After Christ, Philosophy is Useless | The Church Fathers are God-Seers, not Philosophers

Excerpted from Lesson 7: The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle & Evangelist John the Theologian, Series 2, by Fr. Peter Heers
"After Christ, Philosophy is Useless." -Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios
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[@EsmeeNoelleCovey]

"The Logos IS Christ and Christ IS the Door." Thank you, Father Peter.

[@BrainPoweredTrucking]

I'm a former Anglican priest who converted last year. I was drawn to orthodoxy through it's ecclesiology, thesis and it's understanding of tradition. I appreciate your faithfulness to the Church and her teachings. My big concern for Orthodoxy is the subtle injection of the western mindset into Orthodoxy and its poisonous effect. Keep up the good work, father.

[@arkrou]

What attracted you about the Orthodox ecclesiology?

[@cozzwozzle]

Brother the Church has survived the Romans, the Mongols, the Muslims, the Turks and the Bolsheviks. She will prevail until the end ☦️ Christ is risen!

[@tonguemybumb]

what do you mean by the western mindset?

[@seraphim3TN]

@@tonguemybumb one part of the western mindset is being overly intellectual

[@eldermillennial8330]

@@tonguemybumb The post-Carolingian Aquinian habit of overthinking the Faith. Christians should transcend mere philosophy towards theumenosophy, as much as we are able. Philosophical language taken alongside Orthodox Theology is still ok as training wheels towards that difficult end, but NEVER settle for philosophy, not anymore.

[@ViktorZeegelaar]

Your work shows the incredible richness of 2000 years of Christianity fr Heers. I hope you realize the good you're doing. You're leaving a legacy full of treasures. Thank you and with love from Holland

[@orthodox1717]

God has given us our guides throughout the ages to keep us on the path to salvation, God willing! ☦️ Glory to God!

[@noknownthrone2487]

I was raised Greek Orthodox, and have lost my way. I can't stop this intense calling to come back "home". For some reason all of these orthodox beliefs and concepts keep coming up. My grandmother started a couple churches in California, and I feel I have betrayed my family. I pray for forgiveness, and that we may all find the true path. Thank you, Father, this was a really important message for me today.

[@PT3-]

Come back to church, brother. Christ is waiting for you.

[@gobucs3146]

Come back, all of Heaven will rejoice!

[@CyberManny23]

I'm a pentecostal protestant and I love listening to Father Peter! You are truly inspired by God and the holy spirit uses you in tremendous ways! This word you brought was good and so accurate of modern Christianity playing with ungodly fire and philosophy! Especially in the American church as a whole!

[@Unseen.Warfare]

When I first started watching your video Father I must confess I didn’t like you much. But, that’s the very reason I’ve stuck around. You’ve knocked me over my head a few times with the Truth haha. The truth is I didn’t like the qualities within myself so I looked at you as an “enemy” of my ego and pride. I realized this almost instantly. I’m aware that when I want to reject something it usually means it’s true. May it be blessed. Forgive me for viewing you in a negative light. You are truly exposing the Devil within us all. Bless you ☦️🕊

[@marionaziris9988]

Yes, indeed the message of the Gospel could not be more profound, that only Jesus Christ saves. We have no right to wipe away over 2000 years of living tradition at the expense of our salvation. There is a very good reason why Christ is known as The Way, The Door, The Narrow Gate. Simply because He is the only way. We forget the commandment "Worship no other gods..." The amazing thing about our faith is that Christ the living God, clothed in flesh shared in our humanity, so that we could share in His Perfect Humanity and Godhood by grace. Heaven came to us, it begins here on earth with Christ the Door.

[@lindaphillips4646]

Beautiful icon. Holy Fathers, pray for us..

[@juniorgallo8786]

I've spent most of my life believing the "many ways up the mountain" thesis for rational and philosophical reasons. I believed it was quite unfair and illogical that billions of people who had never had contact with the Truth did not have the possibility of purification, enlightenment and theosis. My earthly and false sense of "justice" is ingrained, a passion I've been struggling with. Thanks Father!

[@eldermillennial8330]

“Omega Point” modernist pseudo theology is among the most insidiously subtle heresies of all time. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin is amongst the most vile heretics of all time, far worse than Mohamed because he didn’t even believe his own bile, he was seeking to destroy traditional Catholicism and Christianity in general from within.

