Comments Posted By Amos

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Welcome to Liberal Bizzaro World…

But where in Zimmerman’s thinking ( a gun carrying self-appointed neighborhood watchman) did SYG give him another legal option if things should get ugly? It is true, Zimmerman called the police to notify them, but it is equally true that he followed Martin against the instructions of the police. Why follow him at all at that point? The altercation took place because Martin ignored the law officers who told him not to follow him. He put himself in potential harm’s way and eventual harm’s way and then used deadly force. He claimed SYG to the police after he was taken into questioning and he continues to use SYG as a defense, so I think that SYG is central to this case and as a law it needs to be questioned.

» Posted By Amos On May 16, 2012 @ 7:47 am

I suppose we could conjure up all types of potential outcomes but I would like to focus on if the SYG law is good or bad law. The fact that 30+ states have it on the books tells me that all the other laws on the books, including I would guess, the death penalty, in some of those states has not satisfactorily stemmed the tide of violence, insecurity, fear, mistrust, and maybe all out hatred for whatever segment of the population proponents of the law feel they need to be protected against.

I am not convinced that passing more laws like SYG “deputizing” folks to play Marshall Dillon is making us a better country.

» Posted By Amos On May 15, 2012 @ 4:10 pm

But at the root of this issue is the validity ( as in valid, i.e. logical truth, if it is true in all interpretations) of the “Stand Your Ground” law, right? Is SYG a good law, or more precisely a needed and necessary law? I am not convinced that it is. Could it be that this law is on the books because we have just too many guns in the USA? It reminds me of the old Soviet/USA Missile Race. We had missiles so they had missiles. We had more, so they made more and out of this came laws and protocols to justify the use of these weapons. As time goes by we have come to realize that we don’t need as many missiles any more which has the castcading effect that at least between superpowers, the old protocols and justifications are not as important or needed. (Not to mention the incredible cost of keeping those old missiles safe from simply decaying.)

I may be wrong, but it seems to me we have more than enough laws on the books already to govern when and how a gun can or cannot be used and certainly more than enough guns that we don’t need another law which might have had the unintended consequence of Mr. Zimmerman doing what he felt he was lawfully empowered to do.

Would Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Martin’s encounter been different if there was no the SYG law on the books? Did the SYG law have the unintended consequence of lowering the deadlly force barrier just that much more that resulted in the death of another human being?

» Posted By Amos On May 15, 2012 @ 11:02 am

Courage in Leadership

Dear Centurion,

Exactly what did Sam Allen do to these 11 children at HTC in SF? You say they were “victimized” that is a vague term. Were they sexually assaulted, molested? What was the nature of their victimization?

From what I know of the case, Allen never actually molested any of the children at HTC. HTC permitted him to be in contact with kids, which was wrong, stupid, plus it was 20 years ago and not too many Churches were dealing with such cases too well. What seems to be vexing to people like you was the response of the DOW and OCA to the original allegations against Allen and the apparent insensitivity to the allegations by the Church.

I am not trying to advocate for one side or the other, but the presumption of this case some 20 years later using terms like “victimized” can only leave one not familiar with the case to draw their own conclusions not based on the facts of the case.

Thanks.

» Posted By Amos On May 9, 2012 @ 12:58 pm

Where is the Accountability and Transparency in the DOS?

Helga says:
May 10, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Just to clarify, I do not think Bishop Mark is an appropriate candidate for DOS bishop, and that he ought to drop out or be removed from the ballot. I just don’t think it’s fair to blame Met. Jonah for staying out of the whole thing.

Helga, you make an interesting point, at least to me, about the candidacy of +Mark. Why doesn’t +Mark inform his bishop, Met. Jonah, like LBJ “I will not seek nor will I accept the nomination of my party for President of the United States.”

So simple, so clean, so clear and so right of him to do.

» Posted By Amos On May 11, 2012 @ 12:53 pm

Krindatch: The Numbers

Carl doesn’t believe me. I am not sure I can go on. The very thought of such a rejection causes me to doubt my very existence. Good bye cruel world.

» Posted By Amos On May 16, 2012 @ 2:32 pm

George,

If and when + Mark told his brother bishops, one thing is for sure, he never told Met. Jonah until the Synod meeting in Chicago. This was comfirmed by HB. So maybe +Mark told some bishops but he purposefully kept +Jonah in the dark. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why. If +Jonah knew he would have told his Cathedral dean and +Mark, the informed bishops and Stokoe would be deprived of their ambush.

