YO-Mail

(Young Orthodox Mail)

Vol. III No. 1

In this issue:

From the Office: Cyber-pals Go International and Thanks to our Readers Who Submitted Articles!

Food for the Soul: Praying the Lord’s Prayer

An Orthodox Look: Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

In the News: Students Step Forward to Stop Evil

On the Calendar: Real Break Deadline and IOCC “Souper Bowl” Approach!

Love and Dating: Our First Question!

Real Questions/Real Answers: Why Did God Create the Devil?

Readers Write: The Orthodox Church in Japan

From the Office: Cyber-pals Go International and Thanks to our Readers Who Submitted Articles!

Hello all!

We hope the New Year is going well for you and that you haven’t given up on those resolutions just yet. 2002 is proving to be an exciting time. We are receiving record numbers of cyber-pal requests from all over the world. At present we have hooked up people from every corner of the US and Canada, as well as South Africa, Moldova, Belgium, Japan, Macedonia, Lithuania, Russia, Bulgaria, and Greece. Want to join the crowd? Go to Church-wide Programs at http://yya.oca.org and find out how.

Also, we want to thank those of you who submitted articles and questions for this issue. Remember, our goal is for YO-Mail to be YOUR mail. So if you have something you’d like to share, send it to youth@oca.org and put YO-Mail article in the subject line. We’ll include it in an upcoming issue.

Food for the Soul: Praying the Lord’s Prayer

One of our readers found this on an Orthodox website and submitted it for YO-Mail. It’s a wonderful way to reflect on this prayer that we often take for granted, which was given by Jesus Christ Himself.

I cannot say OUR if I live only for myself.

I cannot say FATHER if I do not endeavor each day to act like His child.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am laying up no treasure there.

I cannot say HALLOWED BY THY NAME if I am not striving for holiness.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am disobedient to His word.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I will not serve Him here and now.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am dishonest or seeking things by subterfuge.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES if I harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately place myself in its path.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I do not put on the whole armor of God.

I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not give the King the loyalty due Him from a faithful subject.

I cannot say THE POWER if I fear what others may do.

I cannot say THE GLORY if I am seeking honor only for myself.

I cannot say FOREVER if the horizon of my life is bounded by the things of today.

- Author unknown

Our goal is make every word of this prayer come from our heart and mind. Let’s take this year as an opportunity to try and make that happen so that we can pray in truth and not just in word.

An Orthodox Look: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Reaction to “Fellowship of the Ring” - the first of the three Lord of the Rings movies – has been somewhat mixed. Some hail it as the epitome of beauty, awe and excitement while others report that it comes across more as a sword and sorcery epic than a realization of the more sincere vision of J. R. R. Tolkien. While Jackson overuses an intense swooping, diving, circling camera at moments when he should just rest and let the people and settings carry the moment and overuses his zoom lens, insisting on coming in tight on his characters every time danger threatens, as a whole the film captures the spirit of the book and beautifully portrays the world Tolkien spent so much time creating. Although fans of Tolkien may wish that this scene was cut or that scene wasn’t cut, the movie remains true to much of the spirit of the book and makes only necessary alterations to the storyline. Books and movies are different media, and a director can’t simply paste one onto the other. The actors, in particular Elijah Wood as Frodo and Ian McKellen as Gandalf, nail their parts and bring to life what many had only previously imagined.

On the upside:

• Legolas and Gimli are able to overcome centuries of racial intolerance and hatred. Diverse communities of creatures band together to overcome otherworldly evil despite various prejudices, which reveals the trivial nature of bigotry. Members of the fellowship put their lives at risk to protect Frodo and their noble quest, and two pay the ultimate price. Self-sacrifice leads to redemption.
• The Fellowship of the Ring (and the other books) has a strong belief in good versus evil. The good characters are good and the evil characters are evil. Tolkien does not believe in moral ambiguity.
• Unlike most movies, Gandalf and Arwen express their love without having to resort to sex. A few words and gestures are enough to convey how much they care for each other.
• Sam Gamgee models the power of a promise in his friendship with Frodo. He shows his deep sense of loyalty to Frodo and faithfully serves his “master.” While Frodo’s servant, Sam, is not a slave, he is an excellent example of how we should approach life in the Church as servants of Christ.
• When Frodo wishes aloud that the ring had never come to him, he learns that we all have burdens we'd rather not bear, given the choice.
• The temptation the ring brings to the champions of “good” such as Gandolf and the Elf Queen is the folly of thinking that something corrupt can be used for noble purposes. Gandalf warns a betrayer, "There is only one lord of the ring who can bend it to his will. And he does not share power," implying that those who give their souls to the enemy will be enslaved by him.
• The film is full of words of wisdom ranging from simple statements ("Even the smallest person can change the course of the world") to solemn warnings (“Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment since man can't see and understand enough to make those distinctions”). Mortals realize they must make the most of their time on earth.

