Hello my siblings in Christ. Once I made a video ‘Bad Reasons to Convert and to Stay Orthodox’, which was about… well… bad reasons to convert to Orthodoxy and to be Orthodox. Today, we are doing something a little different. Today the focus will be on how you can be underwhelmed when converting. Bear in mind that none of these is a good reason enough for you not to continue on your journey towards Orthodox Christianity, but it is my hope that this video will save you some heartache when you experience some disappointing things about Orthodoxy. Bear in mind also that none of these issues are really Orthodox specific - they plague the entire humanity.
I was inspired to make a video after watching a video of a Catholic wedding. The intro had the most beautiful Gregorian chant, but the actual singing during service was not so beautiful. Another major reason for this video is that the internet has changed the world. Most of you know about Orthodox Christianity not because you encountered a missionary or started attending a local Orthodox Church, but because you heard about it somewhere online and it piqued your interest.
Things are different online. Online world will present, for the most part, an idealized version of Orthodoxy. This isn’t intentionally manipulative. There is no big Orthodox ministry of propaganda. Like everyone else, Orthodox people want to present the best of our tradition, and people are naturally drawn to that beauty and solemnity. You start listening to beautiful Orthodox music or you become enchanted by stunning Orthodox iconography covering the walls of a majestic Orthodox cathedral.
This is where the dissonance might come in. The choir you hear when you visit your first parish might be three people with very little talent at all; nothing like the beautiful choir from Mount Athos you’ve been hearing online. Instead of soaring domes with beautiful icons and a carved iconostasis, you get a rented hall with no domes and mere stands with printed icons.
Priests can be a mixed bag too. Some are zealous and engaged; some are disinterested and checked out. The priest you find in the parish may not have the majestic beard and air of holiness your favorite internet clergyman does. He might be an excellent preacher or he could be just meh. Parishioners too come in all shapes, sizes and forms - kind, pious, lunatic, obnoxious, sane, quarrelsome, or serene. They will have wildly different cultural and political views. They will vote for a party you think no sane Christian should ever vote for. Coming to love and bear with your fellow Orthodox Christians is right below the doctrines of the Church in importance.
Last, I would like to emphasize the differences in the atmosphere in Orthodox churches in countries where Orthodox Christianity is a majority and where it’s not, because these two Orthodoxies face different temptations. Often, non-majority Orthodoxy will not have churches and chants that are as beautiful as Orthodoxy in traditional countries. Its churches may be few and far between, taking multiple hours to reach. However, a huge benefit of minority Orthodoxy is that its faithful tend to be much more devout, and that is the secret to its growth.
By contrast, Orthodoxy in traditional Orthodox societies may be too incorporated in society at large. Lots of people will practice the religion or parts thereof simply out of habit, superstition, or fear of social stigma. Influential clergy can get a free pass for their failings, even when these are outright criminal. People may profess Orthodoxy on a census, but not practice it at all because they aren't really all that interested in Christ. Where Orthodoxy is the majority, expect tons of hypocrisy and lukewarmness.
Remember what I said at the beginning of the video - these issues are not specific to Orthodoxy. Even in Soviet Union where atheists were supposedly a majority, not every person was all that interested in destroying relics and melting bells. The majority simply did what was easiest - go with the flow.
So, when you find yourself put off by some Orthodox person's political opinion or substandard singing, don't be surprised. But don't be discouraged either. Your sole reason for conversion to Orthodoxy should be that you desire to worship the Most Holy Trinity in Spirit and Truth. Christ can save and heal you in the humblest hall as surely as in the most magnificent cathedral.
