I haven't "jettisoned" Kosta at all. I have been communicating with him for over a year both on open forums and through FreepMail. I pray often that he sees the truth. I just question why it seems few Catholics here do little more than praise his every post even when it makes their own faith out to look like it's based on myths and no different from any other of the myriads "manmade" religions. I would think this is an area where we can stand together as believers to counter the disbelief. We have plenty of ammunition we can use to give an anwswer to everyone that asks us of the reason of the hope that is within us.
And, yes, many people go through periods of doubt. My junior year of Bible College brought me to the point of asking why? I seriously thought about quitting. And because my heart was open to him, the Lord gave me the answers and the assurances that I was in the right place and that what I was learning was the truth.
Even in times of despair and heartache where it would be so easy to chuck it all, a child of God will never lose his deep heart faith. He may run from God and try to live his life the way he wants, but it only leads to more heartache and after enough time goes by, he returns home. That is because his Heavenly Father has never given up on him, never stopped drawing him back, never stopped loving him and stands there waiting with open arms to welcome back and fully forgive because that is the kind of God he is and he never breaks his promises to us. God is NOT afraid of our doubts but is willing and waiting to answer everyone of them. We just have to trust him.
Even in times of despair and heartache where it would be so easy to chuck it all, a child of God will never lose his deep heart faith. He may run from God and try to live his life the way he wants, but it only leads to more heartache and after enough time goes by, he returns home. That is because his Heavenly Father has never given up on him, never stopped drawing him back, never stopped loving him and stands there waiting with open arms to welcome back and fully forgive because that is the kind of God he is and he never breaks his promises to us. God is NOT afraid of our doubts but is willing and waiting to answer everyone of them. We just have to trust him.
Well, I for one pray that you are never really tested.
Even in times of despair and heartache where it would be so easy to chuck it all, a child of God will never lose his deep heart faith. He may run from God and try to live his life the way he wants, but it only leads to more heartache and after enough time goes by, he returns home. That is because his Heavenly Father has never given up on him, never stopped drawing him back, never stopped loving him and stands there waiting with open arms to welcome back and fully forgive because that is the kind of God he is and he never breaks his promises to us. God is NOT afraid of our doubts but is willing and waiting to answer everyone of them. We just have to trust him.
Well put.
For myself, I turn to kosta for hard information, especially about EO, i.e., Apostolic, theology (which he knows and expresses faithfully, even if he no longer accepts it) and the spirit of EO Christianity, but also about church history, Biblical manuscripts, the Greek Fathers. He seldom confuses his opinion with historical fact (though he may interpret the meaning of historical fact differently than I do).
. . . even when it makes their own faith out to look like it's based on myths and no different from any other of the myriads "manmade" religions.
Not sure how you arrive here: every question kosta has is based on fact and history. Kosta's not the only one in the world who knows this stuff, and it's good to be aware of it. Would you have a faith that depends on denial of indisputable facts? The conclusions kosta has arrived at are not the conclusions I arrive at, the interpretations he favors are not the interpretations I favor. I have disputed him in the past and likely will in the future in those areas in which I really do know more (which seldom come up).
I consider kosta a valuable resource (especially valuable since apparently the EO believers on FR can't stomach these threads!). Plus, he's always interesting -- and it helps that he's coherent!
Kosta is perhaps the most informative and truthful poster on FR that I have ever seen. And, for what it's worth, I believe that his soul is in less jeopardy than most Christians, including mine. Kosta is honest, as opposed to many of the posters on the RF.
Have you missed his hatred toward non-liturgical Protestant Churches? That's enough for some.