MAN IS THE CROWN OF ALL CREATION

     When we examine creation  we can see that  there is no one superior to man. For example only man can read  and write and understand things that are spoken or  written, There is no creature who is superior to man. This function of understanding and communication known as intellect and it is not matter but is bestowed upon us by the Creator for a purpose/ Man also has feelings of love for good  and hatred for the evil which is known as affection. Man also has freedom of will to choose as he decides what is good or evil. These faculties are not found in other creatures but are given to man for a specific purpose. It is supremely important to understand what man’s purpose for existence is, because in Holy Scripture God offers man promises of good things and warns everyone with  threats, urging him to accept only what is good and reject all that is evil. He also defines what is good and what is evil so that man can freely make good choices that are beneficial thus avoiding all harm from every form of evil.

     Man being endowed with intellect, affection and free will, can never learn his purpose  from various ideas for he has received a spark of divinity which was breathed into him and which elevates him above everything to his wonderful status as the image of God,. Man cannot learn about himself from the of opinions of men, but he needs to be taught of God if he desires to know why he was created so noble and endowed with these wonderful faculties. God teaches the truth, that man comes from the earth but is very special, 

     God’s plan for man who is His image is that he should become like God in both His image and likeness, and so He said: “Let us create man in our own image and according to our likeness.”  We see that man is the image of God  with the potential of progress and become His likeness as well,  What greater plan can be conceived by the gracious and loving God? But evil exists and there is no evil in God.  But it has a purpose. God gave man freedom to accept or reject God’s plans for him, so God made laws with both reward and punishment, man therefore is free free to choose.

     Lucifer was an archangel who, made improper use of his freedom and wickedly rebelled against God imagining that he was just like Him. He saw that God treated man especially precious, and he, gathering other fallen angels who chose to follow him went  against God’s new creature. God did not destroy Lucifer, who is also known as the Devil for He had a use for him. Satan and the Dragon, because wih his evil deeds would unknowingly be instrumental in God’s purpose. For his evil ideas are aimed at  both angels and men, who would develop and increase their freedom by faith and love for God, thus using their freedom as God had planned. God is love and man partakes of His love, especially when he understands the immensity of God’s love for man.

     What is man? He is a free-willed creature who needs to use his freedom by accepting and following the law of God, getting to know God and to love Him because He is good and the only lover of man. For this reason Christ ordered man to become holy as He is holy and to become perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect. God, according to His plan, did not hesitate to  send His Logos and Son to become man and so fulfill His perfect plan to redeem and save those who went astray yet willingly hearkened unto His words, and He will bring them into His eternal and glorious kingdom, where there is no pain or sorrow but life everlasting. Just the effort and struggle to obey God fills man’s soul with happiness and joy and so there is an immediate reward in this present life but eternal joy and glory in the kingdom is man’s reward.

     The present life of man is extremely temporary for the years fly by rapidly, but eternity is not billions or trillions of years but is endless. Those who awaken and realize that this is truth and change to the saving way of life will live eternally, but those who ignore it and live only for the flesh and the so called good times will regret it and will suffer eternally.

PATRIARCH CONDEMNS RELIGIOUS FANATICISM

Which Does Not Flourish In The Orthodox Church

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, while visiting Syria addressed the media and was asked what he though about religious fanaticism which he  denounced as detrimental to the cause of world peace., calling it an major obstacle to world peace. The Patriarch remarked that it was the job of religious leaders to steer their people away from fanatical ideas. He said: “Religious fanaticism is the worst kind of fanaticisms in the world. We as spiritual leaders can instruct and teach our faithful to avoid spiritual fanaticism. This is the first and most important step towards success in the efforts of peace.

     The Patriarch also called for cooperation among world religious leaders saying: “We have to coordinate all the various spiritual powers   . . .  to promote unity among divided Christians and all other religions in order to create a better situation in the 21st century. His viewpoint was expressed at a time when the world was seeking for peace seems to be right on target, but for the patriarch it is really his betrayal as a spiritual leader of the  Orthodox Church which by preaching truth never falls into fanaticism.

