The stroke I had a few months back is slowing me down

  • Thread starter Thread starter JohnnyGtar
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JohnnyGtar said:
I have to take a lot of medications, which messes with my sleep schedule. I'm off to bed now. Thanks to all y'all for the encouragement!
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Sleep schedule…lol…don’t get me started on that. The ms has ruined mine. It’s all neurological. Anyway-get some rest and look at some alternatives as far as treatment options. Medical industry is a business.
 
JackBootedThug said:
Well I have pretty much made up my mind to convert. I am just so disillusioned with the local churches and culture that I have just refused to go to any Protestant church locally. And I disagree with papal authority so Catholicism is out.
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I was 100 percent in the same boat. Refused to attend one more protestant church and my son wanted to find a church so I went out on a limb and just hit up a orthodox parish about 20 miles from me.

What I did prior to that was got me a eastern orthodox prayer book and started doing the trisagion prayers (basically the core prayer of the orthodox) 3x daily along with other prayers. I have a red pocket sized Greek Orthodox prayer book I got for like 8 bucks that has all that plus prayers for the deceased, the sick, prayers if you are sick, prayers if you have recovered from illness, prayers before work, before a journey, and a bunch of other good stuff.
 
I have been checking out the app on my iPhone. Some things are kinda confusing though. Having a methodist/baptist/pentacostal background has not helped prepare me for the saints and the holy mother…and other things. Icons and such…
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JackBootedThug said:
I have been checking out the app on my iPhone. Some things are kinda confusing though. Having a methodist/baptist/pentacostal background has not helped prepare me for the saints and the holy mother…and other things. Icons and such…View attachment 322830
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Yes it can be confusing. This is why I advised just starting with your trisagion prayer 3x daily. Memorize it. Say it In the morning before you get your day on, at about 3 p.m which is approximately the time the Lord died on the cross, and in the evening before bed. If you had a spiritual father he would assign you prayers in what's called a prayer rule. The point of a prayer rule is to impose discipline on your prayer life so that's it's not just when you feel like it. Traditionally those prayers are said while standing facing east and you would make the sign of the cross in the "father, son, and the holy spirit" sections. Your Lord's prayer is also one of the main ones. After that I would memorize the creed because it is the core theology of the orthodox church. I made it a habit and now would find it very difficult to return to living the way I lived prior to it.

The icons are like pictures of your family on the wall. It calls to mind those who we love, and those who love us and the great sacrifices the saints made to preserve the faith. Protestants will say it's idolatry but then so is pictures of anyone on the wall. If someone pissed on a picture of your mother they didn't actually piss on your mother but the disrespect level is the same because they are treasured memories of those most important to us. Normally you would have a Cross, a Christ icon, to the right of it, and a Virgin Mary/Theotokos icon to the left of it. After that you will choose a patron saint at your baptism and be given that saint's name so you would generally add his or her icon to your collection with Christ and his mother.

The mother of God holds a special place among us but I don't care to go into detail here and now since there are a couple people on here who will chime in with their misguided protestant theology to dump on her. Pretty shameful that the mother of God, and pretty much every other saint and martyre, hold almost zero importance in a protestant church and are not held in remembrance during any services at all. We remember them at every liturgy and more. They decorate our walls. IMO the welch's grape juice/dry bread crumb served as communion in a protestant church kind of sums up just how much you miss in a protestant church.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your stroke issues Johnny! I pray you get back to where you were before the stroke!


Alot of good advice in this thread so I have nothing to add except my well wishes to you.:2thumbsup:
 
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JackBootedThug said:
I think with the Protestants it’s more of an issue of venerating anything other than Jesus or God himself. At least that’s how I was raised.
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I would go to a reformed church if I were you and you can find one. They are Bible based and aren't liberal - meaning they haven't watered down the Bible for society to either appease people or get them in the door.
 
Thumbpicker said:
I would go to a reformed church if I were you and you can find one. They are Bible based and aren't liberal - meaning they haven't watered down the Bible for society to either appease people or get them in the door.
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Nothing like that around here brother.
 
JackBootedThug said:
I think with the Protestants it’s more of an issue of venerating anything other than Jesus or God himself. At least that’s how I was raised.
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I was confused about praying to the Saints until I learned that not all prayer is worship.
It's asking them to pray for you like you would anyone here on Earth. James 5:16 says "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Well, if THAT is true of humans on Earth, how much more effective are the prayers of the Saints in heaven? The Saints in heaven are utterly freed from sin. They behold the face of God now. Some evangelical dude actually told me that was necromancy. I laughed my ass off when I heard that one... the Saints are NOT dead... they're more alive than we are!

