| Sick New Game Titles Like ‘Rape Day’ Should Have Christian Parents Rethinking Video Games Source: Faithwire Photo credit: Jessica Lewis/Pexels Is video gaming an addiction? Can playing violent video games lead to violent behaviors? Do video games hurt the psychology of a young child? Can excessive video gaming lead to a ‘gaming disorder?’ These are common questions that concerned parents ask every single day. Their child seems fine, but spends hours in front of the TV, playing online with people they’ve never met in real life. For today’s children, video games are a ubiquitous form of media entertainment, replacing what was once in-person interactive play with online interactions. While some video games are exciting and exhilarating for children, many contain violent and dark messages that are dangerous, especially for impressionable children who aren’t mature enough to fully comprehend what they’re putting into their brains. In an age of common mass killings, no longer are parents the only ones concerned about the effects of video games, with psychologist, teachers, and doctors paying mind to the sometimes troubling effects these games have on children. There are two main things to look at when assessing whether or not you should allow your child to play video games: the content of the video games, and whether or not it breeds addiction. Controversial video games Over the past couple of years, more and more controversial video games have been put through development, and sometimes even pushed to production. Recently, Steam Games, notorious for their X-rated games, announced plans to release a computer video game that would allow players to simulate both the rape and murder of women. According to the developer’s website , “Rape Day” created by Desk Plant, “is a visual novel where you control the choices of a sociopath during a zombie apocalypse.” “You can verbally harass, kill people and rape women as you choose to progress the story,” the statement continued. The game developer explained that the game is set during a zombie apocalypse, in which players “can rape and murder” to advance. He referred to the game as “fantasy,” saying, “Every good fantasy is a power fantasy. Even if it’s some odd-ball story about gaining the acceptance of the loss of control, it’s still a form of power.” |
| At the Last Judgment, so St. Symeon the New Theologian writes, Christ will produce exemplary saints from every station in life and so demonstrate that it is possible for every person, whatever one’s work or employment, to attain to salvation and sainthood, rendering all excuses for what they are. Let us meditate from time to time on this teaching. Among the disciples of Jesus there were mostly Galilean fishermen and ordinary farmers. Matthew the tax collector may have been well educated and a trained professional in the Roman bureaucracy to do his job. John, the brother of James, was intellectually gifted in order to compose the magnificent Gospel of St. John, if he is indeed its author as handed down in tradition. In films Judas is sometimes portrayed as a Hamlet-lite figure, an intellectual with burning conceptual questions, but we know nothing of this from the texts of the Gospels. We have an astonishing variety of persons in the constellation of the saints, including men and women and children: from farmers to teachers, from lawyers to doctors, from ascetics to missionaries, from cooks to theologians, from charismatics to philosophers, from soldiers to kings, from deacons to bishops. St. Luke the Evangelist was a doctor. St. Paul was a missionary. St. Ignatius was a Bishop. St. Justin Martyr was a philosopher. St. Basil was a great philanthropist. St. Gregory of Nanzianzus was a preeminent theologian. St. Macarius of Egypt and St. Symeon the New Theologians were charismatics. St. John of the Ladder was an ascetic. St. Demetrios was a teacher. St. Theodore the Recruit was a soldier. St. Constantine the Great was an emperor. Born in a pagan family (ca. 272 AD), St. Constantine established a career in the military proving to be an exceptional leader and skillful politician. His life was one of continuous struggle for power and dominance, far from a solitary and peaceful climate conducive to sainthood. His inner circle involved intrigues for succession, including members of the imperial family who were executed as real or imagined plotters, under the reign of Constantine. |
| It is that time of year again, and the internet is filling up with homilies and musings on the theme of Great Lent. It seems that every year the messages are the same: be kind, pray more, fast more–and, by the way, here are a few Lenten recipes to die for. On the one hand, the repetitions are understandable. First, what more can be said that has not already been said over the centuries? Any modern writer who wishes to write about Lent inevitably has to take into account the very same writings of the very same great saints that every other writer has been reading and quoting for a millennium. Of course, there are some occasional extravagant takes on the issue of Lent. One priest posted an opinion, not altogether unfounded, on a reputable web resource that goes roughly as follows: “Lent is not about food. If you want yogurt, eat your yogurt. If you want a beef cutlet, eat your beef cutlet. Just don’t devour your neighbor.” While I think I understand what he meant by this piece of advice, and much can be said about setting proper priorities when allocating our limited will-power resources or about the futility of a diet without a proper spiritual disposition, it seems that in the modern world of bite-sized attention spans, this approach to fasting misses the very point of this ascetic discipline, turns Great Lent into an amateur self-help anger-management exercise, strangely equates eating meat with “devouring” neighbors–if I think I was a little less angry at my neighbor, does that mean I do not have to fast during Great Lent?