An easy search: BIBLE + FREEMASONRY, through which lies and truth becomes easy listed. So far i have listed 28 lies and 28 truth. Have you started to dig? What have you found? What do you know about masonry club? About the evil rulers of this world, masons, what you know about them?
As a woman it is so encouraging to know young men are finding these videos and refining their identities in a Godly and intentional way. It is good and necessary to be steadfast in prayer, to be respectful and self-disciplined over the passions, even if you do not get married, so do it for Christ and yourself, not only for the sake of marriage❤️
Not to mention 'break up' songs. So much music is just about the singer having a petulant tantrum because they can't accept the consequences of their bad relationship decisions.
God did put this video on me for a reason. I just stopped my college homework and stopped by this video since I will be thinking of love and how I will married. Wonderful video, this video made me realize everything would come naturally when it's time. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue working on us!
Having been Orthodox for less than five years, been married (with children) for 15 years, and is freshly red pilled, this was delivered exactly as i have wanted anyone to. Father bless...thank you for finally delivering it succinctly. This is why im here
Thank you father. This has been the best video on orthodoxy I have seen. It is filled to the brim with substance. As a young man in college in the process of joining the church it was incredibly relevant. Please keep me in your prayers as I look to get married and start a family, that I may keep the Lord in my thoughts and actions.
Most clergy I’ve heard speak on this topic kind of avoid the bedroom topic, I appreciate you talking about it and being clear. It’s true, it’s not like there’s no limits in the bedroom and it’s important all orthodox christians are aware.
Wow! I'm so happy you brought this to light. No one talks about this, I don't hear clergy talking about this. So many are misguided. Thank-you so much for discussing this.
Thank you so much for this frank video, Father. I am glad you will be talking about Mar Mari soon as I was swept up with him for a while. Prayers for you and Anya and the little ones. Penelope.
Mar Mari, is a good man and i see he trying to love Christ. Nevertheless, he is in a heresy. He venerate Nestorius that ironicly a heresy against Christ, Our Lord. Thats all i can say
So many of us have reaped the whirlwind by not taking these kinds of things seriously ... And we live in a world that stalks us continually even when we're in The Church ... Especially those of us that are new, having already been through the wringer with one of these "other relationships" ... Even, and I will say especially if we we were Charismatic or Protestant ... This is NOT about moralism ... But something far greater ... May God Himself help us and save us ... Thank you Father ... ☦️ ☦️ ☦️
Im in love with this girl and so as she. We have a relationship now and im confused to keep our relationship in Orthodox Christian way. Your videos is a big help, father. Im looking for a marriage but i have so much to learn.
Keep it on the orthodox way. I know what i am saying. You may be exactly ruinning it if you consider talking it on the wrong , nor saving or preserving it. Keep God between you, in this case you have the most chances of succes
This is beautiful insight that the world is hurting for. My family attends a Traditional Latin Mass and the guidance we’ve received is in the same vein and in this modern world is radical. The beautiful consequence of the degeneracy going on is so many are yearning for and craving traditional liturgies and truth.
Thank you for this video Father. My fiance and i will be baptized Lazarus Saturday and will be married soon afterwards. We entered the church already in a relationship and living together. It was not a relationship one could call godly. I thank God that we found the church and that we are now trying to make our relationship a Christian relationship ☦️
I’ll be honest, all of the women of my church are either married, elderly or both. There are some female members of my generation (Gen Z) but I’m pretty sure they’re all minors still (they still go to Sunday School rather than Catechism Class) & a lot of them have boyfriends on top of that so, I may have to look outside of the church for a viable mate. It is a new year’s resolution of mine though, to ask out just one woman for the first time, here’s hoping.
Hi brother, I’m an orthodox gen Z male too and I’m in the same situation. 90% of the viable girls my age 18-22 are garbage in and out of the church. My best advice would be to hold out and try to sift through the piles of junk to find a decent wife. We have been cursed with the worst generation of women the planet has ever been seen.
@@CharlesGrady-l2o Careful brother, when Adam was confronted for eating the fruit he first blamed his companion God gave him. We are trash among trash, one should focus on his own purification and salvation before he looks towards a wife. God will provide if that is his will for you. God bless you
@@CharlesGrady-l2o Its pretty baffling that you feel comfortable describing other humans as 'piles of junk' and 'garbage'. Please remember that we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God. Of course there are people who are unbelievers and perhaps not as pious as you, but that does not give you a pass to talk about them in such a degrading manner. God bless ❤
Father.. This is one of the most beautiful videos I've watched recently. Soo deep topic.. And very lovely to see moments with your family ☺️ You are all very lovely.. God bless you all!! ➕
I needed this. I was dating a catholic girl and was deeply in love, but she left for her own reasons, she was Very honst and didn't lie to me, but It still made me feel like an empty husk. I'm participating more in my community now, maybe someday i'll find true love
I'm loving everything you're doing, father. Thank you for your wisdom as I struggle immensely with self abuse. Also, I can't wait for your video about Mar Mari Emmanuel. I fell for his videos a few times but stopped watching him after finding out he's a Nestorian.
Fr, this was very good. Thank you for teaching. I wonder.... could you speak to being older and unmarried? Anytime a priest talks about marriage, it is directed to young, child bearing years people. I have a Protestant background, was married for 20 years (with him for 22 years), have an adult daughter & grandchild. I divorced my husband right before I came to the Orthodox Church (husband had addiction & abuse issues that ultimately, he refused to deal with...I couldn't live with him anymore). I've been Othodox for 10 years now. Im really working in my Orthodoxy to just keep a prayer rule and constantly find harmony with living in the world, having to work, and keep up in my Church life. I'm pretty happy in my singleness, I am not actively seeking a partner, but, I've met someone and the "🤔 I wonder about marriage" thoughts creep in once in awhile. I'm 50. Getting married at my age, the fact that it would be a second marriage, none of these things are ever discussed by priests. How should a more mature woman (or man) view/prepare for marriage in these circumstances?
God bless you my dear! It is time to pray for God children, be they adults or children and to be God bearing through prayer! I will make a talk on this :)
I have asked my Spiritual Father to decide who I should marry. I'm tired of trying to do things myself and feel as if that's why I am having no success. I am gonna finish School and try to be someone worth marrying first.
The messages in here are wonderfully refreshing and a reminder of what I will build and how to honor holy matrimony should the Lord bless me to enter into it with a beloved sister. Thank you dear brother for your service to the kingdom. May our Lord bless and protect you. May He lead you and those your shepherd into eternity. May He shine His face upon you and your family and protect you from the attacks and sabotage of the devil and all the evil spirits seeking your destruction. Also, I am very curious of your response if you happen to see this comment. You reference Jay Dyer at the end of the video. May the Lord lead Him into all holiness and sanctify and protect Him from the wills of our enemy. I must say, though, his words are very concerning. His streams and teaching is full of base, crass, uncharitable, and patronizing speech. We are called to be as our Lord is. We are called to BE compassionate, merciful, honest, holy, pure, etc. His words concern me as to the state of his soul. He will deflect such concerns from brothers in our Lord to just saying he’s “mean.” But that is simply a straw man to deny the introspection implored for for the sake of His soul and the honorable representation of our King. With all sincerity, respect, and humility, do you at all share the same concerns? Do you see Christ when you watch his streams? Do you hear the voice of our Lord?