On the downside:

• Although some of his other books discuss religion, the trilogy does not mention God or His place in Middle-Earth. Also, the good characters do not seem to strive for something better but stay statically “good.”
• Battle images are rather graphic, so this would not be something to take younger brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces to see.
• Evil seems to have too much power in the world. Sauron might actually be able to take over Middle-Earth. We know that Satan may have the illusion of victory but can never win. One might argue, though, that the same can be said for Sauron.
• While some Christian groups are tripping over themselves to endorse the film because of the Christian symbolism found in Tolkien’s books, viewers and readers may need to be reminded that this should be treated as a fantasy to be enjoyed as a great story. People should not view this as an opportunity to begin exploring witchcraft and sorcery, which are condemned by the Church.

In the News: Students Step Forward to Stop Evil

In New Bedford, MA, four high school students were arrested on November 24, 2001 for planning a Columbine-style massacre. Who can forget Columbine, where two students opened fire in a high school, killing 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves? Eric McKeehan, a suspect in New Bedford, has been quoted as saying, “I wanted it to be bigger than Columbine.”

Four teenagers, ranging in age from 15 to 17 have been charged in the conspiracy. The four have allegedly been planning for months to kill students and faculty at the high school. The students, who all felt like outcasts in the school, planned to detonate bombs and then gun down teachers and students as they fled the school. The plan was to kill as many teachers and students as possible. After the massacre, the four planned to go to the school roof and party with drugs and alcohol before killing each other.

Officials learned of the plot when a female suspect came forward because she feared that her favorite teacher would be killed. Amylee Bowman, a 17-year-old suspect in the case, was unwilling to expose her teacher to death or injury. The young woman told police “Ms. Jupin was like a mother to her, and that she was the only person in the whole world who felt love for her… that Ms. Jupin truly cared about her.”

This foiled school shooting is just one in a long series of school violence. But this one stands out, because the tragedy was halted before it had a chance to occur. As reported by the Chicago Sun Times in a March 2000 article about school shootings,

As it turns out, kids at school usually knew what would happen because the shooters had told them, but the bystanders didn't warn anyone. That disturbing pattern gives hope: If kids plan, there is time to intervene. If kids tell, teachers or parents might be able to learn what a student is planning--if they take time to ask.

The good news is, students are now starting to speak up and warn others of possible attacks. Whether they are speaking up to protect a loved one, or simply because they feel it is the right thing to do, they are starting to talk, and possible attacks are impeded. Although school violence remains a large problem in this country, there now appears to be hope that some tragedies can be prevented.

Submitted by Ksenia Babich

On the Calendar – “Souper Bowl” and Real Break Deadlines Approach

Baltimore, MD (IOCC) - For the fourth consecutive year, Orthodox Christian churches across the country will join a nationwide effort on Super Bowl Sunday to help organizations such as International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC). Orthodox young people will collect dollars in large soup pots during the "Souper Bowl of Caring" on Feb. 3, 2002 and then send the money to the charity of their choice.

The "Souper Bowl of Caring" began in Columbia, S.C., in 1990 and has grown into a grassroots movement linked with the national pastime of Super Bowl Sunday. In 2001, 12,500 congregations, including many Orthodox parishes, participated and generated $3.6 million for various charities.

Different groups participate in this in different ways. Some groups hold parties and charge an entry fee (either small monetary amounts such as $1-5, or non-perishable food items, or a clothing donation such gloves, a coat, etc.) and then bring these items to a nearby shelter or food panty. Other young people participate by holding large soup pots at their church exits to receive the donations. As parishioners leave worship on Super Bowl Sunday, they are invited to give $1 to help people in need. The young people, with the guidance of their youth leader or parish priest, then send the monetary donation to an organization of their choice.

This year, "Souper Bowl" organizers expect 14,000 churches to raise $4 million for worthy organizations nationwide. Once the donations are counted, each parish is asked to call 1-800-358-SOUP or visit www.souperbowl.org to report the amount collected, so that the efforts of Orthodox Christians can be added to the national total. All the money raised goes to the charities selected by the participants.

Founded in 1992, IOCC is the official humanitarian aid agency of Orthodox Christians in the United States. It has helped people in more than 20 countries through programs of emergency assistance, development and community empowerment.

For more fundraiser and service-oriented ideas check out "20-something Ideas for Fundraising" and "20-something Ways to Involve Youth in Christ-like Service".

