| Judges’ Choice Family life : Before marriage Last Updated: Feb 8th, 2011 - 05:50:02 Judges’ Choice By Emily Howard Mar 30, 2009, 10:00 Discuss this article Printer friendly page Source: The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America What would you say if I told you that I was one of the very few people I know who have not been married by the time they were 18? Some of my friends have already been married two or three times, and some have been married since they were in middle school. No, none of these marriages were arranged, nor were they Mormon. Perhaps the strangest part of these marriages is that they did not involve a proposal, a wedding gown, a church, or even a court justice. All they involved was sex. That’s right, I said these marriages were only sex. Believe me, if this topic is making you squirm in your seat, try being the orator! But we do live in the 21st century, and sex is an important topic that needs some attention. The rest of the world seems to have forgotten that sex is marriage. It is the unification of one flesh, but it is a unity that God intended to occur under the holy sacrament of marriage. Why is everyone rushing into premarital sex? Am I missing something by sticking to the Orthodox doctrine of waiting until marriage? What do I do if even my brothers and sisters in faith have started to fall away? I swear, by the time you hit 12 years old, all anyone wants to teach you about are the dangers of drinking, drugs, and sex. At school, it’s always the dangers of unprotected sex, which is why half of the bathrooms in my house at school have free condoms in them. And now it’s also about consensual sex — I mean, I got candy in my mailbox with a note reminding me to make sure I asked for consent before having sex on Halloween! But what about the dangers of sex all together? At what point did sex stop being sacred and start becoming recreational? I can remember sitting at co-ed cabin times at the Village when I was younger, and somehow, the talks always ended up being about sex. Maybe it was because it’s something more difficult to say “no” to than drugs or drinking because sex is something that is meant to be shared by two people in love, but again, the world always leaves out the “joined by God” part. Anyway, I remember sitting out on the basketball courts and listening to one of the counselors say, “You should never do anything you wouldn’t do with your mother or sister,” granted, this was to the guys of the group, but at the awkward age of thirteen, the imagery of kissing my dad the same way I had watched people kiss in movies was horrifying! I mean, sometimes I’ll hold hands with my dad, and I’ll hug him or kiss him on his cheek, but come on now, are we really meant to be that limited in our physical relationships with the opposite sex! |
| One priest I know gave me some very sage advice: Remember that your eyes have been saved by God. In the very act of looking, we are called to glorify Christ. Good Distractions: Find a quirky hobby and push it as far as you can go. Mine is bicycling. My longest day, after years of practice, was 143 miles and 10,000 feet of elevation gain, equivalent to a Tour de France stage (but done slowly). A month later, I got married and am now required to carry a cell phone and check in twice a day. Learn to cook a lot of recipes. If your future spouse is as picky an eater as mine is, only about a quarter of your recipes are going to pass muster. You’ll need some extra recipes to fall back upon. Get a dog. Here you will find a true friend. And, probably your dog will be a good test of character for future boyfriends/girlfriends. Could you be married to someone who doesn’t like throwing a tennis ball 100 times a day? This way, you’ll find out! Donate a pint of blood every eight weeks. Nothing like a mild case of anemia to suck the passion out of you for a couple of days. And, you’re saving lives! Buy a studfinder. Girls, try carrying this around at church and point it at boys. If it beeps, he might be worth something! These machines are good for more than locating 2 x 4s. But, be careful, it could also find you a blockhead. Come up with some pick-up lines: · What’s your favorite hymn? · Did Father buy some new incense or do you always smell that good? · You’re even prettier than the saint you’re named after! Source: Wonder You might also like: Dating and Orthodoxy: an interview by Emily E. Howard with Thomas Eric Ruthford Finding an Orthodox Spouse by Fr Geoffrey Korz You Get What You Need by Emily E. Howard Code for blog Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. |
| OCLife was originally founded in 1986 by a group of faithful volunteers who were eventually unable to continue their work. After nearly two decades of dormancy, the organization was revived in 2020 and is now directed by Emily Wilkinson, a parishioner at St. Andrew Church in Riverside, Calif. After the Supreme Court handed down its decision, Emily noted that “As some states will cease abortions immediately and others will welcome ‘abortion tourism,’ the pro-life movement is prepared with open arms to support women in difficult or crisis pregnancies through a robust infrastructure of thousands of pregnancy help organizations.” For the two weeks of the Dormition Fast, OCLife is inviting the faithful to participate in the “ Dormition Fast Prayer Vigil to End Abortion .” Organized several years ago by Antiochian Subdeacon David Mathewes, the prayers have been compiled from various services. Each day, OCLife is posting a different prayer on social media that can be incorporated into your daily prayers during these first two weeks of August. Recently, Emily answered some questions from Antiochian.org regarding the Dobbs decision and pro-life ministry in the post-Roe world. 