Thank you Father, this video was very informative! I do have one question, and forgive me for talking about such a sensitive topic, but I am not quite sure who else to ask. I was wondering what "mutual manual stimulation" entails? Does it mean one cannot touch one's spouse in the private area at all or in certain ways?
Thank you Father, i had to break off a relationship with a woman i met a week ago yesterday and i already was seeing things moving too fast for me to handle.
Thank you, father. This video was very edifying! I know that birth control is not permitted, but what do you think of NFP? It's my understanding that nfp is generally permitted but I feel that it can be used just as selfishly as birth control.
That’s a great question! The Orthodox position on this is that NFP really shouldn’t be used. The idea is that if a couple comes together, they should be willing to accept if God will choose to create life in the process. You never know who God desires to bring into the world and how they will serve Him.
Thank you, Fr, for your reply. It's a hard teaching to accept but also very beautiful. Please say a prayer for me (Katherine) and my husband Maximus that we will be pleasing to God in our marriage. We're a young couple that just had our first.
Even after converting to Orthodox, I've tried to find my love from dating apps. Now I realized that it is not true love so I deleted all of them. But I'm still struggling to find the true love for me because there are almost no options at the church and myself is very introvert. I'm praying but I'm still anxious and worried and I'm scared of that I might end my life alone with no spouse and kids.
FYI strep throat is often caused by chronic mouth breathing, and mouth breathing is really bad in other ways, especially the proper growth and development of a child’s face/nose/jaws. Just in case that’s something you’re unaware of, I thought I’d share.
Thank you Father, it is hard to find a wife in this age. I am 21 and I did suffer some rejections, and my parents kinda pressure me to seek. Should we just stop seeking and let God work it out? I wanted to ask you before asking my priest.
@@GGhiba611 I do. And I've talked with him a little about this. He knows our situation. Having young children adds another complex matter to this too. I returned to the church after having had kids, and it has been a challenge to orient them toward the church.
@@GGhiba611 I know you mean well. Thank you for your encouragement. The majority of my kids have difficulty in water, can't/won't put their head underwater once (let alone thrice). They won't go to church without mom. And my wife has issues with the Orthodox Church, she aligns with some more liberal/modernistic views. And, I see the merit in why she has these views, but I view the Orthodox Church transcending these arguments. I used to have these same views. But, I've shed them, they are inconsistent with the faith. So, she doesn't go often, so my kids won't go. It is getting a little better, but I have a lot of despair about my situation, and don't see hope in how God can bring about salvation to my family. Sometimes I get angry about it, which I realize is NOT helpful, so I try not to express that anger openly. There's just a LOT of resistance in terms of my family entering the church. My wife is also trying too. I see her trying, in her own way, to be a part of the prayer we do at night as a family. So, I should be fair to her. And I love her deeply. May God have mercy on my family. ☦︎
Thanks for the video. I’ve attended Protestant churches off & on but I’ve had thoughts of becoming an orthodox member. Does the church teach that marry was perfect & pray to her?
I am glad you’re interested. The position on the Theotokos (Mary) is much more nuanced than that. Listen to my talk on why we call her the Mother of God.
I know you said that we shouldn’t avoid children when coming together with our spouse but how do we balance that with the very obvious financial strain that would result of having many children?… yes we could abstain but that seems very unrealistic and lead us to fall into self abuse as you mentioned which is not a long term solution. From what I gather st Paul told us to marry for one reason being that our sexual desire can be satisfied in a God pleasing way since monasticism isn’t for everyone. I see some priests with only a couple of children instead of 10 so there must be a way that sex can occur in a marriage without it resulting in children within the confines of the canons. Thank you
Hi father, can you pls tell me what Orthodox think of catholic marian devotions such as the total consecration to Mary? Is this way of talking over the top or can Orthodox also do a similar devotion? Thanks
Its next to impossible to find an orthodox partner living in the west, i tried prayed and talket to my spiritual father about it, and i met 2 girls from an orthodox country but dont want to go to church anymore, and the rest of Christians in Holland are protestant, a few are catholic. But in the orthodox Church are 99% old and married people. So i try to start a relationship with a non believer .. in some parts better than a protestant, because shes open to join sometimes in orthodox church. But wat i want say, If things don't go the way they should, then they just have to go the way they should. Im struggling with this part. In orthodox are only 2 ways, or you get married, or you become a monk. I really love to get married but its so difficult to find . Thank you for this video God Bless you
We should also be on the watch for legalistic pharisees. I attend Orthodox Divine liturgies because I feel the Holy Spirit there not church doctrine. There is a goodness to that man as there is to Billy Graham for that matter, the holy spirit is present in both.
Goodness and the experience of God in one’s life isn’t limited to the Orthodox. That’s not really the claim. The claim is that there is right belief and wrong belief. This is even cautioned against by St Paul. Ultimately, I would advise not to be Orthodox because of how you feel. This can change. The matter of being Orthodox should be because it’s the right thing to do. Which isn’t always easy.
Father, do you have any advice for people who have never been in love? I am a woman approaching my 30s and I genuinely wish to get married but I've never romantically liked, or much less loved, anyone in my life. I fear that reading a lot of romance stories has conditioned me to look for perfection and outward beauty to the point where real men can never compare. Is there anything I can do to change that mindset?
Thank you for saying Catholics don’t worship the pope/Mary. You would not (on second thought, you probably would) believe how many people actually think that
Do you have to find the person you are going to marry physically attractive? As in, you look at them and you don't wish their features were different? I know that sounds so shallow, but it's a genuine question I have.
Don't qoute me in this. But it's the idea is that having sex with a use of something that hinders the natural way of having children is down apun. I guess you can say it like if you were to have sex and have child, let the Lords will be done. But if you somehow completely prevent that, then it's bad.@@Jhadar and maybe people might abuse it since there is no "consequences" aka babies. Quotes bc children are not consequences, God gift
Question for you father. If there is a serious health complication pertaining to pregnancy. Is it permissible then to use contraceptive? Or is the only answer the to practice abstinence in the marriage?
That is something you would have to speak with a bishop or your spiritual father about. There’s a lot of context that would be needed to give a proper pastoral approach.
Father forgive me for asking but is foreplay not allowed too? And is missionary the only position allowed in Orthodoxy? I am an Ethiopian Orthodox. We don’t ask this questions openly it’s taboo in our culture to even brought it up.
Perhaps this is due to my being seventeen, but I can not perceive myself with children. I do not despise the idea of becoming a father, I think it is a great path. I love children, their simple joy never ceases to amaze me. I also do have a hard time viewing myself as a husband, although I do so enjoy female companionship, romance has never found its appeal within me. I am not terribly certain what I had ought to do in regard to my future, given this perspective. Oh, and, just in case one wonders (many have), I am not a homosexual - those habits have found themselves more confusing to me than male-female romance!
Just as right ordered religion is a life of being a living sacrifice, so our relationships with our spouses and children should be right ordered and lovingly sacrificial in nature.
Why is contraception not acceptable? Because of it I’m able to hold a job and not have to take huge amounts of pain medication every month. I’m able to live a productive life because of contraception. Why is the church, or people with little to no medical training feel like they have the authority to push that decision on us?
