By Nick Stamatakis
We have been absent for a couple of weeks, so it would be good to catch up with a few events we missed… I am sure most of you have seen the photo of the Archbishop playing golf in Arizona, during the Leadership 100 conference… The underlying purpose of releasing this photo, we were told, was to show that the Archbishop is being “Americanized”…
Yes, “Americanized” he appeared to be… As we all know, in America, what matters the most is appearances… Forget about the “old country”, forget about Instanbul, forget about the faith and ministry, who cares about these? He had to appear “Americanized”…
If anything should annoy us, it should not be the golf club, neither the hat and gloves nor the “immaculate” style… It should be the care for appearances… Elpi continued down the slippery slope of appearances with more photos… This time with “Lady Eleni” (Bousis), the mother of the one “spouse” of the “Gay Baptism” couple. Who is also a member of the Archdiocesan Council… And the Leadership 100 board of trustees… Who did not miss the opportunity to fire up more “appearances” in Arizona… Below you can see a monumental “smooching” splashing all over the “Americanized” Archbishop…
But in the end, AB Elpidophoros’ heart could not be moved one inch from where it belongs, to the “old country”… He had to pay a personal visit to the Turkish Consul in NYC to announce that GOARCH would create an “Earthquake Relief Fund for Turkiye and Syria”… Was this the same Turkish Consul that was invited – FOR THE FIRST TIME IN GOARCH HISTORY – two years ago to the 79th Street headquarters? Yes, he probably was…
Did Elpidophoros have to pay the visit? No, he did not… But things, my friends, have now changed… This is not the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America anymore… This is the Turkish Foreign Ministry Religious Outpost in America (and England, Canada, and Australia…)
Yet some of us worry about “apostolic succession”… The “Titanic” is sinking, yet our number one worry is “apostolic succession”… To whom? Please find me one of the Patriarchate’s Archbishops around the World that ANY of you would not have a problem to kiss their hand… They are all terminally flawed… After you answer this question, we can talk about “apostolic succession”…
February 17, 2023, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
Anastasios of Albania. We do not miss the hand of priest/Bishop because we respect them but rather because they touch Body of Christ.
We have repeatedly praised Anastasios of Albania from these pages and I personally feel very close to him as he was a friend and associate of my late mentor in the Univ. of Athens, Professor George V Kavadias… Do you remember the personal attacks against him last year by Kalmoukos and TNH? We cannot consider Anastasios a typical Patriarchate Archbishop… especially because he opposed Bartholomew on Ukraine’s cacocephaly… Take a look at the rest: Elpi, Makarios, Nikitas, Sotirios, Cleopas, Athonagoras… Should I go on? Whose hand would you dare kiss? I first heard this question from the faithful of Paris, France as they were telling me the Bulgarian escort scandal with Emmanuel and Maximos..,
Thankfully he decided to keep his robe on!
😂😂. Welcome back Stamatakis! 👏🏻👏🏻
Τουρκοαμερικανακι! 😂 Too funny….
Do not yield, submit, or obey!
These people have forsaken Christ’s duly authorized Church which is the pillar and ground of the truth.
1 Tim 3:15
Jesus, declaring open warfare against the religious authorities of His time; exposed them for who they are – false teachers and control freaks driven by power, greed, and the lust for domination and authority.
Nick, you asked for one Bishop and I gave you one-ANASTASIOS. He is a man of faith, a true Shepard. Despite his disagreements with the patriarch, he has not created an independent Orthodox church. The Ephraim monasteries have not created an independent church. Read St John Chrysostoms negative opinion of his fellow bishops, yet he did not created an independent church. Our church is made of flawed leaders and flawed laity but the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
We need to detach from the Patriarchate… they are the schismatics and the heretics and not us. This is not simply flawed – it’s terminally flawed as they are about to legalize homosexuality and abandon the faith at so many levels that we cannot consider them part of the faith…
Oh lookey there – next to Elpidoforos,
why it’s Eleni Bousis …
mommy of rich gay baptism dude of
last summer;
that fiasco cost Elpi tons of outrage and reprimands from even Bartholomew,
the Mt. Athos monks and
The Assembly of Bishops –
with a side order of
Petition to remove him…
and
talk of demonstration outside 79th St. Archdiocese.
