[George W. Bush]

Actually here is a fairly good overview if you are interested in our "take" on these things. God does not manifest Himself to an impure heart.

But this describes only the monastic life, it seems. It does not describe your priests or patriarchs or ordinary believers, the vast bulk of your church. Surely these standards do not apply to ordinary clergy or believers. Nor would they actually seem directly applicable to the doctor in our story.

You should understand that for most of us here, the monastic life is largely incomprehensible. In many non-Roman churches in the West, it is emphasized that we are a priesthood of believers and that we are to be in the world but not of this world. I'm not sure that we practice that though, at least in the same sense as the great apostles did.

[MarMema]

Our patriarchs come from the monastic life. It is considered a countermeasure against power-lust. If you spend ten or more years living in a monastery, you are less likely to emerge as worldly and political in nature. Therefore more trustworthy to oversee within the church, you see.

All Orthodox Christians are called to the ascetic lifestyle, not just the monastics. We are to advance as our spiritual leaders believe us ready and as we gain spiritual maturity. The quality you defined as quaint earlier is one "sign" of this spiritual training.

If suffering and redemption are not closely linked, why did Christ suffer so severely in order to redeem us?

[MarMema]

great lent

This might be helpful in explaining our view.