I just think it is a minute issue and that only a few rare churches have succumbed to it as a philosophy.
I have this movie, Triumph of Faith, a documentary about a pilgrimage in Russia in the late 90's I think. An Orthodox pilgrimage. I love the movie, but at one point the women do this ritual thing where they crawl three times around a tree stump and think it will bring them health or something.
And when you're watching this, you're thinking Argh!
But the rest of the movie is fun and very inspiring, for me at least. They walk miles and miles, sleep in the rain, are just like children in their approach - take very little food and water, no serious planning as we would here for a day hike.
Some of the elderly people have plastic wrapped around their swollen feet. And they keep walking.
In a church where we have so much ritual we tend toward superstitions. It says in the movie that the priests frown on what the women are doing but overlook it.
I then tried to clear up the misconceptions that the Orthodox Church gives a carte blanche to all contraception and so I posted a lengthy article, which included a retrospective view of orthodox Church's position in medieval Russia to show that Church's policies on sexuality and human nature are not part of the Holy Tradition but a tradition of men who made it up as they went along. Consequently, it morphed through ages to fit the social and political correctness of present realities. Thus, the RCC now allows sex for pleasure of a married couple but with a caveat. The orthodox Church has no uniform teachings. destro defended the right of each bishop to make a call, depending on individual case-basis. I agree. The whole thread was to dispel misconceptions about our lack of 'doctrine' about contraception, and being linked to Protestants. Then came some sweeping generalizations about the OC knowing human nature and all that.
Again, not stuck on it -- just responding responsibly to other people's comments to clarify and ask. But thanks for your concern.