[@peepoclown1]

Dear friend, I am still grappling with this very sense of “justice” that you mentioned-though I know it is earthly and false. May I ask that you share how your understanding has changed?

[@truthaboutislam2024]

Jesus is our beloved hope! God bless you brothers!

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Amen. Thank Fr. Peter. May God grant you many years!

[@iliesculiliana5846]

thank you Father.yes THIS THE TRUTH:THE DOOR WE CAN ENTER HEAVEN IS OUR LORD CRUCIFIED AND RESSURECTED.Deeply appreciate your right point of view

[@thane816]

I just recently learned that the gates in the center of the iconostasis symbolize the veil. And when the gates are open, it's like the veil ripping apart and then we get communion.

[@bradspitt3896]

I don't see how this is controversial. Knowledge in an Orthodox ontology isn't philosophical knowledge, it comes from being, from living and doing. Like he said, the fathers were able to see and use philosophical categories to help people understand and defend the faith, but it wasn't primary. I am a bit hesitant to say never read any philosophy though, I just think it's bad to put it at the top.

[@Orthodoxi]

What a contrast of life. Mine being from the cradle of counter culture and atheism arriving new to the cradle of the Church and going through the cross after our Lord Jesus and living now newly through His truth. Others being of the cradle of the Church, from Bishops to laity and yet denying the one God and the cross, somehow brought up from salvation, missing His salvation!? One seeing who was blind the other blinded by refusing to see. How is that for philosophy? Glory to God.

[@Unseen.Warfare]

Many Christian saints were interested in Greek philosophy, considering it a source of spiritual instruction. For example, it is widely known that St Justin Martyr received a first-class education in the field of classical philosophy, which ultimately led him to believe in Christ. After studying all existing schools of thought, he declared the Christian faith to be the most sublime philosophy. Even after his conversion to Christianity, Saint Justin continued to wear his attire of a philosopher, thus witnessing that there is no contradiction between being a philosopher and a Christian. He was the first among the holy fathers to put forward the idea of Greek Philosophy being an interpretation of the Old Testament for the Gentiles and a preparation for the New Testament. He often referred to the Greek philosophers as “friends of Christ”, and even called Socrates “a Christian before Christ”. St Justin’s ideas was later approved by many holy fathers. But, as we know. This only seems to be “True”. Even St. Justin it seems in his viewpoint didn’t consider that Socrates only was “physically” born in the flesh before Christ. So, if he had any “Christian” qualities this all comes from him being made in the very image of the Holy Trinity. The Law had been written within and on our conscience since the beginning of time itself. “Before Abraham was I am” - Jesus Christ the Son of God. ☦️🕊

[@Unseen.Warfare]

Actually Saint Justin most likely was just more wise than myself and realized he’d convert more people this way. Idk. Maybe using the Philosophers as a way to get people to listen to him. Hence his unreal Apology written to the emperor and his Philosopher Son. He was looking to legitimize Christianity so we no longer had to worship in secret with fear of being prosecuted.

[@imanqumsieh3711]

May God bless you ☦️🙏🏻

[@jocelynyared2150]

Human philosophy cannot fathom the Spiritual, but it can anticipate it.

[@user-tb8se1gq2l]

An amazing lesson thank you. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Past sins have been forgiven and God remembers them no more.

[@Troy-Moses]

I couldn't agree more... If we read the Apologies of St. Justin Martyr we will immediately understand the inferior ideas of the pre-Christian poets -- which the Saint picks apart. Many of those great poets may have closely approximated natural truths; but natural wisdom does not save. The wisdom from God above declares that one must be baptised into Jesus Christ in order to transcend death, which, to the natural man is pure foolishness.

[@robinbyrd4430]

Love all the lectures and videos. I’m a convert few yrs back. I’m learning so much and sharing with others. Seeking and finding truth. Thanks be to GOD☦️🕊️🙏🏽

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Wonderful! Keep sharing Thank you very much. Blessed new year to you!

