The moment I finish this blog and write the archive description of it, I forget what I wrote. Sometimes friends or family will mention some post or other and I will have next to no idea what they are talking about. This stuff is purely off the dome, stream of consciousness with a few breaks to do whatever it is I’m doing while I write. This time I’m simultaneously (or in short spurts) photoshopping an icon for laser engraving. This one is of Seraphim Rose, a very famous priest and monk from California. He died young. He wrote books during the cold war and became very popular in eastern Europe. 

He’s a saint in Georgia, the country. But he’s not a saint recognized by the OCA or even the Orthodox Church of Russia, where he is incredibly popular. 

I don’t usually go in for little sectarian discussion like that. I think it’s missing the point. 

I got into a conversation with an online Orthodox friend of minne about wether it was alright to join the military as a Christian. He thinks so, Jack thinks so too, I don’t think so. My priest, Father Mark, he doesn’t think so either, and he’s been thinking about it for a lot longer than any of us combined. But, his opinion is in the minority, the vast minority. 

I listened to Jack and he made some compelling arguments, I really see his point. I’d love to listen to a discussion between him and Father Mark about that subject, and about loads of other subjects, absolutely. But my opinion on the subject is essentially...I don’t care. If I had someone I knew who was joining the military I might evolve my perspective, but right now I think the best thing I can be is obedient to my priest.

He says it’s bad, or at least incongruous,
it’s bad, or at least incongruous.

It doesn’t hurt that I also feel this to be true. There are definitely compelling arguments, but I don’t go in for arguments. I think the moment you start arguing and trying to adjust your perspective on something, you’re twisting it. Maybe that’s just me. I don’t know. Either way, Obedience is the word of the day, the week, the year, the new life.