| Chapter.Page | Orthodox |
|---|---|
38 Religion |
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38.702 |
“In the case of this great religious teaching, indeed, it also happened among them, that its followers divided themselves, on account of exterior details of small importance, into various sects, and came to be called not just ‘Christians’ as all the first followers of this teaching called themselves—but ‘Orthodox,’ ‘Sevrodox,’ ‘Ypsylodox,’ ‘Hamilodox,’ and various other cognomens also ending in ‘dox.’ |
38.702-3 |
“And into this teaching of truth and verity, they began also to mix for various egoistic and political reasons, fragments taken from other religious teachings already existing there, but fragments such as had not only in common with the teaching of Jesus, but which sometimes even flatly contradicted the truths this Divine Teacher taught. |
42 Beelzebub in America |
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42.1011 |
“‘The changes now taking place in the process of this Christian custom of fasting are very characteristic and provide an excellent example for understanding how in general all the “good Christian customs” have little by little undergone change, until they have finally entirely ceased to exist. |
42.1011 |
“‘A good illustration is the present-day observance of this fast by those called the Russian “Orthodox Christians.” |
42.1011 |
“‘These Russian Orthodox Christians took their religion entirely from those called the “Orthodox Greeks,” from whom, together with many other Christian customs, this same custom of “fasting” also passed to them. |
42.1011 |
“‘Most of the millions of these Russian Orthodox Christians still continue to fast as is said “rigorously,” in conformity with what is called the “orthodox code” now existing there. |
42.1011 |
“‘But as to the manner of their fasting, one cannot help recalling the saying of our dear Mullah Nassr Eddin in such cases: “‘“Isn’t it all the same if I sing like a donkey as long as they call me a nightingale.” |
42.1011-2 |
“‘The fasting of these Russian Orthodox Christians is just a case of this kind. “‘As long as they are called Christians and moreover Orthodox—even though they receive no shock whatever from the fast, is it not all the same? |
42.1012 |
“‘As I have already said, these Russian Orthodox Christians even of the present time very strictly observe the seasons and the days of the fasts indicated in the aforesaid codes. |
42.1012 |
“‘You will clearly understand how these contemporary Russian Orthodox Christians fast, if I repeat to you the exact words of one of these genuine Russian Orthodox Christians, spoken to me not long ago there in Russia. |
42.1012 |
“‘He was considered by those around him a very good Christian and the patriarchal father of a family; he was descended from what they call the “Old Believers.”’ |
42.1012 |
“Old Believers is the name given to those Orthodox Christians whose ancestors several centuries ago declined to accept the new rules then laid down by somebody or other for Russian Orthodox Christians, but remained faithful followers of the previously existing rules also laid down by somebody or other, only a century or two before the given ‘religious schism’ such as usually occurs among them from time to time. |
42.1012-3 |
“‘And so the said worthy Russian Old Believer’—I continued to the young Persian—‘once when we were dining together at his house in the company of several other Russians, also Orthodox Christians, turned to me and said: |
42.1013 |
“‘“Eh! old dear!” |
42.1013 |
“‘By the way, I must tell you that it is common among the beings of this group there, after the second glass of genuine Russian vodka, to call their acquaintances by various pet names such as “old dear,” “my Zapoopoonchik,” “my potbellied beauty,” “eh, my little brown jug,” and so on and so forth. |
42.1013 |
“‘And so this worthy genuine Orthodox Christian, addressing me as “old dear,” said: |
42.1013 |
“‘“Never mind, old dear! We shall soon be having Lent and then we shall feast together on real Russian dishes. |
42.1013 |
“‘“To tell the truth, here in Russia we almost always eat the same things during the ‘meat’ periods. |
42.1013 |
“‘“But it is quite a different story during the fasts, especially during Lent. |
42.1013 |
“‘“Not a day passes but one is privileged to see some of the most tasty dishes. |
42.1014 |
“‘“During fasts and especially during Lent, our homes are made happy by the frequent visits of the: Most Honorable ‘Sturgeon’ and the |
42.1015 |
“‘“Eh, Blessed Fishes, first created by our Creator! Have mercy on us and sustain us also in these ‘meat days.’ Amen.” |
42.1015 |
“‘After this prayer, this worthy Orthodox Russian Christian drained a monster glass of genuine refined Russian vodka and stared fondly at a little statue of “Venus and Psyche” which stood nearby. |
42.1015 |
“‘And indeed, my friend, almost every Russian Orthodox Christian has a similar idea of fasting and a similar attitude towards it. |
42.1015 |
“‘During these “Christian fasts” which passed to them from the Orthodox Greeks, they all eat the flesh of fish. |
42.1015 |
“‘It is not considered a “sin” among them to eat the flesh of fish, and they eat it heartily as a fast dish. |
42.1015 |
“‘I personally find only one thing incomprehensible—from where did these Russian “sorry Orthodox” get the idea that during the Christian fasts, especially during Lent, the flesh of fish may be eaten? |
42.1015 |
“‘I find it incomprehensible because the Orthodox Christians from whom they took this religion, namely, the Greeks, neither in the past nor in the present have ever eaten or do eat the flesh of fish during fasts. |
42.1015 |
“‘Even the Greeks of today eat fish during Lent only on one day, and even then in accordance with the code of the Orthodox Church in memory of a day associated with the Divine Jesus Christ. |
42.1015-6 |
“‘The result of a fast permitting the consumption of the flesh of fish not only gives no shock at all to the fasters, but is even directly contrary to what the Divine Jesus Christ himself intended and taught, and for which this custom was established by the great creators of this Christian religion. |
42.1022 |
“‘As you see from this, the creators of this custom had in view that the followers of that religion should abstain at the fixed times from those products which contain the substance very harmful for their health and particularly to their psyche. |
42.1022 |
“‘But the Russian sorry Orthodox Christians, who consider themselves faithful followers of that great religion, also fast, but during their fast they eat the flesh of fish, that is to say, they eat just those organisms which contain according to the researches of the great Hertoonano that harmful substance Eknokh, precisely to guard them against which that wise and salutary custom was created.’ |