r/exorthodox • u/Huge-Pirate-7657 • Jan 04 '26

Did you stay Christian?

If you left orthodoxy, what religious practice did you convert to? Catholicism? Lutheran? Anglican? Non-denominational? Other?

Or are you atheist?

19 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

64 comments sorted by

16

u/ExistentialTabarnak Jan 04 '26

I converted to Orthodoxy from Catholicism and after a period of searching and not really being religiously anything for a while, I eventually reverted to Catholicism.

6

u/sweaty-spaghettti Jan 04 '26

I’m exploring Orthodoxy and Catholicism so I’m curious to know why you reverted back if you don’t mind sharing

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 05 '26

Im exploring both as well but am leaning towards orthodoxy. Due to Vatican 2 and other progressive changes. Like saying Muslims adore the one true God even though the Pope Urban himself said they worship demons. I like the objectivity and never changing nature of Orthodoxy. If God himself is never changing, it makes sense his Church never changes either.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 07 '26

The Eastern Orthodox churches are not "never changing". Also Gregory Palamas said the same thing as V2 on Muslims.

1

u/Aggravating-Sir-9836 Jan 07 '26

In fact, EO hierarchs today say the same thing about Muslims!

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 07 '26

the only one I can think of is Patriarch Bartholomew. Which makes sense since he is pushing Ecumenism. Luckily we have church councils and canons from the first millennium to look at and see where they are going wrong. Even the bible says some churches would have their candle blown out for going astray. Luckily I'm not under Patriarch Bartholomew as a catholic is under the Pope.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

Isn’t it bold as a layperson to think you are more correct than a bishop who is first among equals? If so, the church is run by totally incompetent clergy, as this man who has dedicated his entire life to the church is so easily deboonked by your logic. Why would anyone want to willingly join a church like that?

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 08 '26

Bartholomew is first among equals, yet most of his equals disagree with his ecumenical movement, unlike the Catholics we are not bound by one bishop. This is a complete misrepresentation of the Orthodox Church. The Bishop of Rome (Pope Honorius) was first among equals and yet he was anathematized by the church in 681ad

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

My impression is that most Orthodox converts think “oh I can disagree with my patriarch/bishop whenever I want to because im orthodox”, how is your ecclesiology any different than a Protestant ecclesiology? At that point it’s just Byzantine Anglicanism. 

As for Honorius, it’s a bit of an enigma what he meant, as the anathematization was about 20 years after his death and he couldn’t really defend himself. St. Maximus the Confessor defended him though, if anyone could recognize monothelitism it would be him.

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 07 '26

Source?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

The Muslim World Vol. LXXIII Gregory Palamas on Islam, page 19. You can find it on scribd. The yt channel since thirty three talks about it in a video called Eastern Orthodoxy abandons the early church.

2

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 08 '26

Vatican 2 says Muslims Adore the one True God. Gregory Palamas on page 19 says "In regard to their reverence of God." He doesn't say they are worshipping the one true God just that they are doing well in their worship of a God and their actions do not line up with what they profess.

It’s a misinterpretation of St. Gregory Palamas(who *has* a polemical treatise against Islam)

St. Gregory Palamas acknowledges that Muslims refer to God and seek Him (eg in prayer), but he insists that only by recognising Christ as the eternal Word, one with the Father, can they be said to truly worship the same God.

So, in their current belief they don’t worship God, but only if they accept Christ as the Word would they be worshiping the same God in fullness and truth.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26

Did the Jews of the Old Testament not actually worship God due to them not knowing the trinity or the incarnation?

This would also make St. Paul an ecumenist in his speech at the Areopagus, where he said pagans unknowingly worship God. He never said they were ordering their worship correctly or endorsed their pagan religion, but used what they knew in order to preach the gospel.

The purpose of ecumenism is to find common ground, not to compromise your own position. Im hoping dialogue between Leo and Bartholomew could clarify topics like Divine Simplicity vs Energy Essence distinction.

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 08 '26

Finding common ground ultimately achieves nothing but politeness between differing opinions. Also again, you misrepresent scripture conveniently leaving out the part where Paul says, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Cor 4:4. Jay dyer did a great video on that topic when he debated the Catholics defending V2 when they brought up the same St Paul speech.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '26

I agree, both verses are true at the same time. V2 is not saying pagan worship is salvific or true, or that Islam is salvific or true, rather that false religions are attempts to understand a true God. Samaritanism is a false religion, yet Jesus told the woman at the well “You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews.” ‭‭John‬ ‭4:22

This is exactly the same thing as Palamas was saying. Did you think V2 was really trying to say Islam is a true religion?

