Comments on: What is social justice?

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:26:37 +0000

Why not just send these Orthodox youth to Project Mexico or to the Kuskwokwim Valley in Alaska? They could build and repair homes, etc. How about going to Haiti?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:32:40 +0000

In reply to Fr. Johannes Jacobse. Here is the link http://twitter.com/kevin_scherer You have to page down to see the links tophotos and the quotes. Please know I am not attacking any person here but simply asking the question. Is a "Pilgrimage for Justice" -an event promoted by a national Ortodox ministry- the best way to help people learn to be literate Orthodox Christians who help serve the world? Quotations like the following make me wonder what is going on here.

Tonight is the Shantytown Soiree... complete with trash can fires and dime store instruments!

I welcome your input Father as well as those of other AOI readers.

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:48:15 +0000

Send me the link. I need to take a closer look at it.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:05:05 +0000

Father, you are 100% correct. This is a very well written post. Service to our neighbor is more important than justice. However, now I have to ask again: Why are we asking college students -in a national campus ministry program- to participate in a Pilgrimage for Justice where they do Shanty town simulations etc etc. Why not teach about the faith and have a Pilgrimage for Service where we serve our neighbors until it hurts? I think the question is certainly a legitimate one given the points outlined in your post.

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:21:37 +0000

well put, Fr. I despise the fact that too many Christians promiscuously use the words “social justice” as a substitute for “virtue.”

By: Eliot Ryan

Eliot Ryan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:23:10 +0000

The world we live in seems to be doing the best to get you started on the wrong foot. Before you “wake up” you accumulate a large luggage of sins. If you don’t wake up you can end up getting killed physically or/and spiritually.

The waking up process can be different for everyone. It ranges from meeting the right people and hearing what they are saying, or getting into circumstances that bring you down to your knees (usually the very stubborn people get here, God loves them too). While down there you start hearing new “frequencies”.

An elder said that in everyone’s life comes a temptation: to “meet” Christ and CHOOSE to follow Him or reject Him. Even if you are born Orthodox and proud of your faith does not really mean that you actually (fully) understand it.