Dear MY Yohannan sir,
There are several messages on this forum attesting to your good works and
brilliant preachings which changed many lives. I am happy to have known such a
person through this forum, even if this is a troubled
situation. After reading some of the messages I went to your website, and heard
a couple of the audio sermons. Sir, God has given you a great gift. I was
touched by your sermon about Zachai and how the Lord
had come that way just to save Zachai and how that was the last time the Lord
ever travelled that way. Sir you have been truly blessed from above. Also in
another sermon I heard about your explanations about the Theejwala Shushroosha
during Christmas Service where you used the song we use in our Namaskaram
"Ahwanam cheyyunnuthavikkethuka Naadha..". Truly sir, you have immense knowledge
about the Orthodox Church. No surprise then that there are
many that swear by you.
But I have some questions to ask of you, which I am presenting on the forum
because I feel the others may also benefit.
At the outset, sir, let me say - I did not know about you much till this Kalpana
from the Holy Episcopal Synod and I have now known that you have been a
wonderful person. I in no way intend to belittle
you, or attack you personally. Personally, sir, you are more than twice my age,
and spiritually sir you are a towering giant in front of me, I am no person to
even argue with you. So let me first try to explain why I am writing this.
Please note that my argument is based on our principled viewpoints and not on
your personality.
Why am I writing this?
----------------------
1) Sir, you challenge my faith, and the faith of my fathers, also the faith of
your fathers. I have great regard for other denominations, even other
religions,but I firmly hold on to my Church as true, Holy and Apostolic and for
the life of me - the only one true one way revealed to me.
2) Sir, because you are an Orthodox Christian and have such immense knowledge
about Orthodoxy. There are many of your followers sir, who follow you because
you are an Orthodox Christian. Yet there are some gaps I see in your words and
practice.(Allow me to elaborate
below).
3) Sir, because I understand the Holy Synod and the Holy Church did try several
times to talk to you and grant you the task to work for the gospel mission of
the Church but you refused.
4) There are many in this forum and outside to defend you and perhaps even take
up arms against the Holy Episcopal Synod at your command, sir, who will defend
the Holy Synod's decision? Even the achens on this forum stay away either so as
not to invite controversy
or (I hope not) in silent disapproval of the actions of the Holy Synod. This is
a humble attempt from my side for a defense, however feeble, for what I believe.
What you do not say hurts the most
----------------------------------
Sir, this forum has had several messages which says that you never ask anyone to
leave their 'denomination'.I was very pleased to see your message that you have
great regard for the Holy Qurbana for
your departed father and brother. During the Holy Qurbana (the one offered in
their memory and in all others you have participated) you would surely have
prayed for them. Why is this aspect of your Orthodox
worship totally absent in your sermons? Surely sir, you do understand as an
Orthodox Christian that the Holy Church has no issues with your words about our
Lord Jesus Christ, but why do you hide the other parts
of your Orthodox living in your sermons? I am sure with your knowledge about
Orthodoxy, you do not see the prayers to the departed as a mere ritual but as a
alive and happening act of pleading to the Lord for the well being of your
departed dear and near ones
whom you fully understand to be spiritually alive and able to gain from your
prayers. If sir, you truly understand this, why is this aspect of your living
not seen in any of your sermons? Is this a willful ommission sir so that you do
not offend the other 'denominations' who come to your fellowship? If this is so
sir, are you not being untruthful to them and to yourself? If you believe your
prayers and your offering of Holy Qurbana does help your departed father and
brother, sir, why do you not want other fellow believers and their departed ones
to be helped in the same manner?
Sir more than what you say, what you choose not to say hurts the
most.
'Born again' at 17 - Excuse me sir?
-----------------------------------
Your website says that you received 'born again experience' at the age of 17.
