Eastern Orthodox vs Western Roman Catholic

Icons change

The changes made to icons light skin, blond hair etc. happens later as Roman Catholic influence of Pope Innocence begins the separation of the Eastern Church and the Western Church by his claim to infallibility which the Eastern Church seated in Constantinople refused as man cannot be infallible. So Innocent sent a paper bull to excommunicate the Eastern Church (Orthodox) and the Eastern Church sent the paper bull back excommunicating him from the Eastern Church. It goes a bit deeper with the Roman Catholic Church creating statuary which the Eastern Church found to be in line with idolatry. So in truth Catholic which means universal, is not the same as the Roman Catholic Church which has deemed to identify its self with being called the Catholic Church a misnomer, as it would be and is the Roman Catholic Church, if we're going to stay with the true meaning of words. The Roman Catholic Church has more blood on it's hands in spreading the word of Christ than any other Christian based church. The Inquisition, the Crusades, Manifest Destiny and today with allowing Priests that have been caught abusing children to continue to wear the robes of priesthood.

If we are to be true to the teachings of Christ then we must stand up for what is true and right. If we choose to be complacent then we allow things to get worse rather than to take a stand and say enough!

When we see suffering we tend to look away, after all that's their suffering. But the true compassion of Christ, which is no different than that of Buddha, or any other enlightened being is to practice what one preaches. Christ never taught anyone to be Christian he taught to love the world, to love each other, to have compassion of all life. Not to go out and kill each other for some ideology that has far reaching and selfish goals. Who here wants any other power to come and force us to be a certain way because they feel it's the best way of life?

Was that was Christ taught? His own people that were chosen rejected him and in doing so lost the path of the chosen ones. Christ said those that I have sent to have rejected me, the chosen are those to accept me as the light.

But we tend to forget and put materialism in the way of spiritualism. Look to be spiritual while in fact you can't help be spiritual it is in your very nature, you have that breath of the Sacred with you and without you. But seeking and choosing to reach your potential is what this quest in this life is really about. To be in Love with life, and those around you. To see and acknowledge that life force with in each person and that everything in this world and universe is a part of that not apart from.

To remember that all we see and don't is life. To cherish life and celebrate it each and everyday. To love ourselves, not in an egotistical way but love like a new mother that sees her child and holds that child for the first time. Unconditional true love.

For far too long we have allowed heads of state and heads of religions to control us to lead us not towards the light but away. We've allowed ourselves to be sold a bill of goods that reeks of rot, yet we say it's smells like roses.

Time to step up to the plate, be responsible for what we allow this world to become. Allow at least 1 generation but best is to act and think for 7 generation ahead. Allow our actions to carry for thought of the future generations so they too may live, flourish as our ancestors had the opportunity to. What legacy are we leaving our children and theirs? Clean air, water, safe soils, plants that can grow from one generation to the next?

Are we that selfish that we can only walk through this life conscious only of me mine and I?

I would hope that we have the courage to stand up for our grandchildren, that we can be selfless and generous, that we can deprive ourselves if need be to provide for our great grandchildren rather than to think or say we'll I won't know them so who cares.

See the light within yourself and then see that light with in all that is around you. Rekindle the light and spread it within yourself then spread it without. Then we can call ourselves, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and God like.