1) What were your thoughts after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision? The decision should be cause for celebration and thanksgiving for all Orthodox Christians! We are overjoyed that abortion through all nine months of pregnancy is no longer recognized as a Constitutional right, and that states are now free to enact laws protecting women and babies from the violence of abortion. 2) How can Orthodox Christians help women in crisis pregnancies? We can begin by augmenting the pro-life movement’s existing infrastructure of 3,000 pregnancy resource centers around the country. These incredible organizations provide no-cost pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, diapers, baby items, parenting classes, and more to women who are at-risk for abortion to help them choose life. They rely on volunteers and financial and material support, which our Orthodox community can contribute. Now more than ever, Orthodox Christians must take up the responsibility of caring for “the least of these.” |
| Well-stated and to the point! And something to think about in a season of restraint and re-prioritizing. Emily mentions reading, playing, creating and conversing. Are our families and friendships suffering deficiencies in those time-honored activities that are based on mental agility, socializing skills and the deepening of loving relationships? Is it dinner and then off to the screen? Have we mastered the “art of distraction?” If so, can we possibly be surprised if we find it difficult to pray effectively—that is, with some concentration and focus? There is a possible alternative approach: Superfluous time spent before the screen can now be redirected and spent renewing those activities that are either intellectually stimulating (a good book or creative project) or conducive to personal interaction (game playing); or, on a deeper level, “face-to-face” communion (conversing)? Emily writes further: “Because people do not communicate in person, words and meanings can get misconstrued all too easily. One cannot observe facial expressions or hear tones of voice through the internet, both of which allow the listener to garner a well-rounded impression of what the speaker intends to express…. Nothing compares to quality time given to a person, where one really listens and focuses on getting to know his friends. Human beings are so complex that one cannot get to know anyone very deeply in a diminutive span of time.” Can you imagine a Facebook entry that states, “In observing Great Lent, this site will be inactive until April 16, the day I celebrate the Resurrection of Christ?!” What about the screen of the smart phone? This is a wonderful tool for communication that has even been “life-saving,” as we all know of some such stories. You may have to be a modern-day Luddite to argue against the positive use of the cell/smart phone. The important call, the encouraging call, the “where-in-the-world is my child?” call, even the “emergency” call are not what needs to occupy us at the moment. |
| Egypt (MNN) — Last Friday, a Muslim mob looted and torched 80 Christian families’ homes in Egypt’s Al-Beida village. Christians were forced to flee the area. The mob was angry because of a rumor that a building under construction in the village was going to become a church. The Christians in the Al-Beida village currently have to travel four miles away to worship at the Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church. When the nearby church’s priest, Father Karas Naser, heard of the violence he rushed to the scene. The mob set upon Father Naser’s car when he arrived. However, he was rescued by other moderate Muslims who protected him from the mob and got him out of the car. Open Doors USA’s Emily Fuentes says this type of violence, while not definitive of the whole country, tends to flare in rural areas where extremists incite some of the villagers against minority Christians. “It really does vary throughout Egypt. You might see a little bit more tolerance in cities, but in more rural areas or villages like this, you’re going to see a bit more tension, some misunderstanding; especially from neighbors [towards] Christians and what a threat they are as a minority group.” Christian Organizations Help Rebuild Open Doors works through partner ministries in Egypt. Fuentes says a few years ago, their partner ministries responded to a similar violent extremist mob attack. In that situation, 200 Christian homes were destroyed, and several churches and Christian buildings were looted and burned down. This mob was also incited with an inflammatory rumor against Christians started by the Muslim Brotherhood. “It was a horrific situation for these Christians. Not only did they lose their house and churches, but some lost their lives and then some lost their very livelihood. Many were farmers so they lost their livestock and had nothing to help them survive,” says Fuentes. “Through our partner organizations we were able to help rebuild many of these houses, farms, churches so the Christian community could restart again and continue to be a light even after a horrific attack like this.” Egyptian Christians Maintain Gospel Witness |
