A Monks Miracle
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"When he [Elder Joachim] lived in America, he observed with sorrow the modern spirit which had begun to affect even ecclesiastical matters. He saw priests who thought they could function better in society if they departed from Orthodox tradition. In that worldly atmosphere, Fr. Joachim behaved courageously. He couldn't stand to see Orthodox priests taking off their precious riassas or cutting their hair and beard. It is worth noting that before being tonsured, he made the following prayer to the Mother of God:
"Most Holy Theotokos, when I become a priest, please give me long hair and beard, so that I will look like the priests in my country."
The Mother of God did not deny him his supplication, but fulfilled his desire abundantly. As we stated earlier, the American's wondered at his imposing appearance and his long, full beard. When he finally journeyed to Mount Athos, an astonishing thing happened. His beard grew and lenghtened all the way down to his legs --a phenomenon very rare even in his fatherland. We attributed this to the prayer he made to the Mother of God. In order to move freely and restrain the remarks of others, he was forced to carry his beard in a sack tied around his neck.
In later years, the fathers asked him to be photographed with his priestly vestments and beard. At first he wouldn't do it, but after being asked a second time by the fathers, he gave in. The photograph was saved, and can be seen at the end of the text." [Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos, Vol. 1; p. 84].
Note: the term "Theotokos" = Birthgiver of God. Mary is the birthgiver of God the Son in his human nature.
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Guy has long beard. Good for him. What's your point?
why would the length of his beard be considered a miracle? what did do for anyone else?
Dude, obviously his beard captured and held all those evil spirits and consumed the sin of others with his beards tendril-like strands.
Srsly, troll.
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I'm sure all 3 year olds enjoy this fairy tale
God has a mom ? I AM really extra confused now ....
It's amazing what gets considered a miracle, isn't it?
C'mon, profound razor neglect? Get realistic (I'm not concerned about you getting real - I doubt that will happen).
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
A pimp's miracle
Jiggy Jones had blown all his earnings one week on new bling and Cristal and owed several thousand on his Escalade - he just knew they were gonna come reposess it. The night before the payment would be overdue his bottom bitch chloe happened to blow the CEO of a fortune 500 company - he got off so well he tipped her just enough to cover that payment. It was a miracle by Pimpolous, Roman god of pimpin'.
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My point is that his prayer was answered to the extreme. This is something more condusive to a theistic universe, not a naturalistic one. Prayers cannot be answerd if God did not exist. Prayers and miracles like the one in the monks story prove atheists are wrong.
You mean if by tradition , a long beard is the in thing, and so I pray, and don't shave, my long beard is a supernatural miracle ?
How bout a bigger good looking penis ? Got anything on that ? Hell I AM willing to go for that , I LIKE to make GIRLS super happy .... Did god make dildos too ??? Of course god did, LOVE LOVE !
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You're really saying that if I pray for something and do something to make it happen, I've proved God?
I have a headache->I go to the store and buy ibuprofen->headache goes away-> Jesus healed me?
Why give God the credit for what I did?
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
Even if your adorable little anecdote were true, the only thing it would prove is that your god is an incompetent piece of shit.
Really, when there are millions of people in the world ACTUALLY SUFFERING who've prayed harder for relief than you could ever imagine, god occupies himself with facial hair? Fucking despicable.
According to the book, Jesus had two daddys... (three if you count the sperm carrying pigeon).
LC >;-}>
Christianity: A disgusting middle eastern blood cult, based in human sacrifice, with sacraments of cannibalism and vampirism, whose highest icon is of a near naked man hanging in torment from a device of torture.
Thanks Louis, I must get back to my bible study
Me GOD ! 
I read it in your post, and your post was on the internet, so it MUST be true.
It's simple really. Extroadinary claims require extroadinary evidence. So far you've made the claims the following claims. A person by that name existed - not very extroadinary and easy enough to prove. A person by that name had a beard that goes down to his feet - quite rare but not unheard of, the photo although not absolute proof is good enough for this situation. Said beard grew in a matter of moments - now his is one HELL of an extroadinary claim, so far your only proof has been your claim. The most extroadinary of your claims so far is the most lacking in evidence and proof, so where is it?
Organised religion is the ultimate form of blasphemy.
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So, the big-ass beard did anything useful? Did it ever cured deceases or alleviate hunger in third world countries with it's curly powers? or was it even able to do more mundane things like, say, making soup tastier if it was accidentally dipped in the bowl? (which was bound to happen to the guy).
Or, was it capable of doing other things, even if not that useful, like inspiring faith and devotion in the celestial Rogaine bottle in the sky?
So god (or its momma) only answers dumb prayers, like "hey god, the unorthodox world sucks, so would you make me a carny freak, please?", and puts aside more important, more pragmatical prayers, like those asking for health or food?
If this is the god you believe in, I would suggest you not to worship it, but to pray it never gets nowhere near you.
Oh, but then again, you still haven't provided proof that this beard was anything but the result of a lazy monk who hated shaving.
Lenore, The Cute Little Dead Girl. Twice as good as Jesus.
Strangely, that's exactly what (s)he's saying. You're at risk of becoming coherent.
Crisis averted!
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence
AMEN !
