"Ultimately so discouraged, that persecution is the only means to satisfy a profound emptiness."
Now there is a truly new concept to me. Very interesting.
" 'I would argue that where the body of Christ is most greatly persecuted, there you will find Christ Himself. ' Then He is in China. 'Until all the elect are identified (which will not be until Christ returns), ' Are you Orthodox?"
Christ is God and is therefore in all places and fills all things. So the question, "Is Christ in China" can be answered by asking a similarly difficult question "Is Christ in Hell?"
An Orthodox would answer both "Yes".
Like a deep depression is a state of mind, Hell is a state of soul in the presence of Grace (not hard to see in the world today when people truly hate God who has only done wonderful things for them). The depth of sin however is far more reaching than death…for Christ raised faithful Lazarus from death (in concert with Lazarus’s will), but not the unfaithful Judas from willful sin (which is against…not Christ’s will, but against Judas’s will).
Hell is a place where Christ continues to knock on the door of the soul but it will never open. Lazarus opened the door, Judas will not…but Christ will eternally continue to reach out to both.
Where is the Church and who is saved? (Your questions just asked a bit more bluntly since it seems to be a residual question that lingers from Protestant-Roman Catholic confrontations)...Orthodox would answer "We know where the Church (and it’s fullness) is, but not where it is not". There are many Orthodox that will not be saved (as there were disciples unsaved...Judas...even though the fullness of the Truth was contained in Christ). There will be many non-Orthodox saved, who hear the voice of God, and respond in Truth (yet I would argue not to read to much into this, or to base your salvation on it, since Truth will be recognized by the faithful when it is presented...such as the thief on the cross).
Am I Orthodox (which literally means “right” worship) I would answer…I hope so.