This is from my perspective as a former Protestant who was received into the Catholic church after much prayer and study. I'm sure that @VonBonfire sees some of these points a bit differently, and that's cool. I was raised Protestant. Protestantism is a "Johnny come lately" in Christian history, it's not even 600 years old...but the Church has been around for over 2,000 years now. I converted to Catholicism in '94. The answer to all the confusion is this: you've probably heard all the Protestant arguments and shown the supposed "proof texts". Well, let the Orthodox explain Orthodoxy and let the Catholics explain Catholicism. It's amazing what happens when someone actually listens to the source as opposed to the distortions of Protestant apologetics. Quite often the best answers with the most clarity come from former Protestants who converted to Orthodoxy or Catholicism. They had to work through all the big issues, so they know how to explain things very well. The Protestant arguments seem to be convincing answers...the thing is, they're not accurate answers.

You'll often hear "My church is Bible based". No offense to those who argue that, but what did the Church do before the Bible was written? That's a great topic to read up on. Who determined which books belong in the New Testament? Protestantism wasn't around back when the books of the New Testament were decided upon. BISHOPS AT COUNCILS IN THE FOURTH CENTURY decided which books are Christian scripture. History is clear on that.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Mass. Finding out that the Protestant style of worship...which is a sing along (or a concert) followed by a lecture...is NOT how the earliest Christians worshipped. They worshiped through liturgy, and 2,000 years later, the Orthodox and the Catholics still worship through liturgy. I was awestruck by first Mass I attended. I was not prepared to behold the sheer power and beauty of it.

@VonBonfire is an devout Orthodox Christian and I can see why. I'll bet that he can be of great help in your journey. I have no doubt that Orthodoxy is the purest expression of the Christian faith. Reading the Fathers of the Church will blow your mind, bro.

Anyway, I'm not gonna get into a big debate here. I decided to give @JackBootedThug a few things to research, but I wasn't planning such a long post! LOL

God bless you, Bro!

PS, I'm very grateful for all the prayers for me from you guys. Thanks again!

​

 
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JohnnyGtar said:
Hey y'all,

The stroke I had is slowing my thinking down. I've been lying to myself that I'm fine. I'm not...some days, just THINKING feels like I'm trying to walk through waist deep wet cement. Plz send prayers, good thoughts, good mojo. Thanks much and God bless y'all!

- Jphnny
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Mojo sent brother :cheers: hope this gets better for you.
 
JohnnyGtar said:
I was confused about praying to the Saints until I learned that not all prayer is worship.
It's asking them to pray for you like you would anyone here on Earth. James 5:16 says "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Well, if THAT is true of humans on Earth, how much more effective are the prayers of the Saints in heaven? The Saints in heaven are utterly freed from sin. They behold the face of God now. Some evangelical dude actually told me that was necromancy. I laughed my ass off when I heard that one... the Saints are NOT dead... they're more alive than we are!

This is from my perspective as a fomer Protestant who was received into the Catholic church after much prayer and study. I'm sure that @VonBonfire sees some of these points a bit differently, and that's cool. I was raised Protestant. Protestantism is a"Johnny come lately" in Christian history, it's not even 600 years old...but the Church has been around for over 2,000 years now. I converted to Catholicism in '94. The answer to all the confusion is this: you've probably heard all the Protestant arguments and shown the supposed "proof texts". Well, let the Orthodox explain Orthodoxy and let the Catholics teach Catholicism. It's amazing what happens when someone actually listens to the source as opposed to the distortions of Protestant apologetics. Quite often the best answers with the most clarity come from former Protestants who converted to Orthodoxy or Catholicism. They had to work through all the big issues, so they know how to explain things very well. The Protestant arguments seem to be convincing answers...the thing is, they're not accurate answers.

You'll often hear "My church is Bible based". No offense to those who argue that, but what did the Church do before the Bible was written? That's a great topic to read up on. Who determined which books belong in the New Testament? Protestantism wasn't around back when the books of the New Testament were decided upon. BISHOPS AT COUNCILS IN THE FOURTH CENTURY decided which books are Christian scripture. History is clear on that.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Mass. Finding out that the Protestant style of worship...which is a sing along (or a concert) followed by a lecture...is NOT how the earliest Christians worshipped. They worshiped through liturgy, and 2,000 years later, the Orthodox and the Catholics still worship through liturgy. I was awestruck by first Mass I attended. I was not prepared to behold the sheer power and beauty of it.

@VonBonfire is an devout Orthodox Christian and I can see why. I'll bet that he can be of great help in your journey. I have no doubt that Orthodoxy is the purest expression of the Christian faith. Reading the Fathers of the Church will blow your mind, bro.

Anyway, I'm not gonna get into a big debate here. I decided to give @JackBootedThug a few things to research, but I wasn't planning such a long post! LOL

God bless you, Bro!

PS, I'm very grateful for all the prayers for me from you guys. Thanks again!

​

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Why decide what's in the Bible and then depart from its teachings.
Maybe by the 4th century they were worshiping by liturgy but there's no account of that in the Bible regarding the early church,
 
JohnnyGtar said:
I was confused about praying to the Saints until I learned that not all prayer is worship.
It's asking them to pray for you like you would anyone here on Earth. James 5:16 says "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Well, if THAT is true of humans on Earth, how much more effective are the prayers of the Saints in heaven? The Saints in heaven are utterly freed from sin. They behold the face of God now. Some evangelical dude actually told me that was necromancy. I laughed my ass off when I heard that one... the Saints are NOT dead... they're more alive than we are!