| Ibid., p. 7. Ibid., p. 16. Ibid-.p. 17. Alan Wolfe, “0h, Those Beltway Innocents”, New York Times, August 30, 1998, p. 13. Irving Kristol, “Family Values: Not a Political Issue”, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 1992, p. A14. Gertrude Himmelfarb, One Nation, Two Cultures (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1999), p. 146. Hilton Kramer and Roger Kimball, eds., The Future of the European Past (Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1996), p. 7. Norman Podhoretz, My Love Affair with America: The Cautionary Tale of a Cheerful Conservative (New York: The Free Press, 2000), pp. 215, 218. Ibid., p. 218. Ibid., p. 217. Ibid. T. S. Eliot, Christianity and Culture (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1968), p. 100. Podhoretz, p. 220. Jonathan Alter, “Where PC Meets Free Speech”, Newsweek, April 2, 2001, p. 31. Don Feder, “Planned Parenthood Demands a Recount”, Jewish World Review, December 28,2000. Ibid. Anne Fremantle, The Papal Encyclicals (New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1956), p. 241. Emily Wagster, “Mississippi Flag Vote Falls Largely Along Racial Lines”, Associated Press, April 21, 2001. James Madison, “The Federalist 49: Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Conventions, February 2, 1788. John Fonte, “Why There Is a Culture War”, Policy Review, December 2000 and January 2001, p. 21. Ibid. “Yo Philistines”, Washington Times, February 21, 2001, p. 16. Roger Kimball, “Closing Time? Jacques Barzun on Western Culture”, New Criterion, June 2000. Ibid. Herbert Stein, “Herb Stein’s Unfamiliar Quotations”, Slate Magazine, May 15, 1997. Richard John Neuhaus, “Lord Acton, Cardinal Newman, and How to Be Ahead of Your Time”, First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, August 1,2000,p. 77. Pat Donnelly, “Know Your Diderot”, Gazette, August 13,1991,p. El. George Walden, “Coasting on Dead Men’s Ideas”, Evening Standard, February 12, 2001, p. 54. Tirdad Derakhshani, “At God’s Funeral, Biographer Describes ‘Killers’ of the Deity”, Arizona Republic, August 29,1999,p. 12. |
| 1995. Souveraineté, légitimité de la monnaie. Paris: Association d " Économie Financière (Cahiers finance, éthique, confiance). 1998. La Monnaie souveraine. Paris: Odile Jacob. Aglietta, M., et al. 1998. “Introduction.” In: La monnaie souveraine (M. Aglietta & A. Orlean, eds.), pp. 9-31. Paris: Odile Jacob. Aglietta, M., & Orlean, A. (eds.). 1995. Souverainete, legitimite de la monnaie. Paris: Association d " Economie Financiere (Cahiers finance, ethique, confiance). Agnew, Jean-Christophe. 1986. Worlds Apart: The Market and the Theater in Anglo-American Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ahern, Emily. 1973. The Cult of the Dead in a Chinese Village. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Akiga Sai, B. 1939. Akiga " s story; the Tiv tribe as seen by one of its members. Translated and annotated by Rupert East. London, New York, Published for the International African Institute by the Oxford University Press. 1954. “The " Descent " of the Tiv from Ibenda Hill” (translated by Paul Bohannan.) Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 24 (4): 295–310. Akin, David and Joel Robbins. 1998. “An Introduction to Melanesian Currencies: Agencies, Identity, and Social Reproduction”. In Money and Modernity: State and Local Currencies in Melanesia (David Akin and Joel Robbins, editor), pp. 1-40. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. Alexander, John В. 1938. “A Babylonian Year of Jubilee?” Journal of Biblical Literature 57:55–79. Allen, N.J.I 998. “The category of substance: a Maussian theme revisited.” In Marcel Mauss: ACentenary Tribute (Wendy James, N. J. Allen, editors), pp. 175–191. London: Berghahn Books. Altekar, Anant Sadashiv. 1977. State and Government in Ancient India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. 1983. The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. Althabe, Gerard. 1968. “La circulation monetaire dans un village Betsimisaraka.” Tany Gasy 8:35–46. Ames, Roger. 1994. The Art of Rulership: A Study of Ancient Chinese Political Thought. Albany: State University of New York Press. |
| Emily Waters as the new Acting ORSMA Coordinator , and the management of Westwood. He offered a lengthier report on the OCA Archives giving updates on the relocation process and the proposals received in response to the Request For Proposals published in 2021. Two members of the Metropolitan Council also offered a report on a recent visit to the Florovsky Library at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary where the Seminary proposes to house the OCA Archives. In considering that the proposal from Saint Vladimir’s and the on-site evaluation of physical facilities effectively demonstrate their storage space to provide for necessary environmental protection and accessibility of the Archival material, and since Saint Vladimir’s commits to continuing the digitization project and applying for new grants for the benefit of the Archives, a resolution was presented for the Metropolitan Council to authorize the Chancellor and Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America to engage Saint Vladimir’s in logistical and contractual discussions for the purpose of preparing a written agreement, for presentation and approval of the Metropolitan Council in summer 2022. Also in this case, the resolution was overwhelmingly adopted but is not to be considered