[@alexpalmer9293]

Thank you for the clear and convicting teaching father. 🙏📿✝️

[@BrotherLaymanPaul]

Peter & Plato - when the fisherman defeated the philosopher

[@cyril8879]

Yes!!! without Jesus Christ we are all doomed

[@user-ji2on8eg3l]

Saint Luke 13:24-30 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where [you] are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

[@junesilvermanb2979]

Philosophy (from Greek: φιλοσοφία, philosophia, 'love of wisdom') is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some sources claim the term was coined by Pythagoras (c. 570 - c. 495 BCE); others dispute this story, arguing that Pythagoreans merely claimed use of a pre-existing term. Philosophical methods include questioning, critical discussion, rational argument, and systematic presentation. Historically, philosophy encompassed all bodies of knowledge. A practitioner of philosophy was known as a philosopher. From the time of the Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle to the 19th century, "natural philosophy" encompassed astronomy, medicine, and physics. For example, Newton's 1687 Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy later became classified as a book of physics. In the 19th century, the growth of modern research universities led academic philosophy and other disciplines to professionalize and specialize. Since then, various areas of investigation that were traditionally part of philosophy have become separate academic disciplines - namely, the social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, linguistics, and economics. Today, major subfields of academic philosophy include metaphysics, which is concerned with the fundamental nature of existence and reality; epistemology, which studies the nature of knowledge and belief; ethics, which is concerned with moral value; and logic, which studies the rules of inference that allow one to derive conclusions from true premises. Other notable subfields include the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of science, political philosophy, aesthetics, the philosophy of language, and the philosophy of mind.

[@khalafhaddadin4578]

Our Orthodoxy is a “Revealed way to God by God the logos and his Holy Spirit “ there is no room for additions , philosophy or invention. Glory to the holy trinity ☦️

[@TheThinkersBible]

Powerful, wonderful foundational message. This sounds like my own Baptist church 🙂 It’s wonderful to hear immortal truth stated starkly and uncompromisingly in a day where certain churches of all denominations (certainly Protestant and Catholic) are departing from this foundational truth and watering down the gospel until its core essence of the resurrected God/man Savior Jesus Christ being the only Way is unrecognizable or even unmentioned. God bless you and stay on the battlefield!

[@merlinidlehands3302]

each one of us are on a spiritual path,JESUS is our Teacher.After ALL the feedback I got It sure looks like NOT ONE had simply said GOD BLESS YOU , all I see is folks defending thier walk with God and No One else.Were all just a bunch of Babys before God The Priests Included.JESUS saves and I have Doubts about BOTH the Catholic and orthadox churches that seem to put the Priest hood and the Bulidings BEFORE thier love for GOD or others SORRY Family Please let ME TRY it .May God Bless you all and lead you all on your paths..

[@hermanessences]

Am I misunderstanding here, or is the message here that one shouldn't listen to reason? Is that the Orthodox position? How can one then say that this faith is more likely to be true than other faiths? A profound spiritual experience is something that believers of any faith can have; hindus, muslims, buddhists, jews.

[@FirstnameLastname-py3bc]

Lol no, read Orthodox apologetics or psalms Philosophy (wisdom) of man is a childish compared to wisdom of God Acquire mind of Christ and no other worldview will stand against it (philosophy, religion, belief system, etc) You'll discern truth from falsehood, true ideas and propositions from false ones like it's nothing

[@FirstnameLastname-py3bc]

In other words - you'll begin to think then I speak from my experience and experience of many who became Orthodox through going deep into rational apologetics Christ is Truth, not only true, but whole Truth itself is Christ, and when you acquire mind of Christ, you'll acquire Truth itself, rationality won't be a puzzle solving process anymore, you'll be able to see whole picture like the puzzle is built already, you just observe the picture Wisdom of men is a childplay in the eyes of God as the Gospel says (and probably psalms as well)

[@charlesblerzbo1616]

Literally, yes, you are being admonished to forego your own intellect. Any desire to see how any of the claims of the church make a lick of sense in the first place is categorized as demonic delusion. You're expected to just believe it all at face value - or else.

[@diarmaidobaoill4141]

Bravo

[@watchmanonthewall2151]

Amen 🙏

[@joer9156]

I think Lao Tzu also had some distorted glimpses from an impersonal perspective, to a similar degree as some of the Greek philosophers.