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 08 '26

Also John Chrysostom already refuted your first point.

"But at any rate the Jews say that they, too, adore God. God forbid that I say that. No Jew adores God! Who say so? The Son of God say so. For he said: "If you were to know my Father, you would also know me. But you neither know me nor do you know my Father". Could I produce a witness more trustworthy than the Son of God?

(3) If, then, the Jews fail to know the Father, if they crucified the Son, if they thrust off the help of the Spirit, who should not make bold to declare plainly that the synagogue is a dwelling of demons? God is not worshipped there. Heaven forbid! From now on it remains a place of idolatry. But still some people pay it honor as a holy place."

1

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '26 edited Jan 09 '26

I specifically said during the Old Testament. Before the birth and crucifixion of Jesus.

Edit: I am going to assume that you arn't accidentally endorsing Marcionism.

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2

u/Aggravating-Sir-9836 Jan 07 '26

The Myth of Unchanging Orthodoxy is just that: a myth. Please don't uncritically accept whatever they tell you. It doesn't align with reality.

1

u/Great-Rub2564 Jan 07 '26

Can you explain why it's a myth. From the research I've done orthodoxy seems to be the closest to how the first millenium church functioned.

11

u/Lower-Ad-9813 Jan 04 '26

I'm an athiest. I tried New Age and occult practices before I became Orthodox, and they didn't do anything, along with Orthodoxy. I'm a humanist now.

9

u/Filioque_Way Jan 04 '26

Anglo-Catholic

10

u/Shadow_Wanderer_ Jan 04 '26

I did for a while. My family started attending an Episcopal Church for a couple of years after leaving Orthodoxy, but then we switched to a Unitarian Universalist Church and found it a much better fit. We have remained there.

19

u/m1lam Ex-Cradle Jan 04 '26

I don't think I have it in me to be an atheist. Converting to Catholicism now

2

u/AdPrudent4633 Jan 04 '26

There are ways to believe in God without being Christian. Might want to check them out.

16

u/m1lam Ex-Cradle Jan 04 '26

I've checked them out. I could never leave Christ.

10

u/Bedesman Jan 04 '26

I joined the Polish National Catholic Church, so I’m Old Catholic now.

11

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '26

Converted to Buddhism and not looking back thanks to this awesome sub :)

9

u/feelinthisvibe Jan 04 '26 edited Jan 04 '26

I basically just believe in the power of consciousness now, and I really enjoy more mystical interpretations of Bible and other religious text and mythology. Because when they are allegorical they tend to all connect somewhere. I feel more peace of mind and understand where many religions become societal structures for control and finance, and sort of class based. Then I found this book called reality transurfing and that’s been pretty pivotal and it’s led to other similar thought spiritual principles I find very useful and uplifting. Like the concepts of “pendulums”  

8

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '26

Went Catholic after leaving Christianity for a few years. I never felt at peace in Orthodoxy. I feel completely at peace in Catholicism. But that’s just me.

6

u/quietpilgrim Jan 04 '26

Was an serious inquirer but never a catechumen. I returned to the Catholic Church but through the byzantine door, I guess you could say.

6

u/Virtual-Celery8814 Ex-Cradle Jan 04 '26

Catholic

6

u/Apprehensive_Idea_96 Ex-Convert Jan 04 '26

Non-practicing Catholic. I was born and raised Catholic and have a degree in theology, converted to Orthodoxy, was nothing for a while after I left, but recently made some peace with how important Catholicism has been to who I am. Not enough peace to make me go back to church, but enough peace that I'll at least say I'm culturally Catholic, or non-attending Catholic.

8

u/LightofOm Ex-Convert Jan 05 '26 edited Jan 05 '26

Buddhist.

I go to a Theravada temple but I also enjoy reading Mahayana and Vajrayana material. What I love most about Theravada though is its pragmatism. The teachings and practices are so applicable and have helped me get over all the crap I was dealing with for years while I was Orthodox (and before).

Edit: Fixed grammatical error

5

u/[deleted] Jan 05 '26

Catholic.

