tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27139233.post681964265318311405..comments2023-12-22T19:01:28.512-08:00Comments on Holy Nativity Orthodox Church: Fornication Leads To MurderFr. Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16981965403145920704noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27139233.post-68913023214674250142012-08-29T17:00:55.019-07:002012-08-29T17:00:55.019-07:00Dear MB,
I agree that all one can do is humble one...Dear MB,<br />I agree that all one can do is humble oneself and keep going. However, like dealing with addiction, one has to recognize when one needs help. One needs to learn what doesn't work.<br />Eventually it comes down to martyrdom. Dying for Christ sometimes means saying no to yourself and suffering alone on the cross, rather than pleasing yourself and including others in the suffering.<br />I cannot resolve the matter of Old Testament polygamy except to say that even then it involved a lifelong commitment. <br />But most importantly, do not lose hope. Do not despair. God does not condemn us. He rather leads us out of destructive behaviour for our salvation and the salvation of those around us.Fr. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16981965403145920704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27139233.post-41072304752321273242012-08-29T15:04:43.065-07:002012-08-29T15:04:43.065-07:00Thank you Fr Michael.
It remains that some fornic...Thank you Fr Michael.<br /><br />It remains that some fornicators (such as myself) have no trouble agreeing that it leads to death- to murder.<br />But we keep doing what we do not want to do.<br />This is no excuse- all we can do is not sear our counscience, get up and try again with God's help.<br /><br />I recall with Josh's mom, feeling like I had two minds: one was my true self, and wished more than anything to stop my impure relatinship. The other mind came to life after a period of time trying to keep away, and this mind came alive at night. It was a mind of deception and folly; unwilling to see the connection between certain beginning behaviours and consequent immoral behaviours.<br />This is of course the language of addiction.<br />Salvation came to me/us then through devastation. God saved us, through excruciating pain (depression in pregnancy, and eventually the agony of despising each other).<br />A kind of murder.<br /><br />What can be done?<br />Humble oneself and try again. Ask God for help. Practice things that are helpful (disciplined prayer, fasting, etc.).<br /><br /><br />Anyway what remains for me is still the question about sexual fidelity to one person, when someone like David or like Solomon could have multiple (hundreds?) of sexual partners...<br />How were these men still full of wisdom and able to be faithful to God, when they should be torn apart by this sin and fragmented to pieced by their infidelities?<br />It doesn't make sense.<br /><br />_MBOstensive Lymehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04605919388856782153noreply@blogger.com