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Greetings all
Hey everybody. Recently discovered these forums and have been eagerly reading around on various topics that I've found interesting. I decided I'd register as a user incase I ever saw something I'd be able to help with :)
In the extremely near future I intend to convert to Coptic Orthodox Christianity [Get baptised etc] and plan on reguarly attending church as much as I can. However, at the present point in time I currently do not attend church and am baptised as Anglican. The reason I don't attend church is because I was raised in a pretty much atheist family, or rather by my father who firmly disbelieves in God, and although I've always believed in God, I've only come to fully realise God and the Coptic Orthodox Church as the truth :). If you have anything you need of me, don't be afraid to ask, and I look forward to conversing with you all more in the futures.
Peace and Blessings,
WMA
In the extremely near future I intend to convert to Coptic Orthodox Christianity [Get baptised etc] and plan on reguarly attending church as much as I can. However, at the present point in time I currently do not attend church and am baptised as Anglican. The reason I don't attend church is because I was raised in a pretty much atheist family, or rather by my father who firmly disbelieves in God, and although I've always believed in God, I've only come to fully realise God and the Coptic Orthodox Church as the truth :). If you have anything you need of me, don't be afraid to ask, and I look forward to conversing with you all more in the futures.
Peace and Blessings,
WMA
Comments
We hope you have a blessed and beneficial stay here; if you require any assisstance with anything, please do not hesitate to ask.
+ Peace and Grace
I too am a convert to Orthodoxy, but from Roman Catholicism instead of from Anglicanism. I discern from the fact you use the term "Anglican" instead of "Episcopalian" and that you spell "realise" with an "s", that you are from some part of the Empire, if not from the UK itself. Years ago I was in correspondence with an English Anglican priest who was a close sympathizer with the Coptic Church and who was at that time trying to broker a deal to get quite a few High Church clergy into the Church of Alexandria. Political mistakes on the Coptic side, unfortunately, obviated this possibility.
My advice to you, nevertheless, is to venture forth and to begin attending Coptic liturgies. The greatest barrier that I as a non-Copt have found is the ever-present problem of culture shock. Too many Copts in the "diaspora" think that the purpose of attending church is to get a chance to go to "little Egypt" once a week. What many fail to recognize is that we converts are generally a spiritually hungry lot. We don't mind schmoozing over tea and felafel after liturgy, but we really need "discipling". We need someone who speaks our language and who can help us enter into the fullness of the Church's spiritual life.
Another problem I've found is the fact that everyone born in my generation is from Egypt and are usually afraid to talk to me lest they make some grammatical or pronunciation error while speaking with me. The people who are relaxed enough to chat in English are generationally removed from me and find it difficult to talk to an old man about spiritual matters.
In fact, as I have added tid-bits around this particular site, I have come to see myself as someone who is quite the "five-hundred-pound gorilla" in the room. These kids seem afraid to respond to things I write. Maybe they see me as grandpa in the play-pen.
Well, despite all this seemingly negative stuff, I can also say that the mysticism of the Orthodox, both Eastern and Oriental, still holds my heart. I can feel that I am standing in the presence of the living God when I attend Eucharist in the Coptic Church. I lost this sense in the Catholic Church long ago. Whatever other problems I encounter, I have decided to stick it out till the end, that is, either my death or the return of the King. I suppose this makes me a "Copt by adoption."
Yours in Christ,
quisutdeus
Forgive me quisutdeus but I am in need to respond to your comments. Well I am a teenager who was born and raised in Egypt, and if someone was to come to my church here (and in fact they do) I wouldn't be one of the people to step out to help them whether they are old or young. It's not at all about your age, whatever it is, it's about us being shy or scared to make a mistake when talking to you....english or even religion wise. In my church, there is certain people who are specialized in that kind of help. They were born here from Egyptain parents, but were raised in the Coptic church, and have knowledge of the church and of course English is their first language.
