My Substack has been live for just under two months and it is beginning to reach a threshold of subscribership where I am encountering my first dissidents and trolls. This morning I awoke to an assortment of colorful comments on various notes that ranged from being merely overly combative to downright hateful. I fully understand that this comes with the territory. If you put your writings and opinions “out there” publicly, you are opening yourself up to the potential for both positive and negative feedback. Exposing yourself to public scrutiny. I get it, and I’m okay with it. The fact of the matter is that in the short time I have been on Substack, I have encountered so much more of the positive than the negative. There have been so many more readers who wish to engage on a friendly level than on a combative one. I would say that most people understand that even when we disagree, it is always more enjoyable and productive to do so from a place of mutual respect and emotional security. On the occasions when I do encounter an unhinged person, thanks to the work of Christ in my life, I am normally able to maintain my composure in response, or at the very least dispatch with the exchange gracefully.
All of that said, I thought it was high time I laid out a list of “requests” for interacting with my page here on Substack. I hate the idea of listing “rules and guidelines” for interaction with my writings. It’s so formal and stuffy, and besides, who would listen? I am certainly no authority on how people choose to engage on this platform, and regardless of what I would prefer for my page and my readers, I have no ability to enforce any such rules or guidelines. So instead, I offer this as a litany of advice. A request, if you will, for achieving the best possible outcome when engaging with my writings.
Apologetics Debate
I have addressed this topic in both my notes as well as in the chat area of my page, but I feel the need to discuss it officially here as well. It is in fact my primary request for my writings, whether it be in notes or posts. I understand that as a page that deals with Christianity, there will always be disagreement between denominations on polarizing topics such as truth of Scripture and salvation. The purpose of my writing is not to focus on that which sets various denominations of Christianity apart, but that which we have in common. Occasionally, some of my writings will detail differences between various belief systems, and I may even provide opinions on those differences. I fully understand that many people will not agree with some of those opinions. I am absolutely willing to entertain respectful and thoughtful responses to those writings. What I will not entertain is proselytism.
I don't mind answering questions about my faith for people who are genuinely interested in knowing the answers, but I do try to avoid getting into apologetics debates, because I truly don't believe a person's salvation is anyone else's business. I also don't think people will likely ever be moved off of what they believe through those types of debates. In my case, and I can only speak for myself, I can tell you that I will never be moved from my faith. I have been studying Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity for many years. I have looked from every angle and put myself in skeptic's shoes from all the reverse angles.
When I was a younger man I enjoyed debating and arguing these issues. I no longer enjoy that aspect of faith. I don't view salvation as an argument to be won against other Christians. I simply have no interest in convincing anyone to change their beliefs, and I have no interest in being lectured on why I should change mine. Honestly I don't really understand why anyone would want to. In my view, these types of debates can only be driven by pride. The pride to be right and correct in one's faith regarding salvation. Very rarely do I find they ever come from a place of genuine charity or genuine curiosity. I will never buy the theory that a person feels a “duty” to “win souls” on the internet.
I would certainly be willing to have some level of dialogue on these topics, if a reader has a genuine interest or curiosity. If I have created a post or note, or started a thread in the chat area that speaks specifically to a topic that illuminates the differences between denominations and offers opinions on those differences, by all means weigh in. Please do so respectfully. If a person starts a thread on his or her Substack notes, or makes a post inviting this type of discussion, or creates a thread in his or her chat, I would be more than happy to participate in a respectful discussion there, and answer any questions that the person may have about Catholicism or Orthodoxy. Likewise, readers should feel free to send a message to my inbox, or even contact me by email or on Telegram —my links can all be found on my Linktree—it would be my pleasure to further discuss those topics there.
Primarily, I do not want the comments sections of my regular posts and notes to be hijacked by apologetics debate and combative proselytization. My readers are not here for that. The bulk of what I submit here, whether in notes or post form, is prayer, quotes and teachings of the Church Fathers, messages from contemporary priests and Church leaders and observations from my personal faith journey. Sometimes I will submit general opinions on Christian family life or news topics that relate to the faith.
Regardless of the category of content, the intended audience is not combative dissidents, but like-minded believers and those with an interest in the subject matter for purposes other than debate and dissent. In short, if the writings contained on my page make you angry, feel free to either exhibit self control and remain respectful or scroll on by, lest you waste your time typing out a long-winded retort that just gets deleted before you are blocked. Why waste either of our time?
Russophobia
Most of the subject matter I cover on this Substack relates to Orthodox Christianity. Some of my content bleeds over into Catholicism, since the Catholic Church is where I have spent the bulk of my life, and I enjoy comparing and contrasting Catholicism with Orthodoxy. Not often, but on occasion, I will submit commentary on Russian news, culture and politics. I try to keep this commentary to a minimum because it is not the purpose of this page. However, I am ethnically Russian and there is a significant amount of crossover between Orthodoxy in general and Russian culture. Some readers have probably noticed that the bio blurb of my profile contains the Jesus Prayer in Russian; “Господи Иисусе Христе Сыне Божий Помилуй Мя Грешного”.