Surely sir, you know more than me that as an Orthodox Christian, your 'born
again' experience was when you were baptised when you were an infant. The Holy
Trinity welcomed you to His
Holy Church, made you a member of His Holy Body - not at 17, but when you were a
baby. Surely what you intended to say sir, let me paraphrase, must have been
that the born again experience you had when you were 17 was over and above what
you had experienced as a
baby, but had not realized till the experience at 17. Again sir, using the
popular term 'born again' - was it a purposeful act of trying to attract a few
others who claim ownership of that term in this modern era? Considering your
knowledge of Orthodoxy, I cannot see
this as ignorance, but again willful ommission. Again sir, what you do not say
hurts the most.
Sir, do you intercede to saints?
--------------------------------
Sir, as an Orthodox Christian do you intercede to the Holy Saints? Do you feel
their prayers have had any effect on your ministry? Do you feel that their
continuous intercessions have helped you to grow to what you are today? Are
there any sermons of yours which reveal this aspect of your life? If you truly
believe in its value, why hide it from the others in your words? Sir again, what
you do not say
hurts the most - because a lot of Orthodox Christians follow you because you are
an Orthodox Christian.
Let me draw your attention sir to another Kalpana written about a 100 years ago
by the most revered saint from Malankara Parishudha Parumala Thirumeni - which I
happened to stumble upon sometime back and which has been very useful for
holding firm my wavering faith -
http://www.geocities.com/parumalathirumeni/enc2.htm
Sir, do you agree with the Kalpana of Parumala Thirumeni? Do you then agree with
the Kalpana against your fellowship by the Holy Episcopal Synod? I hope and pray
you will make an effort at correction and fall in line with the instruction of
the Holy Church.
There are other questions I have, but restricting to these for now.
Finally sir, I am not against your work or the mission of the Christian Revival
Fellowship which helps spread the Gospel to many others whom the Church is
unable to reach today. Sir, my contention is against you portraying an image as
an Orthodox Christian while
leading this fellowship (maybe not as much by words - but we all are perceived
as Orthodox Christians when the world looks as us) and at the same time hurting
the Orthodox Church by your silence and ommissions. Your followers see you as a
role model, your ommissions become their ommissions - and the Holy Church and
Christ Himself ultimately loses.
Sir, can you show cause why the Holy Episcopal Synod should not have this
Kalpana against your fellowship? Was it the case that you were not given enough
notice? You sir, lost a chance to be working for the Holy Church of God, the
Church will miss you, but surely you will miss the Church too. Because of your
unwillingness to work within the Church there would have been hundreds who could
not be baptised to
receive the Holy Body and Blood of the Lord by hearing your sermons which are
God's gift to you. Sir, will you take responsibility for their souls on the last
day? [I do not know if you are barred from receiving the Sacraments from the
Church as well, I hope not]
A honest question: Are you abusing your God given talents by refusing to work
within the Church of God? My conviction is that you are.
I have been very forthright in my views. I ask for forgiveness and prayers for
offending anyone. I just wanted to write this to point out that there are a few
things different from the way you preach and
the way I understand. Both of us cannot be right at the same time.
I am sure it was painful for the Holy Episcopal Synod to take such a stand
against your fellowship; I request you, while there is still time, to allow the
Church to work through you for the glory of the Lord Almighty because as St.
John the Baptist preached - 'He must increase, but I must decrease'.
Sir as I write this - I firmly believe in the presence of the powerful invisible
Church which completes the weak visible Church. I know that the weaknesses also
include the Holy Episcopal Synod, and if tommorrow the Synod decides to overturn
this Kalpana, I will have no complaints against you.
Please do not count me as your enemy for speaking out for what I believe in. May
the good Lord have mercy on us. May the Light shine on us this Christmas season
so that we gain the courage to correct ourselves where correction is needed
before it is too late.
Sincerely,
Mathew Samuel, Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/18675
There are several messages on this forum attesting to your good works and
brilliant preachings which changed many lives. I am happy to have known such a
person through this forum, even if this is a troubled
situation. After reading some of the messages I went to your website, and heard
a couple of the audio sermons. Sir, God has given you a great gift. I was
touched by your sermon about Zachai and how the Lord
had come that way just to save Zachai and how that was the last time the Lord
ever travelled that way. Sir you have been truly blessed from above. Also in
another sermon I heard about your explanations about the Theejwala Shushroosha
during Christmas Service where you used the song we use in our Namaskaram
"Ahwanam cheyyunnuthavikkethuka Naadha..". Truly sir, you have immense knowledge
about the Orthodox Church. No surprise then that there are
many that swear by you.
