Comments on: Orthodox Bishops Assembly Silent on Moral Issues

By: All Hands on Deck? Or, Where’s the Follow-up? — Monomakhos

All Hands on Deck? Or, Where’s the Follow-up? — Monomakhos — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:19:44 +0000

[…] however (myself included) indicated that what drove the Assembly to action was the criticism of John Couretas, Fr. Peter Preble and others. Both wrote blistering critiques of Assembly inaction and apparent […]

By: The Episcopal Assembly Finally Does the Right Thing — Monomakhos

The Episcopal Assembly Finally Does the Right Thing — Monomakhos — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:37:52 +0000

[…] that is mandated in Obamacare. John Couretas of the Acton Institute, a layman in the GOA also wrote a withering piece taking the Orthodox episcopate to task for side-stepping this issue. We have as well. The United […]

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:47:51 +0000

In reply to Andrew. Sure. I'll put it up now.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:17:13 +0000

In reply to Andrew.

Father JJ, Can we have a separate blog posting for the OCN Dukakis interview? It would be nice to contrast OCN and remind people of the Dukakis record and its hostility to Orthodoxy. It would also be nice to hear the opinions of Greek Orthodox leaders and the Archdiocese’s response when he was running for president.

You do have to wonder what OCN was thinking when they put Dukakis out there until the title of Faith, Politics and Integrity…….

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:19:12 +0000

In reply to John Couretas. Michael Dukakis!1????? On OCN????? This one is yet another embarassment. I bet the interviewer tossed old Dukakis alot of softball feel good questions when in fact Dukakis advocates for all types of social shenanigans and human rights violations like abortion! And lets not forgot, in his brilliant compassion Dukakis furloughed a couple of folks from prison who went on to kill again. I also thought Dukakis was never married in the Church because of his wife's religion.

By: John Couretas

John Couretas — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:03:27 +0000

In reply to macedonianReader.

macedonianReader: Do you mean the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN)? It has posted an interview with Dukakis here:

“Politics, Faith and Integrity”
Gov Michael Dukakis shares his thoughts on how personal faith and integrity affect a politician’s professional life.
http://www.myocn.net/index.php/201202033925/Come-Receive-the-Light/Politics-Faith-and-Integrity.html

By: macedonianReader

macedonianReader — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:20:36 +0000

I have to say as an Orthodox Christian of Macedonian decent, other than the issue of abortion and the silence on the subject by Orthodox Bishops generally speaking, no other “Orthodox issue” has ripped at my heart strings than that of “FYROM”.

But in all fairness to the GOA, I’ve even been lectured at by an OCA clergy (pretty well known at that) about how I need to “stop oppressing my brethren” in the Balkans.

Meanwhile, AFR is promoting a piece on the “Faith of Michael Dukakis” on the radio. Just wondering. Did he repent of his political policies on abortion recently? I can’t find anything about it if he has…

By: Chris Banescu

Chris Banescu — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:59:52 +0000

In reply to Aaron Taylor.

Like Andrew mentioned, Metropolitan Savas spends time nearly every day posting on his “ministry” facebook page an endless stream of liberal or left-leaning articles, various pop-culture and artistic pieces, quotes, poems, Bible passages, YouTube music videos, GOYA basketball tournament announcements, different GOAA and Wikipedia links, etc…

There was not a peep from him in the last 2 weeks regarding the March for Life, the defense of the unborn, the Sanctify of Life, Obama’s pro-abortion mandate from the HHS, or anything related to the attack on the religious liberty of Christians and all Americans.

It would have taken him all of 30 seconds to cut an paste a link to any of the many articles out there on this (and there are many, from the OCA, AOI, Life Site News, OrthodoxNet, Catholic Online, St. Valdimir’s Seminary, The Voice Blog, etc. etc. etc.). He chose to remain 100% SILENT on the abortion issue. His silence was DEAFENING, especially given how active and busy he is posting stuff on his public facebook age.