Yet we’re still stuck with this inelegant fool!!
Once again Helleniscope, you are right about the Patriarchate being the schismatics and the heretics. This is not the average body of Christ following church dwellers who seek such reformation. Members in Leadership 100 “club” are encouraging a schism, as many believe the church as it exists today with all it’s hierarchal/heretical faults, just needs the fine tuning of “inclusion” for future expansion and propagation. The Orthodox Church needs much more than inclusion…These seeds will never take root and bear fruit assuredly by God’s promise.
Good fruit is that which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a starting place: the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, AND SELF-CONTROL. The more we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, the more this fruit is evident (Galatians 5:16, 25). The Holy Spirit is NOT the same as free will, doing as one does choosing freely and habitually. Jesus told His followers, “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16). Righteous fruit has eternal benefit.
Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” (John 15:4–5). A branch must stay firmly attached to the trunk to stay alive. As disciples of Christ, we must stay firmly connected to Him to remain spiritually productive. Man can not change the broken thinking of a fallen Orthodox Church transforming it so that it fits within the confines of cultural acceptance. Only Christ can change the hearts of those within.
There will always be those in our culture who seek edification, recognition, notoriety and acceptance by cozying up to cultural/pop icons and celebrities, placing them on pedestals as idols of worship and adornation such as an Elpidoktonos, for purposes of an autograph, a media smiling photo op proudly visible for all to “admire”; the opportunity to bow, yielding submission while kissing hands gushing overboard with such glowing phrases of adulation befitting only of a “king” and “savior to Orthodoxy” as “a visionary leader who loves, welcomes, embraces, unites and engages in communication between the old and new members. He is a spiritual leader without judgment and condemnation.” Give me a break. Stop the insanity! Calling this unholy Turkish Agent a “spiritual leader” couldn’t be farther off the beaten track, as it shows one’s complete ignorance in scripture, church canon laws, revealing the pure darkness from within, the lack of truth and revelation knowledge as written in His Word.
I realize some of these very same people may be your friend(s) and or family members who hold these lies and beliefs as steadfast absolute truths. These are the very chains which bind strangling the Orthodox Church today keeping it mired in corruption and blasphemy and from walking in God’s Will.
I ask everyone who acknowledges that we are living in the end days, does one really want to spend their last bit of precious time on earth walking with heretics? Or, would you rather seek communion and assembly in meaningful prayer with a body of Christian believers where your mind, body, soul and heart can be fed with the true light of Jesus Christ?
Beautifully stated truths…
A bit long winded sounding
that Protestant sermon!
“Lady Eleni Bousis” certainly pulls strings with her money,
think how much power she wields on those boards to further her homo agenda to dismantle Orthodoxy?
This demonic force runs Elpidoktonos.
Really scary
Nick, do you worship and receive the Eucharist in a GOA church? If so, you should stop if you believe the GOA, which is under the patriarch, is schismatic/heretical. This would demonstrate your integrity. If you choose to stay your hypocrisy is obvious. Likewise, those on this blog who espouse your beliefs, should also refrain from receiving the Eucharist in GOA churches.
I believe , as many on this blog do, that there are serious flaws within the GOA, but ii believe it remains the Body of Christ.
Additionally, if a new quasi church were to be formed, would there be leadership or would each parish function independently – maybe you would be in charge. Reform is needed but you are advocating for the wrong process and that process leads to Protectionism.
What is the right process? Depending on the decisions of a terminally flawed Patriarch leading a terminally flawed Synod or maybe waiting for the Country Club of 79th Street to take action? Where do you put the limits of patience?
Nick, obviously you avoided my question. I do not know the correct process and only the Holy Spirit can reveal the proper process but your process leads to Protestantism. I know repentance leads to Godly change.
