72 Expressions of the Divine


While doing some reading on the subject of discernment terminology, I happened on this article, from a group that looks fairly heretical. However there is some good info here.


http://www.keysofenoch.org/html/hebrew-aramaic.html


I for instance from time to time, like to read articles on Judaism, especially when thinking about either the old testament or things going on during the time of Jesus. When reading those articles the term "Hashem" pops up all the time, but I always forget what it means. So this article reminded me of that and a few others as well.

Getting back on track, "The Difference of Discernment and Judgement"


I decided to get back to this, but not make it so incredibly complicated and thorough due to recently acquiring a short attention span from many recent life expriences. So fortately or unfortately, I'm going to do it the easy way, and make this as simple as possible.


My thesis is that there is a great difference between the two, even though the two may look a like on the surface, or even be one in the same in the mind of many people.


So my thesis is essentially this. Here is the difference.


Discerment - perceiving true from false, "right from wrong", spiritual from carnal etc. for the purpose of avoiding error, danger etc. It is or can be the imposition of a moral standard, but in a way that is aimed not at condemning a person, but rather at aimed making some form of "Behavioral intervention", to help the person, protect the rest of the flock that may be harmed by the behavior, bad example etc.


Judgement - like discerning involves right and wrong perceptions, decision making. However the goal simply seems to be condemn the person. There is little or no desire to actually redeem the person etc. simply a desire to exact vengeance, punish sin etc.


So the distinction is one of both purpose and affect. Is the action simply about "Stoning sinners" for some wrong doing, or is this action taken to protect the local congregation, the Church's teaching etc

Furthermore what are the long term affects? I really believe in our Laizze Faire pluralistic society, there really has been a lot of deliberate blurring of these two concepts because that old saying from the pop psych book, "I'm Ok your OK", really has become part of our culture (basically all beliefs, creeds etc. should be seen as equally valid and so on). And many times people make false analogy comparisions to events in peoples lives to things in the Bible. "The false analogy is that the person says "They are being judged" because someone frowns at them for something that are advocating, have done etc. meanwhile the verses that are quoted in the NT often refer to people not being chided for misbehavior, advocating dubious things etc. but actually in danger of being put to death for their alleged offenses! So there often can be some serious "Godwin's Law" breaking going on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin


I will try to develope out or explain my points on this more hopefully in the future. I remember teaching on this a few years ago, before I formally converted to Orthodoxy. At the time, I did some missions/church plating work with my best friend. During that time there was a lady I knew who was part of our small congregation/ outreach. She was very Charismatic, she was also extremely pushy and judgemental in her own right. But she also considered herself a "prophetess" and said a lot of questionable things as revelation, which she defended fierceley. Any disagreement with her was based on "intellectualism" and "judgementalism" on my part.


While I had covered this topic before I decided to cover it extremely thoroughly because this lady was such a handful. And I found doing so was quite illuminating. One of things I did was do a detailed study of Biblical terminlogy which really really was quite invaluable to address all kinds of claims and charges she would bring up.

Anyway I'm having trouble finding some of the sources I used when I did that study but hope to find them again in the days ahead.

Delivered From the Cruel Bondage of Egypt

30 minutes ago my computer escaped the cruel imprisonment of What is commonly called "Fry's Electronics Computer Repair Department".

(The joke if you don't get it is, the store like many Fry's stores is decorated around a theme. This store is done with an Egyptian King Tut one. It has all kinds of fake Egyptian statuary, wall relief paintings in the store etc. While a superstitious person might believe that going to an Egyptian themed store might actually be "Good luck" from the Coptic connection. Quite the opposite. Infact my experience resembles more the curse of Akhenaten).

Let's just say my computer was out of commision twice as long as it should have been, I spent twice as much money as I should have..... and if that wasn't enough..... The customomer service was so bad to be almost legendary (When I needed a new part, I or my best friend literally had to go to the store, and buy it and then give it to the technicians, because of stupid beaucratic rules that keep them from leaving their post picking it up themselves, and adding the cost to my tab. You know....like every other repair shop in the Freeworld does....).

Anyway I'm posting this to not only let you know where I've been the last week and a half but to express loud raspberries for that Franchise... and will therefore leave with a fitting quote.

"The Campbell store is built to resemble an Egyptian pyramid. Note the walkway up to the front entrance. This is actually a flatbed escalator. I think the idea is that as people stand on it, it appears that they are being magically drawn upwards to the temple's doors, bringing live sacrifice of cash and credit for Fry, the great electronic god of consumption and ignorance. "

Breakfast at Fry's

Some hate links with similar sagas

http://gshotts.com/HUMOR/BreakfastAtFrys/breakfas.htm

http://archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1998/05/cov_21feature2.html

http://www.accesscom.com/~dave6592/frys10.html

Founding the first Coptic Church in the US


While surfing the net I ran acrossed this article which might be interesting to some people who are either Coptic or like to study the history of Orthodoxy in the States.

http://www.stmark-la.com/profile.html

Perestroika


I've been thinking a lot about the ministry lately. In Protestant terms I've actually been thinking seriously about "Revivial", and "Outreach" (Of the sucess of Orthodoxy in inspiring Faith, Piety etc. for those outside of it). And I believe that God is leading me into a new area of ministry. From an internet apologist etc. to someone who works to evangelize and build community in a more positive way (As opposed to dwelling on what is wrong about this and that). Anyway I've decided to change "my philosophy of ministry",or mode of operations from here on out. And well I'm going to be doing somethings a bit differently, ending some past association.... but also restarting the Blog


So anyway if you see this blog completely empty later on today, that's why.

The Role of Women in the Church
by Inas Michael


Some of you may be familiar with the that very fine article "Man,Women, and the Priesthood of Christ", by (Greek Orthodox bishop/writer) Kallistos Ware. Which details out why women are not ordained to the priesthood, the various historical, theological, biblical reasons for that, as well as covers the various areas where women have served in the Church.


Well here is a very similar Coptic 3 part article, that I found on the LA Copts web site... While the writing isn't as compelling as Ware, it does cover some new ground, or angles of the topic.

Part I
http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/site/entry/9/


Part II
http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/site/entry/8/


Part III
http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/site/entry/7/

Sexuality within Marriage

While about the Blogosphere I came across this article written by a Catholic layman that is worthy of your consideration.


Sex, Sin and Salvation: What Augustine Really Said(lecture text) David G. Hunter, PhD

http://www.jknirp.com/aug3.htm


And While I'm at it I may as well repeat an article listed nearly a year ago on this blog

Family Planning by His Grace Bishop Serapion

http://www.lacopts.org/index.php/site/entry/43/