catholic v orthodox

[linate]

i wonder what ya'll thoughts are on my situation

i like both catholic and orthodox churches. i was a former catholic and pretty knowledgeable about the church. if you want to peruse some of my thoughts on the matter, see the debate table. i generally prefer orthodox approaches to things, and i mean that in the little 'o' way of it, in that both churches teach good things.

i am most notably drawn to the eucharist in these churches. i view the protestant approach as plausible but see those other churches as stronger, probably. intellectrally. i guess my human side recoils at the idea of eating flesh, but my spritual side has a very basic understanding of unity of spirit and body and all. the way some saints describe it is appealing enough to take seriously, 'body, blood, soul and divinity'. it's not the merging of two spirits that i would often think of, but in some ways is better, as it merges the physical world as well. a "jesus pill" to meet our modern sensability. 
catholics view orthodox as okay to partake of theirs but not just orthodox christians in the little o sense, only the big O. so i guess i shouldn't look there. orthodox say you shouldn't partake in the catholic eucharist as they don't see a full unity with them, and it would be disingenuous. i could look to the Orthodox but i'm not sure i'm union with them either. 

i am drawn usually to the orthodox church way of doing things, theology and otherwise.

i run into authority. i follow the orthodox when it comes to the papacy. so that means i'm not in good standing with there, or in some other issues. i generally like the orthodox church, but ironically i also use the roman catholic arguments against their authority structure. there's just a lot of arbitrariness to following one certain priest and a random number of beginning councils. i can see following "what is believed, everywhere, by all" somewhat, and could be called paleo orthodox. although im soemwhat secular like a lot of non-denominational people are. so i stick with that. but it would be interesting to consider delving into orthodoxy in some sense. an orthodox priest once told me i had an obligation to convert to orthodoxy cause i saw all the problems i do with the catholic church. i'm not sure about that. 
i do respect the pope. the "first among equals" ideals that the easterns saw it as originally with the pope. 

i guess there's always liberal catholics too. lolz

what do ya'll think?

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

Unsure there is liberal or conservative in the holy roman catholic church. Either you believe in and try to follow the teachings of the holy magesterium or you don't. Not saying you can follow what you don't know but the teachings you do know. Liberal in my head is one that does contrary to the teachings of the holy magesterium and teaches others to do the same, heretic. And conservative is a right wing puffed up sinners be damned don't come near me accursed attitude. Kinda one assumes gods mercy and the other gods wrath.

I know nothing about the orthodox church, and catholics are only to partake of communion at an orthodox church if there isn't a catholic church that you can get to, plus I think we are advised to ask the orthodox priest if he minds, some do some don't.

I guess now that I've said that i think the parish priest in a catholic church has little to no direct authority over the flock, he is just a guide and the pope and bishops are the authority, whereas orthodox and Protestant the presiding pastor has more authority over the flock.

Edited February 23, 2018 by Tab'le De'Bah-Rye