Life of an Orthodox Soldier ☦

Mid(ish) Lenten Update and a Nice Rant

2024-04-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

I've titled this the way that I did because when this goes public It Will probably actually be mid-Lent. But, for my Patrons, they get early access. Hooray!

I like to put out updates during this time since 1) I typically do a social media fast, and 2) my readers/followers can be apprised of what Is going on. I don't want my Patrons (especially the paying ones) to go too long without getting any content from me.

So far, my Lent has been filled with blessings. I did end up sick with the flu or similar for about a week, and then after that I ended up in the hospital for 2 nights with a GI inflammation. I'm actually sitting in an examination room waiting on the doctor for a follow-up appointment from my hospital stay while writing this particular sentence. I still consider this to be a blessing, because I'm sure this was a gift from God.

Naturally, as a human, I am prone to error, and I have definitely done so.

One failing is that I haven't made it to a Vespers service this Lent. I also said I'd totally join the choir, but have yet to attend a practice - which takes place before Vespers. I need to hold myself a lot more accountable than I have been.

The Problem of Revisionist History

2024-02-22T06:00:00.001-06:00

Some times I come across pictures on the internet that remind of me things that I learned in various Christian schools that I later found out were false.

The Importance of Knowing Our Faith

2024-02-15T06:00:00.001-06:00

I'll admit that I am not up to date with a lot of what is going on in the Protestant world since starting on my journey to Orthodoxy some 14 years ago. It leaves me to wonder what old heresy they'll rehash and try to pass off as new knowledge. And that leads us to this image that I found on Facebook...

We Don't Need to Lie

2024-02-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

One of the pages on FB that I follow posted the above meme. If one were to look at the bottom they could see that this was originally posted by another page called TRT World. I've added a link to their original post for any who want to check it out.

There are a few things wrong with what TRT reported, the first being the dating of the manuscript as from the 1st Century AD, when the Daily Mail reported on this manuscript back in 2012, they dated it as being 1500 years old - which if accurate, means the manuscript dates back to the 6th Century AD. In reading the article from the Daily Mail, one can see an emphasis is placed on St. Barnabas. And if one were so inclined, just a little bit of digging will offer this other article from the Daily Mail which states the manuscript is the Gospel of Barnabas.

The Gospel of Barnabas is a pseudopigraphical work dating from the Middle Ages. Wikipedia has this to say about the Gospel of Barnabas,

New Year Update

2024-01-25T06:00:00.010-06:00

Well, the Holiday season is over, as well as the fasting season. Things were busy in the household I'm currently living in trying to get things ready for the Nativity. Some things have changed which hopefully mean that I will be able to focus on this blog just a bit more. I still have plans to keep posting old blog articles here, and I hope to get back to that soon as well.

On the Ongoing Crisis in Gaza

2023-10-23T06:00:00.005-05:00

About nine years ago I wrote about Isis, Palestine, Israel, and Why We Should Care and now, I am saddened that I should have to revisit a lot of what I wrote.

Before continuing, most of what I wrote back then still applies, most especially that I do not support any, and I do mean ANY, terrorist organization. It does not matter to me if it is State sanctioned terrorism or not. Terrorists can get bent.

Also, I do not hate Jews, Muslims, or Arabs. Let me be clear, because people love to claim I am anti-Semitic for not kneeling down and worshiping the atrocities perpetuated by the State of Israel, I do not hate Jews, Muslims, or Arabs. What I hate - and by hate I mean absolutely despise - is the use of violence against innocent people.

Read more at my Patreon

Verily: An Argument

2023-09-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

It never fails: every year during the Paschal season, an argument (by which I mean usually light hearted bickering) breaks out about the proper response to the Paschal Greeting.

For those that don't know, or can't remember, the Paschal Greeting is, "Christ is Risen!" To which the response can be - depending on your jurisdiction and parish, "Truly, He is Risen!" "He truly is Risen!" "Indeed, He is Risen!" or even, "He is Risen, indeed!"

This will sometimes lead to a discussion about which English word best fits the Greek used in the response.

In Greek, the greeting is Χριστός ἀνέστη! - Khristós (or Christos as is more commonly seen) anésti! Christ is Risen! And the response is Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! - Alethós (or Alithos) anésti! ...

