ο τυπάς είναι σχισματικός Let me state at the outset that “Brother Nathaniel” is not in any way a representative of the Orthodox Church or an example of Orthodox living.
This man, whose legal name is Milton Kapner, was baptized in 1988 by clergy of a schismatic sect called the “Holy Orthodox Church of North America,” or HOCNA.
Prior to this, he had indeed been an active member of the messianic “Jews for Jesus” movement (see the “Highway 9 conversion” article).
In 1992, he became a novice monk in a HOCNA monastery, but sometime later he moved to Colorado, to a monastery belonging to a different schismatic group. Eventually, he left that monastery also — it appears that he may have been kicked out, but he won’t say — and took to doing his own thing on the streets.
A monastic “brother” in Orthodox Christian parlance is a novice — someone who is merely trying out the monastic life as a member of a particular community. When such a person separates from his community, he loses whatever right he had to call himself “Brother [Name]” and to wear the clothes of a monk.
I don’t judge his soul — only God knows the heart — but I can say that his conspiracy theories come from his own head, and not from the Orthodox Christian faith.
Finally, I question Macrina’s statement that Mr. Kapner is a “fool for Christ.” It is clear from one of his blog postings that he *thinks* he is a fool for Christ. But the very fact that he announces this, and his online self-promotion in general, suggest that he is no such thing. Furthermore, a fool for Christ might violate social norms or certain outward expressions of piety, but he will always be an Orthodox Christian. He might shock his bishop with his strange behavior and audacity; but he will *have* a bishop (and a real one at that).
I hope this helps.
+
P.S. You write that you are surprised that he is “out there in public and hasn’t been arrested yet,” even though “Some of his writings … border on the White Supremacist style.” I can’t say if Kapner is any sort of white supremacist — I have only seen his Anti-Jewish rantings.
I find them abhorrent. However, as an American, I thank God that neither he nor anyone else may be arrested because of the content of the opinions they express. I believe that free men and women, if they want to preserve freedom for themselves and their children, must support and defend the freedoms of their fellow citizens — even when they bitterly disagree with them.
+ Source(s): * I am a lifelong Eastern Orthodox Christian and a student of theology.
* See Ryan Slabaugh, "Highway 9 conversion," Summit Daily News, 8 September 2006: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20060…
* Note that Kapner links approvingly to this article on his blog, stating that it contains "My Biography": http://www.brothernathanael.com/?p=6
* The "Holy Fool" blog post: http://www.brothernathanael.com/?p=26
* An account of some actual fools for Christ: http://www.roca.org/OA/105/105f.htm
Λεει σκληρες αληθειες σε παμπολα βιντεακια. Οι Σιωνιστες της Αμερικης για να τον απαξιωσουν του εχουν κολλησει την ταμπελα του "self hating Jew".
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήο τυπάς είναι σχισματικός
ΑπάντησηΔιαγραφήLet me state at the outset that “Brother Nathaniel” is not in any way a representative of the Orthodox Church or an example of Orthodox living.
This man, whose legal name is Milton Kapner, was baptized in 1988 by clergy of a schismatic sect called the “Holy Orthodox Church of North America,” or HOCNA.
Prior to this, he had indeed been an active member of the messianic “Jews for Jesus” movement (see the “Highway 9 conversion” article).
In 1992, he became a novice monk in a HOCNA monastery, but sometime later he moved to Colorado, to a monastery belonging to a different schismatic group. Eventually, he left that monastery also — it appears that he may have been kicked out, but he won’t say — and took to doing his own thing on the streets.
A monastic “brother” in Orthodox Christian parlance is a novice — someone who is merely trying out the monastic life as a member of a particular community. When such a person separates from his community, he loses whatever right he had to call himself “Brother [Name]” and to wear the clothes of a monk.
I don’t judge his soul — only God knows the heart — but I can say that his conspiracy theories come from his own head, and not from the Orthodox Christian faith.
Finally, I question Macrina’s statement that Mr. Kapner is a “fool for Christ.” It is clear from one of his blog postings that he *thinks* he is a fool for Christ. But the very fact that he announces this, and his online self-promotion in general, suggest that he is no such thing. Furthermore, a fool for Christ might violate social norms or certain outward expressions of piety, but he will always be an Orthodox Christian. He might shock his bishop with his strange behavior and audacity; but he will *have* a bishop (and a real one at that).
I hope this helps.
+
P.S. You write that you are surprised that he is “out there in public and hasn’t been arrested yet,” even though “Some of his writings … border on the White Supremacist style.” I can’t say if Kapner is any sort of white supremacist — I have only seen his Anti-Jewish rantings.
I find them abhorrent. However, as an American, I thank God that neither he nor anyone else may be arrested because of the content of the opinions they express. I believe that free men and women, if they want to preserve freedom for themselves and their children, must support and defend the freedoms of their fellow citizens — even when they bitterly disagree with them.
+
Source(s):
* I am a lifelong Eastern Orthodox Christian and a student of theology.
* See Ryan Slabaugh, "Highway 9 conversion," Summit Daily News, 8 September 2006: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20060…
* Note that Kapner links approvingly to this article on his blog, stating that it contains "My Biography": http://www.brothernathanael.com/?p=6
* The "Holy Fool" blog post: http://www.brothernathanael.com/?p=26
* An account of some actual fools for Christ: http://www.roca.org/OA/105/105f.htm