What we put into our minds does make a difference
We have become a nation obsessed with violence, and our entertainment proves it. Movies portraying extremes in violence make huge sums of money for producers, studios and actors, while polluting the minds of millions of people with sick images of darkness, evil and extreme violence. The producers of twisted and evil movies would have us believe the unbearably savage acts of violence that are increasing in our society, have nothing to do with them.
We are becoming desensitized towards violence, and the film industry would have us believe it has nothing to do with them. When we allow ourselves and our children to be exposed to the violent rot and stench of Hollywood’s best, do we wonder why borderline people act out movie plots and kill innocent people?
When we allow anyone to purchase military style weapons, are we really surprised when a deranged or evil person actually purchases them to kill innocent people, or kill our police officers? Do we really believe the Founding Fathers meant for all of us to have the right to have military style weapons in our homes, along with armor piercing bullets?
What we put into our minds does make a difference, and if we want our children to grow up to become sensitive, loving, and caring people, we have to know that the movies they watch, the video games they play and the company they keep, does make a difference.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Monday July 18, 2016 / July 5, 2016
5th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Venerable Athanasius of Mt. Athos (1003) and his six disciples.
Uncovering of the relics (1422) of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (1392).
Martyrdom of St. Elizabeth Romanov and Nun Barbara(1918).
Venerable Agapitus, confessor (1936).
Martyr Anna at Rome (304).
Martyr Cyrilla of Cyrene in Libya, a widow .
Venerable Lampadus, monk, of Hirenopolis (10th c.).
Icon of the Mother of God “Economissa”.
New Martyr Cyprian of Koutloumousiou Monastery, Mt. Athos (1679) (Greek).
New Martyrs Grand Dukes Sergius Mikhailovitch, Princes John Constantinovich, Constantine, Igor Constantinovich and Vladimir.
St. Morwenna, patroness of Morwenstow (England) (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Synaxis of 23 Saints of Lesbos (Greek).
Hieromartyr Stephen, bishop of Rhegium, disciple of the Apostle Paul, and with him Bishop Suerus and the women Agnes, Felicitas, and Perpetua (1st c.).
Martyr Athanasius, deacon of Jerusalem (451).
Scripture Readings
Romans 12:4-5
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Romans 12:15-21
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 12:9-13
Healing on the Sabbath
9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.
When I spoke about this exact same thing, parents shrugged it off and told me it was “just harmless entertainment or fun!” I could not have expressed it better than Abbot Tryphon. We should encourage everyone to seek more peaceful, constructive and Spiritually Profitable “entertainment and fun.” Perhaps then, people will recognise the tragic Spiritual State of our world and be compelled to improve it step by step!! With Love in Christ, Marguerite Paizis
Very Reverend Abbot Tryphon, you lost me with the gun-control dribble- stick with the thought-control– that is why we are seeing all the murder and mayhem– irresponsible politicians, a compliant media elite, and no accountability– of course society is going to act out atrociously. Law of attraction– “What we put into our heads we manifest into our lives.” Perhaps, that is why “Fear not” is annotated in the Bible so many, many times? Love your thoughts. God bless you ALWAYS! Scotty/Sioux City
Father,
Thank you.
If we as individuals were motivated by the love for our neighbors, we probably wouldn’t make trash movies or trash products of any kind.
Attempting to imagine that I love my neighbor as myself, I ask myself “would I make or sell military arms for the public?” And my answer is: “yeah, maybe, maybe not”.
Orthodox believers do fight against tyranny. Saint Nestor did seek and receive Saint Demetrios’ blessing to defeat Lyeios, so maybe I would.
At the same time, I wouldn’t want to be judged for what people did with those arms made by me, so maybe not.
My understanding is that the founding fathers of this country were concerned with governments or others taking away citizens rights. Their solution was to include the right to bear arms, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. Recent historical events surrounding despots like Stalin and Hitler show what’s possible when citizens are not legally armed, cannot legally speak, and are legally jailed or murdered for their beliefs.
The right to arms or speech or worship does not give people the right to hurt people. It does give people the means to defend their neighbors from tyranny. I believe the solution to stopping murder is something other than legal limitation of those rights.
I very much enjoy your Morning Offering. It is filled with good and uplifting words that we all need to hear. I was however disappointed with this one. You used it to express an anti-gun political viewpoint that I believe was inappropriate. Your comments on violence and our acceptance of it were right on in my estimation though. It is precisely the fact that law abiding citizens are allowed to keep military style weapons that makes it possible for you to freely express your opinions. The second Amendment was a part of the US Constitution not because our founding fathers thought that hunting was a fun sport worth protecting, but because we had just fought a civil war against a corrupt government. Our founding fathers wanted the people, not the civil authorities, to have the ability to protect themselves so that they could prevent further abuses by the government. As proof of this, the Continental Army was almost abolished because of the strong fear that people had of a standing army. It is a hard fact to think about, but it is the truth. I say this as a government official myself. God forbid, if we were to ever have a rabidly atheist government or one in which sharia law was implemented, those very military style weapons that you criticize would be very important in the defense of Christians against those that want to marginalize and kill them. For my part, I believe that the fact that American citizens have them has a lot to do with why it hasn’t happened yet and hopefully is unlikely to ever happen here. It is a sad case of economia, but it is reality. A firearm is an inanimate object that can be used for sporting purposes, as a tool to protect livestock from predators, defend or to maliciously kill. No different than a truck, such as the case in France this last week. Alcohol and vehicles cause far more deaths than military style rifles. Yet I don’t hear a cry to outlaw either of them. The AR-15 is the most commonly used sporting rifle in competition today. That includes the Olympics in certain events. I am sorry to get political in a religious blog, but I felt that I had to respond. I believe that strong Second Amendment rights are very important for our freedoms to be maintained. That includes our religious freedoms. I make these comments as a career law enforcement officer with 16 years of experience and as a veteran. Thank you again for the wonderful comments you provide each day. They are a blessing. I just felt that this one needed to be addressed. I pray that God blesses you in your calling and thank you for your prayers.