And, there is no taking back the confession of +Mark when finally confronted by the faithful in the DOS “Why when you realized you were getting Fr.Joseph’s emails didn’t you let him know?” +Mark’s reply was “It never occurred to me.”. Yet, recall, +Mark also admitted that he was privy to the private emails for some time before he saw an email with his name in it. Is it fair to conclude that his intention to use those emails to his advantage in the fluid post Santa Fe days and with +Jonah on the ropes. He had willing allies on the Synod, especially +Benjamin who was dead set against Fester being named dean of St Nicholas and of course Stokoe who was trying to regain his credibility after his secret plans to oust +Jonah were exposed.

» Posted By Amos On May 14, 2012 @ 8:41 pm

I just hope that if +Mark is at STS that they don’t have him teaching Ethics!

» Posted By Amos On May 12, 2012 @ 12:45 pm

George to your points.

Make no mistake, Fr Kishkovsky is still running the OCA External Affairs Department. Bp Alexander will be his wiling and cooperative front man.

As for our OCA Chancellor, so far the job isn’t what he thought it would be and has told others he is not sure he will keep the job after one year. This leads one to think he has an escape clause out of his contract with one year being the trip wire.

No OCA Metropolitan has ever had their travel schedule approved by the Synod. The fact that this was one of the first points made in the press release is not by accident. It sent the clear message who is in charge and it isn’t Jonah. I would also suggest, if one can go back into the archives of the OCA online, that you will find that Jonah’s travel is only a fraction of what the travel schedule was of Theodosius or even Herman with international travel (besides Mexico) almost at zero. Of course you have to be invited to another Church before you take a trip.

» Posted By Amos On May 12, 2012 @ 12:42 pm

You make your point about 99% of organizations, not sure where you got that scientific number from, but one must remember we are dealing within the professed new OCA context of transparency and accountability. One of the telling black marks on the “previous administration” was that we were led to believe that it was too secret, too hush-hush. Now you tell us that that is the way 99% of organizations operate. Dang, we got fleeced again by the Stokoe kool-aid.

One of my points, really hidden between the lines, or not, was that we have lots of accountability now, the top accounting the bottom with a club, but even less transparency. That, I would suggest is also a reason why organizations go out of business.

» Posted By Amos On May 12, 2012 @ 11:24 am

Katia,

The OCA newsroom at oca.org appears to “report” news on a four-level basis with each more public level offering less information.

Level 1 is OCA.org which only paints in the broadest strokes, always mindful of “legal” considerations and public relations.
Level 2 are the Public Minutes of the Synod. These give a bit more news but just enough to let folks know that the Synod actually did meet and followed the printed agenda.
Level 3 are the Private Minutes of the Synod. These minutes are the real substance of the synod deliberations in written form. These are the minutes that reveal what the bishops actually are interested in and what they give the most time to.
But Level 4 is where it is at. These are the oral proceedings, the deal-making, the off-the-record proceedings, while they walk, eat and drink away from the prying ears and eyes of non-bishop types. Also far away from any legal constraints determined by what has to be written and documented for history.

I am not saying there is anything sinister in all of this, but if you are looking for transparency and accountability, you will be disappointed. Those days are long gone especially with men who are afraid of the Internet and have been driven deeper into their veil of secrecy. Their reaction to Fr. Justin is as good an example of their fear factor. I don’t think it is unreasonable to suggest that Fr. Justin’s letter exposed something that they did not want to be subject to the light of day and they reacted. The reaction is similar to last year’s execution of the dean of the DC Cathedral when the exploits of +Mark were on full display and the synod HAD to react because one of their own was (not Jonah) was a victim of people thinking and speaking their mind. Besides, he blew their plans to remove Jonah.

The irony, dare one say hypocrisy of punishing Fr. Justin for breaking a confidence by having his letter printed on the Internet is that this is the same body that had no problem being part of a circle that read and used private email (confidential) to destroy a senior Archpriest. Hey, George, that would make a good article, just on the principle of the idea, forget about who it involves because we know that the Grand Protopresbyter has already spoken from on high letting us know who was right and who was wrong. Just a good case study.

Katia, if you are waiting for more real news coming from Synod meetings, I am afraid you will be disappointed. But in an effort to suggest the real happening that took place in Michigan this week, may I offer:

1. We now know that Metropolitan Jonah MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION AND APPROVAL from the Synod to travel. That being posted on the oca.org Synod Press Release story was 100% intentional. Jonah is in control of nothing, including his own travel schedule.

2. Chancellor Jillions has a great working relationship with Jonah. Really? That is news? Actually, Jillions has no intention of leaving his current living arrangement, boarding with Protodeacon Wheeler and the Chancellor’s wife has no intention of leaving Canada. Public statement vs. private reality.

3. Bp. Alexander Golitzen has set a new record for advancement, even beating the record held by Jonah. Just 4 days into his episcopacy, Golitzen is named the head of the OCA External Affairs Department. This however should not surprise anyone who knows that Kishkovsky has lobbied hard for decades to make Golitzen a bishop, over the objections for decades of the Synod who put a ban on his consecration in writing. In writing, mind you, which, given the above Levels is saying something. What changed their minds? I don’t think it is much more complicated than “last man standing.” Kishkovsky got rid of all those who objected to Golitzen and Jonah didn’t object. So now Golitzen will be the face of the OCA episcopacy as we deal with other Orthodox Churches. Public statement, private reality.

4. No news about Archimandrite Zacchaeus. Those discussions would have been done at Level 3 or 4, mostly 4 because Zacchaeus knows too much.

5. Same thing with Fr. Justin. His letter was discussed at Level 4 or 5 and the Synod felt it had to act to send a clear message that you don’t question a bishop. They protected +Mark, they always protect their own first no matter the consequences to us folks in the parish.

Other news you won’t hear, at least yet. +Jonah proposed the name of Bishop Mark (Maymon) to be the next Rector of St. Tikhon’s Seminary. This is good news to the South because it sends the signal that even the Synod can’t futz +Mark into the South any longer. I think the punishment of Fr. Justin was also a clear signal that the Synod’s plans to take advantage of +Mark’s DOS guest status hit a dead-end and the final nail in his coffin was Fr. Justin’s letter followed up by the knock out punch letter of Fr. Burch. Burch gets a pass because he used the DOS process to reveal their first choice against the backdrop of Fr. Justin’s letter which articulated the real feelings in the South. Checkmate.

Of course, these are just my musings from the oca.org reports, reading between the lines, reading some tea-leaves and the lack of confidentiality that is the OCA synod itself.

In all, it looks like a typical meeting of the OCA Synod. Lots of money spent, a few photo ops, the bishops suffered through those awful reports of staff and departments, then got to work on the things that get them excited, Level 3 and 4 stuff which has little or nothing to do with our life in the parish nor the growth of the Church but what keeps our bishops interested in coming to these meetings.

Happy Mother’s Day.

» Posted By Amos On May 12, 2012 @ 9:41 am

Words Fail Me

I can see that the spirit of the Lenten spring is fully blooming in you. May you find peace. You are in my prayers.

» Posted By Amos On March 4, 2012 @ 5:48 pm

This Just In: Met Jonah Invited to Congress to Discuss HHS

From a purely financial decision, and the last time I checked insurance companies are big business driven by profits, it is a great deal cheaper and more cost effective for our benevolent health insurance providers to be mandated to cover the minimumal cost of contraception than it is for them to pay for abortions. Thus the ” at their own expense” will not effective their bottom lines. If it did they would be screaming with their lobbiest flooding the airwaves with all manner of dire warnings of doom and gloom. Maybe if they didn’t cover Viagra there would be less need for contraception?

Also the premise that this is the first time in history that government has mandated the purchase of a product overlooks the mandate to purchase car insurance, which is also a product.

» Posted By Amos On February 19, 2012 @ 10:40 pm

One woman witness? One? Me thinks the committee chair just wanted to hear people of his own ilk. Politics as usual and not important at all.

» Posted By Amos On February 16, 2012 @ 1:50 pm

Showdown at the Salt Lake Coralle: This Time It’s Personal

Fr Hans,

The “intervention” is always personal and starts with me. We all too often look for the big strategic plan to solve the problem, but such top down approaches are little different than an approach that big government can solve our problems. Yes, government has its role but when it assumes it knows best for everyone, it has lost its way.

For folks to say that “this or that is wrong with Orthodoxy” may make nice bar talk but we, who are the Body of Christ, the Church, are as strong as our weakest link and that will never change because perfection is not in this world. If we really believed the Gospel and did not just try to accomodate it into our nice little lives, but really tried in a radical way to be Christ-like we would be too busy being humbled and not finding fault in others (I convict myself with these words and reveal how far I am from anything but being the first hypocrite) by all that I have spewed on this site.

These are not pious platitudes, rather the very “meat and potatoes” of what it means to be a member of the Church Militant. As I grow older and bear the scars of church wars and battles, the one thing that seems to ring the truest for me is that you can’t fix others, you can only fix yourself. You can’t change others, you can only change yourself and you can’t fight other peoples battles who don’t want to change, you can only fight your own demons.

I don’t know if Orthodoxy will ever succede by American standards and measures in this land. It may not, however that does not diminish one iota that it is not the one True Church nor that it has the message of salvation for all who are willing to accept it and die trying to live it because in that sense we are all martyrs and if we are willing to believe what Christ teaches and the Church proclaims,then we are called to die trying to be who God created us to be.

» Posted By Amos On February 17, 2012 @ 11:18 am

Fr Hans,

Answers,

1. Take the themes for the 5 preparatory Sundays of Great Lent and how Orthodox don’t live up to those themes. These are the five core problems facing Orthodox today. Why else would the Church repeat them every single year, year after year, decade after decade in every language?

2. The vision is to follow the Gospel, the strategy is to pray without ceasing, the plan is to go to confession often and to be more accountable for your actions. To love more and hate less and to see the face of Christ in everyone.

3. Depends on the parish and how we follow points 1 and 2. Salvation is a process and it takes effort every single day.

That should keep all of us busy so that if we do these things we may be less inclined to be corrupt.

» Posted By Amos On February 17, 2012 @ 8:05 am

Is it Wrong for Christians to Sue Each Other?

Carl,

What religious affiliation did you profess before you became an Orthodox Christian?

» Posted By Amos On February 2, 2012 @ 2:01 pm

Well we will just have to get to the bottom of this mystery!

» Posted By Amos On February 1, 2012 @ 10:06 pm

Helga,

That is interesting that Burke is no longer listed. In the OCA, that would mean that Burke has been banished to the murky world of “non-person.” It is a shame to think that the Synod finally acted on this because of Monomahkos and didn’t see the outrage when Forsberg and Reese ambushed the late Archbishop Dmitri and twisted his arm to lift Burke’s suspension. I hear that Reese wants to leave the OCA. I wonder why? Another sad chapter in the impotent OCA. But fear not, the OCA has a $500K surplus. All is well.

» Posted By Amos On February 1, 2012 @ 3:17 pm

Antonia,

You have hit the “nail on the head” with your comment. The untapped, or maybe the beginning to tap the diverse expressions of the Orthodox Faith that have been planted here is the future of a unique “American” expression of the Faith. We are blessed to have the chance to take that which is good and true and beautiful, that points beyond any one ethic expression of Orthodoxy, and bring them together into a “new” expression. Maybe that is what Fr. Alexander Schmemann.meant when he said that “Orthodoxy must change to remain the same.”

I don’t see this happening on a grand scale until such time that there is a local Church here that embraces all Orthodox legacies in America. Sadly, we still hide behind our respective ethnic walls, including the OCA, which is, for the most part, nothing more than Russian Orthodoxy in English (with respect to the OCA ethnic diocese, which do the same thing.) The OCA, the great gift is still in many ways stuck in a “preferred” Russian expression.

Until there is a unique liturgical expression of Orthodoxy in this land, like there is in Greece, Romania, Russia, etc. we will be what we are now, at worse liturgical ghettos, and at best unfocused hybrids.

So how do we get there? A step, in humility by all, for the greater good of the all, would be for the Episcopal Assembly to take up this vision and begin to incarnate it in a American Typicon taking the best from each tradition. If we believe that the “rule of prayer is the rule of faith” – what we pray is what we believe, then what we currently present to America all over the place – from 3 hour Russian Vigils to 30 minutes Great Vespers is choice between “high church and low church.”

We have all the pieces of the puzzle in front of us, but until we give ourselves permission to put that puzzle together and to say to the world, “this is how we worship the Triune God in the Orthodox manner in America” we will stumble along and continue to have what we have now. But if we can take up this task then and only then can we stand up and offer a united witness to each other and to those looking for the true Faith in this land. Such an effort will also challenge us to not be satisfied with transplanted Orthodoxy but work for a unique American plant that can finally take root and grow because it belongs to all of us.

» Posted By Amos On February 1, 2012 @ 11:19 am

Thank you Spasi. I think your summary makes a much stronger case of reality than Carl tries to spin. As you said no doubt that there are pockets of spiritual health in the OCA but its long term prognosis based on its current episcopal leadership is grim, at best.

» Posted By Amos On January 31, 2012 @ 5:55 pm

Carl,

What are your numerical sources to reach a conclusion 40% of OCA folk are regular attendees? What is “regular” and 20% “participation?” Yes, how do you define “participation?”

