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THE ORTHODOX FAITH:
What's Orthodoxy?
Who started it?
Is it 2000 year old,
before catholicism
and protestantism?

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Athos Monks[play]
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A brief comment on Other Denominations

JUDAISM — evolved from the Old Testament religion established for the Hebrew people. Its main difference: non-recognition of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Judaism is filled with all kinds of rites and customs, has a multitude of small rules, some are written and some are oral, that find one’s everyday life such as: what one can and cannot eat or drink, whom to marry, when to work, whom to have as a friend and whom to hate. By fulfilling all this multitude of meaningless rules, they consider themselves "holy" and a "chosen people." They do not have missionaries and are unwilling to accept converts who do not have a mother of Jewish origin. The concept of vengeance, that is, an "eye for an eye" is very acceptable by Jews, with respect to their enemies. Some of the Jews are still waiting for their "Messiah," who will bring the glory to Jewish people. The Christians identify the coming of a false-messiah with the "Antichrist," who according to the Holy Bible, will come before the end of the world and lead a multitude of people away from Christianity.

MUSLIMISM. The originator of Muslims is Muhammad, who lived in the first part of the 7th century in present Arabia. The most important aspect of this religion is belief in one God (Allah) and the prophet Muhammad — the originator of this religion. Some portions appear to be taken from the Bible. Christ is considered as one of the prophets, but lower then Muhammad. According to Muslim teaching, each man is pre-destined from his birth. Self-control commandments are not needed, since everyone can do whatever he wants, there is no repentance, since everyone is predestined. Everyone, who is predestined to go to heaven — goes there. To kill the "unfaithful" (people of different religions) is encouraged and is rewarded by paradise after death. Muslims have many fixed rules with respect to wine, alcohol, clothing, pork-meat and prayers five times a day. Vengeance is encouraged and is a part of tradition.

BUDDHISM. The originator of this religion is Siddhartha-Gautama, who lived in India (Nepal) in the 7th Century B.C., and was called Buddha, which means, "The Enlightened One." After its beginning, Buddhism spread into many countries in the East: India, Burma, Siam, Tibet, China and Japan. Buddhists do not recognize the God Creator, but believe in eternity of matters and circular motion and in a change of appearance. It teaches, that the universe, suffering and pleasure — are only "illusions" in a make believe existence. By rejection of will — from selfishness and all its consequences — man submerges into a state of "nirvana," that is, a state of complete spiritual peace, absence of desires, thoughts, words — psychological non-existence. According to a Buddha teaching, life is evil. A man should strive into nirvana (non-existence). Happiness is accomplished by self-rejection of one’s will, asceticism, suspension of evil and bad desires, love for all and readiness to sacrifice himself for others. The high moral principal and consequence that came out of it into social life, helped to spread Buddhism. In addition, Buddhism teaches, that there is no real death, but after death the souls of people transfer from one person into another and even into animals. The Buddhist concept regarding transference of souls is in total contrast with Christian teaching. (Christianity teaches, that a soul and body is one being. After death, a soul and body are temporally separated, so that at the moment of Resurrection they are united again forever). Some rules of Buddhism are as follows: do not destroy life, do not lie, do not steal, do not exploit, do not rape, do not use alcohol. Sacrifice everything for the welfare of people. One has to be: quiet, good, modest, be not carried away with wealth, not be angry, offensive, be a peace maker, prevent wars and everything that destroys life. Buddhist teaching is not the same in all countries: each country has its own specific singularity. It is important to note, that the teaching about nirvana does not further the development of man’s progress. Buddhism is a religion of pessimism in that it strives to abolish any identity. By rejection of the real God — Buddhism, in reality, is distinctly atheistic.

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