He said, "Those who are born Orthodox usually only use about 10% of the 100% they know about Orthodoxy in their lives. But those who are converts to Orthodoxy usually use 100% of the 10% they know in their lives."
Frankly I admire their zeal, if not always their knowledge level. Far too many of us who were born Orthodox can get lazy & "lukewarm" and converts keep us on our toes.
"Those who are born Orthodox usually only use about 10% of the 100% they know about Orthodoxy in their lives. But those who are converts to Orthodoxy usually use 100% of the 10% they know in their lives."
An OCA priest might very well say something like that. It hasn't been my experience as a general proposition. A particularly perceptive judge once opined to an expert witness on the other side of a case of mine that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Frankly I admire their zeal, if not always their knowledge level. Far too many of us who were born Orthodox can get lazy & "lukewarm" and converts keep us on our toes."
I think you are right up to a point. When the first "real" converts come into a parish, many of the cradle types are so impressed by their knowledge of the "rules" and the "facts" that they become quite overwhelmed by them. After a while it becomes apparent that they likely do know the rules and the facts better, but they don't "walk Orthodox" as my wife says, and people aren't quite so impressed anymore. In our parish the ladies have set up a little study group. They read what pass for "spiritual writings" of some modern authors. Very few "cradle" ladies attend. When asked why, one lady smiled and replied that they didn't need to read about spiritual matters, they lived them.