service

No matter how wrong you are

I like the cartoon above. It is one of the best examples of the concept of freedom of speech that I have seen in cartoon form. Freedom of speech really does not mean that the people who hear you speak have to agree with you or even to respect you or even to refrain from criticizing you. Freedom of speech does mean that other people have to respect your right to speak, and allow you the room to do... [Read more]

Indirect update on NYC mosque request

A couple of days ago Father Orthoduck posted on the whole controversy about the building of a mosque near Ground Zero. Mind you, the news media tries to make it sound as though it is on Ground Zero, but it is not, it is near it. An unintended side effect of those who are objecting so virulently and unconstitutionally is that a fellow parish, a Greek Orthodox parish, right at Ground Zero is not being... [Read more]

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Fox News has as many terrorist links as the Ground Zero imam

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c The Parent Company Trap www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party Father Orthoduck urges you to watch to at least the three minute mark in this video. But, please really do watch the entire video. You see, Fox News has been trying to demonize the iman who is trying to build a mosque near... [Read more]

report

Let’s rebuild houses of worship near Ground Zero

Look at the photograph on the right. It is from New York City in May of 2000. Do you notice a certain building in the background? That building no longer exists. It is one of the towers of the World Trade Center, destroyed on 11 September 2001. But, what about the building in the foreground? What an insignificant little building! Look how incredibly narrow it is. You can see how narrow it is by looking... [Read more]

A church near the Oklahoma boming site?

Father Orthoduck found the interesting cartoon posted above. It is an interesting thought experiment. As you know there has been much argument about building a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. Few newspapers will report that there have been objections to building a mosque in any of several states. Even fewer will even bother to report that the opposition to mosques is based on the idea that... [Read more]

international

E.J. Dionne on the politics of stupidity

Father Orthoduck has been having to travel all too much lately. So, he has not had time to think any of several issues through. Nevertheless, the article below by E.J. Dionne is one that he thinks all of us can take to heart. Do take the time to read it through, as it ends up taking on liberals, conservatives, and moderates, and pointing out that we are all guilty of helping lead this country into... [Read more]

help

Arizona law partially overturned, but look at the reasons

Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) — A legal battle over a tough Arizona immigration law appeared certain after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday that blocked the most controversial parts of the law a day before it was to take effect. The injunction means that, at least for now, police are prevented from questioning people’s immigration status if there is reason to believe... [Read more]

Bethel Confession of the Confessing Church and government

Germany in the years immediately preceding World War II and into the beginning of the “Reich” was a terrible place. In fact, Europe was a terrible place during this time. Statism in both its left and right wing forms was winning the day. In every country in Europe and in the USA, racism and xenophobia were openly and strongly expressed, even by churchmen. In Germany out of that hellish... [Read more]

blog

Bethel Confession, Barmen Declaration, and Christian duty

As I have been posting the short series on government, I received the following question: What are your thoughts on the Bethel Confession and the Barmen Declaration, Father? First let me comment that if Dietrich Bonhoffer had been Orthodox, he would have probably been Saint Dietrich. There is no doubt that this was a man fully committed to serving the Lord Jesus Christ under terrible circumstances.... [Read more]

Government, Church, and relationships

Let’s recap, a lot of very conservative Americans have bought into a concept proposed by Abraham Kuyper at the beginning of the 20th century. That concept is that each facet of human life has its own “sphere of influence” within which it is sovereign and capable of acting without interference from other spheres of influence. While recognizing that there are areas of overlap, the theory... [Read more]

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