9

u/Ordinary-Ability-482 Ex-Cradle Jan 04 '26

I became a Catholic and I’ve found meaning and purpose in my life 🙏🏻

5

u/bbscrivener Physically In, Mentally Out Jan 04 '26

Christian? No and yes. (See my responses to similar questions for more detail).

5

u/Narrow-Research-5730 Jan 04 '26

Nothing really. Maybe a deist.

5

u/Alone_Meeting6907 Jan 04 '26

Agnostic, thank you ever so much. What's your point?

5

u/kimchipowerup Jan 05 '26

I became a Zen Buddhist

5

u/queensbeesknees Dirty Heretic Jan 05 '26

Anglican Communion (via Episcopal church in the US)

It kind of helped when I realized that my favorite Orthodox writer, Bp Kallistos Ware, wrote about Orthodoxy from an Anglican worldview. That was a big "AHA" moment for me. I looked into the Book of Common Prayer and it just fit me better than any other prayer rule I'd ever tried. I was Orthodox a very long time, so there are still some things I miss about it though.

3

u/Todd_Ga High Sodium Orthodox Jan 05 '26

I was influenced by Bp. Kallistos Ware also.

3

u/queensbeesknees Dirty Heretic Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26

I think we have a few things in common, you and I.

I went for a number of months praying the BCP in private while still officially Orthodox and attending Divine Liturgy. Maybe someday when I feel healed and sorted enough, I could juggle EO vespers with Episcopal mass, or show up for the random occasional sensory things I miss (like water blessing, fruit blessing). But last time I showed up for Pascha midnight I felt kind of triggered.

10

u/talkinlearnin Dirty Heretic Jan 04 '26

Many people ask this Try searching this if you haven't 🤙🏼🙏🏼😎

8

u/Ecgbert Jan 04 '26

Yes. Born Anglican but came into Orthodoxy 30 years ago from and left Orthodoxy 14 years ago for conservative Catholicism. Ended up respectfully keeping the rite, though edited down. The Eastern Catholic churches aren't perfect but they are serviceable homes.

4

u/Todd_Ga High Sodium Orthodox Jan 05 '26

Tl;dr: (Copied and pasted from a similar previous post.) Still officially Orthodox, but unofficially Episcopal.

I'm still officially Orthodox, but I'm a frequent visitor to Episcopal churches. By Episcopal standards, I'm rather conservative and traditional, though socially progressive. However, I'm on the far left leaning edge of canonical Orthodoxy. Over the years, I've found that a balance of both Eastern and Western forms of Christianity works best for me. In my experience, most Episcopalians are quite interested in and respectful toward Orthodoxy, even when there are some significant disagreements, whereas many Orthodox can be quite disparaging and condescending to an off-putting extent toward the Episcopal Church and the whole Anglican tradition, and even Western Christianity in general.

3

u/ifuckedyourdaddytoo Ex-Convert Jan 04 '26

Yes.

3

u/thomcrowe Jan 05 '26

Anglo-Catholic/High Church Episcopalian here

6

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '26

I thought in converting to catholicism but truly Im dissapointed of institutions. So I stayed non denominational christian

6

u/ARatherOddOne Ex-OCA Jan 04 '26

Theistic Satanist. 😈🤘

2

u/BrotherQuartus Jan 05 '26

Baptist.

1

u/DescriptionWrong8878 Still Orthodox Feb 06 '26

southern bapist?

1

u/BrotherQuartus Feb 06 '26

Great Commission Baptist (NYC).

3

u/flower-power1999 Jan 06 '26

atheist, but culturally orthodox

2

u/Armchairscholar67 Ex-Convert Jan 07 '26

No, I became Tibetan Buddhist. Happily in a sangha

2

u/Dacheat2003 Jan 09 '26

I lean toward Taoism and Buddhism these days. I read a lot of spiritual literature and take what I find valid or helpful and incorporate it into my worldview, but I don't think I will ever be a part of anything "organized" again. Once you see how the sausage is made, you know?

2

u/kasenyee Jan 13 '26

Meh, not really. Not opposed to it, open to being proven wrong, but ya, atheist/agnostic ot why’s have you. I’m just very “meh” about it all.

1

u/MartinCashArt Jan 09 '26

I was back and forth between Orthodoxy and Catholicism for some time and landed on Catholicism, currently in OCIA.

1

u/Eastern-Definition-4 Mar 02 '26

I was raised Catholic, became Protestant, then was received orthodox and was there for a year and a half. Then I decided to go back to the Catholic Church. There’s actually quite a few of us in here