/lit/ - Literature

>>20014092
Because starting from the destruction of the Second Temple - as can be traced from the Sefer Yetzirah to the near-canonical Zohar - the major Jewish project was to modify their religion such that it could theologically explain why God had utterly rejected them and allowed them to be destroyed despite their adherence to the covenant (eg. as recorded in the Talmud: "The ordinance was with regard to the strip of crimson wool used on Yom Kippur. As it is taught in a baraita: At first they would tie a strip of crimson wool to the opening of the Entrance Hall of the Temple on the outside. If, after the sacrificing of the offerings and the sending of the scapegoat, the strip turned White, the people would rejoice, as this indicated that their sins had been atoned for. If it did not turn White they would be sad. During the forty years before the Second Temple was destroyed the strip of crimson wool would not turn White; rather, it would turn a deeper shade of red [...]" - see: https://www.sefaria.org/Rosh_Hashanah.31b).).

How can you maintain the status of being God's chosen, when all signs point towards God rejecting you and ending your covenant? Their conclusion was necessarily to present the entire universe as intrinsically disordered and corrupted by God Himself (eg. the creation of the qlipoth), such that they themselves now played a collective Messianic role in performing tikkun olam - literally copium. Essentially, where their spiritual ancestors said that the cosmos is Very Good and all catastrophes to the Jewish people are a result of their sin and unfaithfulness to God, the tradition culminating in the Zohar says that the world is Very Bad and all catastrophes to the Jewish people are ultimately a result of God's designing of the universe in such a way that the sephirot of manifestation are shelled in evil, and that it is their role to restore the shattered vessels of the divine manifestations by ushering in the Messianic age.

It is actually very sad, if you dwell on it. There are some interesting exegetical techniques and spiritual guidelines contained within the Zohar, but ultimately, those are just the delivery device for the copium being injected into the Jewish vein.

But there is a happy ending for the Jewish people as a whole.
"I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved [...] Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs. For God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. Just as you who formerly disobeyed God have now received mercy through their disobedience, so they too have now disobeyed, in order that they too may now receive mercy through the mercy shown to you. For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone." (Romans 11:25-32).

>>18840138
>I don't think I will get into the state of Rome which your church is still in full communion with.
Eastern Catholics are not a "church". They are a set of 23 sui iuris churches of the Catholic Church, which are in communion with the sui iuris Latin Church, of whom the head is the bishop of Rome.
>I'm curious, what is your teaching on Aerial Tollhouses?
Eastern Catholics believe in the following dogma:
1) There is a state of transition/transformation for those en-route to Heaven
2) Prayer are efficacious for the dead who are in this state.
We do not believe that of those who are en-route to heaven, there is a possibility that they may be dragged down to Hell. Our destiny is forever cemented upon our death, based upon whether we are in a state of grace.

>St. Jude (Jude 1:9)
This obviously does not teach of tollhouses, but is referring to the particular judgment of Moses' soul after death.
>I do tend to believe in it based on the Saints and theologians who do support it.
This is obviously not a tenable epistemological position, which is why it is only a theological opinion held by some members of the Orthodox national churches, and not taught as doctrine.
Further, St. Cyprian of Carthage, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Augustine, among other great fathers who are venerated in both Catholicism and Orthodox national churches, taught of the purgatorial fire. But, of course, if we pick and choose quotes from Fathers to back up our theological opinions, we shall be stuck at an impasse. This is why convening ecumenical councils is such an important part of the true church, because otherwise, important theological matters such as this are left unresolved. Of course, in the Orthodox national churches, it seems as if there will never be a firm teaching of any of the issues I brought up here >>18840044, because of your inability to convene ecumenical councils - while the true church maintains this ability (which is why we have firm teaching on contraceptives, divorce, and the state of those en-route to heaven).

>Can you recommend some sources?
east2west.org
The Youtube channel Reason and Theology has some good conversations with Fr. Dcn. Dragani, who is an Eastern Catholic. Friend, please ask the Spirit to guide you, because I believe that by researching it, you will also realize that the Orthodox national churches contain only a portion of the truth, but are, in the end, a schismatic church whose deficiencies are corrected and perfected in the sui iuris churches of Eastern Catholicism.

>>18707398
>what did the fifteen year-old tradlarper mean by this?
Christ is actually King, and poo-in-loo fetishists are actually seething, as is clear from the numerous enlightened Bodhisattvas popping out of the woodwork to make accusations of me.

First and foremost, after the Bible, one should read the Church Fathers.

Beyond the holy scriptures and sacraments themselves, there is nothing so edifying as reading the testimonies of those holy martyrs and saints. With them, we can see an early and authentic witness to the traditions of the earliest Christians - so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were willing to be killed for His sake.

Take a look at sites like the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (https://www.ccel.org/ccel/irenaeus/demonstr.iv.html)), New Advent (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0107.htm)), and churchfathers.org.

After that, I suggest >>18507585 list, with further recommendations being dependent on whether you are wanting to further explore Christian mysticism, or Christian philosophy/theology.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin.
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ - for the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Today has enough trouble of its own.