Why do you ask questions like this without doing research. It’s funny, people who present your argument often like to charge the Church with “ignorance” when they themselves fail to understand the argument they’re arguing against. The first mistake most make. If you’re Orthodox and asking this, that’s very sad as it shows you weren’t well taught. If you’re not, why are you so bothered. The problem with many of you North Americans is that the moment you encounter something that opposes your often (and I say this without any cruel intent), poorly formed opinions, you somehow take it as someone trying to force you to do something. What absolute nonsense. If however, you call yourself a Christian, then you have a problem as already you failed to Imitate Christ. Instead of saying “not by my will, but let your will be done,” to God, you are instead trying to dictate YOUR will to Him. That won’t do you too much good when we all inevitably face His judgement. If you don’t believe this, then truly you’re foolish for trying to argue against someone well versed in his faith, a faith that goes much deeper than just “I read it in the Bible and thus I believe it.” Another problem that people who argue this point often have is assuming the position of the Orthodox Church on this matter is somehow primitive. To answer your question, for one contraception, especially oral contraceptives can make it difficult to conceive in the future. If you’re a Christian and asking this, you’ve already betrayed the reality that God isn’t your master as you feel the need to exert an unnatural method to control your natural biology. If there was a mass recall or shortage of your medicine now your life would collapse? Your life and your identity aren’t as cheap as you made it sound. Secondly, to add to the first point, it can cause involuntary abortion. Which is still the death of another human being. The moronic and vague ethical stance of many modernists is constantly trying to move the goal posts as to what qualifies a human being. All of which are mutative and thus they open the way to exposing their own demonic prejudices. If you’re Orthodox stop taking them or, if you insist, don’t take communion. If you’re married and Orthodox, then not only should you stop taking them, but you should also go to confession and get some guidance. I’ve known many women who regret taking birth control because later on, when they stop they find it very difficult to conceive as it really messes with your hormones. Maybe look up the long term risk of using such things. Many accuse Christians of being blind followers. This isn’t the case, especially with Orthodox Christians. However, many worldly people will blindly follow the crowd when it comes to worldly things such as money and success. One day, an unfortunate event might take these things from you and if that’s were your identity and self worth is, you’ve done far more to dehumanize yourself than anyone else.
I got the same question as you. I have masturbated hundreds of times within the last 2.5 years... Assuming I never masturbate again after writing this comment, is someone like me allowed to marry a wife or am I spiritually obligated to become a monk?
Forgive me Father, but what of those not called to monasticism or marriage? Why do i keep seeing other orthodox treat marriage like its the end all be all? I barely see ANYONE talk about brotherhood. I barely see anything about it. I either see people talk about who to marry, what to expect, and of course the near impossible standards for marriage from the Saints. For monasticism i hear, "go talk to an elder of a monastery" But for brotherhood? Nadah, nothing. As if brotherhood is worthless. Young men NEED each other in this COLD world. There are A LOT of manipulative people. And a rise of Manipulative Women that will crush a man just to try and get ahead in life. Yet i dont see any orthodox telling young men to stick by each other and to build themselves and each other up.
I’ve thought about this a lot. Maybe you don’t go to my parish but I’ve felt very lonely whenever the men in my church got married and started ignoring me. Some even acted better then me for it. However I know for a fact even If I get married I promise I will cherish my brothers and show brotherhood. Best we can do is be friends ourselves
I’ll talk about this later. But this talk is about marriage. Which is within my responsibility to talk about. I definitely want to cover this. There are many men and women who live celibate and aren’t monastics. This is something that’ll get its own video.
That would be so great if you made a video about that. In churches in general, single adults are mostly ignored by married people and even the priests. I'm Latin Mass Catholic, I went from a church where there were a handful of single middle aged to older adults and we supported each other in friendship, but now I'm in a church with a lot of families. It's not easy. And very rare do priests or the Church Hierarchy talk about anything regarding single middle aged to older adults - which I find interesting considering Catholic priests aren't married, you'd think they'd have some empathy. In the adult singles groups I've seen listed in various church bulletins, the cut off age is around 35. The fact is not everyone finds a good Catholic or Orthodox come across their path to marry.@@living_orthodox
Thank you father i agree with everything you said , its demonic to use toys and all of this things , i just dont understand the thing about condoms , i mean we need children yes ofcourse but if everytime we dont have condom , we might have many children , and everything is expensive now , life is not easy in terms of providing to the kids. If no condoms , how do we balance that ?
@@LKRaiderwho can actually resist to that extreme? Even monks fall into sexual sin living amongst only other men let alone someone living and sleeping in the same bed with a woman they’re attracted to ie their wife and vice versa. This is one area I find hard to wrap my head around. Yes we should trust in God but what happens when we’re on our 6,7,8th child without the financial means to support them. Would put a lot of strain on the marriage and family.
@@cvrki7 you are hypothesizing. Bring a real case to the table. Many couples have intercourse and not all intercourse is fruitful. God knows what you can bear.
I understand that it's the ideal for the husband to work and the wife to stay at home with the kids, and I'm totally on board with that, but what if it's not possible? We don't have an economy where that's possible for most people, especially with today's exploding housing costs. Adding to that most industries now have preferential hiring and promotional policies that suppresses men's abilities to get ahead and single handedly support their families. It was also for this reason that men were paid more than women, which is now forbidden by law further making it more difficult. What Father had also mentioned about his own mother bailing out on the family when there was financial problems is far too common, in this nation almost all marriages are ended by women with money being one of the biggest reasons. Too often modern women prioritize the material gain they might get from a relationship over anything else. In my own experience who you end up with is a reflection of you and the one or two things you prioritize the most. If you want someone who makes tons of money, be prepared for everything else to not be what you might desire. It's far better to be with someone who is poor but pious rather than rich and lukewarm at best. Guys would be well advised to stay far, far away from such women, and make sure she really does put God first. Everything else flows from that.
I can agree with everything here besides that the church has any business with what goes on in my bedroom. Who are you to say what does and doesnt foster intimacy between my wife and i? Worry about your own sex life!
I am not the Church, I am priest who serves the Church. The way you’re framing this is proof that your response is passionate. Countless saints and canons have spoken on this. A proper reading of scripture makes it clear that sodomy is any unnatural act. It isn’t merely dependent on who it’s done with. Think about it carefully and don’t just react because it’s a hard saying. If you can’t be obedient to the Church, then you will certainly struggle to be obedient to God. His standards are much higher. Worry about your soul. I have two kids and a very good marriage. Be careful of that judgement. Lashing out and making off hand comments shows that your passions are flaring up. Grow up. I’d be worried if you need unnatural acts to have intimacy with your wife.
I'm pretty cynical about marriage. several generations in my family all got divorced and my experience with women has been pretty heartbreaking. I don't see how the purpose of marriage can be about anything but child-rearing. Logically, anything else seems like tempting one another with sin and vanity. This whole idea that it somehow creates a bond or whatever is stupid. The same thing can be found in being friends. We even see this in the lives of the saints. In any case, you also have the whole problem with no-fault divorce and a woman's tendency to use not only men to gain status but also her children to abuse and use the man she had them with. So I have zero interest in marriage. Many people don't see any benefit to it. Most people just see a free pass to be perverted and get something out of it. Or they see it as being too risky to try out.
No fault divorce is a secular problem. Listen to the video in whole and listen again if you have. I think you might’ve missed some points I made. Personal experience and family related issues can also force us into patterns. You may have to question why the women you chose all didn’t work out, and if the problem isn’t just them. Sometimes it is us and the people we choose.