–and essentially makes Lent meaningless. Indeed, I should not “devour” my neighbor any day of the year. So, if I practice that–however I may define it–I never have to fast, right? And the saints, the ascetics, and the entire monastic tradition of the Church has been completely mistaken in its fasting efforts, right? For the most part, however, modern writers repeat sensible and pious tropes about forgiveness, humility, discipline, and patience, and do recommend that lay people fast–at least as much as they are able. |
| Repentance, Confession, and Fasting (Part I) Sermons, Lectures Last Updated: Feb 8th, 2011 - 05:50:02 Repentance, Confession, and Fasting (Part I) By Bishop Atanasije (Jevtic) May 19, 2009, 10:00 Discuss this article Printer friendly page Source: Ora et Labora Repentance is the beginning of the new Christian life, or of the new Christian existence, an existence in Christ. The Gospel began with the words of St John the Forerunner: ìRepent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.î And Christís preaching after His Baptism was: ìRepent and believe in the Gospel.î But in our times the question is raised: why does one need to repent? From a social point of view it is inappropriate to speak of repentance. There is, of course, something like repentance, especially in the countries of eastern totalitarianism: when someone deviates from the party line, then ìrepentanceî is required of him, or when the party leaders themselves deviate from their original plan ñ only this is not called repentance, but some sort of ìreformî or ìperestroikaîÖ This indeed is not repentance. Who of you has seen Abuladzeís film ìRepentanceî? There it is namely false repentance that is talked about, and it is only at the end of the film that one sees what true repentance is. The film unmasks false repentance, as a sort of alteration of an ìideal,î or ìstyleî of power, which remains unchanged in essence. Indeed, such ìrepentanceî has nothing in common with true repentance. In Holy Scripture there are (in the Greek text) two different expressions for repentance. One expression is metanoia, and the other is metamelomai. Sometimes this second expression is translated not by the word ìrepentanceî [ÔÓ͇ÌËÂ], but by the word ìrethinkingî [‡Ò͇ÌËÂ]. I intended, for example, to go to Frankfurt and ìrethought,î that is, I changed my mind: I wonít go. This, in Holy Scripture, is called metamelomai, it is simply a change of intention. This has no spiritual significance whatsoever. In social and psychological thought there is something like ìrethinkingî [‡Ò͇ÌËÂ], that is, change. |
| Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution in the Church Has there ever been a parish council free from conflict? Who has not experienced rancorous divisions among fellow parishioners? Who does not know Orthodox families who have gone through acrimonious divorces? We can shrug it off, saying such conflict is “normal” and do our best to survive it. But in reality conflict often leaves behind enduring damage – severed relationships, broken ties, people left scarred and embittered. Although Christ proclaims, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God,” too often we see the children of the Church embroiled in destructive conflict and controversy. Has there ever been a parish council free from conflict? Who has not experienced rancorous divisions among fellow parishioners? Who does not know Orthodox families who have gone through acrimonious divorces? We can shrug it off, saying such conflict is “normal” and do our best to survive it. But in reality conflict often leaves behind enduring damage – severed relationships, broken ties, people left scarred and embittered. Should we Christians not do better than this? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could respond to conflict in gracious and constructive ways? Might we learn how to handle conflict so as to build relationships rather than harm them? I believe we can – that we can learn to see conflict as a way to minister to each other and to glorify God. We can harness conflict as a transforming power toward growth and healthy change. Christ gives us a model of handling conflict constructively when a young man approaches and asks his help in settling an inheritance. Instead of behaving as a judge, Christ addresses the underlying issue: “Take heed and beware of all covetousness, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” He then illustrates this truth in the parable of the rich fool. (Lk 12:13-21) When faced with conflict, we often focus on what the other person has done wrong. In contrast, scripture and Church tradition call us to focus primarily on what is going on in our own hearts when we are at odds with another. In the Lenten prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, we are called first to see our own sins, and not to judge our brother. Why? Because according to scripture, the human heart is the wellspring of conflicts. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Mt 15:19) The heart’s central role in conflict is vividly described in the epistle of James: |
