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Power corrupts, and the Founding Fathers had the wisdom to create a system of checks and balances precisely in order to avoid any one particular group or indiviual from attaining too much power. They did this because they learned from a harsh lesson. With power comes self-righteousness (pride).

We don't always disagree! ;-0

But power brokers may not be as sentimental as an average Evangelical.

I would have said right minded rather than sentimental, but again we agree.

Bottom line is: whether it's Orthodox Greece, or Orthodox Serbia, or even Orthodox Russia, we are more prone to see them as adversaries of the Protestant west than as fellow Christians and often choose their adversaries as our friends and allies.

I don't agree. I think the majority of Born Again Christians don't really think about them other than as a fringe group of Christianity. The EOC is similar to Judaism in that it has been very insular (I don't mean in beliefs). The EOC is not very well known to most Christians not because they would not be interested, but rather because it has not done much to make itself open to them. I suspect that part of this is because the more open the EOC becomes to us Bible thumpers the more we would witness to your members.

We don't always disagree!

That's good. :)

I think the majority of Born Again Christians don't really think about them other than as a fringe group of Christianity

Of course. Being only 1% in America is pretty much a "fringe group." Now the Jews happen to be 2% and that makes all the difference! :)

EOC is similar to Judaism in that it has been very insular (I don't mean in beliefs).

I agree. Most of the missionary work is done by evangelical converts (Orthodox Church of America) who still operate on their Protestant mindset.

Orthodoxy was shut out of the western consciousness for so long because of political realities of the world (Russian isolation and Ottoman Empire) and has contributed very little in the history of the western world and as such remains a virtual unknown.

Moreover, its whole mindset is alien to the west. Being Orthodox in America (a largely Protestant country) is not exactly easy, not because the people are intolerant, but simply because Orthodoxy is "odd" to most Americans.

The EOC is not very well known to most Christians not because they would not be interested, but rather because it has not done much to make itself open to them

That's pretty much it, except that Orthodoxy is open to everyone; however, it is not open to fads. We worship in the same way as those before us.

I suspect that part of this is because the more open the EOC becomes to us Bible thumpers the more we would witness to your members.

The faith is not to be found in the bible. Last time I checked, the books are called "according to...[a human being]." Orthodoxy is a way of life of imitating Christ, according to the Gospels. It's structured around the liturgy. It is closer to Judaism then to anything Protestant.