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To: boatbums; kosta50; annalex; stfassisi; MarkBsnr; getoffmylawn
"But Jesus is NOT a created being like an angel - I think the LDS got some of their screwy doctrine about Jesus and Lucifer being brothers from that idea." bb, you are clearly serious about your beliefs. You should make an effort to understand it beyond the mere surface.

The icon is called, as the Greek words say, "The Hospitality of Abraham" and refers to the visit by three "men" to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:1-8. The "angel" to the right is the Holy Spirit, the one in the center, as Kosta points out, is Christ and the one to the left is the Father. Each is holding a rod which are said to be half shepherd's crook half sceptre which demonstrate not only the obvious but also that They are equal. The cup in the middle of the table contains the calf which Abraham ordered be slaughtered and represents the sacrifice of Christ. Notice how the heads of both Christ and the Holy Spirit incline towards the Father who gazes steadily back to Them. This demonstrates the theology that the Father is the source as to procession and begetting of the other two, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father to prepare the way for the Son Who defers to the Father in all things. The gaze demonstrates the divine eros which connects the hypostasia of the Trinity into one ousia and which is in fact the uncreated energy of the Trinity which connects us to God. The three figures make a sort of circle designed to draw us into the Trinity, to a place the place where the Spirit points and where our Triune God surrounds us and enfolds us.

I posted the icon because it embodies precisely Who we Orthodox worship. As we chant at the end of the Liturgy:

We have seen the true light,

We have received the heavenly Spirit.

We have found the true faith,

We worship the undivided Trinity. For the same hath saved us

3,415 posted on 11/28/2010 6:11:53 AM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
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To: Kolokotronis
We worship the undivided Trinity. For the same hath saved us

Thank you for the response. I am in agreement with you about this and worship the same God. I AM serious about what I believe and I know why I do as well.

3,447 posted on 11/28/2010 12:28:31 PM PST by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to him.)
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