But I have some questions to ask of you, which I am presenting on the forum
because I feel the others may also benefit.
At the outset, sir, let me say - I did not know about you much till this Kalpana
from the Holy Episcopal Synod and I have now known that you have been a
wonderful person. I in no way intend to belittle
you, or attack you personally. Personally, sir, you are more than twice my age,
and spiritually sir you are a towering giant in front of me, I am no person to
even argue with you. So let me first try to explain why I am writing this.
Please note that my argument is based on our principled viewpoints and not on
your personality.
Why am I writing this?
----------------------
1) Sir, you challenge my faith, and the faith of my fathers, also the faith of
your fathers. I have great regard for other denominations, even other
religions,but I firmly hold on to my Church as true, Holy and Apostolic and for
the life of me - the only one true one way revealed to me.
2) Sir, because you are an Orthodox Christian and have such immense knowledge
about Orthodoxy. There are many of your followers sir, who follow you because
you are an Orthodox Christian. Yet there are some gaps I see in your words and
practice.(Allow me to elaborate
below).
3) Sir, because I understand the Holy Synod and the Holy Church did try several
times to talk to you and grant you the task to work for the gospel mission of
the Church but you refused.
4) There are many in this forum and outside to defend you and perhaps even take
up arms against the Holy Episcopal Synod at your command, sir, who will defend
the Holy Synod's decision? Even the achens on this forum stay away either so as
not to invite controversy
or (I hope not) in silent disapproval of the actions of the Holy Synod. This is
a humble attempt from my side for a defense, however feeble, for what I believe.
What you do not say hurts the most
----------------------------------
Sir, this forum has had several messages which says that you never ask anyone to
leave their 'denomination'.I was very pleased to see your message that you have
great regard for the Holy Qurbana for
your departed father and brother. During the Holy Qurbana (the one offered in
their memory and in all others you have participated) you would surely have
prayed for them. Why is this aspect of your Orthodox
worship totally absent in your sermons? Surely sir, you do understand as an
Orthodox Christian that the Holy Church has no issues with your words about our
Lord Jesus Christ, but why do you hide the other parts
of your Orthodox living in your sermons? I am sure with your knowledge about
Orthodoxy, you do not see the prayers to the departed as a mere ritual but as a
alive and happening act of pleading to the Lord for the well being of your
departed dear and near ones
whom you fully understand to be spiritually alive and able to gain from your
prayers. If sir, you truly understand this, why is this aspect of your living
not seen in any of your sermons? Is this a willful ommission sir so that you do
not offend the other 'denominations' who come to your fellowship? If this is so
sir, are you not being untruthful to them and to yourself? If you believe your
prayers and your offering of Holy Qurbana does help your departed father and
brother, sir, why do you not want other fellow believers and their departed ones
to be helped in the same manner?
Sir more than what you say, what you choose not to say hurts the
most.
'Born again' at 17 - Excuse me sir?
-----------------------------------
Your website says that you received 'born again experience' at the age of 17.
Surely sir, you know more than me that as an Orthodox Christian, your 'born
again' experience was when you were baptised when you were an infant. The Holy
Trinity welcomed you to His
Holy Church, made you a member of His Holy Body - not at 17, but when you were a
baby. Surely what you intended to say sir, let me paraphrase, must have been
that the born again experience you had when you were 17 was over and above what
you had experienced as a
baby, but had not realized till the experience at 17. Again sir, using the
popular term 'born again' - was it a purposeful act of trying to attract a few
others who claim ownership of that term in this modern era? Considering your
knowledge of Orthodoxy, I cannot see
this as ignorance, but again willful ommission. Again sir, what you do not say
hurts the most.