It is that word "alithos" that no one can seem to agree on how to translate. If you throw the word into Google Translate it will tell you that the word translates into English as "truly." There we go, case closed, pack it up boys!

Read more at my Patreon

On Going to Church

2023-09-04T06:00:00.024-05:00

In this blog post I'm going to talk about the importance of going to church.

My Exercise Secrets

2023-08-29T10:19:00.002-05:00

4 hours ago

***DISCLAIMER*** I have not been offered any kind of monetary benefit to write this post ***DISCLAIMER***

I have been asked by a few people, either in my posts, or in real life by friends/acquaintances what I do/use for exercising.

Well, stick around because I'm going to reveal the secrets of my exercise routine...

Read more at my Patreon

On the Filioque

2023-08-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

August 4 at 6:00 AM

"The Latins are not only schismatics but heretics... we did not separate from them for any other reason other than the fact that they are heretics. This is precisely why we must not unite with them unless they dismiss the addition from the Creed filioque and confess the Creed as we do." St. Mark Ephesus

Another Quick Update

2023-08-16T13:06:00.005-05:00

Hello, dear readers,

In trying to streamline my blogging process to where I don't have to post to two places for every new blog post, I am trying a service that will post here on Blogger when a new public post is made over on my Patreon. I'm not sure what that will look like on this end, and I hope it will be beneficial to all of us.

If it does not go well, then I will just continue on with how things have been, and see what happens from there.

Lord, have mercy on me the sinner.

On Evangelism

2023-08-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

General Update, and new laptop

2023-07-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

July 18 at 6:01 AM

My apologies to my Blogger readers

2023-07-24T10:51:00.004-05:00

I apologize for not having updated earlier. I forgot that when I have an early access post over on my Patreon page that it does not automatically post over here, so there is a new post today that is late to hit (it should have hit last week), and there will be a post here tomorrow that is already up for my patrons and will be public over on my Patreon page tomorrow as well.

I also have an early access post hitting tomorrow for my patrons, and it should be live here next week.

Please check back here regularly for new updates, and also, please check out my Patreon even if you can not join a paid tier.

Lastly, this week I will start going through all of my old posts here and moving them over to Patreon. Since those posts were already free here, they will be free when I move them over. All new posts will hit my Patreon for paid tiers first, and then they will be made public.

I have moved once again

2023-07-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

On the Canonicity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church

2023-03-06T07:00:00.012-06:00

Georgian Church enters into communion with Macedonian Church

Two Months and Counting!

2023-02-20T07:00:00.002-06:00

It has now been almost two and a half months since I gained employment!

Twenty Years ago in November

2023-02-13T07:00:00.004-06:00

Firstly, I would like to apologize - as always - for the lack of updates, and especially for not having uploaded this post here - it has been on my Patreon for a few weeks already.

Against Sola Scriptura

2022-11-08T07:00:00.006-06:00

The first in depth look we'll be taking is Sola Scriptura - or Scripture Alone.

Against the Five Solae

2022-11-01T07:00:00.003-05:00

This post marks the start of a new series in which I will argue against the Five Solae (or Five Solas as is the common parlance). I cannot say when each part will be posted, as I am currently researching and typing them up as I go along - I'm hoping for at least one in this series a week.

The Sin of the Tongue

2022-10-20T07:00:00.005-05:00

This Lectio Divina comes from today's homily from the Prologue of Ohrid.

On the Festering of Sin

2022-10-19T07:00:00.002-05:00

Today's writing comes from the Homily from the Prologue of Ohrid. I promise that there will soon be more posts than just occasional updates and Lectio Divina.

On Forgiveness

2022-10-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

I apologize for the lack of updates this week. I thought that since the weather was going to stabilize that I might actually have a chance to not have migraines. How wrong I was. Any way, this post comes from this morning's lectio divina from the Prologue from Ohrid. I honestly cannot recommend this work enough to Orthodox Christians - or really any Christians. It is a wonderful work that has daily lives of the saints, reflections, contemplations, and a short homily. If your prayer rule includes a daily reading from things other than scripture, you should definitely get a copy of the Prologue. Any way, on with the post.

Weekly Update

2022-10-10T11:36:00.002-05:00

Not that I am always going to do a weekly update, but anyhow.

Read more at my Patreon

On Repentance

2022-10-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

I have written about confession before, and the need for repentance. But this goes just a bit further than receiving the sacrament of absolution.