This is from my perspective as a former Protestant who was received into the Catholic church after much prayer and study. I'm sure that @VonBonfire sees some of these points a bit differently, and that's cool. I was raised Protestant. Protestantism is a"Johnny come lately" in Christian history, it's not even 600 years old...but the Church has been around for over 2,000 years now. I converted to Catholicism in '94. The answer to all the confusion is this: you've probably heard all the Protestant arguments and shown the supposed "proof texts". Well, let the Orthodox explain Orthodoxy and let the Catholics explain Catholicism. It's amazing what happens when someone actually listens to the source as opposed to the distortions of Protestant apologetics. Quite often the best answers with the most clarity come from former Protestants who converted to Orthodoxy or Catholicism. They had to work through all the big issues, so they know how to explain things very well. The Protestant arguments seem to be convincing answers...the thing is, they're not accurate answers.

You'll often hear "My church is Bible based". No offense to those who argue that, but what did the Church do before the Bible was written? That's a great topic to read up on. Who determined which books belong in the New Testament? Protestantism wasn't around back when the books of the New Testament were decided upon. BISHOPS AT COUNCILS IN THE FOURTH CENTURY decided which books are Christian scripture. History is clear on that.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the Mass. Finding out that the Protestant style of worship...which is a sing along (or a concert) followed by a lecture...is NOT how the earliest Christians worshipped. They worshiped through liturgy, and 2,000 years later, the Orthodox and the Catholics still worship through liturgy. I was awestruck by first Mass I attended. I was not prepared to behold the sheer power and beauty of it.

@VonBonfire is an devout Orthodox Christian and I can see why. I'll bet that he can be of great help in your journey. I have no doubt that Orthodoxy is the purest expression of the Christian faith. Reading the Fathers of the Church will blow your mind, bro.

Anyway, I'm not gonna get into a big debate here. I decided to give @JackBootedThug a few things to research, but I wasn't planning such a long post! LOL

God bless you, Bro!

PS, I'm very grateful for all the prayers for me from you guys. Thanks again!

​

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Great post brother…thanks!
 
Thumbpicker said:
Why decide what's in the Bible and then depart from its teachings.
Maybe by the 4th century they were worshiping by liturgy but there's no account of that in the Bible regarding the early church,
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Those ecumenical councils were held to clarify theology becUse heretics had already mvoed into the church by that time. The councils were attended by bishops from all over the known world so it is the protestant denoms that departed from the doctrine.and now every dude with a Bible in his home creates his or her own version of Christianity which is why there are hundreds, thousands, of different denominations now creating confusion and the author of confusion is none other than satan.

@JohnnyGtar Very nicely put brother.
 
@JackBootedThug and @VonBonfire Here's an Orthodox Priest speaking at an evangelical church. Powerful stuff! This sermon was given at Zootown Church in Missoula, Montana.
Scott Klaudt is the evangelical pastor of that church and he is discovering the Orthodox Christian faith and so he invited this Orthodox Priest to speak to his congregation.

 
Hey y'all... my brain is doing great today, so thanks for the prayers and good mojo! It's kinda weird having good days, then foggy days but I'm cracking jokes about it. Like my Grandpa Willie used to say "It's hell gettin' old but it beats the alternative!"
 
VonBonfire said:
Those ecumenical councils were held to clarify theology becUse heretics had already mvoed into the church by that time. The councils were attended by bishops from all over the known world so it is the protestant denoms that departed from the doctrine.and now every dude with a Bible in his home creates his or her own version of Christianity which is why there are hundreds, thousands, of different denominations now creating confusion and the author of confusion is none other than satan.

@JohnnyGtar Very nicely put brother.
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@VonBonfire - Great explanation of the councils, bro. I know there are some differences in Orthodox and Catholic theology, so I defer to Orthodox doctrine. If you see me posting something that's innacurate, please set me straight. (The Filioque for example.) I won't be offended in the slightest.
 
VonBonfire said:
Those ecumenical councils were held to clarify theology becUse heretics had already mvoed into the church by that time. The councils were attended by bishops from all over the known world so it is the protestant denoms that departed from the doctrine.and now every dude with a Bible in his home creates his or her own version of Christianity which is why there are hundreds, thousands, of different denominations now creating confusion and the author of confusion is none other than satan.

@JohnnyGtar Very nicely put brother.
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Interesting because the reformed church is addressing the departures by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. There was an interesting article in the newspaper the other day about the Catholic Church desecrating Archbishop George Pell's body before it was shipped back to Australia. He apparently tried to root out corruption in terms of the Catholic Church's finances. I can't think of a more evil Church. It's seemingly like something from the Godfather 3 in real life. Also in its response to the behaviour of its Priests and their conduct. Makes you sick.

Not to mention services of the Catholic church used to be in Latin just to baffle everyone with bullshit. Never mind that no-one had a clue what they were talking about or couldn't hear the gospel.
 
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