I know for sure that what we are going through does not lead to Godly change… Does the term “globo-homo” mean anything to you? This is where the Patriarchate is going – starting from the top, Bartholomew himself. And please don’t entice me to add more detail and more “sauce” to what they all have done… I have said enough over the last few years… What bothers me and all of us is that they have institutionalized their degeneracy, and they are a few steps away from hijacking the whole of Western Orthodoxy, which they treat as if it was their own property… We still have some hope in Eastern Orthodoxy – but it remains to be seen…
Jk-
I’m sorry to say that the Orthodox Church is not a spirit lead church. No way Jose, not even close! In a lifetime of church attendance, I have never felt His presence in any Orthodox Church service. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Zero. Services are too controlled and our priests don’t allow for the Holy Spirit to enter. I can lead you to many churches outside of Orthodoxy where assemblies of congregants can and will experience the presence of the Holy Spirit regularly. Will you attend with me?
Protestantism isn’t a curse, a bad word, nor a sin. Your Ethnophyletism is embarrassing. Protestantism isn’t an affront to Jesus like embracing same sex relationships and marriages are to Christ in the Orthodox Church.
Ethnophyletism is a general problem of Orthodox Churches around the world, not just a problem in the US. Forgetting the biblical, patristic and spiritual basis of the Orthodox Church is an even worse problem and it has infected all Orthodox Churches around the world to varying degrees of intensity.
JK – then so be it!
Those loyal to Orthodoxy
don’t care …
freedom from scoundrels and
secularism is why monks fled to the desert.
Margaret, I am sorry that you have not experienced the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church. My experience is very different. I look forward to Sunday worship and am often moved to tears during the Holy Week services. Obviously, you have abandoned the Orthodox Church. I pray you experience Christ in your place of worship.
How in the world did you get the idea that I am an ethnophyletist. I attend a GOA church that worships all in English rather the other churches in town which use Greek. By the way, it is Protestant churches that have beeb in the forefront of accepting same sex relationships and marriage.
The current hierarchy of the GOA are swine: beasts in cassocks, fat bellied greedy, narcissistic evil men who do not give a hoot about the church Canons, nor you or I. They engage in government chicanery.
As for independent churches – free of government control – lest you forget or do not know – Lyndon Johnson (1954) gave non profit status to all US churches. The governments dirty fingers control the churches.
The early churches in America were independent churches as were early Americans. They survived without hierarchy and the Crown government control.
Nowhere in the Bible is there mention Orthodox Christian or Protestant Christian as far as I can tell.
Christ IS the Church!
Not Bart or Elpi or Franklin Graham or the Pope! Read the Bible.
So you are holier than others because you experience tears at Sunday Orthodox Christian worship?
US ‘non profit status churches’ must obey the government ‘globo homo agenda’. That’s the game plan since Obama lit up the White House in rainbow colors.
Agreed JK –
its transparent Margaret has disdain for her Greek heritage
but must she plaster the
unending, boring Bible thumping?
God have mercy. No faithful Christian should ever speak irreverently of God’s Holy Word. God’s Word is the bread of life, the sword of the spirit, our weapon in spiritual battle, petition, praise, prayer, and comfort. One of the deepest wounds of Orthodoxy has just been exposed and laid bare by the comment of Steve Lincoln. “Bible” does not belong in the same sentence as “boring.” That is blasphemous. Scripture tells us that those who love God’s Word, read God’s Word, will hunger for more and more of God’s Word. God have mercy on the Christian – including Orthodox Christians who do not understand this truth. Our Lord and Savior stood and rested on God’s Word during the temptations against Him by Satan. Yet – we are not only dismissive of God’s Word – but we also have no shame for airing and showing our disdain and disgust for the Bible – and those who love God’s Word. “Do not be deceived; God will not be mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). The root and cause of this is not only fueled by the darkness – it is by its very nature demonic at its core.
my bad >
certainly not holy bible that’s boring
it’s way Margaret plasters her disdain for Orthodoxy & completely strays from topic at hand.
Steve, thanks for your humility. Acknowledgement when we have done something wrong is difficult and an indicator of humility. Thanks.