For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit

 The prevalence of T.V. in the world today has encouraged people to become passive. Many people tend to sit and watch the world go by, rather than being a part of that world.

The exposure to something on T.V. is not be same as experiencing it in reality, just because we see Antarctica on T.V. does not mean that we have actually experienced the endless barrenness and bone biting cold. A television version of Antarctica flows into she next scene- that of a lush tropical isle- we see the water;. hear the waves crashing on the beach, see the plants, yet we don’t. smell the rich tropical flowers, we actually don’t truly experience it. One scene has changed to another, yet the viewer remains still seated in front of the television

This television-viewer mentality can even be found in spiritual matters. One is not made spiritual just by reading spiritual books, or viewing religious services as a non-participant.

What about those of you who are not Orthodox, who might be reading this article? If this is one of the first things you have read about the Church, read on, keeping your mind and heart open to God. But what about a person who has read about the Church, who has studied the Orthodox Church, who realizes what it is, but does not move? Do something! Are you convinced that the Orthodox Church is Not the true church established by Christ on Earth, that it does not hold to the teachings of Christ, His Apostles, and the Seven Ecumenical Councils? If you honestly and sincerely think that the Orthodox Church is not all of this? Get up, cancel your subscription to Orthodox America. There is no point to reading. religious material that you do not believe to be true.

 On the other hand, if you are still reading this article, and you agree that the Orthodox Church must be the True Church, what are. you going to do? Will you sit reading this and other Orthodox Literature, visiting Orthodox Churches, and still, in your heart, being like a passive viewer of TV.,- nodding your head and going on to the next program, or does it really mean. something to you? If you know that the Orthodox Church is the True Church, and you are not in it, why? Don’t think up your answer for me, think it up for God. What would happen if you were to die tomorrow-what would you answer if that question were to be put to you by that Judge Who can see into the recesses of our hearts? What excuse would-stand?

Examine the Orthodox Church in both-your heart and mind. Here is a church whose bishops can be traced back in an unbroken line to the Apostles and the bishops ordained by them. Is there any other Church that keeps to the teachings and traditions that have been handed down from the first days of the Church, unchanged and unaltered? The Orthodox Church has not invented new doctrines, weakened its teachings, nor changed its rules to modernize or appeal to the lowest common denominator  It was not invented by man 190 or 500 years ago. If Christ did not start a Church, then Christianity is a fraud -If Christ did start a Church, it only stands to reason that He would not have made a mistake and have something that was wrong, that had to wait until the time of the Reformation, 1500 years later, to be set aright.

No scholar of Church History can dispute the fact that the Orthodox church is the Church that has maintained this essential link of continuity to the foundation of the Church-Do you want to do what God wants you to do? Do you honestly seek the truth? If you do, PRAY; pray as hard as you are able for the grace to see what you must do, and for the strength to do it.

There are many today who have investigated what they knew of Christianity and found it lacking. In their desperate quest for truth they have experimented with various aspects of pagan Eastern religions. Yet still-there is something in them that calls them back to Christianity. This is Christ Himself calling; calling all of you to His Church, the Orthodox Church, the Church where there is real truth because Christ is Truth.

 Rev. Vladimir Anderson