Re: OT; OCA's statement on our 250 anniversary

On Sun, 3 May 2026 10:59:24 -0400
Retirednoguilt <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 5/2/2026 7:10 PM, T wrote:
> > This is the Orthodox Church in America's (OCA)
> > statement on America's 250 anniversary.  It
> > is a breath of fresh air.
> > 
> > https://www.oca.org/holy-synod/statements/holy-synod/statement-on-the-occasion-of-the-250th-anniversary-of-the-united-states-of-america
> > 
> > An excerpt:
> > 
> >     We give thanks to Almighty God for the United States of
> >     America—a nation that has, by the grace of God, afforded
> >     its people the freedom to worship, to follow the way of
> >     Jesus Christ, and to bear witness to the Gospel without
> >     fear or compulsion. We do not take these gifts for granted.
> >     They are blessings of divine providence, entrusted to us
> >     as a sacred responsibility. The freedom to gather in our
> >     churches, to catechize our children in the Faith, to
> >     proclaim the Resurrection of Christ openly and without
> >     hindrance—these are gifts for which every generation must
> >     give thanks to God and remain worthy stewards.  
> 
> It may be a breath of fresh ideas for those who share the same
> religious beliefs, but can (and often) is uncomfortable at best, and
> highly offensive at worst for those whose beliefs are different.
> That why the authors of our Constitution included as the FIRST phrase
> in the FIRST amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an
> establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof".

Indeed so.


> I'm glad that you find your quote from the Orthodox Church in America
> to be a breath of fresh air, but please realize that many others may
> not appreciate much less agree with those sentiments.

Giving thanks must *never* be cause for scorn or derision.