Sir, do you intercede to saints?
--------------------------------
Sir, as an Orthodox Christian do you intercede to the Holy Saints? Do you feel
their prayers have had any effect on your ministry? Do you feel that their
continuous intercessions have helped you to grow to what you are today? Are
there any sermons of yours which reveal this aspect of your life? If you truly
believe in its value, why hide it from the others in your words? Sir again, what
you do not say
hurts the most - because a lot of Orthodox Christians follow you because you are
an Orthodox Christian.
Let me draw your attention sir to another Kalpana written about a 100 years ago
by the most revered saint from Malankara Parishudha Parumala Thirumeni - which I
happened to stumble upon sometime back and which has been very useful for
holding firm my wavering faith -
http://www.geocities.com/parumalathirumeni/enc2.htm
Sir, do you agree with the Kalpana of Parumala Thirumeni? Do you then agree with
the Kalpana against your fellowship by the Holy Episcopal Synod? I hope and pray
you will make an effort at correction and fall in line with the instruction of
the Holy Church.
There are other questions I have, but restricting to these for now.
Finally sir, I am not against your work or the mission of the Christian Revival
Fellowship which helps spread the Gospel to many others whom the Church is
unable to reach today. Sir, my contention is against you portraying an image as
an Orthodox Christian while
leading this fellowship (maybe not as much by words - but we all are perceived
as Orthodox Christians when the world looks as us) and at the same time hurting
the Orthodox Church by your silence and ommissions. Your followers see you as a
role model, your ommissions become their ommissions - and the Holy Church and
Christ Himself ultimately loses.
Sir, can you show cause why the Holy Episcopal Synod should not have this
Kalpana against your fellowship? Was it the case that you were not given enough
notice? You sir, lost a chance to be working for the Holy Church of God, the
Church will miss you, but surely you will miss the Church too. Because of your
unwillingness to work within the Church there would have been hundreds who could
not be baptised to
receive the Holy Body and Blood of the Lord by hearing your sermons which are
God's gift to you. Sir, will you take responsibility for their souls on the last
day? [I do not know if you are barred from receiving the Sacraments from the
Church as well, I hope not]
A honest question: Are you abusing your God given talents by refusing to work
within the Church of God? My conviction is that you are.
I have been very forthright in my views. I ask for forgiveness and prayers for
offending anyone. I just wanted to write this to point out that there are a few
things different from the way you preach and
the way I understand. Both of us cannot be right at the same time.
I am sure it was painful for the Holy Episcopal Synod to take such a stand
against your fellowship; I request you, while there is still time, to allow the
Church to work through you for the glory of the Lord Almighty because as St.
John the Baptist preached - 'He must increase, but I must decrease'.
Sir as I write this - I firmly believe in the presence of the powerful invisible
Church which completes the weak visible Church. I know that the weaknesses also
include the Holy Episcopal Synod, and if tommorrow the Synod decides to overturn
this Kalpana, I will have no complaints against you.
Please do not count me as your enemy for speaking out for what I believe in. May
the good Lord have mercy on us. May the Light shine on us this Christmas season
so that we gain the courage to correct ourselves where correction is needed
before it is too late.
Sincerely,
Mathew Samuel, Albany, NY
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndianOrthodox/message/18675
5 comments:
Acts 5:38-39
38- And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39-But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
If you know your faith thoroughly, you are not permitted neither to offend nor to defend your faith. If you do that YOU ARE PLAYING GOD. As Orthodox Christian, say "this is what I believe", I am no one to question others.
Yours in Him/Varghese
Hope I am not offending you.
Prof M Y Yohanan sir is a blessed personality. In his meetings and preaching the only topic is about the living Christ who died for our sins and about his second comming. This news should spread to the whole world that is the only aim of CRF.I respect prof MY Yohanan sir as he is a servant of Christ and I am sure that everyone who have listened his sermons feel a difference and respects him and praises the Lord Almighty jesus
CRF is a cult
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