Recently, the Catholics in our dialogue group proposed to the Orthodox that we needed to unite in order the better to fight the threats of Islam and -get this - secularism.
Aside from that not being a proper basis for union, and aside from our belief that to preserve His Church is the Holy Spirit's job, well, I was dumbfounded. What can I say that won't be offensive? Dear Catholics, can't you see the glaring contradiction here?
6 comments:
Guess it seems simpler than you suggest... or maybe I'm just latching on to precisely what you suggest, but I'm not wired up for reunion to "fight" and "preserve", but to love Christ as He commanded... "that we should all be one". And if He includes more than "us", then doesn't He also include the Islamists and secularists in this, too?
As my ol' buddy (misspelled in honor of the season) Yule Brenner used to say, "Eeeez puzzlement".
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." Our internal divisions do make us easier picking for those who wish to destroy us. Has God allowed threats to loom to remind us of the need for unity? If you have a better reason for unifying -- and I think you do -- then you have even more reason to try than they do. Doesn't the Holy Spirit work in all of us?
Take care & God bless
Anne / WF
My point is, why would we want the pope as an ally against secularism, who for over a thousand years has been up to the top of his triple tiara in secular affairs?
For that matter, we Orthodox have never found in Catholics a reliable ally against Islam, either, from Constantinople to the present day.
LOL. I think "allies against Islam" was a particularly .. ill-considered ... card to play considering their history with you guys. I know full well they have done dirty by you all.
All that said, it would be best if we could find a way back to unity. The new pope (I'm not holding my breath, now) but he doesn't stay in the usual rut, does he? I'd say the chances of a real step forward are better under him than they have been before in my lifetime.
Take care & God bless
Anne / WF
I can ony hope you are right.
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