Are those images icons? I was under the impression that in many Orthodox Churches in the old country, pictures of contemporary people, rules, etc, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, are painted in the vestibule of the Church. The main objection I heard was taht they were painted in the nave not the vestibule, as in the nave only Orthodox icons should appear. But these images would not classify as icons since there are no halos attached.
I personally have never seen anyone bend over backwards to defend New Skete, but maybe people get defensive when people bend over backwards, forwards, jump up and down, and otherwise contort their bodies to attack New Skete. Even in the OCA people have always taken them with a grain of salt and now they are most considered a relic of a fizzled movement for liturgical renewal. I don't think anyone can get them on their use of a different typikon as each monastery in the Byzantine times had its own, but what I think was their downfall was, as one Antiochian priest friend of mine told me, their "avant-guarde style of monasticism" in other words, their "show" and "impress" and their "we are oh so chique" attitude. I was initially impressed with them until I saw a video of their liturgy and while it is obviously the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, it has a very Novus Ordo Vatican II feel to it. Very strange. I will be going there on a field trip this semester probably as part of a liturgy class and we will compare their recension of the office to that as celebrated in standard Orthodox practice. I'll report back then. 
anastasios
Disclaimer: Many older posts were made before my baptism and thus may not reflect an Orthodox point of view.
Please do not message me with questions about the forum or moderation requests. Jonathan Gress (jgress) will be able to assist you.
Please note that I do not subscribe to "Old Calendar Ecumenism" and believe that only the Synod of Archbishop Kallinikos is the canonical GOC of Greece. I do believe, however, that we can break down barriers and misunderstandings through prayer and discussion on forums such as this one.