[@justreal4379]

Many will fall into delusion

[@joshuafritz1386]

Is it useful to distinguish sophists from true philosophers? Does the Love of Wisdom involve the rational mind or the soul, the nous?

[@FirstnameLastname-py3bc]

Philosophers in theory seek truth, while sophists are those trying to convince you through screwing around ideas If you look at all mainstream "philosophers" of last 100 years - they're all sophists (if you look at saints and elders and really pious people even Fr Peter - is he trying to soothe you in with nice way of speaking, or what he says makes you listen to him. Now listen to modern "philosophers")

[@criticaloptimist7961]

There is a book titled "Philosophy as a Rite of Rebirth: From Ancient Egypt to Neoplatonism" by Algis Uzdavinys, which would be helpful to you. Whether you like his thesis or not, it is relevant to this subject. In fact, all the books written by this author are relevant.

[@blasvillasmil8875]

Excelent explanation father !! God bless you !!! 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@grangerdoesart7136]

Bless you, father!

[@davidjohnson4298]

The bible says there is no other mediator between man and God that one is Jesus Christ son of the most high God

[@colin-8101]

But is it then okay to read Plato because he was before Christ?

[@giovannidelpiero6631]

What’s the name of the icon for the thumbnail?

[@shaunmulligan8717]

The video thumbnail goes by the title “Icon of the New Choir of Athonite Fathers” (featuring Ss Joseph the Hesychast, Ephraim of Katounakia, Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia, and Paisios the Athonite). May you walk in the company of God. “O God of our Fathers, always act with kindness towards us; take not Your mercy from us, but guide our lives in peace through their prayers.” (Apolytikion of the Holy Fathers in the 4th tone).

[@giovannidelpiero6631]

@@shaunmulligan8717 thank you!

[@stottthescottjohndunn9632]

Preach on...Amen!

[@davidjohnson4298]

When I read revelation it seem that regards to the beast and anti Christ everything points to the roman church and pope

[@bobby4116]

Axios!

[@michaelemmanuelhutagalung-948]

.....USING PHILOSOPHYICAL STYLE NOT BECOME PHILOSOPHER....AS APOSTEL PAUL SAID IN THE BOOK OF ACT..AND LETTER TO CHURCH OF CORINTH....

[@marverb5]

I disagree with the concept of not reading philosophers at all. How can you effectively evangelize and bring others into the Church if you do not know the arguments so that you can point out the flaws?

[@vcharles93]

Amen.

[@zachwillits8451]

Were not the Church Fathers steeped in Platonism? They were all classically educated and used their knowledge to beautify the Church (to put it in Saint Gregory of Nyssa's words). It doesn't seem wise to flee late Western overemphasis on reason into the arms of fideism. Many of the Church Fathers were philosophers by any definition of the word, but what we should be paying attention to is how they wielded their wisdom.

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Steeped in platonism? No. They were well versed in the language and terminology and basic texts of their day as educated men. They used all of that - the terminology - in order to bring and preach the Gospel to the Greeks.

[@zachwillits8451]

@The Orthodox Ethos They were not just well versed for the sake of making the Gospel digestible for others, they sincerely internalized many basic principles of Greek philosophy as a part of their own theology. To say that they merely presented themselves under the guise of Greek philosophy as an evangelical tactic is simply speculative beyond reason. The Church Fathers were philosophical to the core. They used Hellenic terms, they used Aristotelian proofs for God, they Christianized Platonic forms, and they saw no issue with it as a genuine expression of faith. To be specific, it is hard to deny that Saint Augustine, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Maximus the Confessor, and Saint John of Damascus were not philosophers. There is a large section of Saint John of Damascus' Fount of Knowledge dedicated to pure philosophy. Why is this a scandal? There's nothing wrong with using our God-given intellects to engage in philosophy so far as we make the Gospel our measure of truth and subject our philosophizing to Christ.