     The editor’s opinion is that fanaticism is never derived from the true faith but usually arises among schisms and heresies which have separated from the Church, because the true faith can never be fanatic as it is filled with truth and peace. Fanaticism cannot stand against truth but flourishes where there is falsehood. Fanaticism is a mixture of truth and falsehood and occurs in false religions. They lack the power of truth and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Many of them, lacking the power that is in truth become fanatic and converts souls by forceful persuasion and in some cases even threats of death.

   The Patriarch calls for the cooperation of the world’s religious leaders to promote unity among divided Christians and this is erroneous. For the Patriarch is not performing his most noble task, spreading the truths of Orthodoxy. He is a chief representative of the true faith which alone holds the solution to all the troubles of the world, especially in their search for permanent world peace.

His call should not be for impossible and useless task to unite divided Christians, but the Church  seeks preach that everyone outside the Church abandon their false teachings and come to come the Orthodox Church,  be baptized in three immersions, then they will find the treasures of truth, peace and eternal life.

     The Patriarch says: “We must promote unity among divided Christians and all religions.”  Orthodox will never be part of any union with other churches who all contain a mixture of truth and falsehood. True Orthodoxy never seeks union with other sects, for she is complete and has been the true Church of God, united to Christ who is her Head, The Church welcomes to triune baptism all those who convert from falsehood to truth which found complete and preserved in the holy Orthodox Church.

     There can be no fanaticism among Orthodox Christians for truth is not mixed with falsehood. Jesus Christ, who is our Head will always preserve His true Church which is His Body, and for this reason the Orthodox Church will survive never be destroyed.

CONCERNING PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

     The Orthodox Church has preserved the complete Orthodox Faith pure and unchanged from the ages and thus she alone remains the true Church of Christ. Because she does not change and preserves the truth intact she is always under attack by her enemies, many from rulers from within who seek to change and corrupt her truths.Among these is the present Patriarch Bartholomew. 

Here is a betrayal by Patriarch Bartholomew:

|      "Our aims are the same as John's (Pope John XXIII): to update the Church and promote Christian unity. . . the Council will also signify the opening of the Orthodox Church to non-Christian religions, to humanity as a whole. This means a new attitude toward Islam, toward Buddhism, toward contemporary culture, toward aspirations for brotherhood free from racial discrimination... in other words, it will mark the end of twelve centuries of isolation of the Orthodox Church."

1. Bartholomew promises to follow Pope John XXIII.

(John takes the place of Christ as head)

2 The Pope desires to rule over Orthodoxy.

3. He will updatethe Church, that is, change it.

4. An ecumenist he wamts the unity of all Christians.

5. He opens the Church to non-Christians.

6. He gives recognition to Islam.

7. To gives recognition to  Buddhism.

8. He gives recognition to contemporary culture,  

9. He desires a universal brotherhood  

10. He is against racial discrimination.

11. He will end 12 centuries of  Orthodox

Tradition calling it isolation

     He planned these drastic changes  before he became Patriarch and has started putting them into effect. If he succeeds Greek Orthodoxy will lose its unique position of being unchanged.

   On January 21, 1977, the National Catholic Reporter (Roman Catholic) published an interview with the new Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who was at that time secretary to the late Patriarch Demetrios. This is the source of the quotations within. In that interview, conducted in the Phanar in Constantinople, the Patriarch sets forth his vision of the future of the Greek Orthodox Church.

    Pinning his hopes on an eighth ecumenical council, Bartholomew told his interviewer that the Orthodox Church feels the need for renovation . . .  For instance, the prescription of 40 days fast before Pascha (Easter) and Christmas is scarcely feasible today outside of monasteries.  Poor excuse! Fasting is mandatory but it is also a personal choice made by individuals,   it is never enforced upon anyone.

     In his search for innovation and more accessible ways for Orthodox believers to live their faith, Bartholomew compares himself to Pope John XXIII: Our aims are like John’s: to update the Church and promote Christian unity. (In Orthodoxy, unity is never desirable Behold the new Patriarchas he openly calls for renovation and change. He hopes to abolish fasting, which most people do mot keep. Esconced in his Phanar, he fancies himself as the pope of Orthodox Church and as the point of reference for the whole Orthodox community.

   Bartholomew sees his Church as emerging from 12 dark centuries of isolation, a backward institution beset by ecclesiastical egotism but now ready to strengthen her ties with other Christians. Bartholomew says; by the grace if God, all Orthodox Churches now favor ecumenism.

May the Lord protect His Church from this abominable assault.