| Has religion become passe? Is it valid to separate faith into two opposing camps: religious versus spiritual? Is the Church merely a religious institution? Photo: Fr. Dmitry Lukianov/foma.ru While getting to know someone you might ask, “Do you go to church?” It is increasingly common to hear the response, “Oh, I’m not religious, but I am spiritual.” Your acquaintance may go on to explain he finds religion to be too hypocritical, legalistic, and full of strife. “Look at all the wars that have been due to religion!” he exclaims, “And I don’t want some preacher telling me how to live my life when he can’t follow his own rules!” When asked what he means by being spiritual, the answer is something like, “I believe there is a life-force, I meditate, and occasionally I read books about spirituality; so I don’t need religion.” Has religion become passe? Is it valid to separate faith into two opposing camps: religious versus spiritual? Is the Church merely a religious institution? To answer these questions, it is important to: (1) define and contrast what is meant by being religious and by being spiritual; (2) look within the Gospels to see what Jesus taught and modeled; and, (3) have an appropriate understanding of the role the Church plays in our Orthodox Faith. Religious A typical dictionary definition of “religious” is: devotion to a superhuman controlling power, a god, entitled to obedience and worship . You have to believe in a deity in order to be religious, and “devotion” implies having made a commitment to an ongoing relationship with that deity. Whenever there is a formal relationship there has to be “rules” (laws, disciplines, duties) to maintain a beneficial coexistence. You have to worship and obey God in a particular manner in order to receive God’s blessings. Eventually the rules get codified, and the canons by necessity become organized and institutionalized. In the process, you give up some freedom when you become religious; this is what St. Paul meant in being “a slave of Christ” (1 Corinthians 7:22). The antonym for being religious is “secularism:” involvement solely with the affairs of the world, the temporal, and the mundane. |
| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the 2nd Russia–Africa Summit On 27 July 2023, a plenary session of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum was held in St. Petersburg as part of the Second Russia-Africa Summit. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia addressed the forum with a report on topical issues of Russian-African relations and the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church on the African continent. Address by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at the 2 nd Russia–Africa Summit St. Petersburg, 27 th July 2023 Your Excellency esteemed Vladimir Vladimirovich, President of the Russian Federation Your Excellency dear Mr Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros Esteemed leaders and senior representatives of African countries, Extending my warm greetings to all of you, I thank for inviting me to speak at such a high-level meeting aimed at promoting cooperation between Russia and African countries. This forum is indeed a notable international event with a significant political, economic, religious and cultural dimension. Despite a great geographical distance between them, peoples of our countries have good long-standing relations. The secret behind their friendship is that Russia has never viewed the continent of Africa as a land to derive benefit fr om or as a target of colonization. Never has Russia spoken with African nations in an arrogant manner, from a position of superiority and power. In times of hardships, we always strived to show solidarity and offer help. When African countries were going through a difficult and critical period, fighting for their independence and self-determination, Russia tried to actively support them and later worked together with those nations at building up a peaceful life and developing many infrastructure projects. It is noteworthy that such cooperation continues to this day. |
| Instructions of the Holy Fathers on Spiritual Life Who are these venerable men — ascetics and how are they unlike other Christians? While the majority of people were content to lead ordinary lives, these were people since ancient times, in Christ’s Church, whom He called " not of the world " (John 17:14). These righteous individuals dedicated their lives totally to God by isolating themselves away from worldly cares and falsehood, in wastelands, in deep forests, or in some other way shielded themselves from earthly temptations and the presence of outsiders. These were people thirsting for the truth, pining for higher spiritual values and ablaze with love for God, seeing the Kingdom of Heaven as their only motherland. Some of these righteous individuals attained spiritual heights and experienced blessed enlightenment that a majority of people could never see or imagine. Introduction This booklet appears as the first in a series of collections, from which we intend to publish the