DreadPirateWestly wrote:
All I'm saying is that the Orthodox Church already recognizes some murderers AND their victims as saints. I'm pretty sure that Moses of Ethiopia killed a few people that are now saints. I totally agree that there is a big difference between St. Paul and Stalin, but I'm just saying that that's not a good excuse to NOT canonize him. I don't want him to be a saint any more than you guys do, but I like to at least take an objective view on the arguments for and against it. Obviously there is no good reason TO canonize him, and there are lots of reasons not to, but that's not one of them.
BlackK wrote:
Saul was still a Pharisee and a Jew when he persecuted Christians, and abetted the murder of Protomartyr Stephen. Yet, he was chosen by God to become Apostle to the Gentiles. Once he "saw the light" and was baptised, his life became new again, washed by baptism and the Holy Spirit.
Ivan the Terrible and Joseph Stalin, by contrast, were baptised Orthodox Christians, who, at least for part of their lives, knew right from wrong. There is quite a difference between them and St Paul.
DreadPirateWestly wrote:
Even though I agree, I don't think that that's a valid reason. Look at St. Paul.
BlackK wrote:
it would be improper and wrong to recognise the perpetrator of murder along with his victim
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