Comments for Gladsome Light Dialogues - An Orthodox Blog http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info A journey through our Orthodox faith as we live it every day Wed, 02 May 2012 22:08:38 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Why We Come to Church or Entering the Bridal Chamber by Orthodox Collective http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/05/why-we-come-to-church-or-entering-the-bridal-chamber/comment-page-1/#comment-1345 Orthodox Collective Wed, 02 May 2012 22:08:38 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1515#comment-1345 [...] drivers and g... »See All Of This Item By Clicking Here!« ☆ ☆ ☆ 2) Why We Come to Church or Entering the Bridal Chamberhttp://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/05/why-we-come-to-church-or-entering-the-bridal-chamber/By Fr. [...] [...] drivers and g… »See All Of This Item By Clicking Here!« ☆ ☆ ☆ 2) Why We Come to Church or Entering the Bridal Chamberhttp://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/05/why-we-come-to-church-or-entering-the-bridal-chamber/By Fr. [...]

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by Fr. Vasile http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1344 Fr. Vasile Tue, 01 May 2012 03:41:56 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1344 Dear Fr Michael, Christ is risen! Thank you for your comment. I think more and more Western Christians are getting enough of the plethora of water down Christianity options and are seeking for the roots. I thin we'll see more and more of them knocking at our doors. Come and see! Dear Fr Michael,
Christ is risen!
Thank you for your comment. I think more and more Western Christians are getting enough of the plethora of water down Christianity options and are seeking for the roots. I thin we’ll see more and more of them knocking at our doors.
Come and see!

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by Father Michael Shanbour http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1343 Father Michael Shanbour Tue, 01 May 2012 03:23:30 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1343 Dearest Father Vasile, I was blessed to "stumble" upon this site. Your article really hits at the crux of why we have so relatively few converts to Orthodoxy in the Western (modern?) world. I have a mission parish in an area that has never had contact with Orthodoxy. What a "comfort zone" these people have. The idea of considering Orthodoxy is enough to throw many into a frenzy! Lord have mercy! Dearest Father Vasile,

I was blessed to “stumble” upon this site. Your article really hits at the crux of why we have so relatively few converts to Orthodoxy in the Western (modern?) world. I have a mission parish in an area that has never had contact with Orthodoxy. What a “comfort zone” these people have. The idea of considering Orthodoxy is enough to throw many into a frenzy!

Lord have mercy!

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by Nik http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1334 Nik Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:44:25 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1334 This is so true, Father Vasile! Christ said, "Take up your Cross and follow Me.", Not sit back and enjoy a meeting and musical show as many so-called churches have become. This is so true, Father Vasile! Christ said, “Take up your Cross and follow Me.”, Not sit back and enjoy a meeting and musical show as many so-called churches have become.

]]> Comment on Looking Death in the Face or The Aesthetics of Dying by marlon http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2011/08/looking-death-in-the-face-or-the-aesthetics-of-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-1333 marlon Fri, 06 Apr 2012 06:26:39 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1418#comment-1333 This is so true. Its only when we think about death that we can truly live life to the fullest. The prospect of facing death one day puts things into perspective & then we stop worrying about mundane things and our egos, which do nothing but tie us down. This is so true. Its only when we think about death that we can truly live life to the fullest. The prospect of facing death one day puts things into perspective & then we stop worrying about mundane things and our egos, which do nothing but tie us down.

