YES, a new one! I’m going to listen to this tomorrow!

[…] A couple weeks ago, I was interview by the people at The Man in Black Orthodox Podcast. […]

Enjoyed the podcast. Keep it up!

My favorite part was during the last 10 minutes or so when Fr. Welzig started discussing the fact that Hemant is looking for something deeper, more meaningful, and that’s why he’s so interested in this dialogue. You all could have got into discussions on the philosophical views of this and that, trying to convince Hemant using evidentialist arguments and tearing down archaic analytical methods of thinking, but you didn’t. You kept it simple and genial. He said he’s not the one to argue, so it makes sense it was at the level it was at. Good podcast.

It was very refreshing to see an Orthodox podcast about people coming from a Non-Christian background, atheism at that. Overall, I think the discussion went well. Finally, I thought, an atheist who “gets it”: that we Christians aren’t just hypnotized cattle.

What I don’t understand though is in some areas of discussion, there was a degree of bitterness (maybe too harsh a word?) against Protestantism expressed, i.e. Protestants have no idea what they were talking about when it comes to historic Christianity, the expressed hesitance in referring to Protestant churches as churches, etc. It comes across to me, an Orthodox convert myself (who honestly admits to not having really any significant church experience before coming to Orthodoxy) as kinda teenage-emo, to be quite honest.

It’s hard to recommend any of these things for my family to listen to (I’m the only one in my family who is Orthodox) because their personal faith in Christ doesn’t seem to be taken seriously.

Anyway, I don’t mean to offend, and I hope my words are received as they are meant to be expressed: in God’s love.

The Icon New Media has my prayers. It really is a great ministry. I really love the podcasts here…and I learn alot every time I listen; with this particular podcast, even more so.

A few things come to mind when I listen to this wonderful podcast…

So rarely do we hear great, respectful conversation about matters of faith between people who believe in God and people who do not. We need more of this. The polarization of ideologies shouldn’t undermine heartfelt discussion.

This discussion gives me hope that we can all come to greater understanding of how to best relate to one another as God’s creations, regardless of where we stand in relation to Him.

Another thing I thought of was how St. Justin Martyr, an early Christian convert well-versed in Greek philosophy, was considered an Athiest by the Pagans of his day. I think it’s interesting how during St. Justin’s time, it was considered atheistic not to believe in “the gods” even if one believed in the One True God. Thus, St. Justin’s disbelief in “the gods” was considered a crime to society and his partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ was considered cannibalistic. How much things have changed over time!!

What fascinates me about atheism, is that it really demands just as much faith as theism. To not believe in “something unprovable” requires just as much faith as does belief in “something unprovable.” I would think that if one can’t believe in God, it would be more intellectually honest for he/she to proclaim a confidence in being ignorant of “something unprovable” - which is to be agnostic. Though, the problem then with agnosticism is it’s tendency toward wishy-washy-ness.

Regarding Athiesm in general, I think Paul Evdokimov sums it up best in his book, “Ages of the Spiritual Life”. In this text, he stresses the impossibility to truly deny “divine reality”, which we can only experience through faith, and the existential crisis of being.

“Atheism rejects only an ideology, a system, a theory, which man has too often misused; it never rejects divine reality, which is revealed only through faith.”

Blessings to all,
+Steve

argh! I apologize for all those spelling mistakes… oh well…

+s