I myself don't think that converts are in church are there for the reason to visit Egypt, unless you have been told that by someone, I don't think that is correct. Our schock is that you are an american/european or whatever your nationality is among hundreds of Egyptains, but of course you are still welcome there, but that's our schock then and that's something we can't change. Again it's not your age, it's our knowledge, few people on here are capable of giving the right answer to the right question adressed. Most people on this site are teenagers are still learning the right from the wrong. So their capacity of knowledge aren't developed yet to comment or answer your question. That of course includes me, but I wanted to respond to your comment and explain that a little more since I face the same kind of responses from people.
however The Coptic Church is very rich, and if you have good church in your area i am sure you can benefit much from it...However ppl can make your unity btwn Christ difficult so I dont go any more cuz i sin more in church than out cuz i just get overwhelmed w anger.
and thats the truth
brian
I saw both cultures..I lived in both...and Egyptains are far more loving and caring then in America or Europe...
i in no means am trying hurt anyones feeling and by using the word you i mean the groups not singling out a single person
Forever,
Coptic Servent
GBU
sandra
love lots,
CopticChica21
I certainly sympathise with your struggles as a non-Egyptian convert in the Coptic Church; this is a problem many converts have in both the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches, which is why I am personally an advocate of the establishment of missionary convert Churches, such as the British Orthodox Church. Those who convert to the Coptic Church, are just as Coptic Orthodox as the cradle-born, if not even moreso. Please do not be discouraged by any negative personal experiences; the Church needs people like you. Cradle-borns can always learn a little something from the converts, and vice versa.
However, I am really baffled as to your reaction to Marriane's posts, for it seems that she is merely relating her own personal experience and perspective on the matter. I am saddened by the fact you have decided to leave this forum, for we are in dire need of paritcipants such as yourself, who have diligently studied the faith and have useful contributions to make.
Often at times, discussions here can get heated and personal, and may poke at sensitive issues; such is the nature of internet forums. Please do not allow this to affect your stay here. I hope you have a change of mind and heart on the matter of your participance in this forum.
+irini nem ehmot
Thanks for understanding, at least in part. Right now I'm stuck teaching in a hick university in Eastern Kentucky where most prople look upon themselves as "good Christians." The fact that they are also stone racists quite escapes them. Every time I have pointed out to the school authorities here the fact that my children experience relentless attacks because their mother is Japanese, the principal, guidance counselor, et al. gasp, "What racism? In our schools?"
I was in fact advising one young girl in another part of this forum to take her parents with her to stop a bully who is always putting her down for being Egyptian. The fact is, however, that bias and prejudice against the "other" is a human problem. I got upset with Marianne87's response to my complaint about the way Copts treat non-Egyptians in Church because to me her words were just so much denial--just like everybody else's. She in fact reveals her bias against non-Egyptians by saying, "Our schock is that you are an american/european or whatever your nationality is among hundreds of Egyptains, but of course you are still welcome there, but that's our schock then and that's something we can't change" and later, "I don't think anyone who isn't Egyptain has the right to label us something that they don't know. I saw both cultures..I lived in both...and Egyptains are far more loving and caring then in America or Europe...". Maybe I'm disappointed because I still romantically hope for better from Orthodox people. But we still just sinners.
By the way, the incident I first mentioned above to WMA about how the Coptic Church drove away hundreds of Anglican converts has everything to do with the so-called "British Coptic Church." Pope Shenouda was talked into accepting these heretics into the Church without looking deeply enough into their own teachings that they were making the Copts Orthodox, not vice versa. The Anglican priest I referred to was absolutely schandalized. This is an issue I shall never forget. So, I would really prefer not to hang out with "converts" who are not truly Orthodox. I would much prefer xenophobes to that.
The last point is that I am too old. Not only am I apt to write things the naive may find shocking, I'm not getting enough stuff that I need here. I feel you are qualified enough to step in and straighten out these kids when they need it. But thank you very much for your concern.
quisutdeus
woot woot!! 8)
No, I was merely busy; I was not ignoring you at all. Thank you, Marianne87, for your kind response. I want you to know that my negative feelings about the way people in the Church treat non-Egyptians are not directed to you personally.
But my question to all of you is this: "If the Coptic Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, then why isn't She taking Herself seriously as an evangelizing force in the West, where faith has almost disappeared?"
Yours in IHC XPC,
quisutdeus