Snide, superior and hypocritical. Thank you for reminding me why I left Orthodoxy and found God. This is all about image. Shadow, with no substance. Deflection, with no personal honour.
No offense Father. This is the first time I have to counter you and I pray you will prove me wrong in some way because I do not want to be puffed up or pretend to know more than I do. Even if we commit sinful acts such as sodomy it can in no way transfer over to our Children. We have ancestral sin through Adam and Eve who brought the world into corruption but God also creates EVERYTHING as being good. No child can ever be born with sins accrued by their parents because that would go against God creating everything being Good. This immediately becomes some backward way in giving sin ontological status which it doesn't have. This is a backwards way of doing what the Romans do with the immaculate conception of the Theotokos. She had ancestral sin but was still in spite of that perfectly obedient to God and that is why we are called to be as faithful. Claiming that she could have inherited some kind of sexual sin would mean that it would be a bagage outside human nature itself that she would have to contend with. God forbid. I do not mean to judge or anything but this is nothing like what I know Orthodox teaching to be. Perhaps it's a view that some pondered in the church but I have never heard this to be he dogmatic. In no way am I excusing people from their sin in what I'm saying but I do take issue with such sins being transferable to the innocence of children who God creates pure. This is why believe that even children who died unbaptized, the Lord will take them too himself because they are innocent. Regards Zlatko
You don’t have to counter me. You want to because this a hard saying. Yes sins can impact children. Even the Bible warns of this when it cautions that the sins of the Father can be passed down for seven generations. Sin has an effect on ontology. Hence why the effects of ancestral have been passed down and hence why priests service books have prayers for the lifting of generational curses. Not all curses are the result of external forces. This is something taught by many saints. St Paisios warned of sins being transferred as has Elder Ephraim and St Joseph. We have to be wary of European rationalism which looks to put everything in a box. Including God. Also your statement about the Theotokos reveals that you actually don’t know what contributed to her purity. Her parents had a passionless union when conceiving her which is partially what led to her being purified. Many fathers consider that one of the three steps in which she was purified. Children can be affected by our sins before birth. The problem is that you’re viewing sin like a Catholic would. Something restricted to a mere legal status. Children born with FAS aren’t alcoholics. They suffer from the effects of their mother’s alcoholism. The same can be said for disorders of the soul. God can heal with this but struggles can come because of our actions. Sin affects human nature and can corrupt it. I’d suggest reading the services of baptism and even the prayers of absolution before making the assumptions you have. Also, read the akathist of Sts Joachim and Anna. I do not wish to be harsh, but it is clear you know less on this than what you think and one shouldn’t approach a priest by saying “I have to correct you”. That is a level of hubris that can eventually lead one to be blind to their faults. Keep in mind I also have a very good spiritual father whom I consult with.
@@living_orthodox As someone coming from a "satanic" occult bloodline, I wholeheartedly agree with you. My life much like the one of my brothers have been severely impacted by our family line, and the sins of our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. We all have struggled more than the average with substance abuse, sexual sin, despair, and physical ailments. This is since childhood and I'd dare to say even since we were in our mother's womb... Of course when we become adult we have the choice to deal with this sin issue, but it makes it very hard because of the generational aspect. Sin is very serious, and this is one of the main reasons. Dear Zlatko, look up testimonials of satanic ritual abuse if you are not aware of this... But God is merciful, and he loves children, so there is a reason if he allows this to happen... God bless
@@living_orthodox I will read up on this and thank you for the reply. But I wish one thing to be clear as it wasn't cleared up in your answer Father. A baby who dies with parents who committed sexual sins, does that baby risk those sins causing it to not be considered innocent and pure? Does that cause such a child to be at risk of hell? Because is sins are able to be Transfered like that then how does that square with children being considered pure and innocent in scripture and teachings of the fathers? We are called to be like children are we not? I'm not a Protestant not a Catholic and I'm well aware of the many paradoxes in Orthodox teaching and they have never been a problem, in fact they are the only thing which could be true. But in this case I don't see a paradox, but rather a contradiction. I know that God in his providence, love and mercy can forgive the sins of anyone, be they baptized or not (like the thief on the cross). I just don't see how sin is given this ontological status like a disease. when to sin is to miss the mark? When I miss the mark then I have sinned, but how does it apply to an infant for instance? Also once again I didn't intend to sound clever or as if I was correct. Reading what I wrote I realize now it was very inappropriately worded. For that I'm sorry Father. I suppose I would like to ask for a specific book of a saint where this is addressed. I never want to let my own ideas alone formulate my faith because that is a path well trodden by heretics. Once again I ask forgiveness for my poor conduct and I truly didn't mean to offend in any way. God bless you Father and your family. You have provided many edifying talks and I pray you get to continue to do so for many years. 🙏☦️
The more I learn about Orthodoxy , the more I see wrong with the world. Bless you and your family.
The more it gives us fuel as Christian’s to pray and spread the gospel and say come to church (orthodox)
No joke tomorrow (assuming someone can take my shift) I will hopefully be attending my first Orthodox Wedding.
An easy search: BIBLE + FREEMASONRY, through which lies and truth becomes easy listed.
So far i have listed 28 lies and 28 truth.
Have you started to dig? What have you found?
What do you know about masonry club?
About the evil rulers of this world, masons, what you know about them?
Did u go?
As a woman it is so encouraging to know young men are finding these videos and refining their identities in a Godly and intentional way. It is good and necessary to be steadfast in prayer, to be respectful and self-disciplined over the passions, even if you do not get married, so do it for Christ and yourself, not only for the sake of marriage❤️
I've stopped calling pop music songs "love songs" and call them what they are "lust songs"
is older music fine?
@@completionofcomplexdepends on the lyrics and intentions
@@stefanstankovic1223 Yeah, I think it depends on the words you use.
Preach
Not to mention 'break up' songs. So much music is just about the singer having a petulant tantrum because they can't accept the consequences of their bad relationship decisions.
God did put this video on me for a reason. I just stopped my college homework and stopped by this video since I will be thinking of love and how I will married. Wonderful video, this video made me realize everything would come naturally when it's time. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue working on us!
Having been Orthodox for less than five years, been married (with children) for 15 years, and is freshly red pilled, this was delivered exactly as i have wanted anyone to. Father bless...thank you for finally delivering it succinctly. This is why im here
Thank you father. This has been the best video on orthodoxy I have seen. It is filled to the brim with substance. As a young man in college in the process of joining the church it was incredibly relevant. Please keep me in your prayers as I look to get married and start a family, that I may keep the Lord in my thoughts and actions.
Most clergy I’ve heard speak on this topic kind of avoid the bedroom topic, I appreciate you talking about it and being clear. It’s true, it’s not like there’s no limits in the bedroom and it’s important all orthodox christians are aware.
Thank your Father, I am getting married this may :)
Congratulations, I am also getting married this may.
Glory to God!
Wow! I'm so happy you brought this to light. No one talks about this, I don't hear clergy talking about this. So many are misguided. Thank-you so much for discussing this.
Thank you so much for this frank video, Father. I am glad you will be talking about Mar Mari soon as I was swept up with him for a while. Prayers for you and Anya and the little ones. Penelope.
I've seen snipits of him preaching. What's up with him?
@@AnonymousMan115
He's a Nestorian who has Schismed away from the Nestorian Communion.
Is that good or bad
Mar Mari, is a good man and i see he trying to love Christ. Nevertheless, he is in a heresy. He venerate Nestorius that ironicly a heresy against Christ, Our Lord. Thats all i can say
Its a good thing. Cause the nestorian had wrong teaching of Jesus Christ @EternityPTR
I needed this. Please pray for me and my reltionship.
Thankyou Fr
Спасибо Отец за правду. It's very reaffirming to hear these Truths again and the intuitions of our Faith. Thanks!
So many of us have reaped the whirlwind by not taking these kinds of things seriously ...
And we live in a world that stalks us continually even when we're in The Church ...
Especially those of us that are new, having already been through the wringer with one of these "other relationships" ...
Even, and I will say especially if we we were Charismatic or Protestant ...
This is NOT about moralism ...
But something far greater ...
May God Himself help us and save us ...
Thank you Father ...
☦️ ☦️ ☦️
God bless you and your family father!
Thank you for your videos.
God bless you and your family and protect you all my father
Im in love with this girl and so as she. We have a relationship now and im confused to keep our relationship in Orthodox Christian way. Your videos is a big help, father. Im looking for a marriage but i have so much to learn.
Keep it on the orthodox way. I know what i am saying. You may be exactly ruinning it if you consider talking it on the wrong , nor saving or preserving it. Keep God between you, in this case you have the most chances of succes
This is beautiful insight that the world is hurting for. My family attends a Traditional Latin Mass and the guidance we’ve received is in the same vein and in this modern world is radical. The beautiful consequence of the degeneracy going on is so many are yearning for and craving traditional liturgies and truth.
Can you make a video about Redflags in a Priest? How to avoid spirtual abuse? I think this would be helpful for new people
God bless!
Good idea!!
Thank you for this video Father. My fiance and i will be baptized Lazarus Saturday and will be married soon afterwards. We entered the church already in a relationship and living together. It was not a relationship one could call godly. I thank God that we found the church and that we are now trying to make our relationship a Christian relationship ☦️
It’s very hard to hear this but it’s get easier with time! It’s a blessed struggle. Thank you father for this truth, glory to God.
I’ll be honest, all of the women of my church are either married, elderly or both. There are some female members of my generation (Gen Z) but I’m pretty sure they’re all minors still (they still go to Sunday School rather than Catechism Class) & a lot of them have boyfriends on top of that so, I may have to look outside of the church for a viable mate. It is a new year’s resolution of mine though, to ask out just one woman for the first time, here’s hoping.
Hi brother, I’m an orthodox gen Z male too and I’m in the same situation. 90% of the viable girls my age 18-22 are garbage in and out of the church. My best advice would be to hold out and try to sift through the piles of junk to find a decent wife. We have been cursed with the worst generation of women the planet has ever been seen.
Ever seen*
@@CharlesGrady-l2o Careful brother, when Adam was confronted for eating the fruit he first blamed his companion God gave him.
We are trash among trash, one should focus on his own purification and salvation before he looks towards a wife. God will provide if that is his will for you. God bless you
@@CharlesGrady-l2o Its pretty baffling that you feel comfortable describing other humans as 'piles of junk' and 'garbage'. Please remember that we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God. Of course there are people who are unbelievers and perhaps not as pious as you, but that does not give you a pass to talk about them in such a degrading manner. God bless ❤
Just typed something similar just before reading your comment. I understand you
I’m 41 still single and unmarried, live in NJ… dating is a nightmare out here 😔
I’m so greatful to GOD for these videos thank you ❤☦️
Father.. This is one of the most beautiful videos I've watched recently.
Soo deep topic..
And very lovely to see moments with your family ☺️
You are all very lovely.. God bless you all!! ➕
I needed this. I was dating a catholic girl and was deeply in love, but she left for her own reasons, she was Very honst and didn't lie to me, but It still made me feel like an empty husk. I'm participating more in my community now, maybe someday i'll find true love
True love is true self-sacrifice. Forget lust and emotional illusions.
Thanks Father
Im always grateful for cleargy online, like your father, who are honest with the fathers and the tradition passed down.
Father bless you for this video. It's a very important topic 🙏
I'm loving everything you're doing, father. Thank you for your wisdom as I struggle immensely with self abuse.
Also, I can't wait for your video about Mar Mari Emmanuel. I fell for his videos a few times but stopped watching him after finding out he's a Nestorian.
This was good for me to hear. I have a lot to think about.
Thank you for this, Father. This can be a difficult topic, but you handled it very well.
Fr, this was very good. Thank you for teaching. I wonder.... could you speak to being older and unmarried? Anytime a priest talks about marriage, it is directed to young, child bearing years people. I have a Protestant background, was married for 20 years (with him for 22 years), have an adult daughter & grandchild. I divorced my husband right before I came to the Orthodox Church (husband had addiction & abuse issues that ultimately, he refused to deal with...I couldn't live with him anymore). I've been Othodox for 10 years now. Im really working in my Orthodoxy to just keep a prayer rule and constantly find harmony with living in the world, having to work, and keep up in my Church life. I'm pretty happy in my singleness, I am not actively seeking a partner, but, I've met someone and the "🤔 I wonder about marriage" thoughts creep in once in awhile. I'm 50. Getting married at my age, the fact that it would be a second marriage, none of these things are ever discussed by priests. How should a more mature woman (or man) view/prepare for marriage in these circumstances?
God bless you my dear! It is time to pray for God children, be they adults or children and to be God bearing through prayer! I will make a talk on this :)
I have asked my Spiritual Father to decide who I should marry. I'm tired of trying to do things myself and feel as if that's why I am having no success.
I am gonna finish School and try to be someone worth marrying first.
😂 you father of confession can guide and can not pick for you
Thanks for the wisdom Fr
The messages in here are wonderfully refreshing and a reminder of what I will build and how to honor holy matrimony should the Lord bless me to enter into it with a beloved sister. Thank you dear brother for your service to the kingdom. May our Lord bless and protect you. May He lead you and those your shepherd into eternity. May He shine His face upon you and your family and protect you from the attacks and sabotage of the devil and all the evil spirits seeking your destruction.
Also, I am very curious of your response if you happen to see this comment. You reference Jay Dyer at the end of the video. May the Lord lead Him into all holiness and sanctify and protect Him from the wills of our enemy.
I must say, though, his words are very concerning. His streams and teaching is full of base, crass, uncharitable, and patronizing speech. We are called to be as our Lord is. We are called to BE compassionate, merciful, honest, holy, pure, etc. His words concern me as to the state of his soul.
He will deflect such concerns from brothers in our Lord to just saying he’s “mean.” But that is simply a straw man to deny the introspection implored for for the sake of His soul and the honorable representation of our King.
With all sincerity, respect, and humility, do you at all share the same concerns? Do you see Christ when you watch his streams? Do you hear the voice of our Lord?
Thank you for speaking the truth, Father. I really appreciate this no-nonsense approach, unlike what one hears a lot of the time in the OCA.
Do you have an episode on how too court?
Thank you father.
Bless you Fr for this
Thank you.
Thank you Father, this video was very informative! I do have one question, and forgive me for talking about such a sensitive topic, but I am not quite sure who else to ask. I was wondering what "mutual manual stimulation" entails? Does it mean one cannot touch one's spouse in the private area at all or in certain ways?
