Some Statements from Greek Orthodox representatives

regarding Vassula Ryden's "True Life in God" messages

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NEW Statement from His Eminence Abba Seraphim, Metropolitan of Glastonbury, regarding Mrs. Vassula Ryden, August 2005: In a General Memorandum to the clergy of the British Orthodox Church, His Eminence Abba Seraphim offered the following guidance to the clergy and faithful:

1. In receiving the sacraments at altars other than those of the Orthodox Church [justifying this by quoting the Decree Orientarium Ecclesiarum of Vatican II], Mrs Ryden is disregarding Orthodox canonical discipline which forbids it.

2. Mrs Ryden should seek the canonical permission and blessing of the local Orthodox hierarch having jurisdiction in each place, prior to addressing public meetings, rather than act in the face of their sometimes expressed opposition and criticism.

3. Until such time as a canonical Orthodox hierarchy is able to make a detailed and full examination of the messages received by Mrs. Ryden, they should be regarded with grave caution and their authority attributed solely to the views and aspirations of Mrs Ryden herself, rather than any angelic, saintly or divine source.

His Eminence Abba Seraphim also points out that Mrs Ryden has found enthusiastic supporters among numbers of the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox clergy and has often utilised the opportunities offered by 'Inter religious Pilgrimages' she organizes (such as her ones to the Holy Land in March 2000 and to Egypt in October 2002) to cultivate members of the local hierarchy, who are not always fully aware of all her activities.

This memorandum was published in the www.britishorthodox.org website in February 2006, with an extra note indicating that "the statement in the True Life in God UK Newsletter No. 6 (November 2005) that His Eminence Abba Seraphim along with H.M. Queen Elisabeth II and the Archbishop of Canterbury, 'sent us their good wishes for the meeting' is untrue. An invitation was sent to Abba Seraphim and a reply sent on his behalf stating that he had another engagement and would be unable to attend, but asking to be kept on the TLIG mailing list and for copies of the documentation supplied to be sent to other Orthodox hierarchs in the United Kingdom." (Read the entire article in http://www.britishorthodox.org/113b.php towards the end of the page).

Cretan Archdiocese - September 2001. Issued a press release warning against TLIG and discouraging people to attend a meeting where Vassula was to talk, qualifying her of "anti-orthodox".

Metropolite Mons. Damaskinos, Swiss diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarcate of Constantinople. In 1996, Mons. Damaskinos declared that Vassula Ryden, in the eyes of all those who are considered as the authentic bearers and continuers of the tradition of the Orthodox Church, was opposing the conscience of that Church which believes that Divine Revelation has been achieved once and for all through the Apostles. He also criticized in that occasion the attitude of the seer, who had organized a broadly advertised meeting on the same date that the Geneva Churches and Christian communities had scheduled their annual gathering for the Christian Unity Week. More Info (in French)...

Patriarcate of Constantinople, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1995, Fundacion SPES of Argentina asked the representative of the Greek Orthodox Church in that country about the case of Vassula Ryden. The answer was given by Fr. Demonstenes in the name of Mons. Gennadios Chrysoulakys. He stated that the Greek Orthodox Church does not recognize any voice outside the established ecclesiastical hierarchy and if Mrs. Ryden has something to communicate, she should do it through the hierarchy. More Info (in Spanish)...

  NEW  In 2004, I received this critique from a Christian Orthodox who accepted to have it published in my website. I finally do so here, with my apologies for the very long delay.

A critique of Vassula & True Life in God

by a Christian Orthodox

JOHN 10: 1- 5

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

• For over 15 years in this age of the Internet Vassula has promoted her writings globally in many languages. If her writings were of Christ, should not His sheep the world over have been flocking to those writings?

• Would Christ choose a method of communication with mankind, automatic writing, that has a long prominent history of use in the Occult? 

• Would Christ take away the free will of someone by controlling their body to write in a script not their own? The Divine Words of Christ are heard by His sheep regardless of the medium.

• Would Christ be so incredibly verbose, repetitive, ambiguous, wandering in focus, and given to expressing Himself on mundane matters set within narrow time frames?

• Would Christ want to create an organization (TLIG) that was outside the Church, and give His ‘new revelation’ to an individual who becomes the main focus in the lives of the organization’s members?

• Would Christ communicate in such a cryptic way that one needed to be privy to TLIG interpretations to be able to understand His words?

• Would God speak, as “He” does in the samples shown below, to those who would understandably question the writings of Vassula?

• Would God’s new messenger condemn those who would reasonably question her writings? See excerpt from a letter to Vassula’s followers below.

• Would a Christ created organization exhibit the classic hallmarks of: a charismatic leader dispensing mystical/esoteric knowledge to an insular group of “enlightened” people who see any criticism from outside as being evil?

• IF CHRIST WERE COMMUNICATING THROUGH VASSULA WOULD HE NOT BE TELLING US THAT THE SALVATION OF MAN IS NOT COMPLETELY FOUND IN SCRIPTURE AND SACRED TRADITION?

 SAMPLES OF THE WRITING

The following sample is taken from http://www.tlig.org/msg/vasb1060.html and that document is titled: TO CONCEAL MY VOICE IS A MORTAL SIN MY SERVANTS ARE FORMED FROM MY WORDS

………….to conceal My Voice is a mortal sin; to sift Me through and through and scan Me is an abhorrent sin in My Eyes; will your incredulity say one day: "but look, we did not know; we did not know that we offended Your Mercy;" indeed you have offended My Mercy; not only have you offended My Mercy but you have allowed the evil powers to gain ground and despoil the House My Son bought with His Precious Blood, because of your incredulity; and how! how ingeniously you get round My Words in order to justify your incredulity!.................

The following sample is taken from http://www.tlig.org/en/news/2002-01-10/257/   being part of a letter to TLIG followers from Vassula. The letter in its entirety is very revealing of the mind set of this organization

…………..Then what follows is a reminder to all those who fearlessly persecute the merciful call   of God, even to call it evil, throwing mud on it that by doing so, they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit, committing the unforgivable sin.   This is what he says: "Read our messages and stop being scornful or deaf when heaven speaks.    Lower your voices and you will hear ours.   Think twice before you judge; think more than twice before you condemn the works of the Holy Spirit.    I shall not spare anyone who mocks the Holy Spirit, blaspheming him outright".   Then he reminds us of what awaits those who blaspheme, "Justice will send them down to the underworld"…………..

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