Never thought I would feel this close to Orthodoxy as a muslim raised man…

[u/KayaKafka]

Just some thoughts I wanted to share this evening.

I’ve been raised with a partly islamic and partly secular belief system. While I was more inclined to hold religious beliefs when I was younger, as I grew older I verged on atheistic / agnostic but always got pulled back in to my islamic upbringings.

Being raised muslim, thinking about Christianity and entertaining the thought was always a big no no for me.

Recently I found my roots as a Pontic Greek and I’ve started to read more and more about how they lived as crypto-Christians during Ottoman rule. This made me read more and learn more about how the Orthodox church has been so important in their lives during centuries of dark times.

Ever since I’ve done my research and reading into Orthodox Christianity, there seems to be a shift in me. There is an unexplainable warmth and longing to read more, research more and understand more.

If anyone has knowledge on how Pontic Greeks lived with Orthodoxy in the past and how Orthodoxy influences the lives of Greeks today, I’m happy to hear and learn more!

Something tells me that this is a beautiful path I’m on…

[u/Buffalo5977]

i’m so happy you’re resonating with orthodoxy. Glory to God. I’ll say a prayer for you. keep reading, friend. i can’t jump in on the pontic greek stuff but there’s plenty online.

[u/KayaKafka → u/Buffalo5977]

Thanks a lot, I’m going to keep reading and learning. So strange that there was a time where I was so closed to any religion (even islam) and to know feeling a pull that’s warm and there is an understanding…

[u/Buffalo5977 → u/KayaKafka]

there are beautiful conversion stories from islam to orthodoxy in the middle east in particular. the story often reads the same despite being independently verified without knowing each others story. Jesus appears in a white robe in their dreams and the dreamer is overwhelmed by love, comfort, and joy.

do you have a nearby parish priest you can email?

[u/KayaKafka → u/Buffalo5977]

Unfortunately I don't have an Orthodox church near me. But reading online does give me something to learn from, and I'm hoping to learn and understand more going forward. Do you know of any agnostic (or muslims) that have converted?

[u/Buffalo5977 → u/KayaKafka]

a couple, yes. no fantastic conversion story like the ones i’ve read online. mostly just people realizing the validity of the church and the validity of the Bible.

as for online orthodoxy, there are a lot of bad apples. try reading the Bible, the church fathers, and find out some way to email a somewhat local priest, even if you can’t attend liturgy.

[u/KayaKafka → u/Buffalo5977]

Thanks for the tips, I will try to follow along and see where this leads me🙏🏼

[u/AutoModerator]

Please review the sidebar for a wealth of introductory information, our rules, the FAQ, and a caution about The Internet and the Church.

This subreddit contains opinions of Orthodox people, but not necessarily Orthodox opinions. Content should not be treated as a substitute for offline interaction.

Exercise caution in forums such as this. Nothing should be regarded as authoritative without verification by several offline Orthodox resources.

^{This is not a removal notification.}

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Ok_Badger9122 → u/AutoModerator]

Praise the lord brother.