Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
December 27, 2006

IRINEJ
BISHOP OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
AN ARCHPASTORAL ADVENT MESSAGE

ON THE SIN OF INTERNET AND MEDIA ABUSE

Dear spiritual children:

. . . Jesus called the crowd to Him and said,
“Listen and understand! What goes into a man’s mouth
does not make him ‘unclean’,
but what comes out of his mouth,
that is what makes him ‘unclean’ (Mat. 15:10-11).

Communication is a gift from God to humanity. The use or abuse of this gift falls within the personal choice of our God-given freedom, either unto our salvation or our condemnation. And as it is with the spoken word, so also is the use or abuse with any word or image – consigned to print or electronically communicated, privately or publicly, individually or through mass media, the Internet notwithstanding – that renders a person ‘unclean’. Following the example of our Father in Heaven, every conscientious parent must warn their cherished children, when they see that the evil one has laid a snare for them. In like manner, We must strictly warn and sternly admonish all monastics and clergy, all sons and daughters, our spiritual children on this Fifth Continent, concerning the public sin of Internet and other media abuse, shared equally by those participating in the writing, providing of alleged information, reading or in distributing the same: Therefore come out from them and be separate, touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2. Cor. 6:17-18).

Beloved spiritual children, we finds ourselves in the Season of Advent, and therefore in preparation for the Great and Radiant Feast of the Incarnation of the Word of God. Christmas bears with it the only and true might of renewal to a new, eternal life for all peoples and all creation. For the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14). The Incarnate Logos – the Word of God, through His Holy Church, already here and now, reveals the future Kingdom of God as the eternal community of love. And in that love is the realisation of the union of man with God, as well as with his neighbours, always in unity, and never in deception or fragmentation. Those who lead others into temptation and maliciously participate in the spreading of lies and foster division become partakers, not of the Body of Christ, but rather of diabolical intrigue and in the blatant corruption of the father of lies.

Those who choose the Internet, or any other means of public communication, to deliberately lead the faithful, and especially innocent children, astray through the dissemination of lies, pornography, and any other form of public malice are guilty of the sin of self-centeredness, of the sin of the ego, for being outside the eternal community of love, outside of the Church, they only hear themselves and the father of lies and never heed the Word of God, who was sent to us from the Father: Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. . . He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God (Jn. 8:43-47). And concerning such blind individuals, who are not rooted in the Church, Christ aptly warns us:

. . . Every plant that my Heavenly Father has not planted
will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them;
they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit (Mat. 15:13-14).

Be watchful over your souls and bodies, treasured children in the Spirit! As we fast during this Holy Advent Season, both in spirit and in flesh, heed the admonition of the Holy Apostle Peter, who said: rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind (Pt. 2:1). The abuse of words, which are never neutral by their nature, is a sin against the very Word of God, and we will be held accountable before God at the Awesome Day of Judgment for every word that we utter, conscribe to print or present in cyberspace. We must guard the purity of our hearts, and in so doing shield our souls and bodies to make room only for Him who was born for us men and for our salvation. While fasting during this Nativity Advent, we are all summoned to sincere repentance by examining our conscience and our hearts. And what is it that makes us unclean and brings judgment upon us?

. . . The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’ (Mat. 15:18-20). . . For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings forth good things out of the good stored in him and the evil man brings evil things stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word that they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned (Mat. 12:34-37). . . Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you (Mat. 7:1-2).

Therefore, We appeal to all of you, our dear spiritual children, do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:17-21). By fasting and in repentance before God by appealing to the conscience of all peoples of good will, you will preserve the purity of your faith and your Orthodox Christian identity. In so doing, always and everywhere, you will and must be of assistance to your Holy Church and to your people. Walk away from darkness and enter into the pure Light of Christ, which illumines all humanity (cf. Jn. 1:9). And in receiving Him, Emmanuel, who is God With Us, He will receive us and we will truly become children of His Father, Our Father . . . the Father of Lights, children of the God Most High.

With fervent prayers to the Lord our God that He will grant all of us a blessed Advent Season, We invoke upon all of you His blessings and His love, and send you Our paternal love and warm greetings.

Given in Sydney, during Advent in the Year 2006.
Your earnest intercessor before Christ the Word of God,

+IRINEJ
Bishop of Australia and New Zealand