Real Questions/Real Answers: Why Did God Create the Devil?

Q. MA from PA writes:

Ok, here you go. I have a tough question for you. I know you have an answer for me, so here it goes.

The question goes like this...

If God is perfect, then why did he create the Devil?  

And my parents already told me the bit about free will, and I said "well even if the devil did have free will (because he was an angel and all that), wouldn't God have known beforehand that the devil was going to mess things up?  If so, then why did He bother creating him?  

Okay, there's my question, I don't want anybody to lose faith over this one because I haven't, but I'm still confused about the whole thing. Maybe you could clear that one up...Maybe I shouldn't ask questions like this; you're just supposed to trust in God and not question him right? I don’t know. Anyway, I hope you can answer this one.

Thanks.

A. MA, Bishop Kallistos Ware wrote in his book, The Orthodox Church, that since we have the true faith we have nothing to fear from honest inquiry. Never be afraid to ask questions! Questions, when asked in a genuine spirit, serve to bolster and strengthen faith, not weaken it.

That said, questions about free will can make muddy water seem even muddier.

When God created Lucifer, He did know that Lucifer would rebel. For reasons we do not understand, God created him anyway. Lucifer freely chose to rebel and that is where we should place the emphasis. God gives us the freedom to choose and lets us choose despite knowing what the outcome will be. Again, the emphasis should be on our choosing, not His foreknowledge. Think about it. If God said, “Better not create him, he’ll just mess things up” to everyone who rebelled against Him, there would be no one on the planet, and then God would only love those who love Him back. That is not the God revealed to us in the Scriptures.

And remember, we do not blame Satan for the fall of Adam and Eve. They could have said “no” and remained faithful to the commandment God gave them. God creates by His will, only out of His unbounded love and wisdom. As rational beings, the angels (both good and bad) are created in His image. So, to attempt an answer to your question then, we could say God created Lucifer to give him the “actual” opportunity to choose to submit or to rebel.

What is truly important about the Scriptures is what they say about God and us:

• God is a truly loving God that gives the angels and us the ability to love Him because we want to, not because we are “made that way.”
• Since the very beginning we keep choosing to do what we want to do, rather than what God wants and is therefore actually better for us.
• It is we who have separated ourselves from God, not vice versa.

Readers Write: The Orthodox Church of Japan

Ksenia Babich writes:

Take a minute and imagine. Imagine that you are a young adult and you have moved to a new city, perhaps to go to school or maybe to start a new job. Imagine, that on your first weekend in this new city, you decide to find the local Orthodox Church. You negotiate the streets, you make your way through the public transportation system, and sure enough, you find the church, and you go inside. And in this strange city, suddenly, you feel at home. Everything is familiar: the icons, the smell of incense, the priests and the deacons all provide a sense of familiarity and belonging. You venerate the icons and you find a place to stand, waiting for the service to begin. Perhaps you get lost in thought or prayer, just waiting for the familiar words that you know will come. And you hear, “shu awareme yo, shu awareme yo, shu awareme yo”. Quickly, you realize, this isn’t just like home.

This story is a true story about my first visit to Nikolai-do. Nikolai-do is the affectionate name for Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral, headquarters of the Orthodox Church of Japan. The name comes from the great missionary, St. Nikolai of Japan, who labored and served to bring the Orthodox faith to the Asian people. St. Nikolai, a contemporary of St. Innocent, Enlightener of America, labored for more than 50 years in Japan. He zealously studied the Japanese language and culture, and spent the majority of his time in Japan translating the necessary Orthodox texts from Russian into Japanese. Through St. Nikolai’s efforts, as well as the efforts of those who followed him, Orthodoxy in Japan grew.

Attending Liturgy in Japan is not any different than attending Liturgy anywhere else in the world. Liturgy in Japan is served completely in Japanese. The best way to feel a part of the church is to become a part of the church. Quickly, one learns the Japanese responses: “shu awareme yo”, meaning, “Lord, have mercy”, and “shu nanji ni”, meaning “To Thee, O Lord”. When one can learn the simple responses needed in a service, the Liturgy truly becomes what it intended to be: the service of the people. Other cultural differences that may exist need to be accepted as well. Although our cultures may be different, our faith remains the same.

Christianity in Japan, particularly Orthodox Christianity, is not widespread. In a land that is dominated by Buddhism and Shinto, proclaiming and spreading the Gospel is an uphill battle. But, through such great missionaries as St. Nikolai and those who came after him, the Church has grown and remains strong in Japan. And it has been a true blessing to be a part of the Orthodox community during my time in Japan.

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