My view of the West from the West

if it helps, I used to logically go over the ins and outs of orthodoxy too (from a scientific/atheistic background) the BEST logical reason for \\"choosing\\" orthodoxy, I think, is this: Look at all the goofy churches in america, that nominally make some claim to be about christ (it\'s even goofier in south korea)... so then it must be logical that \\"hey, this is not what christianity is\\" because these are a modern invention... so what happened for 1000 years before? catholics... and what happened 1000 years before that? orthodox. Why change? why start from anywhere but the beginning? I used to worry about orthodoxy being too strict, but then I heard the phrase (I think it was like this) \\"cafeteria catholics\\" that they just pick and choose what they want out of religion, and it seemed ridiculous - that salvation could be like a sandwich - pick all the right parts, and bammo, salvation sandwich! anyway, culturally speaking, what would you lose in a switch to orthodoxy? nothing! what would you gain? everything!... Heck, here I\'m orthodox in a country that was buddhist for over a thousand years - that doesn\'t mean I can\'t go look at a temple, take some pictures and whatnot... although it does mean I can\'t go and prostrate myself before their idols... anyway, food for thought