Huw Raphael: "I was in Hell."

Prydain ^ | 4/30/2004 | Will

[sionnsar]

If you have not encountered the writings of Huw Raphael, an Orthodox convert who had formerly been in ECUSA as (in his own words) "a sexually active gay man who wanted to be an Episcopal priest", you will find his writings to be quite moving and powerful. His I was in Hell is a good beginning, and his essays on Ontology (first essay, second essay, and third essay) are most profound. I commend these to you.

[sionnsar]

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[sionnsar]

ping

[jocon307]

From the article (I think) "St Gregory's church was big on praying for enemies, you should have seen us on 9/11."

LOL!

[sionnsar]

Yes, that was in the article.

[Kolokotronis]

The blog is quite moving and it is apparent that this formerly liberal Episcopalian has found the Faith of the Fathers. There is in this man a realistic assessment of his own situation. At least from what I read, he doesn't claim that he was "cured" of his homosexual attractions, though he may be at some point. I like that honesty. He has obviously learned in living his life what +Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, a Russian saint of the 19th century, in his monograph "On Purity" described:

"There are some who maintain that a human being cannot be free from slavery to the flesh, much less from that of thoughts and lustful sensations; that is, this would be an unnatural condition. But God has made the law, and He knows better than we, what is possible and what is impossible for us; therefore, the achievement of purity of body and heart is possible for man. God has made the law, and He is the Creator of nature: therefore, purity of heart is not contrary to human nature. It is unnatural to "fallen" nature; it was natural in our original nature, and can become "natural" again by renewal. It can be cultivated and acquired."

[FormerLib]

This is a website I'm sure you'll want to look over.

[little jeremiah]

I agree with that 100%. That is the foundation of Vedic religion - the soul in its pure (natural) state is without taint; in its conditioned, fallen state, is without purity. The impurities in the form of lust, greed, anger, illusion, envy and so on are like filth which covers a diamond. The story of the Prodigal Son is very relevant in this connection.

An additional point is that no one can purify his own heart by his own effort; only God's supreme purity can purify. Just like the sun - it can purify filthy places, which places cannot purify themselves.