considered final until approved by the Holy Synod next month. Andrew Smith, Treasurer of the Orthodox Church in America, offered his report in which he reviewed current financials, proposed amendments to the 2022 budget, and introduced representatives from Satty & Partners who reported on the external audit. Ms. Maha Adranly, one of the three internal auditors, presented the auditing report noting the good health of the finances of the Orthodox Church in America, and thanking Mr. Andrew Smith and Ms. Susan Wisnewski for their hard and diligent work. Mr. Smith also offered an update on the Metropolitan Council external review of the OCA Pension Plan which is currently being conducted by Cheiron, Inc.. Among the other reports received and presented, Deacon Peter Ilchuk, All-American Council Manager, updated the Council on that plans for the upcoming 20th All-American Council in July 2022, and submitted the draft of the AAC Agenda prepared by the Preconciliar Commission and which will be presented to the Holy Synod next month for final approval. |
| Campaigners across the world have helped raise Noreen's profile, following the successful petition for the release of Meriam Ibrahim, a Sudanese Christian woman who was also sentenced to death for blasphemy last summer. To date, nearly 700,000 people have signed a Voice of the Martyrs petition on Noreen's behalf. More than 580,000 people have added their signatures to a campaign by Change.org. The woman who started the campaign, Emily Clarke, said “people have not forgotten Asia Bibi even though she was sentenced to death over five years ago.” Another petition, by CitizenGO, has gathered more than 625,000 signatures. Al Jazeera profiled Noreen's plight and published the court documents of her case. Associated assassinations In 2011, Salmaan Taseer, the governor of the Punjab, and Shahbaz Bhatti, the national minorities’ minister, were shot dead because of their support for Noreen and criticism of what Clarke calls “Pakistan’s barbaric blasphemy laws.” The crime of blasphemy was enshrined into Pakistani law under British rule, but strengthened during the years of military dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. However, in recent years Pakistan, which is 96 percent Muslim, has seen a surge in accusations of insulting Islam, claims an Islamabad-based think tank, the Center for Research and Security Studies. Analysts say that accusations are frequently used to settle scores, or as a front for property grabs. Charges are hard to fight because the law does not define blasphemy, so presenting the evidence can itself sometimes be considered a fresh infringement. If found guilty, defendants can expect the death penalty. But those accused are often lynched, or languish for years in jail without trial because lawyers are too afraid to defend them. “Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan are often used to settle petty vendettas and persecute minority groups,” said Kate Allen, UK Director of Amnesty International in December 2014, as part of a plea for the release of Mohammad Asghar, a 70-year-old British Muslim grandfather also on death row. “Pakistan should get rid of these poisonous blasphemy laws. It’s a complete disgrace that the courts are complicit in these vendettas.” |
| Jam! Showbiz/Sun Wire, “Spike Lee Blasts “Patriot” over Slavery”, Ottawa Sun, July 7, 2000, p. 28. Jonathan Foreman, “The Nazis, er, the Redcoats Are Coming!” Salon.com, July 3, 2000. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. Kevin Sack, “Un-Naming Names; Today’s Battles Topple Yesterday’s Heroes”, New York Times, November 17,1997,p. 5. “Will State Dems Back Declaration?” Wisconsin State Journal, December 28, 2000, p. 1. Andrea Billups, “Black Legislators Stall Bill on Independence Pledge”, Washington Times, March 1, 2000,p. 3. Florida American Indian Movement, “Press Release: Florida AIM Rejects Desperate Compromise to Keep Hider Prototype in Springtime Tallahassee Parade”, March 7, 2000. “Indians Target Highway Named After Jackson”, Middle American News, June 2001, p. 7. Michael Rust, “Remembering Faces of Heroism”, Insight on the News, July 19, 1999, p. 47. “Schools Aren’t Eager to Give Up Indian Nicknames, Tradition”, Associated Press, April 19, 2001. John Cummins, “Taking the Offensive Against Indian Nicknames”, Salt Lake Tribune, August 6, 1994,p. 13. Brian Bergstein, “Statue of Flag-Planting Mayor Causes Decade of Controversy in San Jose”, Associated Press, October 15, 2000. Peter Guinta, “The Flap About Ponce”, S(. Augustine Record, October 22,2000, p. 12. Elizabeth Kiggen Miller, “Anti-Bias Task Force Says No to a Pilgrim”, New York Times, October 10, 1999, p. 16. Ibid. Bob Lewis, “Ex-Confederate Capital Still Struggles with Questions of Race”, Associated Press, July 19,2000. Ralph Z. Hallow, “New DNC Chairman Enters Ring Swinging”, Washington Times, February 4,2001, p. 1. Christy Hoppe, “Confederate Plaques Are Taken Down; Governor’s Office Makes Quiet Change at Courts”, Dallas Morning News, June 13,2000, p. 1A, “Florida Capitol Retires Confederate Flag”, Associated Press, February 12, 2001. Emily Wagster, confederate Emblem to Stay on Flag”, Associated Press, April 18, 2001. Randy Kraft, “Harpers Ferry History Involves Much More than John Brown”, Morning Call (Allentown), March 28, 1998; Otto Scott, The Secret Six: John Brown and the Abolitionist Movement (New York: Times Books, 1979), pp.288–91. |
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