One thing I have noticed in the proclamations of Orthodox monks about their own church vs. other churches (the many other Christian denominations existing in the world today) is that they often come off as extremely harsh, judgemental and intolerant. They generally make no effort to say that "there are many ways to God's doorstep," everything is good and relative etc.

The question I have is: is this prejudice or just certainty?

They say:

- The Orthodox are the only true Christians: the others lost the way, are hollow, nothing, deluded.
- All the world, every creature in it is under the protection and the prayers of the Orthodox Christians who intercede through prayer.

From my nightly reading:

A few Orthodox authors stress that there are some important differences between Orothodox Christianity and Eastern Religions (such as Buddhism, Hindu Yoga etc). I think that these differences may not in actuality exist but are the result of misunderstanding or intentional efforts to differentiate. According to the Orthodox authors I read the differences are:
- Only in Orthodoxy the energy of devine grace aids the aspirant on his or her way towards self-realization/God.
- In Orthodoxy the whole man or woman is not “Theosisized” or dissolved in the moment of highest continual realization (eg “melting into Nirvana”).
- The Orthodox claim that love as the great internal mover towards perfection is absent in the East (but I beleive that that is “the Bodhichitta” so often spoken of by the Tibetan Buddists for example or in the transformational love at the heart of Rumi's Sufic teaching.)

Side notes:

- Some other pilgrims here commented to me that their impression is that Americans only beleive in work and money.
- They also said they believe that Americans as a society believe that they are first in the world and after them, no one else matters.
- The made comments to the effect that 'in the US there exists a lack of understanding of the true meaning of `life quality` and Quality as a real consideration is absent in the life choices American people make as a society.'