[@orthodoxrocks9644]

@@zachwillits8451 Forgive me...but, I'll be acutely succinct here, Christ being The Logos and Wisdom of God created the world as it says in Holy Writ, "in Wisdom The Lord laid the foundations of The Heavens and Earth!" And since He is The Word of God..His Speech permeates the creation i.e. Romans 1, Psalm 18/19. But the fall occluded that Speech; Voice of Truth in a sense and made it dim. So Christ comes as Fr. Peter states and enfleshes Himself and brings The Knowledge of God; Wisdom unoccluded and Life and Immortality to Light through The Gospel in a Hellenistic period. He then employed Apostles to preach and dictate/write to all the world employing mostly Greek language to convey ideas about Truth. But the use of Greek was not a "Christianizing of The Greek," but rather the Greek returning to it's proper place; Glorification of God The Word (Psalm 28/29) It's like when the Israelites left Egypt they left with gold that had been used for idol worship and the like but Joshua and camp took it, consecrated it and offered to Yahweh using it for the Tabernacle, thus the gold was brought back to it's proper "form," and purpose! Forgive me!

[@zachwillits8451]

@@orthodoxrocks9644 Forgive me, but regarding your useage of the Israelite's repurposing of the treasures of Egypt, this seems more philosophy outside of the Church can indeed be very good. Saint Gregory of Nyssa uses this same image to suggest that the Church can and even must adorn herself with the wisdom she finds that is agreeable. In the history of Christian thought, it is simply a fact that Platonism is a school of philosophy the Church has deemed very good indeed.

[@orthodoxrocks9644]

@@zachwillits8451 Thank you for commenting and no need to ask for forgiveness. Psalm 23 says "The Earth is The Lord's and The Fullness thereof." Elsewhere it says "In Wisdom The Lord laid the foundations of the earth!" The Lord through Isiah said "Come let us reason together," Paul says a few times that "God is Alone Wise,"... the point I'm getting at is...that Logic/Rational/Wisdom all find their True resting place in God. All others are "thieves," as Jesus said in John 10! We as Orthodox don't assent to everything that came out of Philosophy but we do bring what was stolen back to its proper place. I can agree with this famous quote: "Theology is the Queen of Science and Philosophy is her handmaiden!" Known to God alone are the reasons His Blessedness chose to come into the world at that time... Albeit, I'm grateful for it!

[@db1777]

I wonder what the orthodox church's view is on people who claim to have had NDE's and either saw or experienced God & the spiritual world.

[@hunter9273]

There're are writings on that issue

[@OrthoReadings]

Read ‘The Soul After Death’ by Fr. Seraphim Rose

[@LadyMaria]

It could be prelest; that is in a nutshell.

[@bradspitt3896]

What's an NDE?

[@OrthoReadings]

@@bradspitt3896 near death experience

[@BobanOrlovic]

What you described has nothing to do with philosophy

[@charlesmaximus9161]

Father, forgive me here. Please, correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t some of the early fathers, such as St. Justin Martyr, technically platonists? May we have your blessings. 🙏

[@Alexandru20101991]

Technically, he was a platonist who abandoned Platonism.

[@OrthodoxEthos]

To be a Christian is to leave aside human speculation and reasoning and to crucify your intellect and to embrace the supranational.

[@eldermillennial8330]

“theumenosophy” is a new word we need to popularize to replace “philosophy” in Orthodox educational parlance.

[@tommyycreator8879]

St John Damascus?

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Not a philosopher.

[@joellanglois514]

Thanks

[@rhb30001]

So what about Thomas aquinas?

[@MaximusWolfe]

Thomism is rejected by the Orthodox.

[@LadyMaria]

He was part of the schismatic heterodox Roman Catholic church.

[@rhb30001]

@@MaximusWolfe I wonder why ? Because he believes in death before the fall/sin?

[@seraphim3TN]

@@rhb30001 because he isn't in the Church. he's a papist heretic.

[@AwesomeWholesome]

@@rhb30001 Not just that but because the entire methodology (natural theology) of Thomism is very anthropocentric and is different from the theocentric revealed theology in the Early Church. Here is the Orthodox responses. kzbin.info?search_query=jay+dyer+aquinas Live in the world but not be of the world. Like the Fathers, we can learn about philosophy but not be philosophers.

