Comments on: A Response on the Asceticism Talk

By: Nicole Troon

Nicole Troon — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 03:14:58 +0000

Thank you Fr Basil as always for providing tempered, reasoned posts with good information and good insight. I am saddened by inflammatory blogging which, unlike your own, often ends if not begins in nonOrthodox tone, content, and intent. We need a genuinely Orthodox discussion in agreement or disagreement about important issues. Gratefully in Christ, Nicole Troon, Orthodox layperson

By: Matushka Jan Koczak

Matushka Jan Koczak — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:14:08 +0000

I want to add another note, Fr. Basil. (Sorry I didn’t do this in my 1st comment.) From your post: “…as I have written before, accurately presenting what is said and done is key to good leadership and understanding.” I agree with this statement!

Also from your post: “Would readers be better off not having the actual address? Am I to be faulted for making a more accurate transcription of a well-received talk available free of charge to all? Am I to be faulted for pondering why the published talk and the actual talk are markedly different from one another?” I answer “No,” “No,” and “No.” I’d never heard of Acton until our Metropolitan Jonah spoke at their institute. I think even less of them as their answers to your questions seem to be “Yes,” “Yes,” and “Yes.” Not only are they also not showing leadership, but they are also being quite unprofessional.

By: Matushka Jan Koczak

Matushka Jan Koczak — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:03:54 +0000

I agree with Nick and Karen — and add my “Amen!” to Mat. Elizabeth’s.

Thinking of the Monomakhos site and some of the other uncivil “Orthodox Christian” blogs, I just recalled a song (or was it a group) from the past — Pretzel Logic. Such blogs and their supporters twist themselves into pretzels to prove their point; even then, their point often differs wildly (and darkly) from the truth.

With prayers for Christ’s peace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit!

By: Mat. Elizabeth

Mat. Elizabeth — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:35:04 +0000

Amen both to Nick and Karen’s comments. God be with you, Father, and keep up the good work.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:44:38 +0000

Father, bless! Thanks again for this service. I took your posts pretty much as you have presented them–as honest (and understandable, given the facts) questions about the Acton process and an attempt to provide a service to readers interested in *all* that HB actually said. I certainly didn’t take it as criticism of HB or his talk as was asserted at George’s site. George and a few of his readers seem to have a particular talent for adding 2 + 2 and coming up with considerably more than 4. IOW, I agree on the whole with Nick’s assessment of the Monomakhos site.

By: Nick Katich

Nick Katich — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 23:23:02 +0000

Father: Don’t worry about George and Monomakhos. George has become a sensationalist with a small following. He likes to twist things into a pretzel even if it is actually a ciabatta. He thinks it will increase his fame and readership. I left the site some time ago because of his revisionist history which he bends to fit his mantra of the moment. And, by the way, a critical textual analysis leads me to believe that some of his posters are actually psuedonyms for him based on their style, vocabulary and buzz words. It is a house of straw and not a serious edifice.