Posted by Leo
on 12/21/2008, 12:01 pm
I just read the following here:
{Father} Botros told me in our first interview, "When I started to preach this way many or most Christians refused the style. They were afraid. For 14 centuries we [as Middle East Christians] are under the threat of the sword of Islam. So they were afraid and told me, 'They will kill us! They will destroy our houses!' But after I preached the gospel and spoke in this manner for years now, many of them now say, 'We are no longer ashamed of our religion when Muslims attack us.'"
Since so much Orthodox 'weight' is still under Muslim rule, I wondered, because "shame" wasn't what I expected there. Afraid, reticent maybe, prudently 'below the radar,' stuff like that. To me, with Latin and Protestant backgrounds, shame suggests wrongdoing, regret, not oppression; maybe repression.... "Shame" in so many of our high patriarchs and other bishops, clergy, writers, teachers, immigrants, etc., poses disturbing psychopathological possibilities. I don't say this to "score points," but out of concern for us all as a Church, and for those who may feel this shame, or have it in their immigrant family background and culture (Family Systems, etc.).
Just curious,
Leo
Responses:
