Information and Rules of the System

 Welcome to the:

* Gospel
  * Outreach
    * Download
      * System Node #2

Welcome wishes are given to each newcomer, and we pray that  you,  as  a
newcomer,  will  find a wealth of spiritual growth as you study the many
books of the Holy Bible, and read some of the many  articles  which  are
presented here online.  This BBS and others like it provide an important
tool whereby we all, during our devotional times, can study the Word  of
God.

There are articles which will help you become  familiar  with  'What  is
Christianity?', 'What is the Divine Liturgy?', or 'How does one become a
Christian?'.   These  articles  are  important  reading  for  those  not
familiar  with any or all aspects of being a Christian.  To access these
articles, Select the <S>tudy Area, and use our powerful text  pager  and
Keyword  Search  Mechanisms.  A tutorial is going to become available to
show us all how to use the Keyword Search feature, within the pager.

The purpose of this BBS is to present the  Word  of  God,  the  Love  of
Christ, the meaning of the sacrifice in which our Lord Jesus Christ died
for us on the Cross at Calvary, and to bring each person closer in their
relationship  with God during each passing day.  May all of you find the
Love, Grace, and Peace of Christ within the Word of God.  Truly there is
no  greater commandment than 'Love your neighbor as yourself.', for good
works are dead if 'Agape' Love is not present in our hearts.  God's time
for  us is best spent by being servants of God's will.  Let us spend our
time in God's time and not in  unprofitable  time.   In  the  'Christian
Issues  and  Doctrine  Section',  we  are  presented  with  a  text file
containing our morning prayers.  In them, we beseech God not  to  punish
us  for being idlers, sinners, and unprofitable servants, but to feed us
with His strength so that  we  become  able  to  be  cleansed  from  our
indifferences,  our  darkened  hearts, our wickedness, and our laziness.
There after, we ask God in our prayers to strengthen us to be  doers  of
His  will, to take away our idleness, and to awaken us to light up God's
lamp of pure 'Agape' Love in our hearts with the Light of God's Kingdom.

You will notice that the  term  'Orthodox  Church'  is  used  throughout
certain banks of Articles.  Many people who do not know about this term,
confuse us with  having  identical  beliefs  and  ways  with  the  Roman
Catholic  Church  and think that those who are 'Orthodox Christians' are
just a member of  a  different  sect  of  Roman  Catholicism.   Such  is
ABSOLUTELY  a  MISTAKEN  impression.  The Eastern Orthodox Church traces
its history all the way back to the time that our Lord  Jesus  declared:
'Go  forth and teach all the people, Baptizing them into the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.', and indeed encompasses
the  whole  time  during  which our Lord had His ministry here on Earth.
The Eastern Orthodox Church has a rich history, and has been charged  by
God  to  keep  the  faith pure.  The Orthodox Church has as its head our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit guides the Church.

The Holy Eastern Orthodox  Church  is  not  a  denomination  among  many
Christian  Churches,  but  is  specifically the One, Holy, Catholic, and
Apostolic Church.   Does  this  mean  that  because  we  call  ourselves
Catholic, that we prove that we are a part of the Roman Catholic Church?
No, rather the  term  Catholic  is  taken  from  a  Greek  word  meaning
'Universal'.   The Holy Eastern Orthodox Church is undivided, and is the
original Universal Church.  In the Catechism, which is online,  a  great
deal  of information is given on what Orthodox Christians believe in the
Faith.

To be developed shall be several articles about Church History, in which
the Schism of the Roman Catholic Church from the Eastern Orthodox Church
is to be discussed.  In these articles we will all learn  a  great  deal
about what caused the Schism and how the direct result of this event led
to  the  Reformation  and  Counter-Reformation  movements   within   the
structure  of  the resultant Roman Catholic Church, leading to the birth
of many divisions, causing myriads of denominations each holding its own
belief  about  the truth, and as a result giving birth to many heresies.
'A House divided against itself cannot stand.' We should learn to  apply
this  in  our  thinking  about 'which' denomination we would pick as our
Church Home.  Orthodoxy does not know division, but jealously guards the
Word  of  God, keeping it pure for all Ages.  We all owe it to ourselves
to learn as much as we can about the True Church of  Jesus  Christ;  the
Holy Orthodox Church.

To clarify, the attributes of the True Church of Jesus Christ are:

     1.  That it is One,
     2.  That it is Holy,
     3.  That it is Catholic (Universal),
     4.  That it is Apostolic,
     5.  That it is the Church born from Christ Himself.
     6.  That it is Headed by Christ Himself.
     7.  That it is protected from error by the Grace of the Holy Ghost.

Only Christ the Judge, our Judge, knows who truly is or is not a  member
of His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

In ending this introduction, there are several things to keep in mind:

The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT God.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT a Church.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT a Priest.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT a Bishop.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT a Patriarch.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT an Archdiocese.
The Gospel Outreach Download System is NOT a substitute for any above.

The Gospel Outreach Download System IS a medium through which to learn.
The Gospel Outreach Download System IS a medium through which to grow.
The Gospel Outreach Download System IS a medium through which to explore the Faith.

Once you feel ready to become an Orthodox Christian, or  feel  you  have
questions  about  the  Faith, do not rely on this BBS, but instead visit
your local Priest at the Greek Orthodox Church, or the  Orthodox  Church
in  America in your neighborhood.  Unfortunately, you may need to travel
a long distance to find your Orthodox Home; but it  is  well  worth  the
effort,  and maybe, someday soon you will help to create a new parish in
your home town, or bring  a  protestant or Roman Catholic Parish to  the
One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

The Rules of this system are simple to say:

  Follow God's Word, and act accordingly.

  Do not break any Federal, State, or Local laws  in  the  use  of  this
system.

  Do shine forth 'Agape' Love.

Any use contrary to the above will not be tolerated.

So, now that we have stated the  rules,  let  us  not  become  stiff  or
formal!  We do not stand on ceremony.  Come as you are, and participate!

Again, welcome and May our Lord Bless you and keep you in His Grace, and
may the Peace of the Holy Spirit be with you, now and for ever, and from
all Ages to all Ages.  Amen.