The Globalization of the Economy and the Church

Top 4. Jul 11, 1998 12:13 PM

» not_him_again - Brian Carpenter Why, Stefan, we may just have more in common th

Brian Carpenter Why, Stefan, we may just have more in common that I thought.

Kelley, there are many concerned Christians opposed to the new world order because they argue that world government will mandate a world religion- and it sure won't be Christianity
I work politically from time to time with some. And as I and so many others have tried to patiently explain to people, open, free trade is the most important step to creating world government. That, and not industrial protectionism, is the main reason I oppose it.

Stefan, you and I may not agree on the nature and description of God, but if you are against so-called "free trade" and you are for the right of nations to levy tarriffs, you have at least one backer on suite 101!

-- posted by not_him_again

Top 5. Jul 11, 1998 1:36 PM

» StefanC - Stefan Crisbasan Hi Kelly, You may not find "the Biblical

Stefan Crisbasan

Hi Kelly,

You may not find "the Biblical passage prohibiting democratic
governments from mutually entering into trade agreements", because you do not have an interliniar Bible to show you. I mean that you have to know to discern the truth of the Bible and to apply it to social life. The ceasar knows that it is possible only for God and His Church to distinguish his actions, and therefore he takes advantage of te common man, be using all kinds of "definitions", meaning all one thing: lies.

With theis new economic plan we have a lot of promises, but we can see already the consequesces for the majority. This is frightening. We do not have to give to much power to those who have no limit in material gain. Do we wait for Christ to come and make justice for us or we can do it by listening to hwat He is showing us as to be good for all.

The Cesar builds a social system as much as profitable for him, and this includes above all that the Church may still as far as possible from him in action. That means that the Church can be involved in his affairs but not to bother him. This is the secularisation of the life of the Church that we experience today.

Is still nothing lost because the Church remains the Church and "the gates of hell will not prevail over it", can you find that in the Catholic documents. You may have a lot of dificulty because the Catholic Chuch, The early Roman Church, has felt from the truth(1054 AD) and cannot distinguish it in its fulness any more. You can find things like the deification of reason instead of the soul, nous. Indulgences that the Protestant churches denounced. In spite of its greateness(earthly) the Roman Church still preserve traces of what was once the fulness of the faith, which still be found in the Orthodox Church.

In the Orthodox Christian Church, which is the early Church with continuous apostolic succession and no alteraion of the faith, you can find a truth that is revealed by God. This is how we stay safy from the delusions of this world. This is why it is important to be in the Church. The Church can discern for us what is good and what is not. Being part of the Church you receive that discernment. It is the Spirit of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, that guides the Church, the Body of Christ, the body of Christian believers.

-- posted by StefanC

Top 6. Jul 11, 1998 1:41 PM

» StefanC - Stefan Crisbasan Mr. Brian, I do not find that we have fin

Stefan Crisbasan

Mr. Brian,

I do not find that we have finished all our resources to find te same definition of God. This "definition" in fact it is an experience that we find in things like the MAI. This is a proof that we have the same definition.

-- posted by StefanC

Top 7. Jul 15, 1998 7:22 AM

» KellyD_3 - Stephan: Free trade benefits consumers, who can buy goods for l

Stephan: Free trade benefits consumers, who can buy goods for less money and therefore have a higher standard of living. Free trade hurts trade unions and some Big Corporations, so the liberals and the Big Corporate lobbyists are against free trade, even if it is in the interest of the common people, who are all consumers last time I checked.

But then again, I am not the Pope and I don't have the only true interpertation of the scriptures because I disagree with you on international trade issues, so this must all be lies.

This is a fascinating hermenuetical theory really:

Everything I personally agree with is Divinely Revealed Truth (even if its nowhere in the Bible) and anything I disagree with is Lies.

