Moral Code and Legalism- Guilt and Self-condemnation

There are times when I am at a loss for the direction of this blog. Those entries which seem to be all over the place lacking one purpose or direction. Today will be about the run, tomorrow the Phanar, the following day the corruption of the unpracticed or un-churched. This blog's inception was one to document my running and to become a part of the running community online lending my voice to that experience. It became almost immediately clear that my voice cannot be voiced and therefore heard without including my religious beliefs. Ultimately then my running is simply an extension of my sum or whole outlook and praxi. It is impossible to separate my faith, my belief, my allegiances from everyday life.

Secularism and humanism which plagues our society is pushing the now popular mandate requiring that religious tendencies be left in the private sector. I find this to be a radical idea which speaks to the irrationality of relativism and some obscure 'progressive' notion which claims itself to be more respectful and sensitive to individual difference. To be a member of the faith is unity in Christ and therefore I am a slave to my belief. It is not a casual encounter with the Mysteries during my time off. It is a living experience of communing with God. How should I suppose to limit that to private time?

How do I then also divorce myself from the loyalty and love for the See of the Phanar who is the finest example of our line back to Andrew back to Christ? Truth emanates from God it is not intrinsic to humans. I find personal comfort that I am unable to separate thoughts, opinions and emotions from this reality. This is true religion, not dead rituals, which has gotten a bad reputation today. I am on the spiritual quest of healing and renewal. Through this lens and filter I seek repentance and turning away from falsehood. I chose to discuss and clarify this religion of Orthodoxy with those who maintain another opinion (heresy). I forgo political correctness and the niceties for truth. Polite cordiality must yield as there is a primacy of ideals which lead to truth. Give up the falsehood and cleave to the truth which the holy martyrs died for. Remember that Christ lead the way for the martyrdom of the Church.

My challenge is to denounced immorality and heresy without self-righteous pride or false piety. Without passing judgement on the infirmed of which I am also counted the need to address moral concerns is imperative. Loving we need to reach out and show that our determination to cleave to sin will condemn us will drag us away from God. Actions and beliefs and emotions should lead us to integration with God. Destruction of the soul is demoralizing the culture and society and the family and the will of God's people to unite with Him.

We have become soft and disinterested in God, on a frenzy of indulgence to the most immoral behavior and worldview. It destroys the determination, stamina and volition to do God's work. Without excusing or in some way validating immoral behavior and choices we can still extend love and in a non punitive way help to re-unite them to the church to the restorative nature of the faith and the Church. Too often I allow my emotion to overcome my intellect. This is indicative of my own inadequacy as I too often confuse passion for zeal. Let temperance and prudence light the way. Remember as we allow the sin to fall away from our renewed nature we will find peace and love.

Our reluctance to rid ourselves of the shame and sin is indicative of how fractured we have become how far form God we have grown. We cannot cleave to sin and believe that we also serve our Creator. We cannot blame God for the shortcomings and demoralization of man. Tolerance and acceptance of sin; in essence making room for the sin to set up house in our lives; is not an expression of compassion, empathy or brotherly love. It is an excuse not to save our brother to to extend a life line back to the church. Let's pray for reconciliation for ourselves and for one another. After all we are all on the road to reconciling our fallen state with God. I have never met or heard of a pious person who lived with regret.