How intensely the western man is tied with rationalism,
is evident by the distortion Christianity suffered in Europe, where she
became little by little a system of worldly knowledge, having as a purpose
earthly happiness and not salvation of the soul, which the Christ taught. In
the West even theology was subdued to rationalism, and became herself a
science like all sciences.
In the East religion remained religion. Even mohammedanism, what is
called Islam, an inferior perception of religion, with some crude commands,
yet kept pure its religious character, away from innovations and adaptations
to each epoch, that is, away from rationalization. The material means by
which the religion of Koran is expressing herself, the mosque, the hodga,
chanting, decoration, vestments of the clergy, ceremonies, all remained
totally unchanged, as they were when Islam started.
At a time when Christian religion was distorted by innovations dictated
by a rationalistic worldly spirit, wherefrom
Papacy was born, and also
Protestantism and the rest of their
branches, something that did not happen
with
Orthodoxy, which remained unchanged, being the Christianity of the
East, mohammedanism stands always as it was from the start, that is, it
remained a “religion”.
From this aspect our Orthodox Church is partly closer to
mohammedanism than to the so-called Christians in the West, because
mohammedanism did not cease to be a religion and remained unspoiled by the
spirit of the world, the utilitarian spirit. This explains why we see Arabs
kissing in deep reverence the cloth or the beard of our priests, and
mohammedans to be baptised Christian Orthodox and some times to become
martyrs for Christ, while none, not one, papal or protestant is among the
new martyrs that were beheaded or hanged at the times when
Turks reigned
over us. Christians who were tortured and became martyrs for the name of
Christ in Persia, are countless.