Finally this morning, he posted the Protest Against the Infringement of Religious Liberty press release by the Assembly of Bishops with the pathetic excuse mentioned above. He also made sure to immediately post another link to the White House page that provides a positive and benign spin on the very same oppressive HHS pro-abortion mandate:

The Obama Administration is committed to both respecting religious beliefs and increasing access to important preventive services. And as we move forward, our strong partnerships with religious organizations will continue. The Administration has provided substantial resources to Catholic organizations over the past three years, in addition to numerous non-financial partnerships to promote healthy communities and serve the common good. This work includes partnerships with Catholic social service agencies on local responsible fatherhood programs and international anti-hunger/food assistance programs. We look forward to continuing this important work.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/02/01/health-reform-preventive-services-and-religious-institutions

However, even now at the 11th hour, Met. Savas still refuses to criticize any of the mandates or policies of the Obama administration, even when they contradict and trample on the moral conscience of Orthodox Christians and the Constitutional protected religious liberty of all Americans. Apparently posting a YouTube clip of the movie Groundhog Day and a link to another article about the same movie with the comment: “A great article on a great movie. Happy Groundhog’s Day!” take precedence over any criticism or public comments by this bishop regarding oppressive government policies promoted by President Obama. After all, it was then Bishop Savas who, upon hearing of Obama’s election, posted a link “This is the Day that the Lord has made!” and proclaimed with glee and enthusiasm in terms that can only be described as divine:

Do I expect miracles from the President-Elect? Am I confusing the man with the Messiah? Of course not. But neither is he the Antichrist, as some of his opponents would have you believe. Americans did a good thing yesterday, an inspired thing. They didn’t voice their opinion, they shouted it. A new day has dawned, a day that the Lord has most emphatically made. Are you as delighted as I am? Send up thanks to the Lord our God! Are you for any reason unhappy? Pray to the same God for our President-Elect’s enlightenment.

This Metropolitan sure has his priorities straight! Lord have mercy!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:42:28 +0000

In reply to Aaron Taylor. If the words of Metropolitan Savas in the above message are accurate then all I can really do is laugh loudly. Metropolitan Savas spends hours posting all types of opinions on facebook. HOURS! He has all types of computer equipment. He knows how to get information in a timely manner and how to disseminate it. He can act on any piece of informaiton quickly if he wants to. But here is the deal. He doesn't want to. All is words are in the above quote is yet another example of how he hides his own opinions and avoid any serious discussion on serious issues. The "we make due with the prayers of faithful" is a game of words meant to distract the reader from the Metropolitan's inaction.

By: alexis

alexis — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:50:12 +0000

In reply to Father Mark Hodges. Beautifully stated, Chris.

By: Patty

Patty — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:49:30 +0000

People, who support them, depend upon their help. They need to work and lead, concentrate on the flood before they drown.

By: Aaron Taylor

Aaron Taylor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:09:12 +0000

So, apparently Met. Savas had not ‘roused the…committee to speak out’ because, in His Eminence’s own words: ‘We don’t yet have a mechanism for responding at the speed required by the present-day news cycle to matters like this… One day, God willing, we’ll have a dedicated, full-time staff. For now, we make do, with the prayers and support of the faithful.’ In other words, no moral cowardice involved.

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:53:56 +0000

In reply to Douglas C.. Thanks Doug. Just posted it.

By: Douglas C.

Douglas C. — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:18:55 +0000

Fr. Hans,

The Assembly of Bishops today published a statement on this issue.

http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/releases/protest-against-hhs

Bless,
Doug

By: Anil Wang

Anil Wang — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:05:40 +0000

As a Catholic, I sympathize. the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) has been fairly spineless and more concerned about. Before Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan became the president, the USCCB used to be worse.

But even with Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, it took the HSS mandate to wake him and the USCCB up. Fortunately, the USCCB and the Orthodox Bishops Assembly are artifical entities. Saint Ambrose, Saint Chrysostom, and Saint Athanasius didn’t need either an assembly or synod to be effective in confronting the state. All we need are saints. Career bureaucrats are a distraction. That being said, there is nothing stopping the truly Orthodox bishops from creating their own assembly if co-ordination of the truly Orthodox voice is helpful. At the minimum, it would show the world that the Orthodox Bishops Assembly does not speak for the entire Orthodox world, and might either shame them into repenting their ways or cause an exodus into the truly Orthodox assembly.