Thank you Father, i had to break off a relationship with a woman i met a week ago yesterday and i already was seeing things moving too fast for me to handle.
I love the Halloween, valentine switch😂😂😂. Greeting from an OO .
Thank you for the video, man
What if the man can’t provide because of his health? Should those men stay alone?
Thank you, Father. Спаси Христос!
Thank you, father. This video was very edifying! I know that birth control is not permitted, but what do you think of NFP? It's my understanding that nfp is generally permitted but I feel that it can be used just as selfishly as birth control.
That’s a great question! The Orthodox position on this is that NFP really shouldn’t be used. The idea is that if a couple comes together, they should be willing to accept if God will choose to create life in the process. You never know who God desires to bring into the world and how they will serve Him.
Thank you, Fr, for your reply. It's a hard teaching to accept but also very beautiful. Please say a prayer for me (Katherine) and my husband Maximus that we will be pleasing to God in our marriage. We're a young couple that just had our first.
Thank you for this message❤
P.S. Jay Dyer is fantastic!
Even after converting to Orthodox, I've tried to find my love from dating apps. Now I realized that it is not true love so I deleted all of them.
But I'm still struggling to find the true love for me because there are almost no options at the church and myself is very introvert. I'm praying but I'm still anxious and worried and I'm scared of that I might end my life alone with no spouse and kids.
yeah.... i've given up to be fair, but thank you for the advice
Thank you for your labors, father
Excellent and much needed video in today’s environment.
Well said, thank you Father.
FYI strep throat is often caused by chronic mouth breathing, and mouth breathing is really bad in other ways, especially the proper growth and development of a child’s face/nose/jaws. Just in case that’s something you’re unaware of, I thought I’d share.
I am aware. It’s also contagious and we got likely from the fact that Alberta has had an outbreak of it.
@@living_orthodox Glad to hear you're aware. That's unfortunate, I pray your family heals well. It's cool to hear you're from Canada too
Thank you Father, it is hard to find a wife in this age. I am 21 and I did suffer some rejections, and my parents kinda pressure me to seek. Should we just stop seeking and let God work it out? I wanted to ask you before asking my priest.
Seek and you shall find !
Blagoslavitsye Bathiuska Michael☦️Valentine's day coming up
I have so many regrets about how I went about my marriage.
Why did I choose to go about it the way I did?
@@GGhiba611 I do. And I've talked with him a little about this. He knows our situation. Having young children adds another complex matter to this too.
I returned to the church after having had kids, and it has been a challenge to orient them toward the church.
@@GGhiba611 I know you mean well. Thank you for your encouragement.
The majority of my kids have difficulty in water, can't/won't put their head underwater once (let alone thrice). They won't go to church without mom. And my wife has issues with the Orthodox Church, she aligns with some more liberal/modernistic views. And, I see the merit in why she has these views, but I view the Orthodox Church transcending these arguments. I used to have these same views. But, I've shed them, they are inconsistent with the faith.
So, she doesn't go often, so my kids won't go. It is getting a little better, but I have a lot of despair about my situation, and don't see hope in how God can bring about salvation to my family. Sometimes I get angry about it, which I realize is NOT helpful, so I try not to express that anger openly.
There's just a LOT of resistance in terms of my family entering the church.
My wife is also trying too. I see her trying, in her own way, to be a part of the prayer we do at night as a family. So, I should be fair to her. And I love her deeply.
May God have mercy on my family. ☦︎
Thanks for the video. I’ve attended Protestant churches off & on but I’ve had thoughts of becoming an orthodox member. Does the church teach that marry was perfect & pray to her?
I am glad you’re interested. The position on the Theotokos (Mary) is much more nuanced than that. Listen to my talk on why we call her the Mother of God.
I know you said that we shouldn’t avoid children when coming together with our spouse but how do we balance that with the very obvious financial strain that would result of having many children?… yes we could abstain but that seems very unrealistic and lead us to fall into self abuse as you mentioned which is not a long term solution. From what I gather st Paul told us to marry for one reason being that our sexual desire can be satisfied in a God pleasing way since monasticism isn’t for everyone. I see some priests with only a couple of children instead of 10 so there must be a way that sex can occur in a marriage without it resulting in children within the confines of the canons. Thank you
What about natural family planning?
Very informative 👍🏽
Hi father, can you pls tell me what Orthodox think of catholic marian devotions such as the total consecration to Mary? Is this way of talking over the top or can Orthodox also do a similar devotion? Thanks
Its next to impossible to find an orthodox partner living in the west, i tried prayed and talket to my spiritual father about it, and i met 2 girls from an orthodox country but dont want to go to church anymore, and the rest of Christians in Holland are protestant, a few are catholic. But in the orthodox Church are 99% old and married people. So i try to start a relationship with a non believer .. in some parts better than a protestant, because shes open to join sometimes in orthodox church. But wat i want say, If things don't go the way they should, then they just have to go the way they should. Im struggling with this part. In orthodox are only 2 ways, or you get married, or you become a monk. I really love to get married but its so difficult to find . Thank you for this video God Bless you
@Desertfox21 Thank you for your reply, not our way but Gods way indeed.
You left Catholics and Protestant options because you can’t convince them to be orthodox and you think it is easier to convert a non believer?!!!!
thanks
We should also be on the watch for legalistic pharisees. I attend Orthodox Divine liturgies because I feel the Holy Spirit there not church doctrine. There is a goodness to that man as there is to Billy Graham for that matter, the holy spirit is present in both.
Goodness and the experience of God in one’s life isn’t limited to the Orthodox. That’s not really the claim. The claim is that there is right belief and wrong belief. This is even cautioned against by St Paul. Ultimately, I would advise not to be Orthodox because of how you feel. This can change. The matter of being Orthodox should be because it’s the right thing to do. Which isn’t always easy.
@@living_orthodox God Bless ☦
Father, do you have any advice for people who have never been in love? I am a woman approaching my 30s and I genuinely wish to get married but I've never romantically liked, or much less loved, anyone in my life. I fear that reading a lot of romance stories has conditioned me to look for perfection and outward beauty to the point where real men can never compare. Is there anything I can do to change that mindset?
Thank you for saying Catholics don’t worship the pope/Mary. You would not (on second thought, you probably would) believe how many people actually think that
Do you have to find the person you are going to marry physically attractive? As in, you look at them and you don't wish their features were different? I know that sounds so shallow, but it's a genuine question I have.
Amen Father
If you become Orthodox and are already married can you renew your vows in an Orthodox church???
Yes. You can actually receive an Orthodox marriage
Hello Fr. Are you a convert to orthodoxy and how long have you been a priest?
In 8:08 so condoms and stuff of that nature are not allowed? And why?
Listen to the whole video. I cover that.
@@living_orthodox yeah sorry for wasting your time I did do a bit more research. God bless you 🙏
@@Kay_Sire Where did he answer it? I missed it too
Don't qoute me in this. But it's the idea is that having sex with a use of something that hinders the natural way of having children is down apun. I guess you can say it like if you were to have sex and have child, let the Lords will be done. But if you somehow completely prevent that, then it's bad.@@Jhadar and maybe people might abuse it since there is no "consequences" aka babies. Quotes bc children are not consequences, God gift
@@Kay_Sire Forgive my slow mind but in short, no condoms, pills, etc? And if you ever do "it," then you must have the intention of having a child?
