I have a friend who used to be an aghnostos deacon and knew every Coptic hymn by heart. Some days he would even lead the congregation responses in the liturgy. I'm not sure what happened but now he doesn't dare stand a deacon. He used to teach Sunday School but he decided to quit. He still comes to church every Sunday bright & early and partakes of the holy communion. He also comes to youth meeting every week. He claims that he doesn't believe in God anymore and that religion is a stupid concept. He also drinks on a regular basis now, smokes shisha, goes clubbing and does drugs every now and then. And recently he has disowned me as a friend, although I used to consider him one of my closest friends. Now, he keeps our conversations relatively short and ignores my text messages. I do not know what has gotten in to him but it is very unfortunate. His situation saddens me greatly and I do not know what to do. It saddens my abouna also, but abouna says the only thing we can do is pray. If he claims to not believe in God, why does he still come to the liturgy, take communion and go to youth meeting every week?!?! What is wrong with my friend? How do I bring him back?
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God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
god bless
when I left the church, all I wished for is ABOUNA TO CALL ME... and ask me to open up to him about any and everything that bothers me about the church... but all I found were JUDGMENTS from PRIESTS and CHURCH MEMBERS, nobody opened their heart to talk about things to me!
ask abouna to reach out... and you do too... THROUGH THE ALMIGHTY GOD!!!
akhadna el baraka, Neshkor Allah!
A book that might be helpful is "The Truth about the New Atheism" (david Marshall), or "re-enchantment of Nature" (Alister McGrath). I love the Book "God and you: Person to Person" (Fr. Anthony Conrais).
Maybe, just ask other of his close friends at church just to be there for him. Sometimes if we just be quiet and listen, and show someone the love of God by just being there for him or her, that makes God really real to them. I remember when I sat next to someone who went to tears at school; I took out my Bible and gave them psalm 139 to read:
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
20 For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.[c]
21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.