Since this seems to be what you believe, why even have a discussion group in the first place? If someone agrees with you, seeing as you believe your opinions on religion are infallibly true already, what good does that do? If someone disagrees with you, seeing as you believe your opinions on religion are infallibly true, then they are wrong and can't help you correct your error (by definition, you can't make one). Furthermore, why even bring up the Christian religion if you can't support your ideas with regard to scripture or the tradition of the church? Instead, you label those who disagree with you liars.

-- posted by KellyD_3

Top 8. Jul 18, 1998 9:38 AM

» StefanC - Stefan Crisbasan Hi Kelly, <i>Stephan: Free trade benefi

Stefan Crisbasan

Hi Kelly,

Stephan: Free trade benefits consumers, who can buy goods for less money and therefore have a higher standard of living.

You may not have considerd that free trade exports jobs(actualy as you say that "hurts trade unions". I suggest you read my search articles under the highlited words. Thanks.) and the internal market of the countries.It gives benefit to the international corporations, making the basis( he would!) for the establishment of a world government.

Your Roman Catholic appoach to the religious and political question it is not appropriate. The infalibility of the pope it is a heresy. He cannot be the only one to have the divine Revealed Truth. It is the Church that has this, and she gives it to all its member.This is, believe it or not, the Orthodox Church, the Church from which the Roman Church has separated by scism.
So your reductionnist ideas are pray to ignorance of the Divinelly Reveled truth, and you risc to be against the true Church. This is why you accuse me for believing "Lies".
We have a difference, that you do not agree with, thats fine. Do what you want and we will meet at the voting time, with arguments again. You may think the truth is somewhere intangible by averyone, but is not. The truth is among us, and with us, as God is. Lies also try to deceive us, but we must find and attach to the truthe personaly. This is done, believed or not, through the Church. She is the guardian of Heavenly treasures, not the Pope.

About the discussion area, if you have any objections, please speack to the managing team(sunny@suite101.com. or dean@suite101.com)
at Suite101.

Best whishes,

Stefan Crisbasan

-- posted by StefanC

Top 9. Jul 18, 1998 2:59 PM

» StefanC - Stefan Crisbasan Hi Kelly, Hoping that we may arrive to a

Stefan Crisbasan

Hi Kelly,

Hoping that we may arrive to a common view about the world and God, I ask you to look upon the differences between East and West, in the Christian Church.

Best regards,

Stefan

-- posted by StefanC

Top 10. Jul 18, 1998 8:11 PM

» not_him_again - Brian Carpenter I thought I might offer a word or two in Stepha

Brian Carpenter I thought I might offer a word or two in Stephan's defense.

It seems to me that the readers of this suite might be overlooking something. If I read Stephan's biography right, he grew up in communist Romania. Now that does not make his opinions right or wrong, but it does perhaps explain a passionate attatchment to his faith. Stephan has experienced life in a country where our freedoms were no more than a hope. I suspect that freedom of religion is more than just some words to him.

Now my point is; he may have some very legitimate concerns about keeping that right to practice his faith. This is not a bad thing; history shows that the best way to protect one's religion is by keeping distinct the culture that it came from. This is just another form of national identity, and I would maintain it certainly exists, and must be reckoned with.

-- posted by not_him_again

Top 11. Jan 21, 1999 12:18 AM

» StefanC - Because of the fact that at Suite101 Religion section is a gener

Because of the fact that at Suite101 Religion section is a general "Spirituality" topic that covers areas of my topic I find redundant and unnecessary to write anything about Orthodox Christianity at Suite101.

I cancel my commitement as Contributing Editor for Orthodox Christianity topic as a protest to the lack of understanding and consideration from the managers of this section and company.

-- posted by StefanC

Top 12. Jan 21, 1999 1:39 PM

» Dan_Ellsworth - Ambivalent; best wishes.

We have corresponded some, and I didn't agree with much of your statements of why you are resigning. On the other hand, it is possible that you will find more productive service developing your own Web site or other form of communication. So I offer mixed signals: Don't go. God go with you.

-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth