Beware World Orthodox Elders Who Reject Old Calendarists

DIscussion and News concerning Orthodox Churches in communion with those who have fallen into the heresies of Ecumenism, Renovationism, Sergianism, and Modernism, or those Traditional Orthodox Churches who are now involved with Name-Worshiping, or vagante jurisdictions. All Forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.


User avatar
Barbara
Protoposter
Posts: 3983
Joined: Sat 29 September 2012 6:03 pm

Re: Beware World Orthodox Elders Who Reject Old Calendarists

Post by Barbara »

That's an excellent point, too, Maria that one doesn't hear TOC Priests talking like this : boastfully recounting how
their spiritual children supposedly witnessed such 'miracles'. The TOC clergy are mature and circumspect.

User avatar
Maria
Archon
Posts: 8428
Joined: Fri 11 June 2004 8:39 pm
Faith: True Orthodox Christian
Jurisdiction: GOC
Location: USA

Re: Beware World Orthodox Elders Who Reject Old Calendarists

Post by Maria »

Barbara wrote:

....

That's quite telling that Bishops often penance such priests who experience this.

The other part is that why did pseudo-elder Ephraim insist that this could be the only interpretation : that the Old Calendar is wrong ? Surely there must be a myriad of other meanings IF one even believes the visions are real rather than diabolical mockery. His reasoning is faulty. That means the pseudo-elder is not trustworthy to listen to on ANY ecclesiastical subject. Particularly not the correctness of the Old Calendar !

Amen.

The lack of discernment in this so-called Elder Ephrem is due to his lack of grace. The New Calendarists do not have grace, but instead, they are under diabolic deception.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

User avatar
Barbara
Protoposter
Posts: 3983
Joined: Sat 29 September 2012 6:03 pm

Re: elder Ephraim of AZ against Old Calendarists

Post by Barbara »

Yes. This is a sad example, isn't it ?
However, the exposure of him as how you described above, Maria, is educational for the many, many Orthodox out there or inquirers into Orthodoxy who would not be able to figure this out on their own.

I think this is a 'landmark case' so to speak of the failure of New Calendarists to perceive and discern correctly. I hope the clearcut lesson here can benefit New Calendarists and adherents of this famous head of a semi-cult [ as many of us view his Monastery 'franchise' ].

It's a pity that the editors of the pravoslavie site are promoting these anti-Old Calendarist views of elder Ephraim and treating him like a small celebrity. They should be instead excercising elementary discernment !

User avatar
Maria
Archon
Posts: 8428
Joined: Fri 11 June 2004 8:39 pm
Faith: True Orthodox Christian
Jurisdiction: GOC
Location: USA

Re: elder Ephraim of AZ against Old Calendarists

Post by Maria »

The following comment was made by Father Sozomenos of the UK. He has given his permission for me to quote this here:

Forgive me and may God forgive us all. I pray you have a good Lent.

The issue of miracles should not be so complicated. We must remember that miracles are not the criteria for finding Truth, miracles happen to strengthen one's faith. We also know that "miracles" can happen even through the Evil One. Let us remember the account of the 10 Lepers in the Gospel. Christ healed all 10, even though as the All-knowing God, Christ, knew that only 1 of the 10 would return back to Him and give thanks. The other 9 where healed despite not believing in Christ, but for them this healing was only physical not spiritual, which means their bodies were saved, but not their souls. On the other hand, "miracles" occur even among Muslims and Buddhists but even sorcerers, does this mean we should follow them?

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

User avatar
Barbara
Protoposter
Posts: 3983
Joined: Sat 29 September 2012 6:03 pm

Re: elder Ephraim of AZ against Old Calendarists

Post by Barbara »

I appreciate those thoughtful remarks which add perspective here. Thanks for finding that answer.
If you get receive more feedback from priests, Maria, then of course let us hear those comments also.

User avatar
Barbara
Protoposter
Posts: 3983
Joined: Sat 29 September 2012 6:03 pm

Beware World Orthodox "Elders"

Post by Barbara »

Beware Greek elders, including those already with a sizeable following.

So-called Elder Ephraim of Arizona is described thus on wikipedia : "Elder Ephraim has a reputation of being a grace-filled confessor and true Athonite elder and has thousands of spiritual children around the world: monastics, clergy, and lay-people."
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Ephraim_(Morai ... Philotheou

In this 1992 video, Ephraim is constantly moving around, swaying back and forth, rolling his eyes in all directions, behaving like one imagines a hyperactive child to behave.

But why, when he is handed the microphone to speak by the sincere, serious clergyman at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, does Ephraim shoot the priest almost a flirtatious look, like a girl ?

To me, it is uncomfortable to watch the entire display. During the introduction by that priest, Ephraim mouths some words to a person in the audience in an exaggerated way. This is the world renowned elder ?

Ephraim settles down when he launches into his subject -- fittingly, spiritual warfare and the actions of the Devil. But his insights as far as I listened - which was only some minutes - were not particularly profound.

Could it be that the demons have a physical hold on these false spiritual teachers which shows in their restlessness and manic gestures which hardly befit a 'grace-filled Elder' ?

User avatar
Barbara
Protoposter
Posts: 3983
Joined: Sat 29 September 2012 6:03 pm

Re: Beware World Orthodox "Elders"

Post by Barbara »

A Greek-American journalist has launched a sarcastic attack on elder Ephraim.

Not all this layman says is right. For example, he ridicules Orthodox Priests appearing in American venues in their clerical garb.
We here at E. Café surely applaud the bold refusal of our True Orthodox clergy to appear in street attire to placate secular minded Westerners [ for the same situation likely prevails in Europe and Australia ]. So I am deleting a few parts like this from the author's expose of Fake Elderism, aimed mostly at the Ephraimite phenomenon.
Clearly, the writer, the news correspondent for the National Herald [Ethnikos Kyrix] of New York and Athens, is in the left-wing side of the World Orthodox camp. He sounds anti-monastic and influenced by Protestantism.

We can learn, though, from his pithy observations about elder Ephraim, a prime example of "Orthodox Guruism". It is a good characterization for Ephraim, who seems to be regarded by his disciples with near-worship. This atmosphere is so overwrought with misplaced veneration that one would imagine this missionary had stepped from a lotus flower and spread the teachings of the Buddha from coast to coast to crowds of wild-eyed spiritual seekers.


"Not a month or week goes by without a new prophecy emerging about things that will supposedly happen on a local or even national and international level. This phenomenon, which is widely spread in Greece but also has been transplanted here in the United States though the Ephraimite movement of extreme fundamentalism, can be descripted with three words: elderism, futurism, and prophetism.

It has to do with “prophesies” and “statements” of various monks, who either died in distant past or even recently, or are still alive on Mount Athos and elsewhere. Such is the case of elder Ephraim here in the United States, who has filled the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese through the country with Monasteries.

These “contemporary prophets” prophesize just about anything, you name it. They prophesize about the economic crisis in Greece, for example, although it is already occurring. They prophesize about the political crisis or that the blessed Race of Greeks will reclaim the Queen City of Constantinople. These simplistic charlatans can do harm not only to innocent and uneducated people, but also to nations.

Understandably, the economic crisis in Greece has significantly changed the mindset of many who struggle to survive, and many of them have lost faith. Thus, they search for some ray of hope to hold on to, or some kind of “supernatural” explanation of what is happening in order to justify their fears.

Thus, the prophesies of various elders and monks find their way into the hearts of many hope seekers. They are even willing to engage in extreme fanatical religiosity that absolutizes the elders’ “prophetic futurism.” Once an elder says it, that’s it. No questions asked.

A huge industry of futurism has been created, and in some cases an industry of miracles that urges hundreds if not thousands of faithful to form long lines over the graves of various elders. Many attach their ears to the grave, hoping to hear some sounds from within the grave supposedly coming from the dead elder in question. The books of such elders become bestsellers and, of course, many “smart” religious industrialists become rich in the name of a twisted Orthodoxy.

There is a dangerous trend today of creating a sick “Orthodox guruism” in the name of spirituality and elderism. Many elders today tend to replace even Christ and His Church. We have arrived to the point of a total cultish culture to “worship” people of little or no Theological Education at all, simply because they wear cassocks, and grow long beards and hair. This has become a “spirituality of the hair.” They speak and preach on a simplistic Sunday School level, yet appear to their followers to speak with authority and infallibility.

They use the sacrament of holy confession just to get control over the lives of their followers, demanding from them total and blind obedience....
The elder makes all of their decisions. He has complete control over their lives because “he knows best” regarding their spiritual well-being. The spiritual children don’t really care about the teaching of the Church or the writings of the New Testament. They only care about what the elder thinks and says. They don’t read the Bible, but instead they read the elder’s fairy tells.
[ Did the author mean fairy tales ? If he really meant to say "tells", that is a tip that he views the current crop of World Orthodox fake elders as psychologically DISORDERED. In that world, this jargon connotes a giveaway clue that the speaker has a serious personality disorder, such as sociopathy or borderline. That by itself would be a major indictment of the elders' sanity ! And also would indicate that they should be isolated from the followers upon whom they prey. ]

These uneducated smallminded fundamentalists have become the drama and the trauma of our Orthodox Church, and no one seems to have the boldness to confront them and teach them that Orthodoxy is not a fundamental ideology of some sadistic God who is ready to punish the people. The God of the Orthodox Church is the source of love. It is Christ who comes as “fierce lover,” as Bridegroom in the middle of the night because He loves us all as we are.[--?? - Author must be quite liberal. True Elders, such as the Optina ones, always spoke of development of the fear of God and hard work and vigilance to eradicate sin. They NEVER said to even one follower "Just stay how you are, you are perfect. For sure you are going to Heaven. Don't bother to lift a finger to fight the Devil or become free of the passions. You will be saved no matter what. " ]

In our case here in America, we are confronted with similar sickening fundamentalist mentalities. Many of our clergy have been influenced by the simplistic teachings and pseudo-pietism of the certain monastics to the point that many parishes have been poisoned. It seems that “a parallel Church” has been created along with... [ World Orthodoxy ]...."

By Theodore Kalmoukos

Date Published: 01/31/2017
Publication: The National Herald
http://www.pokrov.org/elderism-futurism-prophetism/


Mr Kalmoukos wrote [ which I italicized ]" They speak and preach on a simplistic Sunday School level, yet appear to their followers to speak with authority and infallibility."

This remark confirms what I wrote in the first post about elder Ephraim's seeming lack of any deep ideas or keen insights in his talk to the assembled Pennsylvania group. He said nothing revelatory in the - tedious - minutes I spent listening to him expound on the theme of spiritual warfare. One would hope for so much more from a teacher who routinely receives fawning accolades in articles on authoritative World Orthodox websites such as Pravoslavie.ru.

Post Reply