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The power and privileges of the priesthood depend on the 'our way is the only way' philosophy holding sway.
Most people do not 'free think' when it comes to religion. What generally happens is people have a particular Orthodox religion rammed down their throat when they're young, and then in adulthood hedge their bets by sticking with it or drift away from it into casual indifference.
Few actually set off on their own spiritual voyage of discovery. Most take the Orthodox package tour.
This is why Orthodoxy never goes overboard with excitement about NDEs and spirit communications. In theory, survival of the spirit, it ought to be something they'd delight in.
But, of course, then people would see the great spiritual reality that 'religion' comes down to LOVE and SERVICE, and no creed or faith, of itself, exalts the follower.
So, 'our way is the way'? Love is the way!
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All this talk of religion, but it's how you live your life that is the all-important thing.
If you set out each day to do all the goodness and kindness that you can, and to do no harm to man or beast, then you are walking the highest path.
And when your time is up, if you can leave the earth a better place than you found it, then yours will have been a life well lived.
http://holy-lance.blogspot.com
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