Question for you father. If there is a serious health complication pertaining to pregnancy. Is it permissible then to use contraceptive? Or is the only answer the to practice abstinence in the marriage?
That is something you would have to speak with a bishop or your spiritual father about. There’s a lot of context that would be needed to give a proper pastoral approach.
Father forgive me for asking but is foreplay not allowed too? And is missionary the only position allowed in Orthodoxy? I am an Ethiopian Orthodox. We don’t ask this questions openly it’s taboo in our culture to even brought it up.
Perhaps this is due to my being seventeen, but I can not perceive myself with children. I do not despise the idea of becoming a father, I think it is a great path. I love children, their simple joy never ceases to amaze me. I also do have a hard time viewing myself as a husband, although I do so enjoy female companionship, romance has never found its appeal within me.
I am not terribly certain what I had ought to do in regard to my future, given this perspective. Oh, and, just in case one wonders (many have), I am not a homosexual - those habits have found themselves more confusing to me than male-female romance!
That is something that could change as you get older. There is also the possibility of becoming a monk or a celibate priest.
Just as right ordered religion is a life of being a living sacrifice, so our relationships with our spouses and children should be right ordered and lovingly sacrificial in nature.
Why is contraception not acceptable? Because of it I’m able to hold a job and not have to take huge amounts of pain medication every month. I’m able to live a productive life because of contraception. Why is the church, or people with little to no medical training feel like they have the authority to push that decision on us?
Why do you ask questions like this without doing research. It’s funny, people who present your argument often like to charge the Church with “ignorance” when they themselves fail to understand the argument they’re arguing against. The first mistake most make. If you’re Orthodox and asking this, that’s very sad as it shows you weren’t well taught. If you’re not, why are you so bothered. The problem with many of you North Americans is that the moment you encounter something that opposes your often (and I say this without any cruel intent), poorly formed opinions, you somehow take it as someone trying to force you to do something. What absolute nonsense. If however, you call yourself a Christian, then you have a problem as already you failed to
Imitate Christ. Instead of saying “not by my will, but let your will be done,” to God, you are instead trying to dictate YOUR will to Him. That won’t do you too much good when we all inevitably face His judgement. If you don’t believe this, then truly you’re foolish for trying to argue against someone well versed in his faith, a faith that goes much deeper than just “I read it in the Bible and thus I believe it.” Another problem that people who argue this point often have is assuming the position of the Orthodox Church on this matter is somehow primitive.
To answer your question, for one contraception, especially oral contraceptives can make it difficult to conceive in the future. If you’re a Christian and asking this, you’ve already betrayed the reality that God isn’t your master as you feel the need to exert an unnatural method to control your natural biology. If there was a mass recall or shortage of your medicine now your life would collapse? Your life and your identity aren’t as cheap as you made it sound. Secondly, to add to the first point, it can cause involuntary abortion. Which is still the death of another human being. The moronic and vague ethical stance of many modernists is constantly trying to move the goal posts as to what qualifies a human being. All of which are mutative and thus they open the way to exposing their own demonic prejudices. If you’re Orthodox stop taking them or, if you insist, don’t take communion. If you’re married and Orthodox, then not only should you stop taking them, but you should also go to confession and get some guidance. I’ve known many women who regret taking birth control because later on, when they stop they find it very difficult to conceive as it really messes with your hormones. Maybe look up the long term risk of using such things. Many accuse Christians of being blind followers. This isn’t the case, especially with Orthodox Christians. However, many worldly people will blindly follow the crowd when it comes to worldly things such as money and success. One day, an unfortunate event might take these things from you and if that’s were your identity and self worth is, you’ve done far more to dehumanize yourself than anyone else.
Are there orthodox christian priests in Sri lanka?
bruh, i was watching that mari vid........whered it go
It’s back. Had to re-upload
❤❤❤
Is there a point in a person's life where marriage isn't a valid or good option anymore because of the damage done by fornication?
I got the same question as you. I have masturbated hundreds of times within the last 2.5 years... Assuming I never masturbate again after writing this comment, is someone like me allowed to marry a wife or am I spiritually obligated to become a monk?
How many children do you have, Father Mikhail?
Two! And planning on more! We had John and Maria back to back.
Forgive me Father, but what of those not called to monasticism or marriage?
Why do i keep seeing other orthodox treat marriage like its the end all be all?
I barely see ANYONE talk about brotherhood. I barely see anything about it. I either see people talk about who to marry, what to expect, and of course the near impossible standards for marriage from the Saints.
For monasticism i hear, "go talk to an elder of a monastery"
But for brotherhood? Nadah, nothing. As if brotherhood is worthless. Young men NEED each other in this COLD world. There are A LOT of manipulative people. And a rise of Manipulative Women that will crush a man just to try and get ahead in life.
Yet i dont see any orthodox telling young men to stick by each other and to build themselves and each other up.
I’ve thought about this a lot. Maybe you don’t go to my parish but I’ve felt very lonely whenever the men in my church got married and started ignoring me. Some even acted better then me for it. However I know for a fact even If I get married I promise I will cherish my brothers and show brotherhood. Best we can do is be friends ourselves
I’ll talk about this later. But this talk is about marriage. Which is within my responsibility to talk about. I definitely want to cover this. There are many men and women who live celibate and aren’t monastics. This is something that’ll get its own video.
Thank you Father. @@living_orthodox
That would be so great if you made a video about that. In churches in general, single adults are mostly ignored by married people and even the priests. I'm Latin Mass Catholic, I went from a church where there were a handful of single middle aged to older adults and we supported each other in friendship, but now I'm in a church with a lot of families. It's not easy. And very rare do priests or the Church Hierarchy talk about anything regarding single middle aged to older adults - which I find interesting considering Catholic priests aren't married, you'd think they'd have some empathy. In the adult singles groups I've seen listed in various church bulletins, the cut off age is around 35. The fact is not everyone finds a good Catholic or Orthodox come across their path to marry.@@living_orthodox
Thank you father i agree with everything you said , its demonic to use toys and all of this things , i just dont understand the thing about condoms , i mean we need children yes ofcourse but if everytime we dont have condom , we might have many children , and everything is expensive now , life is not easy in terms of providing to the kids. If no condoms , how do we balance that ?
Chastity.
@@LKRaiderwho can actually resist to that extreme? Even monks fall into sexual sin living amongst only other men let alone someone living and sleeping in the same bed with a woman they’re attracted to ie their wife and vice versa. This is one area I find hard to wrap my head around. Yes we should trust in God but what happens when we’re on our 6,7,8th child without the financial means to support them. Would put a lot of strain on the marriage and family.
@@cvrki7 you are hypothesizing. Bring a real case to the table. Many couples have intercourse and not all intercourse is fruitful. God knows what you can bear.
@@LKRaider Are you married?
@@cvrki7 yes.
Do that carnivore and y’all will overcome hallelujah
Reject modernity, arrange marriage.
I understand that it's the ideal for the husband to work and the wife to stay at home with the kids, and I'm totally on board with that, but what if it's not possible? We don't have an economy where that's possible for most people, especially with today's exploding housing costs. Adding to that most industries now have preferential hiring and promotional policies that suppresses men's abilities to get ahead and single handedly support their families. It was also for this reason that men were paid more than women, which is now forbidden by law further making it more difficult.
