I'm a non-denominational Christian raised in a Protestant

>>2206843

>All this quibbling and nit-picking.

Anon, you want to convert to Judaism. Then you can haggle with God and your sect to your heart's content.

>>2206843
>my relationship with God

Top kek! As a layman in true Orthodoxy/traditional catholicism you as a mere layperson have no "relationship" with God! Your only relationship with him is as a person kneeling down before a vast throne

>>2206851

I don't want to haggle, and I'm not trying to nit-pick. I am struggling for the sake of my salvation, hoping to discern what steps God is showing me.

I can accept the sincerity and truth behind the core of Orthodox Christianity; I am only wondering if I am able to abstain from those practices which contradict what understanding has been shown to me. (I of course accept that this understanding that I have may be incomplete, but I currently can't discern anything from God speaking to tell me that these practices are permissible, and so I couldn't take part without violating my Christian conscience.)

>>2206861

I would say that I do have a relationship with God. God has provided me many things: He's blessed me with both the strength to overcome adversity in my own life and the understanding to pursue Him and service to others.

As for me kneeling before the throne, what more can I do myself than give ourselves to over to the mercy and grace of God to participate in what he offers us? God, the sovereign creator of the universe, owes me nothing, but He has offered everything. I am only trying to walk according to what He shows me.

>>2206877
I understand your feelings towards Ikons; I don't really understand he whole window into heaven thing myself.

Intercession of the saints isn't all that far fetched though, what is your problem with it?

>>2206924

With respect to intercession: I have no problem with intercession by the saints. In fact, I believe that the saints are all alive in Christ, and I also believe it's reasonable that the saints are able to pray for us. If saints are able to see and respond to the world, I would also hope that they are praying for us.

The specific challenge, for me, is the concept that it's permissible to ask the saints to pray for us. From what I understand, as they are, they are spirit, as God is spirit, but they are inherently separate from the essence of God. The prophets, the Law, and Jesus all tell us that God is the sole spirit with whom we should attempt to communicate, and since a saint, though Holy and glorified, is not God, what understanding I have tells me that we should consciously seek to communicate with them. Even outside of the scope of "should and should not," I can't see why it's necessary to ask the saints for anything, as we already have a direct audience through Jesus Christ to the throne of God.

>>2206971

should not consciously***

>>2206877
Just believe what you want, not fucking hard. Why box yourself in to church dogma.

>>2206982

What you say is true; ultimately, I will believe what I believe. The reason I ask this is because my current understanding is leading me to believe that I would benefit from the community of the Church and being actively connected physically and spiritually to the greater body of believers.

>>2206843
>veneration of icons, the practice of "asking" intercession by saints
>cannot in good conscience contribute to

You don't ~have~ to if you don't want to.

>rejecting certain dogmas

You only reject it if you say no one else should.

>>2206971

Do you have a problem asking others (living people) to pray for you or someone else in need?

>attempt to communicate

You're not so much communicating with them as enlisting them as your message delivery boys to God who then convey your telegram in more appealing words. The response comes from God, not them.

>I can't see why it's necessary to ask the saints for anything

Why is it necessary to hire a lawyer when you have a direct audience with the judge? They have a clearer idea of the Judge's thought process and can use that to make more persuasive arguments based on previous cases.