Thanks.

» Posted By Amos On January 31, 2012 @ 2:44 pm

Don’t forget about aeiral pigs fly in Cincinnati!

As to Harry’s vision of things, I really don’t see where Orthodoxy has been advanced by the websites under the current litigation. Is the OCA better of now than it was before Wheeler and Stokoe started their assault, unless you buy the reshuffled deck chairs on the USS OCA Titanic and the promise of another Strategic Plan? Jane Rachel is sadly correct. Orthodoxy in the USA is rudderless and appears it will remain that way. Harry, you make your best point about the ethnic enclaves. But the OF won’t change that either. Yes, it provides a venue for people who like to complain and act sometimes in callous and mean-spirited ways, but I suppose they are like that in real life too. And, yes, Harry, it has provided you with a wonderful forum to make your case (among other places) for having married bishops, but in truth, I really don’t think we are in better shape because of such sites. It is a sad commentary when a priest has to go to court because he feels that is his only option.

I would also suggest that when a person goes to court it is not just for his or her own search for justice but for those after him who may benefit by the ruling of the court.

I find it ironic that as we speak about the CEYOLA gathering in Pittsburgh in 1963, that venue, the Civic Arena, or better known as The Igloo, is being torn down. That moment in 1963 might have been the highpoint of Orthodoxy in the USA, long before the Internet, Forums, Best Practices, Episcopal Assemblies, the OCA, etc. etc. etc.

Is it too harsh to say about Orthodoxy in the USA, “Right Church, Wrong Country?”

» Posted By Amos On January 30, 2012 @ 9:45 am

Ivan,

On one level you make sense, we do take ourselves much too seriously. Yet, what does one do when our bishops play “fast and loose” with people’s lives, clergy and laity? A layperson can walk out the door of a Church and find another parish. But for a cleric, he is yoked to his bishop, who IMO take themselves the most too seriously. They are called “Master”, people kiss their hand and pray they live forever, they dress up like Byzantine Emperors and all too often act like despots.

The only bishop who stood up to the outrage that is spewed on the Internet was Bp. Matthias. The rest of them coward in the face of these Internet muggers. I totally agree with you when it comes to Stan Drezlo. He is just a mean person with a very large axe to grind because of his choice to become a woman and the Church saying to him, you can’t expect Church to bless the consequences of how you use your free will. Stan is easy to figure out. Stan speaks his own mind, takes no comments. He stands or falls on his own words.

However, the Orthodox Forum, run by Fr Regan, is nothing more than a platform for others to be just as mean as Stan provided by a priest. Why? How, as you say, Ivan, how is the invisible Orthodox Faith here in the USA being promoted by such a site? Of course, people can say, “You don’t have to read it. You don’t have to write on it,” like I do here. True, guilty. No excuse on any level. I have said so sinful things about people, true things, but nonetheless unnecessary. But if I was a bishop, a Archpastor of pastors, I would not only preach against sin, but would expect my clergy to do the same in word AND DEED.

To coin a phrase of Ronald Reagan to Mikael Gorbachev, “Mr. Regan, tear down that website.” Bp. Benjamin, take a page out of your brother bishop’s playbook, and in a more direct and responsible manner unlike Matthias to Stokoe, instruct your priest to take down the Orthodox Forum. And, if he does not, then you as his bishop simply ask him to choose, his website or his pastoral assignment in your diocese. The Orthodox Forum is a cesspool of the most vile and hurtful bile speech. It is ugly.

What, Bp Benjamin is stopping you from doing the right thing? Why does it appear that you find it simple to dictate how Met. Jonah should act toward his clergy yet you are so slow to deal with one of your own?

I don’t know if Fr Ray pleaded his case to his bishop before taking this action, however it does appear to me that our bishops did precious little avoid this action. Yes, Met. Jonah was correct in suspending Fr. Ray, but that is like popping a pimple without doing anything about the underlying infection. Wake up OCA, the issues run so much deeper than suspending Fr. Ray. You are failing us as our spiritual leaders. As a Synod you have abdicated your responsibilities to others while you expect us to just kiss your hand and keep calling you despots. And we wonder why Orthodoxy is so little known here in the USA?

» Posted By Amos On January 30, 2012 @ 7:57 am

Does the Episcopal Assembly Believe in Liberty?

Basil,

I think your conclusion to what Met. Jonah said in Seattle is a much more Christian and charitable way to see things as opposed to Carl’s back-handed statement.