Interestingly, it is that Russian version of the Jesus Prayer in my bio that results in the majority of Russophobic trolling, and not anything I have written. Some people see those Cyrillic letters and make assumptions about my entire life and being. In reality they have no clue what language it might be, only assumptions. The truth is that Serbian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian and Macedonian all use a similar alphabet. Unfortunately, most Americans aren’t big fans of language learning. They are however huge fans of assumptions, and many think they know my entire value set based on that Russian prayer in my bio.
If one wants to test the fastest way to have a comment deleted and their account subsequently blocked from participation on my page, he or she need only to post something Russophobic. It is without a doubt, hands down the fastest way to be dismissed from my sight. I understand that the vast majority of western culture despises Russia and the Russian people. I understand entirely that westerners, in general, have no ability to discern a people from their government, and that they blame all Russian people for what is happening in Ukraine. I have come to grips with that fact of life, but I don’t need to tolerate western indoctrination of the Red Scare on my page, and I won’t tolerate it.
Zionism
A few days ago, a profile with a name spelled in Hebrew contacted me via message to make the following comment: “A Russian Jew with a family name that originates from Jewish royalty is now Christian - what a shame”. — Instablock.
I try very hard to follow the Christian calling to love my fellow man and specifically to love my enemy. It is without a doubt the most difficult aspect of my Christian faith. Loving one’s enemy is nearly impossible for most of us. For me, Zionists and Russophobes are the definition of that enemy. It is true that the Russian lineage in my family hails from one of the oldest Tribes of Israel. The name Lurie dates back to the House of David. In many ways I am proud of this fact. Jesus was a Jew. The Apostles were Jews. They converted when our Savior arrived according to the New Covenant. Thus I am, always have been and always will be a Christian. Period. Hard Stop. End of Story.
Additionally, there must be some context as it relates to the events of the world today. Full disclosure, I find the events (read: atrocities) playing out in Gaza right now to be beyond disgusting, and this is a topic that I have touched on in my notes on more than one occasion. I want to be crystal clear on this fact; I do not hate the Jewish people, I know many extremely good and kind Jewish people. I have several Jewish friends and customers. They all know where I stand on this issue. I likely still have family somewhere in Belarus that is Jewish. I am not a Holocaust denier or a subscriber of Nazism. I am not a White Nationalist. In fact, as a supporter of the SMO in Ukraine, and a staunch critic of the Azov Battalion that has been harassing Russian families in Donetsk and Lugansk for the last two decades, I decry those groups. But I do possess a white hot hatred for Zionists and the Zionist Agenda. I do detest the ethnic cleansing that is taking place in Israel, and I want nothing to do with the people who support it. If that makes me an anti-Semite, then I will wear that label with absolute pride. It is a label that Zionists fling around far too loosely these days anyway. It has lost all meaning in a day and age when it is used at every turn.
Any Zionist that contacts me for the purposes of defending what is happening in Gaza, or to Zionsplain that I am an anti-Semite for holding these views, regardless of how respectful that dialogue is, will be instantly blocked. I cannot be any more clear about this. I don’t care to hear any of the abhorrent excuses for why slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian women and children is acceptable. This is a free publication, I don’t write for the money and I am not really concerned with my subscriber count. Feel free to unsubscribe if this view offends you. I have no interest in mingling with Zionists.
Radical Feminism
Finally, some of the content I post relates to the rejection of radical feminism and the embracing of traditional family values. These topics go hand in hand with Orthodox Christian culture. neither I, nor the community I am serving with my writing embraces the radical feminist agenda, and my posts and notes will often reflect that fact. If you are of the opinion that all men are useless husks that serve no purpose in this world other than to harm and degrade women, you will not find anything on my page useful, and you should simply scroll on by. The radical feminist viewpoint runs entirely counterintuitive to Orthodoxy, and I have no interest whatsoever with engaging in debate on this topic.
If you are a “TERF” who discovered my publication in your quest for anti-Trans or anti-LGBTQ content, and you think that this common ground is cause for a connection, you will likely want to unsubscribe now. I can guarantee that if I haven’t already done so, I will offend you at some point in the near future with my defense of family or my view of traditional Christian roles within the family structure.
In Summary
In closing I would just like to thank everyone who has engaged with my publication on any level. My only desire for this page is to provide inspiration and motivation to other Christians, specifically Catholic or Orthodox Christians, who have an interest in my journey, or who find themselves on a similar path. My hope is to use this platform to connect, to inspire and to provide prayer. It is my sincere desire to improve the lives of all who have discovered my publication. For those who know that they can not be informed, inspired or improved by my writings, I would simply ask that they scroll on by. Life is entirely too short to engage in ideological combat on the internet with complete strangers.
Thank you for taking the time to read my request, and have a blessed day! 🙏