I can’t remember if I am the Orthodoxer you were speaking with, but I think I agree with whoever it was who spoke to you assuming they were making this rule to apply in Orthodox countries. I will say that unlike many Orthodox, I really don’t have any problem with the Latin Church baptizing people in Orthodox lands but then again, I have no doubts at all about the validity or efficacy of Latin sacraments or orders.
I am owing of an explanation. In my post I was actually referring to our mutual friend from a recent thread. I wanted to tell this story, but given the current situation regarding pinging that I have with him, I wasn't sure what to do. So, I decided to ping you for ombudsman purposes, to make sure I was being fair to both him and to Orthodoxy in general. :)
Now, if we stipulate that the rule applies to Orthodox countries, then how can you say that a person is better off lost than to come to at least a "separated" (in the eyes of the Church) Christian faith? If the Church could or did reach everybody, then we wouldn't be there. Our missionaries do not hang around the outside doors of Orthodox Churches on Sunday mornings waiting to prey on those coming out from services. We reach out to the truly lost, those who have nothing in their lives at that moment. I'm just surprised at any attitude that says: "better to rot in hell than to be Protestant". :)
The Church reaches out to everyone in Orthodox lands. Its presence is pervasive. What it does not do because it cannot is be everywhere all the time. I have watched Protestant “missionaries” in Greece at work going door to door in Orthodox towns and villages and cities with invitations to “glendis”, parties, especially for the youth. Once there, like here, the party turns put to be a come on for preaching whatever version of Christianity the particular sect is pushing. FK, some of these groups even use “American food” which used to be a big thing in Greece and still is in Eastern Europe, as a come on with teens. They use “rock show” type services to attract the youth and then tell them their parents are idolaters (it happens right here on FR as you know) which a good number of the kids, being kids and rebellious, buy right into. Its even worse, I am told, in Russia where these so called missionaries get people into their clutches by feeding them and then telling them that they were hungry because the Russian Orthodox Church is evil and their hunger is God’s judgment on them. Now, I have not seen this myself, but two young women very close to my family who went to Russia and worked with The Church there reported these things.
“I’m just surprised at any attitude that says: “better to rot in hell than to be Protestant”.”
But we don’t believe that those who have not been baptized will rot in hell. We don’t know that at all. We do believe that much of the theology preached by Protestants is heresy. The Fathers teach us that heretics are the enemies of God. Frankly that has dramatic consequences as +Isidore of Pelusium taught:
“Just as the fishermen hide the hook with bait and covertly hook the fish, similarly, the crafty allies of the heresies cover their evil teachings and corrupt understanding with pietism and hook the more simple, bringing them to spiritual death.”
Spiritual death, FK. None of this applies here. This isn't an Orthodox country and we have a different system here. It works fine here, but it is divisive and destructive in countries where this isn't true. This is not to say that in America the Orthodox don't view Protestant theology to be heretical with the consequences I spoke of. There are those Orthodox who argue that we in the West are not even remotely good Orthodox because we believe that a social system which has no established church and allows full freedom of religion is a good thing. In fact, the daughter of dear friends married one such Orthodox, a foreigner, and he refused to have the wedding here because we are weak tea Orthodox in his eyes. I think he is just about the biggest jerk I have ever met. Its sad that that fine American Orthodox girl has now given up her family and life here to live with that creep in Dog Vomitania. But I digress...........