience, whence it is that many kill themselves, not enduring the pangs of conscience.

For just as there is no better repose than from a pure conscience, so likewise there is no greater disquiet and torment than from a wicked conscience. If conscience torments so much here, how shall it torment a sinner in the age to come when all his sins shall stand before him and it accuses him of them and torments him?

O sinners, why do we sleep? Let us awaken and repent and cleanse our sins by repentance and contrition of heart, and let us correct ourselves and cease from sinning and offending our conscience, lest we appear before the Judgement of Christ with an evil conscience blackened with sins, when the books of the conscience shall be opened and each shall receive according to his works.

Thanks for the moment of clarity there.

I found the article and responses most fascinating and wasn’t going to respond until I read this response from isaac. I am an Orthodox priest (18 years) and an Army chaplain (15 years). Why would we encourage Christians to not be decidedly engaged in every facet of society? During the time of “deliberation” in anticipation of the repeal of DADT, I voiced my concerns through channels provided by the Army for that purpose. I believe the military made the wrong decision in the repeal, but I am not about to leave the military over it. I will by the grace of God continue faithful to my Savior and Church and let the institution do what it believes it must to me in response. I do not believe it is in our best interest as Christians to make it easy for the military to silence us by simply leaving the military or not enlisting. Believe me, I have experienced a bit of a backlash for my actions consistent with the teaching of the Church and defense of the US constitution.

One of my concerns as a priest serving in the Army as a chaplain has to do with what I would characterize as benign neglect of our service members and their families by the Church, especially their parishes (obviously not all; so please refrain from – O but in our parish we…). Our Orthodox sons and daughters are among the most least prepared spiritually to enter such a spiritual battlefield as the military. Is it so hard for a priest to encourage their youth through a spiritual basic training or boot camp prior to enlistment? As Orthodox Christians in the US we don’t even know enough to instruct the military to rightly identify the religious faith of our sons and daughters insisting on our ethnic identification – Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox…. We are Orthodox Christians, period, and if we identify ourselves as anything else then we are giving the institution easy reason to deal with each group seperately rather than collectively; we have already accomplished the “divide” part of “divide and conquer.” There are four Orthodox jurisdictions endorsing Orthodox clergy to serve in the military – ROCOR, OCA, GOA and Antioch. As an Orthodox Church we are not taken seriously; we do not speak with one voice and a growing disdain for military service among the Orthodox in the country is noticed in the chaplaincy and contributes to not being taken seriously.

Fr. Peter

A larger question that isn’t being addressed is what any Christian is doing in a military that does anything other than defend the homeland from direct attack. Christians should simply stop enlisting just like Christians should be bowing out of state marriages and only get married in church.

Scott, if you were as happy with yourself as you claim, you wouldn’t be here screaming profanities. In any case, you are done here. Thanks for visiting.