Father Seraphim Rose - Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future

[PaleFace]

I just listened to Father Rose's incredible book on an excellent Youtube channel. The predictions and explanations offered by the book are strikingly accurate and prescient considering that it was written in 1975. I have to say, this book really helped organize my thoughts and gave clarity to the disturbing nature of what is being foisted on humanity, and most importantly, the lands that formerly constituted Christendom.

The key takeaway that I got from the book was that yes, psychic and spiritual phenomenon are very real and very dangerous in our world (UFOs, speaking in tongues, channeling, possession) but that they are almost all evil and lead one into Prelest - spiritual arrogance - that blinds one to the truth, and leads to more spiritual risk-taking behavior until things get very very bad indeed. To continue with one's spiritual development, one must be discerning and suspicious and never simply trust blindly, lest one be eaten alive. I, for one, have taken the Father's warnings to heart.

Has anyone else read/listened to the book? I humbly recommend it be included in the Reading List for Beginners. It's concise and a stark warning for anyone looking to dabble in the occult, meditation, eastern religions, new age, pentacostals, etc. These experiments ends badly. Overall, I think it compliments much of the information found on the forum quite well, but spends more time issuing warnings than recommending correct courses of action. The Orthodox world in general seems cagey about sharing its esoteric secrets with the world, in stark contrast with Protestant, Revivalism, New Age, Hindu etc gurus.

Related: G's work seems to be a sort of secular version of Orthodox technical knowledge. Why he took the techniques and stripped them of their Orthodox grounding, I still do not fully understand. Father Rose warns that no true spiritual progress can be made without recognition of one's sin and abject humility before God. G strays from this tradition, even if he often chides and admonishes the reader to humble them. Just sharing my thoughts so far. The book:

 

[Ina]

It might be difficult under the current Covid imposed spatial restrictions, but if you can, visit an orthodox church, russian or even greek or romanian. Reading the book after that will bring a more comlplete experience.

 

[PaleFace]

but if you can, visit an orthodox church, russian or even greek or romanian

I've been thinking about it for sure.

 

[AzarHyun]

I come from the Orthodox tradition, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and for some time now I have been thinking of starting the topic of Orthodox Christianity. is there a need?

 

[Debra]

In the same category as Gregorian/Tibetan Chants, this video is inspiring as well as full of mystery. It is composed of several Bulgarian Orthodox hymns, but pay close attention to the amazing images of Orthodox schema monks.
Orthodox schema monks know a few secrets....
I had the privledge of visiting Bulgaria several years ago, and the Orthodox Churches are amazing!
If there is interest, I could post some of my pictures as well.

 

[PaleFace]

In the same category as Gregorian/Tibetan Chants, this video is inspiring as well as full of mystery.

It's been on my playlist all of this year. Agni Parthene always lifts my mood as well.

 

[Penderecki]

I come from the Orthodox tradition, the Serbian Orthodox Church, and for some time now I have been thinking of starting the topic of Orthodox Christianity. is there a need?

Hello, and thank you. I can only speak for myself but, yes, I think there is a need, at least on my part the need definitely exists.
I am 52 years old and I've been baptised twelve years ago, for some years I adhered to the Orthodox teachings, as far as I could, then my path strayed somewhat.
I think the Christian Orthodoxy is flawed in many respects, yet inside it one can still discover the Church that Jesus Christ founded, hidden according to God's holy Sophia.

 

[Breo]

I came across this quote from Fr. Seraphim Rose, (whom I did not know before) and thought of posting it here:

Why do men learn through pain and suffering, and not through pleasure and happiness? Very simply, because pleasure and happiness accustom one to satisfaction with the things given in this world, whereas pain and suffering drive one to seek a more profound happiness beyond the limitations of this world.

I then searched about his work and came across this video on UFO phenomena:

While his writings and beliefs are embeded in the Orthodox church focussed on Jesus, I´d be interested to learn, if to post his thoughts on the UFO topic here are an addition to the work of the forum, what the Cs and the forum since the beginning are pointing at? He cites and refers to the research of John Keel. I wonder if his conclusions are specifically connected to Keel or can they also be found elsewhere within the tradition Orthodox christian church? If relevant, maybe more knowledgable members can comment.

Here is my summary from the key messages from the video, text 1972:
Fra. Seraphim Rose identifies UFO phenomena not as extraterrestrial, but as demonic manifestations and "masks of the demons."

UFO phenomena are but one part of an astonishing outpouring of paranormal events, what in the past most people would have considered as miracles. Observations of unseen events suddenly loom into our environment causing a general shift of man's belief patterns, his entire relationship to the invisible.

"Something is happening to human consciousness." The same powerful force that has influenced the human race in the past is increasingly influencing it now by demonic outpouring.

He describes UFO phenomena not as extraterrestrial, but as demonic manifestations and "masks of the demons." He cites John Keel, UFOs, Operation Trojan Horse: "Dabbling with UFOs can be as dangerous as dabbling with black magic. The phenomenon persecutes the gullible, and the immature."

Fra. SR warns that naive curiosity paid towards these phenomena is spiritually dangerous, and may lead to obsession, schizophrenia, demonania, or suicide. There is a historically repeated pattern of demons diguised as space visitors, Bigfoot, etc. also impersonating higher beings, mimicking Christ, to deceive mankind.

These phenomena are framed as signs of the "last times," and the preparation for the coming of the "Antichrist". There is a continous historical escalation in demonic activity over time, now using modern technology.

"Perhaps never since the beginning of the Christian era have demons appeared so openly and extensively as today. The visitors from outer space theory is but one of the many pretexts they are using to gain acceptance for the idea that higher beings are now to take charge of the destiny of mankind."

There have been, are and will be physical and sensory manifestations. Demons using physical means and targeting the sense of sight, with "splendid and terrible aerial spectacles and fire from heaven". Within his Orthodox Christian belief system he compares a recurring contrast between a conscious (Orthodox Christian) worldview - conscious, sober, aware of a fallen world - and post-Christian or nihilist society, which is superstitious, curious, gullible, ready to believe anything from the sky.

"Mankind has lost what remains of basic Christian understanding, and now passively places itself at the disposal of whatever powers may descend from the sky."

"The conscious (Orthodox Christian) lives in a world that is clearly fallen, both the earth below and the stars above. All being equally far from the lost paradise for which he is striving. He is part of a suffering mankind. All descended from the one Adam, the first man and all alike in need of the redemption offered freely by the son of God by his saving sacrifice on the cross. He knows that man is not to evolve into something higher. Nor has he any reason to believe that there are highly evolved beings on other planets, but he knows well that there are indeed advanced intelligences in the universe besides himself. These are of two kinds. And he strives to live so as to dwell with those who serve God."

 

[Vajra2]

'Why do men learn through pain and suffering, and not through pleasure and happiness? Very simply, because pleasure and happiness accustom one to satisfaction with the things given in this world, whereas pain and suffering drive one to seek a more profound happiness beyond the limitations of this world.'

My apologies should this cause offence/it's not intended to be that way but what the guy has to say comes across as the fairly typical distortion of what quite a few would regard as the reality of these matters.

While true happiness is not of material origin it in life entails the integration of physical existence with higher realities for the greatest good. It ultimately is available whilst in this world - and we're collectively here to achieve it.

There are many potential pitfalls but it's about personal path. Moving towards it requires taking responsibility for the self - of our own free will starting work to refine ourselves and to access the guidance that becomes available when the higher connection is opened and more to the point heard.

It suits the churches' (plural) agenda to discourage this and to paint life as suffering with the reward deferred to after death....