What Father had also mentioned about his own mother bailing out on the family when there was financial problems is far too common, in this nation almost all marriages are ended by women with money being one of the biggest reasons. Too often modern women prioritize the material gain they might get from a relationship over anything else. In my own experience who you end up with is a reflection of you and the one or two things you prioritize the most. If you want someone who makes tons of money, be prepared for everything else to not be what you might desire. It's far better to be with someone who is poor but pious rather than rich and lukewarm at best. Guys would be well advised to stay far, far away from such women, and make sure she really does put God first. Everything else flows from that.
Simping isn’t love 😂😂😂
That wedding dress in thumbnail is completely inappropriate for the church.
Any sleeveless dress is inappropriate for the Orthodox Christian Church.
Very hard to find a good photo.
I can agree with everything here besides that the church has any business with what goes on in my bedroom. Who are you to say what does and doesnt foster intimacy between my wife and i? Worry about your own sex life!
I am not the Church, I am priest who serves the Church. The way you’re framing this is proof that your response is passionate. Countless saints and canons have spoken on this. A proper reading of scripture makes it clear that sodomy is any unnatural act. It isn’t merely dependent on who it’s done with. Think about it carefully and don’t just react because it’s a hard saying. If you can’t be obedient to the Church, then you will certainly struggle to be obedient to God. His standards are much higher.
Worry about your soul. I have two kids and a very good marriage. Be careful of that judgement. Lashing out and making off hand comments shows that your passions are flaring up. Grow up. I’d be worried if you need unnatural acts to have intimacy with your wife.
I'm pretty cynical about marriage. several generations in my family all got divorced and my experience with women has been pretty heartbreaking.
I don't see how the purpose of marriage can be about anything but child-rearing. Logically, anything else seems like tempting one another with sin and vanity. This whole idea that it somehow creates a bond or whatever is stupid. The same thing can be found in being friends. We even see this in the lives of the saints.
In any case, you also have the whole problem with no-fault divorce and a woman's tendency to use not only men to gain status but also her children to abuse and use the man she had them with.
So I have zero interest in marriage. Many people don't see any benefit to it. Most people just see a free pass to be perverted and get something out of it. Or they see it as being too risky to try out.
No fault divorce is a secular problem. Listen to the video in whole and listen again if you have. I think you might’ve missed some points I made. Personal experience and family related issues can also force us into patterns. You may have to question why the women you chose all didn’t work out, and if the problem isn’t just them. Sometimes it is us and the people we choose.
Snide, superior and hypocritical. Thank you for reminding me why I left Orthodoxy and found God. This is all about image. Shadow, with no substance. Deflection, with no personal honour.
You mean yourself. Because accusations like this, without evidence or weight, is just effeminate whining.
Leaving Orthodoxy is death. We care about you.
He's a good priest. You should listen. Contrition is the feeling of compassion for your own soul.
No offense Father. This is the first time I have to counter you and I pray you will prove me wrong in some way because I do not want to be puffed up or pretend to know more than I do.
Even if we commit sinful acts such as sodomy it can in no way transfer over to our Children. We have ancestral sin through Adam and Eve who brought the world into corruption but God also creates EVERYTHING as being good. No child can ever be born with sins accrued by their parents because that would go against God creating everything being Good.
This immediately becomes some backward way in giving sin ontological status which it doesn't have. This is a backwards way of doing what the Romans do with the immaculate conception of the Theotokos. She had ancestral sin but was still in spite of that perfectly obedient to God and that is why we are called to be as faithful. Claiming that she could have inherited some kind of sexual sin would mean that it would be a bagage outside human nature itself that she would have to contend with.
God forbid. I do not mean to judge or anything but this is nothing like what I know Orthodox teaching to be. Perhaps it's a view that some pondered in the church but I have never heard this to be he dogmatic.
In no way am I excusing people from their sin in what I'm saying but I do take issue with such sins being transferable to the innocence of children who God creates pure. This is why believe that even children who died unbaptized, the Lord will take them too himself because they are innocent.
Regards Zlatko
You don’t have to counter me. You want to because this a hard saying. Yes sins can impact children. Even the Bible warns of this when it cautions that the sins of the Father can be passed down for seven generations.
Sin has an effect on ontology. Hence why the effects of ancestral have been passed down and hence why priests service books have prayers for the lifting of generational curses.
Not all curses are the result of external forces.
This is something taught by many saints. St Paisios warned of sins being transferred as has Elder Ephraim and St Joseph. We have to be wary of European rationalism which looks to put everything in a box. Including God. Also your statement about the Theotokos reveals that you actually don’t know what contributed to her purity. Her parents had a passionless union when conceiving her which is partially what led to her being purified. Many fathers consider that one of the three steps in which she was purified.
Children can be affected by our sins before birth. The problem is that you’re viewing sin like a Catholic would. Something restricted to a mere legal status. Children born with FAS aren’t alcoholics. They suffer from the effects of their mother’s alcoholism. The same can be said for disorders of the soul. God can heal with this but struggles can come because of our actions. Sin affects human nature and can corrupt it. I’d suggest reading the services of baptism and even the prayers of absolution before making the assumptions you have. Also, read the akathist of Sts Joachim and Anna. I do not wish to be harsh, but it is clear you know less on this than what you think and one shouldn’t approach a priest by saying “I have to correct you”. That is a level of hubris that can eventually lead one to be blind to their faults. Keep in mind I also have a very good spiritual father whom I consult with.
@@living_orthodox As someone coming from a "satanic" occult bloodline, I wholeheartedly agree with you. My life much like the one of my brothers have been severely impacted by our family line, and the sins of our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. We all have struggled more than the average with substance abuse, sexual sin, despair, and physical ailments. This is since childhood and I'd dare to say even since we were in our mother's womb... Of course when we become adult we have the choice to deal with this sin issue, but it makes it very hard because of the generational aspect.
Sin is very serious, and this is one of the main reasons. Dear Zlatko, look up testimonials of satanic ritual abuse if you are not aware of this... But God is merciful, and he loves children, so there is a reason if he allows this to happen... God bless
@@living_orthodox I will read up on this and thank you for the reply. But I wish one thing to be clear as it wasn't cleared up in your answer Father.
A baby who dies with parents who committed sexual sins, does that baby risk those sins causing it to not be considered innocent and pure? Does that cause such a child to be at risk of hell? Because is sins are able to be Transfered like that then how does that square with children being considered pure and innocent in scripture and teachings of the fathers?
We are called to be like children are we not?
I'm not a Protestant not a Catholic and I'm well aware of the many paradoxes in Orthodox teaching and they have never been a problem, in fact they are the only thing which could be true.
But in this case I don't see a paradox, but rather a contradiction. I know that God in his providence, love and mercy can forgive the sins of anyone, be they baptized or not (like the thief on the cross). I just don't see how sin is given this ontological status like a disease. when to sin is to miss the mark?
When I miss the mark then I have sinned, but how does it apply to an infant for instance?
Also once again I didn't intend to sound clever or as if I was correct. Reading what I wrote I realize now it was very inappropriately worded. For that I'm sorry Father. I suppose I would like to ask for a specific book of a saint where this is addressed. I never want to let my own ideas alone formulate my faith because that is a path well trodden by heretics.
Once again I ask forgiveness for my poor conduct and I truly didn't mean to offend in any way. God bless you Father and your family. You have provided many edifying talks and I pray you get to continue to do so for many years. 🙏☦️