selected instructions of Orthodox ascetic fathers concerning Christian living. In compiling this first collection, the following books were used: Five tome collection of “Philokalia” (edited by Theophan the Recluse); “The Ladder” of Blessed John, Abbot of the Sinai hills; “Spiritually Beneficial Instructions” of Abba Dorotheos; “Unseen War” of St.Nikodemus of the Holy Mount; thoughts of Sylian of Athos; “Otechnik” of Bishop Ignatius Branchaninov, and other various ascetic collections. From these works, we have selected those instructions that apply to people living secular lives, and disregarded those sections that are essentially relevant to a monastic or reclusive environment. Judging by the large number of pre-revolutionary catalogues of publications, the Lives of Saints and their directives were favorite reading to the spiritually disposed Russian individual. Indeed, it is this literature that contains within itself a power of attraction, because it is not a dry and abstract philosophy but reflects a saintly life in a righteous soul. To read about his life or his instructions is like visiting him and drawing upon his treasury of spiritual experiences. |
| Souroti, Greece—Legend has it that nearly three decades ago, a bearded Orthodox Christian mystic visiting here made an unsettling prediction: Greece in the future would experience a " great disruption and confusion, " followed by hunger and political turmoil. Believers say this grim vision of Elder Paisios, an ascetic monk who died in 1994, was actually a prescient glimpse of the upheaval now gripping this debt-racked country—helping fuel a surge of interest in the Orthodox holy man by Greeks struggling to make sense of a brutal financial crisis. Elder Paisios, who spent much of his adult life as a hermit on the monastic peninsula of Mount Athos in northeastern Greece, has become a popular sensation—with tales of his prognostications and miracles he is said to have performed posted online and recounted in popular books. On Saturdays, hundreds of pilgrims line up at Elder Paisios's gravesite here, waiting their turn to kneel, pray and kiss the wooden cross that marks his final resting place. They ask for help finding jobs, paying bills and surviving a downturn that has upended their lives. " Paisios predicted many things, and his prophecies are now coming true, " said Costas Katsaounis, a 41-year-old military officer on a visit to the shrine. " He foresaw the crisis. But he also said it would get better, that we will overcome and prosperity will return. He's helped a lot of people. " Elder Paisios's fame in some ways echoes that of Michel de Notredame, better known as Nostradamus , a 16th-century French apothecary who believers say foretold everything from the rise of Hitler to the terror attacks of Sept. 11. " Figures like Paisios represent the shaman, the magician of the tribe, " said Alexandra Koronaiou, a sociologist at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens. " They are the incarnation of a transcendental, invisible power. " With Greece's economy in the fifth year of a grinding recession that is expected to deepen further in 2013, unemployment above 25% and even middle-class families struggling to feed their children, many Greeks feel like their society is teetering on the brink of collapse, and they are seeking solace. |
| A Two-Pronged Attack on Orthodoxy and Russia As US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Helsinki, all eyes are on what generally are regarded as the “usual” political issues that divide the world’s two foremost military powers: Ukraine, Syria, sanctions, claims of election interference, and so forth. This reflects the near-universal but erroneous view that this current, second Cold War is not ideological, as opposed to the first Cold War that pitted atheistic Soviet communism against America’s “in God we trust” capitalism. (Leave aside whether “capitalism,” an anarcho – socialist term popularized by Marxists, is the proper description of contemporary neoliberal corporatism.) No, we are told , the current Washington-Moscow standoff is a turf war, nothing more. Unlike the 1945-1991 rivalry it “lacks an ideological dimension” beyond the authoritarian determination to elevate “the Russian state, ruled by him and his clan.” Such a view totally dismisses the fact that following the demise of communism as a global power bloc there has been an eerie spiritual role reversal between East and West. While it’s true that during original Cold War the nonreligious ruling cliques in Washington and Moscow held basically compatible progressive values, ordinary Christian Americans (mainly Protestants, with a large number of Roman Catholics) perceived communism as a murderous, godless machine of oppression (think of the Knights of Columbus’ campaign to insert “under God” into the Pledge of Allegiance ). Conversely, today it is western elites who rely upon an ideological imperative of “democracy” and “human rights” promotion to justify a materialist global empire and endless wars, much like the old Soviet nomenklatura depended on Marxism-Leninism both as a working methodology and as a justification for their prerogatives and privileges. In that regard, promotion of nihilist, post-Christian morality – especially in sexual matters – has become a major item in the West’s toolkit. |
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