Eastern Orthodox Christian. com

TWO TYPES OF TRADITIONS.

Most Orthodox traditions are on a level with superstitions and old wives tales, and this is why Jesus taught us to avoid traditions.

Use the Bible, along with tradition (7 ecumenical councils) as its two authorities.
Eastern Orthodox Churches believe the Bible teaches without error the Truth needed for Salvation, but must be interpreted within the Tradition of the Church and its 7 Ecumenical Councils from 325AD to 787AD.
Salvation is achieved by performing 7 Sacraments during one's lifetime. These are 'Channels' in which we receive God's Grace. 
To achieve salvation (justification), both faith and works are considered necessary.
"Thru Baptism and participation in the church, God's People receive the benefits of Christ's redeeming work as they persevere in Christ. God became a human so human beings might be deified"
Greek Orthodox believes baptism is a sacrament necessary to salvation, and usually occurs in infants. "Baptism initiates God's life in the one baptized.  Sprinkling is rejected, and 3-fold immersion is practiced
In the Eucharist, the bread and wine are 'changed into Jesus' body and blood' (mystery left unexplained)


In this study we will see that there are two types of Traditions, good and bad ones. Jesus made it oh so clear that any tradition that contradicts the law of God in any covenant that is contemporary to that time period is bogus.

EXAMPLE 1 - VAIN REPEATED PRAYERS
For instance the Orthodox tradition of repeating the "Jesus prayer" over and over and over again: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." is a clearly bad tradition as Jesus said "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." and again it is written "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." robotoid nagging does not impress God, as is clear from Jesus statement. People who cannot see such glaringly obvious truths are spiritually blind, and sadly usually indoctrinated from their childhood. 
 
​EXAMPLE 2 - CANONIZATION
* The canonization of saints - is a tradition of men. 

In accepting traditions one must remember the wild things that can arise from them. Once vampires were truly believed in, for instance, more than today.
​VAMPIRES
Quote: "Folklore vampires can become vampires not only through a bite, but also if they were once a werewolf, practiced sorcery, were an illegitimate child of parents who were illegitimate, died before baptism, anyone who has eaten the flesh of a sheep killed by a wolf, was the child of a pregnant woman who was looked upon by a vampire, was a nun who stepped over an unburied body, had teeth when they were born, or had a cat jump on their corpse before being buried (England and Japan), a baby born with teeth; a stillborn; a bat flying over a corpse (Romania); being excommunicated by the Orthodox Church (Greece); being the seventh son of the seventh son; a dead body that has been reflected in a mirror; red heads (Greece); people who die by suicide or sudden, violent deaths; people who were improperly buried; renouncing the Eastern Orthodox religion."


1)  John says it was written by John at the End, as it says he tarries to receive the book of Revelation, that says it was written by John
2)  Every single new testament ms in Greek as far as I know says Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, so as I dont believe God would allow the ms of the bible to be ruined by any lies, I therefore do not accept that the PRESERVATION of those ms is a TRADITION they are a PRESERVATION.


GET BIBLE TRADITION IN CONTEXT:
"2 Thess 2:15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
This quotation of a SINGLE verse, without its context, is more Orthodox trickery. The context of the verse shows in the WHOLE CHAPTER that the tradition referred to is a living example not to be easily deceived by lying wonders, as the Orthodox are, with their myrrh dripping icons, and holy fire, and anachronistic bogus quotations of saints, and transparently false liturgies like St Mark's Liturgy (absurd), and to stick rather to believe the free will gospel without being deceived by false gospels like the Orthodox oxymoronic "salvation by grace by works".

Orthodox traditions are to make every tradition they have a contradiction of the bible, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

TRADITION ON A LEVEL WITH HOLY SCRIPTURE
The entire idea their elders can begin traditions that are as much part of church law as the bible is not only unbiblical, not only like the Talmud and the Judaism heresy of exalting the 70 elders beyond their function, but is open to complete refutation. The old anachronistic behind the Orthodox tradition that a cremated person cannot be resurrected for instance. It is quite preposterous and is refuted by so many bible promises. It would mean for instance Hitler will escape judgement on the day of wrath.

A RELIGIOUS DRUG TRIP?
When you go into an Eastern Orthodox church they aim incense straight at you, and you look about at icons of people with weirdly drawn faces, in gaudy unbiblical settings of gold and silver. It seems almost trippy. Their intention seems to be to intoxicate people into a drug induced religious state of intoxication, or a least muddled, getting a buzz from it, tipsy, high, or under the influence of it. Its a bad example, a bit like Eastern heroine smoking. There is growing evidence incense is a mind altering drug. 

EXAMPLES
“Do not do anything without signing yourself with the sign of the Cross! When you depart on a journey, when you begin your work, when you go to study, when you are alone, and when you are with other people, seal yourself with the Holy Cross on your forehead, your body, your chest, your heart, your lips, your eyes, your ears. All of you should be sealed with the sign of Christ’s victory over hell. Then you will no longer be afraid of charms, evil spirits, or sorcery, because these are dissolved by the power of the Cross like wax before fire and like dust before the wind.”
Elder Cleopa of Romania 
(1912-1998)

​

THE USE OF MARTYRDOM STORIES:

​

The following you will see often:

quote

"HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.
1. Matthew
Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.
2. Mark
Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
3. Luke
Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.
4. John
Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death.
John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully
5. Peter
He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.
According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
6. James
The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his
enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.
* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.
7. James the Son of Zebedee,
was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
8. Bartholomew
Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
9. Andrew
Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.
10. Thomas
Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.
11. Jude
Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
12. Matthias
The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
13. Paul
Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many
epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament." unquote

​

Because these descriptions of martyrs "sound spiritual" we are tempted to "just believe them" without biblical proof. Having being lured into accepting such traditions, the unwary are then lured into accepting a long list of other traditions, entirely bogus, that "support" the idea of salvation through works or priestcraft instead of entirely through Christ.