[@Mike-tq2jh]

Father, please quit using silly clickbait titles, you're being dishonest to the definition of "Philosophy" as it means 'love of wisdom'. As Christians, should we not use words faithful to their meaning? This is why we have "St Justin the Philosopher" and not "St Justin the God-Seer" as he was a true lover of wisdom, any true lover of wisdom knows that Christ must be the center of thought. The Church Fathers were true philosophers. A better title would be "Without Christ, Philosophy is useless' Just because someone calls themselves a 'philosopher', doesn't mean they are one, and are instead justifying themselves. Just as someone who calls themselves a 'Christian' isn't always a slave of Christ, but just mindlessly adopting the term.

[@Troy-Moses]

What you wrote is true. I would like to add, though, that we often see words as _univocal_ when discussing doctrine; but words are _equivocal_ and are based on context. And since words are equivocal, from the talk above one should understand "philosophy" as "vain philosophy", as from the Greek poets. In any event, clarification from him would have been helpful, as you wrote.

[@TheThinkersBible]

I disagree. It’s crystal clear this brother means secular or otherwise unbelieving philosophy, which how the word is actually used in practice. He makes a clear distinction between philosophy in the worldly sense and theology. Yes there’s Christian philosophy per se, but almost always when people say ‘philosophy’ in ordinary usage it’s non-Christian philosophy that is meant.

[@deusvult8340]

Technically Christianity was thriving off of philosophers, people like augustine and ambrose were using neo platonism, Thomas Aquinas used a lot of Aristotle and the very idea of how the eucharist becomes the body and blood of Christ is derived from metaphysics

[@eikon7001]

In ‘Christianizing’ Hellenism, or translating Revelation from Hebraic to Greek, they used terms and categories common to it; but to say they ‘thrived’ on it is not accurate. Those who did actually rely upon it, such has Aquinas, made a muddle of things after all. We could say the Church Fathers explained what the philosophies were groping toward, correcting them, filling in what was lacking, even redefining terms to express the true doctrine; in a sense sanctifying it; not being instructed from it.

[@deusvult8340]

@@eikon7001 Well yes sure but you can’t deny that church fathers like St Augustine converted because of Neoplatonism which got him out of mannecheism and how people like St Ambrose used this to drive people out of that heresy. It is also worth mentioning that our explanation of the Eucharist of substance and accidents is directly from the metaphysics of Aristotle.

[@alexhauser5043]

@@eikon7001 What specifically do you find objectionable in St. Thomas?

[@rhb30001]

What about Jay Dyer??

[@LadyMaria]

Keep your eyes on your own plate.

[@seraphim3TN]

you can basically ignore everything Jay says. He's too overly intellectual and western-minded.

[@LadyMaria]

@@seraphim3TN Actually he knows the Faith well on a knowledge level, which is all he purports to teach. So dismissing everything is erroneous to say since he is only teaching what the Church teaches no matter his methods.

[@MrRickkramer]

That’s between God, him and his spiritual father...

[@rhb30001]

@@seraphim3TN lol

[@TaoTrader3]

Why do you identify as Father in title form?

[@merlinidlehands3302]

I dont care WHO sees GOD I want folks to SHOW ME God

[@Patriarch.Chadimus]

Then follow the men who saw him

[@seraphim3TN]

follow the contemporary Saints

[@T_Wozna]

Follow the saints and you will see God. “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” - 1 Cor 11:1

[@Alexandru20101991]

No one can show you God. What you are asking for is like a blind man asking one who sees to show him the sun. They can only show you how to cure your eyes. These are the saints who throughout the centuries teached us how to cleanse our eyes so God can be transparent to us.

[@MaximusWolfe]

Unless you learn how to perceive of God in imitation of and rumination on the writings and examples of saints you will fail completely. You will be like an astronaut who sets off into the cosmos in order to find a single pearl of supreme value without the slightest idea of where to direct his craft. Such a man will eventually despair and go mad as he nears death while becoming more cognizant of the probability of attaining to his desired object. It is futility itself.

[@billkotas9049]

@billkotas9049 1 second ago Before you do anything just do this please, put aside your beliefs for just a moment, you can always pick them back up, sit for a moment by yourself and consider who you really are, that is the absolute truthfully real you...just give it a shot and if it doesn't work for you then proceed as you have decided, nothing more asked of you...

[@ivansince91]

Amen🙏