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by Donovan Price http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1332 Donovan Price Tue, 03 Apr 2012 01:27:19 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1332 Here is quote from an article I read recently. I believe that it offers some empirical evidence that what you have said is true. "William Irons suggestion that religious rituals are ‘‘hard to fake’’ indicators of commitment, Sosis uses costly signaling theory to explain why religious rituals are so important in all religions. According to Sosis, ritual is the primary mechanism through which re- ligious communities maintain beliefs among their members. Since relaxed rituals are not especially costly to perform, they are ‘‘easy to fake,’’ and this makes such communities easily invaded by free-riders who seek to reap the benefits of religious membership while paying low costs. Demand- ing rituals, on the other hand, are costly and thus much more difficult to fake. When religious communities ask their members (including prospective members) to pay such costs, they are in essence asking them for clear signs of commitment. Continued participation in costly rituals actually serves to create or intensify religious belief. At the same time, strong believers come to evaluate ritual performances as less costly than those whose beliefs are weaker. For strong believers, ritual performance is seen as less of a burden, and, moreover, the opportunity costs of engaging in other behaviors are lower. They thus receive a large payoff in religious group membership, whereas those who cannot muster a sufficient level of belief and com- mitment tend to drop out. Thus, in enhancing belief and commitment, costly, hard to fake rituals contribute to interpersonal trust and social cohesion." S.K. Sanderson. Here is the link to the full article: http://www.stephenksanderson.com/documents/Adaptation-Evolution-Religion_001.pdf Here is quote from an article I read recently. I believe that it offers some empirical evidence that what you have said is true.
“William Irons suggestion that religious rituals are ‘‘hard to fake’’ indicators of commitment, Sosis uses costly signaling theory to explain why religious rituals are so important in all religions. According to Sosis, ritual is the primary mechanism through which re- ligious communities maintain beliefs among their members. Since relaxed rituals are not especially costly to perform, they are ‘‘easy to fake,’’ and this makes such communities easily invaded by free-riders who seek to reap the benefits of religious membership while paying low costs. Demand- ing rituals, on the other hand, are costly and thus much more difficult to fake. When religious communities ask their members (including prospective members) to pay such costs, they are in essence asking them for clear signs of commitment. Continued participation in costly rituals actually serves to create or intensify religious belief. At the same time, strong believers come to evaluate ritual performances as less costly than those whose beliefs are weaker. For strong believers, ritual performance is seen as less of a burden, and, moreover, the opportunity costs of engaging in other behaviors are lower. They thus receive a large payoff in religious group membership, whereas those who cannot muster a sufficient level of belief and com- mitment tend to drop out. Thus, in enhancing belief and commitment, costly, hard to fake rituals contribute to interpersonal trust and social cohesion.” S.K. Sanderson.
Here is the link to the full article: http://www.stephenksanderson.com/documents/Adaptation-Evolution-Religion_001.pdf

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by The Uncomfortable Church - Christian Forums http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1331 The Uncomfortable Church - Christian Forums Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:28:09 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1331 [...] Uncomfortable Church Here's a great read I got from a hiermonk friend on FB: The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues - An Orthodox Blog a small excerpt: We also do not praise gluttony and laziness but we practice fasting and constant [...] [...] Uncomfortable Church Here's a great read I got from a hiermonk friend on FB: The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues – An Orthodox Blog a small excerpt: We also do not praise gluttony and laziness but we practice fasting and constant [...]

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues – An … | Church http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1330 The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues – An … | Church Sat, 31 Mar 2012 10:12:31 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1330 [...] more here: The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues – An … Posted in Church Tags: chant-the-service, church, monumental-work, orthodox, the-fifth, thursday [...] [...] more here: The Uncomfortable Church | Gladsome Light Dialogues – An … Posted in Church Tags: chant-the-service, church, monumental-work, orthodox, the-fifth, thursday [...]

]]> Comment on The Uncomfortable Church by Uncomfortable « That Which is Bread http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2012/03/the-uncomfortable-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1329 Uncomfortable « That Which is Bread Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:13:08 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1511#comment-1329 [...] is an excerpt from The Uncomfortable Church, a post on his Gladsome Light Dialogues blog. The image above is from that [...] [...] is an excerpt from The Uncomfortable Church, a post on his Gladsome Light Dialogues blog. The image above is from that [...]

]]> Comment on Looking Death in the Face or The Aesthetics of Dying by John Wickey http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/2011/08/looking-death-in-the-face-or-the-aesthetics-of-dying/comment-page-1/#comment-1319 John Wickey Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:33:11 +0000 http://dialogues.stjohndfw.info/?p=1418#comment-1319 Thank you. Thank you.

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