“With each post you are convincing me that, when I was tempted by bad “Catholic” liturgies in the 1970s to become Eastern Orthodox, I was blessed by the intervention of Catholic friends and the grace of God to remain Catholic. If youraparent belief think that the heresies that have for several decades marked the AmChurch include over-emphasis on saving the lives of God’s innocent unborn babies reflects actual Orthox opinion, I cannot imagine ever being tempted by Eastern Orthodoxy again.”
BE, if you think that being anti-abortion is the overarching requirement of The Faith, the ultimate sine qua non of Catholicism before which all other considerations must fall, then you would be very unhappy in Orthodoxy.
“Perhaps what is heresy is the presumption by one who is not of the Roman Catholic Faith of some non-existent status justifying your fantasy of declaring papal statements on matters of faith and morals as “heresy.””
One of the fundamental and very practical differences between the laity in the Roman Church and the laity in Orthodoxy is that we have a positive obligation to recognize heresy, especially among hierarchs, and take action against them. Its our role in the Church, BE. There is no pay, pray and obey mentality among the laity in Orthodoxy. Now, we are told by your hierarchs that we are in sufficient communion with Rome that we are welcome to receive the Eucharist at a liturgy. Sounds to me like I have all the “authority” I need to speak my mind about heresiarchs in a particular Church which views my Church as being in communion with it. Not presumption, BE, proper role.
If we don't take baptized Roman Catholics seriously in their dissent from Rome and utterly refuse to be instructed by them as to the truths of the Faith, what on earth or elsewhere do you suppose empowers YOU as an outsider to sit in judgment on popes??? There are idjit RCC bishops who would allow receipt of the Eucharist by such as Nancy Pelosi, Joseph Biden, John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Rosa DeLauro, David Obey, and in one notorious incident (Archbishop of Little Rock) Slick Willy himself. That does not seem to bother you but you think that my Illinois bishop ought not to intervene with his teaching and opinion in support of the local bishop in South Bend??? If that accurately reflects the Orthodox faith, then you are right on one thing. I would not be comfortable in your church.
OTOH, those Greek Orthodox with whom I am acquainted (and whom I respect) do not share your apparently casual attitude as to the American holocaust. 50 million innocents wantonly butchered is more than enough or do you want it to continue while Christians spend their time in acceptance of sinfulness while arguing obscure tenets of even more (and often merely regional) obscure councils.
One elderly GO priest asked his congregants to arrange for him to meet me when he learned that they knew me and that I was representing quite militant Rescue participants. He did not care what I thought of the Filioque or even the papacy. He just wanted to express his support for the saving of God's most defenseless children. I guess you would disagree and be far more concerned to promote the theological views of some 10th century Doohickus of East Nowheresville at an Eastern Council of Whereveritwas, questioning papal authority.
Again, what we do not recognize is some sort of "right" to dissent among those actually baptized as Catholics, much less such a "right" in those clearly not Catholic. We are certainly not extending to you whatever you may imagine. You can, of course, say whatever you want but we, as Catholics, have no obligation whatsoever to pay you the slightest heed. Neither Luther, nor Cauvin, nor Zwingli nor you have a "right" to be respected for your errors.
Since there is no evidence whatsoever that any Catholic bishop has said, or even implied, anything of the sort, your remarks are the basest calumny!