Listen to this talk that was given by priest/monk Fr. Seraphim Rose in 1982 just before his death. The talk is on living an Orthodox Christian worldview in todays society. Fr. Seraphim went from atheist, to Taoist, to Orthodox Christian monk. He had a genius level IQ, and is considered the first American-born link to the Church Fathers. He was a very holy man and a tremendous intellect. You can read his life in "FATHER SERAPHIM ROSE: HIS LIFE AND WORKS," by Fr. Damascene. Fr. Seraphim was also (in his Taoist days) a student of Alan Watts.
The video quality is poor, but the words are powerful and apply to us today.
http://www.youtube.com/user/GreekOrthodoxy
Where is the extroadinary proof that extroadinary claims require extroardiary proof? Many extroardinary things in science and history for example, are accepted despite the lack of extroardinary proof. The idea that nothing can be proven unless tested in a lab, would eliminate all of history and most of science. The idea that the universe just popped out of nowhere with no reason and by chance produced sentient beings, is extroardinary. Where's your "extroardinary proof" that's how it happened?
Wipe your chin, you're drooling...
Name One.
Come again? How does one test history in a lab?
And ALL of science requires proof/evidence... look up a definition of science.
No scientist that I know of, says that the universe popped out of 'nothing'. That is a religious opinion, 'ex nihilo' creation...
The 'reasons' sentient beings came about have far more to do with molecules than miracles. Nature as opposed to supernature...
Really, I have to ask... You presuppose a cosmic super entity, capable of conceptualizing and actuating the universe itself, yet the best modern miracle it can come up with, is to grow facial hair???
I think I speak for most of us, when i say we simply don't believe your silly little fairy tale.
LC >;-}>
Christianity: A disgusting middle eastern blood cult, based in human sacrifice, with sacraments of cannibalism and vampirism, whose highest icon is of a near naked man hanging in torment from a device of torture.
User Louis_Cypher earned 4 points! Total now is 666 points.
LC >;-}>
Christianity: A disgusting middle eastern blood cult, based in human sacrifice, with sacraments of cannibalism and vampirism, whose highest icon is of a near naked man hanging in torment from a device of torture.
please prove to us all that this monk actually made this prayer, and after that prove that it is scientifically impossible to grow a very long beard.
i am wearing jeans. i could say that 2 minutes ago i was pantless, prayed for pants, and now i have them. or, since nobody was around, i could have been wearing them the whole time, and said that they appeared by prayer. but, of course i can't be lying. my pants prove christianity. now repent, you bastards.
Only theists claim the things you have said. You're basically talking out your arse rather than answering my question. I'll take that to mean you do not have any proof and therefore are relinquishing the debate. Thankyou for coming, goodbye.
Organised religion is the ultimate form of blasphemy.
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Having a genius-level IQ doesn't mean knowing everything. Sure, there are smart people who believe in God. Doesn't make them right.
Nobody I know was brainwashed into being an atheist.
Why Believe?
Pantheism is the one true religion! All ye short-wearers, Repent!
Sorry, I couldn't resist
Lenore, The Cute Little Dead Girl. Twice as good as Jesus.
The religion of pants , shorts are evil. I couldn't resist ....
Everything known to humanity at this time is a fucking miracle. Get over it, lets party.
666 (((( yeah Louis
Who is afraid of numbers, life, and why ?!!! Yeah life can hurt , now what ?
FREAK OUT ??? Invent dogma? sheezzzzzzzzz
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Current theories of the origin and early history of the observable universe are firmly based on large amounts of observational data and well established physical laws, rather than as grossly mis-represented by Jerud1711. Where is the equivalent amount of evidence of the key miraculous aspect of this story, the rapid beard growth? Even if this could be somehow established, what points unambiguously to any specific religious concept? Professional magicians perform 'inexplicable' feats all the time, which proves how easily our senses can deceive us, which is why we need positive evidence for some proposed explanation for ANY unusual event, rather than default to the magic of a supernatural being. Such an event would really be not too difficult to fake, as per a 'magical' performance, which is vastly more likely explanation than a real super magician, AKA 'God'.
Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality
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From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology
Nice, I laughed out loud. Yeah I don't see how bad personal hygiene can be considered a divine miracle.
But there are two points that I can make in objection:
1) It's just a story. I am sure that the morale of which is that if you believe things can happen.
2) Your belief in a god makes your belief in prayer that works valid. Were you to not believe in god you would not pray. Am i wrong? I stopped believing in god a long time ago, and truth be told I stopped praying a time before that.
Again, he prayed for a beard->he stopped shaving->time passed (that's the part you claim didn't happen I'm guessing)->he grew a beard->praise Jesus?
Now if he shaved everyday and still grew that monster beard, you might have something...
"I do this real moron thing, and it's called thinking. And apparently I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions."
— George Carlin
later gods against Abraham dogma, please sign up .... so far I have some biggies, buddha, jesus, thomas jefferson, gandhi, einstien, john lennon, carl sagan, the four horseman, me , and the free thinkers ,
moses is a bit confusing ???
But I like "no god before me" , the I AM what I AM.
and "No idols" .....
No Master
Geezzzz what's with that Saul/Paul murderous nut and the "Paulines" , the xains
Rook has clues to this riddle !
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