What caused you to accept Orthodoxy? What did you find appealing about it?
I'm generally interested in learning about different spiritual traditions, and eventually, I looked into orthodoxy. It struck me as almost completely miserable and sad. The worldview feels completely gnostic and medieval, almost all the saint quotes just feel like distilled catholic guilt, with a constant call to repent for whatever one does or thinks, and the endless fasting, prayer cycles, infinite bureaucracy and lessons to join the church and get a sacrament that is given to little babies who have no understaning of what's going on. I'm not a Christian myself, but from my understanding the Gospel is supposed to be... good news? This lifestyle doesn't feel much like good news.
So, without going into detail on all my critiques, I'm curious about why you chose to join the church. I wonder if there is an appealing part of the picture I missed out on, or if there is something else about it that made you reach that conclusion.
If you're a cradle, would you say you remained in the church only because it was the only thing you knew/were allowed to believe in, or if there were other reasons for you choosing to remain a member.