Yet, the truth of those words lies somewhere in the middle. The paragraph that Carl extracted from the Met. Seattle speech was, in fact, crafted by the Synod. They were not Jonah’s words. However, Jonah owned them, spoke them and then followed through by going for his “evaluation.” He called the Synod’s bluff and they were left with no more bullets to fire at him. You will notice things have been much quieter since he went to SLI.

The key phrase in that prepared statement was “How to get at the root of this breakdown in trust and repair it, if at all possible, is the real challenge for me…” if at all possible being the caveat for the Synod to at last be able to say, “it is not possible” thus Jonah must go.

But in fact, Jonah did what they asked, and as time passes we can see that the attempt to shame Jonah into retirement or to call him unfit for duty, did not work. Yes, Jonah appears to be working in closer collaboration with the bishops, his chancellor, etc. If that keeps some members of the Synod under control, or less likely to be lead into the temptation of acting out, Amen to that. A leader knows the weaknesses of his team and works to overcome those weak links.

Jonah took the best punch from the Synod, absorbed it, and is still standing. What that means for the OCA and its future is unknown, but I think that Jonah is still where he is because people fought for him, were willing to take a bullet or two for him, and this website pushed back against the relentless efforts of ocanews to oust him.

Thanks again, Basil for your comment.

» Posted By Amos On February 5, 2012 @ 12:39 pm

Whew, that blast sounds like it could have been written by Eric Wheeler!

» Posted By Amos On February 3, 2012 @ 1:55 pm

Carl,

That may be true, but where is Fr Michael’s bishop? Does his bishop by tacit consent of allowing one of his clergy to moderate that site give a blessing to his status as moderator? Where is his bishop on this issue?

» Posted By Amos On February 3, 2012 @ 10:47 am

Carl,

I woud submit that Truth matters more than “context.” Just a thought.

» Posted By Amos On February 3, 2012 @ 9:06 am

Jane Rachel,

I think the proof of your opinion regarding Bp. Nikolai was when Fr Fester’s emails were given to Stokoe without Fester’s knowledge or permission by Bp Mark Maymon and a big deal was made about Fester trying to reconcile Met. Jonah and Bp. Nikolai. The very idea of Bp. Nikolai being possibly “rehabilitated” sent shockwaves through ocanews. Much effort was spent in the Nikolai takedown. Let us not forget that the fired ex-chancellor of the golden parachute Alexander Garklavs, now the priest-designate of Holy Trinity Church in Parma, Ohio, was up to his neck in making sure that Nikolai was removed from office. Bishop Benjamin, Garklavs, Oleska, ocanews, the usual suspects on the Orthodox Forum, all banded together to remove Nikolai.

It is interesting to consider that with the recent Supreme Court ruling, would an EEOC case even be possible since it was a matter of Church hiring and firing that propelled the Sidebottom case in the first place?

The present fact that the OCA Synod will not ever talk to Bp. Nikolai and Bp. Benjamin has FORBIDDEN Bp. Nikolai from even stepping foot in any DOW parish reveals the present dysfunction and hard-heartedness of the leaders of the OCA. It is just so sad to see how the OCA is killing itself from the top and like the band playing on the deck of the Titanic as the ship is sinking we are fed “news” from the OCA website that all is well, we have a surplus, we have a strategic plan and a “spirit of sobornost.”

After a while you just have to step back and say, “Really? You really think we are better off now than we were before? Really?

» Posted By Amos On February 3, 2012 @ 9:02 am

Carl,

I suppose what gets under folk’s skin was that ocanews broadcasted that everyone else’s poop stunk but his did not. He was held up as a model of truth and transparency and expected everyone to accept his choices without question. When more people began to question the basic premise of his assault on the OCA, began to pull back the curtain of this self-made public figure as the author of ocanews, began to see that maybe everything was not so “saintly” about his ever-memorable bishop protector, and finally with the benefit of time and comparison that the OCA is not better of now than before ocanews, the entire chapter is being questioned. We can question it, we are permitted here. We were carefully excised from such criticism on ocanews.

So I am not sure it is hypocrisy. When the light was finally shined on ocanews it went under the Internet waves. There are still truths to be told and rights to be wronged and I am glad that there is a Monomahkos to report on things. It may be clumsy and not so artful at times, but on the whole I would say that Monomahkos stands for the building up of the Church.

The use of the courts by people who have been pillared by websites reveals that our bishops often are not part of solution but in fact part of the problem. And that is a very sad indictment. Feel free to disagree.

» Posted By Amos On February 3, 2012 @ 8:18 am