I Am Greek Orthodox

--I'm Greek Orthodox (that's still Christian). Imagine my relief.

"I am an Orthodox Christian and that means that I forsake all denominations as mere human inventions. Holy Orthodoxy was not manufactured by men but revealed by God, Himself, in the Incarnate Person of Jesus Christ and His truth was passed-on to His Holy Apostles, maintained intact and perfectly true by the Holy Spirit, even to us today. I am an Orthodox Christian, and I humbly receive this Faith not as something of my own liking or emotional or aesthetic preference or of my estimation to be befitting for my sentiments. I am an Orthodox Christian because God, Himself, wants all to come to the Church He started and to believe in the doctrine and Faith He revealed: "Father pray that they all be one as You and I are one". (John Chapter 17). -- Hiermonk Joshua

The foremost aspect to living an authentic existence is to have convictions about what is fundamentally human. The first and foremost right of a human is freedom of religion. By this I am defining religion as the human right endowed to us by our creator God to worship, praise and commune with Him. The manner in which you chose to do this is your prerogative. However, what is necessary is the conviction to find your path. Nothing is more unsavory then a cavalier approach to our Maker. Nothing creates more inner strife, more depression more psychosis then  either an unwillingness to seek out God or to search without a guide (the Church). Being a Christian is not doable when treating Him as an incidental in our lives. We can't treat God like a stray dog with a basic neglect; and expect to find peace solace or wisdom.

Likewise we are not following a Jesus who was showing us the Christ consciousness (sorry Oprah). Jesus was the God-man: the duality of Christ is non negotiable He was that  historic man who was infact God the Son, who too on flesh and became man.  The King of All born in a manger, hailed by the Heavens, He preached the Kingdom of God was ridiculed beaten, crucified,  died, resurrected and is the salvation of the world. We don't worship a vague unknowable God but the Triune God who works actively in our lives today. We don't believe that we find God in isolation but part of the body of the Christ the Church not any Church but the Orthodox Church.

Orthodox Christians should defend the right of all humans to worship God and establish no restrictions on  the expression of their belief. We are olbigued to stand for Truth for the Revelation of God. We need to have the conviction that Orthodoxy is not in the same league as a lesser faith or belief. Our Lord was commisioned to share the Truth about the Kingdom and He gave an accounting to His Father (John Chapter 17). He distinguished between the One True Faith and heresy. We must have courage and the fortitude to stand upright and proclaim this Revelation of God. We must be willing to share this with the rest of humanity. We can't become complacent or lukewarm.

Remain steadfast and continue on your journey all the while making a personal claim for the Faith. To recede into the background and take up the banner of schismatics and heretics is not the Orthodox way. We must first love God with all our hearts and all our minds and with all our effort. We must love our neighbor as ourselves and never settle for them, for that which is by nature inferior. We acknowledge that all which is knowable has been revealed through the Ecumenical Councils.

Our forefathers and mothers paved the way with their blood they didn't martyr for a vague understanding of some belief which could be this way or that but for the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church the Church established by Christ and His Apostles. It was this Church which gave the written Word The Bible which so many have fashioned an idol. Know who you are and what you believe and you will not falter. You will know your purpose and your feet will be firmly established on the ground. Find a spiritual guide a good sound counselor who can assist you. We all need the community of believes for encouragement. What is encouragement it is the place the manner in which we find our courage to continue.