Monks fight it out for the Church's soul

[everythingsxen]

Speaking of the Antichrist, these monks have their own opinion:

SEVEN monks have been injured after rival groups armed with crowbars, sledgehammers and fire extinguishers fought for control of a rebel monastery on Mount Athos, the self-governing peninsula in northern Greece where women are forbidden from entering.

Police said the battle at Esphigmenou monastery erupted when a group of monks loyal to Patriarch Bartholomew I tried to establish a new library on the premises. They were confronted by the resident rejectionist monks, who refuse to recognise Bartholomew’s authority as the spiritual head of 250 million Orthodox believers around the world. The rebels vehemently oppose efforts to improve ties between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Vatican.

The injured were transported by boat off the peninsula. One monk was treated for serious head injuries, two received minor bruises and a fourth had respiratory problems after a fire extinguisher was emptied in his face, local hospital sources said. Three monks were banned from re-entering the sanctuary.

Esphigmenou has isolated itself from the 19 other monasteries perched on serene Mount Athos. Its Orthodox zealots have long hung a banner on its 1,000-year-old walls proclaiming the Pope as the Antichrist. Bartholomew, elected Patriarch in 1991, has made warm overtures to the Vatican, enraging the Greek church’s small but vocal rejectionist wing.

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[everythingsxen]

1. (6)

[Hardrada]

2. Is this the 9th Century or what?

Histories of Byzantium abound with episodes of this sort.

[Skidmore]

5. Personally, I'm looking forward in time. I say it's time

to start an order of the Bene Gesserit and start perfecting the weirding ways.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Now there was a real bunch

of sweethearts. :sarcasm:

I do like the thing they do with their voices. I've actually been able to make use of that concept on occasion.

[Skidmore]

8. I'd say you are Reverend Mother material.

May I sign up as an acolyte so I can learn "the voice" from you?

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. I will take that

has a huge compliment. :blush:

Thanks

[BoneDaddy]

9. Dune

Great books. But the Bene Gesserit, unfortunately, were not without corruption.

[knitter4democracy]

12. The Byzantine Church still exists.

That's why it sounds familiar--those guys are part of it. Hubby and I used to be in the Greek Orthodox Church and under His Eminance, Patriarch Bartholomew. Trust me, crazy politics there. At least Patriarch Alexii of Moscow is a bit more level-headed and keeps things more sane.

[DeSwiss]

3. It would be difficult indeed...

...to think of a period in which religious conflict, creating hardship, injustice, violence and death hasn't existed. The religious sacred writings are themselves a testament to this.

And if the conflict is not with a rival belief, then it is always within themselves. Creating sectarian hatreds measured by the millennia. I believe that one should consider this aspect of religion's facade, whenever they examine what it is they believe.

[GreenZoneLT]

4. Were they ninja monks using kung fu?

Because that would be awesome.

If the Pope is the Antichrist, then once again the Bible is all tease and no payoff. How many freakin' popes before the Antichrist gets around to all that Book of Revelation jazz? We're still WAITING for ArmaGEDDON, already.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. Waiting for Armageddon?

What would you call Iraq for the last 3.5 years?

[everythingsxen]

13. Actually LT...

If you read the Prophecy of St. Malachy... the last Pope is supposed to be the False Prophet who leads the false Church into service of the antichrist. If you believe that stuff.

[knitter4democracy]

11. Yeah, that's my church.

:eyes:

Yes, there are weirdos in our midst and always have been. Mt. Athos is a holy place, and those guys know better than to resort to violence on holy ground. I hope their bishop kicks their butts somehow.