Anyone who has experienced Her sweetness even in the tinyest degree can only lament that in such a world view, the place She should occupy must be filled by an enormous black hole. "I held out my last cigarette She lit it with her eyes Then sped off toward Sonora Without even a good-bye"
my dad prays with the rosary. I don't know why anyone would call that idolatry, it's just the use of a string of beads to enhance concentration. It is a good way for my dad to stay focused and centered. and to add to what BBB said, I agree, so much of Western religion is masculine, while the feminine has been left behind, forgotten. Everything in our society (which has been influenced by religion) seems this way now: agressive, logical, linear, utilitarian (think modernist architecture...ugh). Protestantism seems to have gone the farthest in this respect, there is no yin to their yang. At least the Catholics make a gesture towards harmonizing the two, even while still being very male-oriented.
That's a good analysis - you're so right - without the femminine qualities the universe, and particularly the spiritual universe is incomplete and imbalanced. I'm actually encouraged to some extent by the fact that the male-dominated Catholic heirarchy has now made official moves, in the form of JP II's apostolic letter 'Rosarium Virginis Mariae' to fully legitimate and promote devotion to Mary. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html
well, Jesus certainly isn't either... if you had to pick someone, Mary would be the best candidate, don't you think? My parents pray it quite frequently, they're really into the rosary.
"We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD! We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our fathers, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine." The women added, "When we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands know that we were making cakes like her image and pouring out drink offerings to her?" (Jeremiah 44:16-19) The Queen of Heaven was the Pagan goddess known as Ishtar (among other names). Catholic incorporation of Pagan traditions #29993
I don't know why so many Protesants get so WEIRD about Catholics. Catholic Beleif isn't hurting you. Lots of fear, IMO. If you were raised Italian, Irish, Latino, French, Mary is going to be part of the religion you Honor (not worship, honor, Protestants just keep saying "worship" like they haven't heard the difference, and obviously don't want to.) If you don't want to, then don't. She is a beautiful part of the Faith of a good number or people. Most of whom are Christians. If the "Pagan Incorporation" didn't happen, it is a good bet that Christianity would have either remained a smalll cult, or would have died out completely. Mary left a huge door open to a lot of people to Beleive.
Sweet words Maggie Sugar And it is a fact that a lot of other stuff was incorporated from paganism. The old Imperial purple for bishops, for example.
The beliefs of the Catholic church blind it's followers, both physically and spiritually, from the truth of the Lord. The entire religion is based upon lies (from Baptism to confession and especially the false concept of the Trinity (as three separate beings equalling one Lord) which are quite clear to unveiled eyes, in the word of God. Anyone who possess any Spiritual truth is aware that Mary is merely a woman. God had favor with her, due to her strong faith, and used her as a vessel to appear in a flesh form ("appeared in a body" - 1 Timothy 3:16) When Mary is glorified as being equal to Christ, technically, this is called worship. I am not a Protestant and I was raised Catholic (sadly). The gospel of Christ was spread long before Constantine created Catholicism.
Despite the apparent failures of the Catholic Church it has been instrumental in delivering some true parts of the Gospel to the world. It's not completely bad... and it has given rise to pretty awesome works of fiction, not to mention a lot of the churches look really cool.
I think I know why you say they blind the followers spiritually, even if I don't fully agree - but how do they blind them physically? I don't understand what you mean by that.
probably means literalyl and figuratively. Still doesn't make a ton of sense, except that maybe the real, physical icons blind you literally (distractions), while their teachings blind your spiritual eye?
I love the hatred directed towards Catholics and EO folks here. If you people who are so opposed to so-called "pagan concepts" are married, take off your rings. Right now. Those were pagan concepts too. How dare you desecrate marriage with your pagan traditions, heathens!
Everyone know's J.R.R.Tolkein was the one who invented the Tolkein ring system. He was a Christian. One ring, to rule them all… One ring, to find them… One ring, to bring them all… And in the darkness, bind them… The whole series was a warning against marriage. Unfortunately, Sauron's power still holds sway, on this earth.
Are these things Christians would say? "Your entire religion is based on lies." Very nice. Would your interpretation of what God is be very proud of those kind of statements? NO ONE has said Mary is "equal to Christ!" Do you read what others post and say? Catholics are blind? PHYSICALLY? I can see quite clearly. Do you want to clarify that? Or don't you understand what the word "PHYSICALLY" means? Is that simply something your dogmatic faith told you to say? And you say it without realizing what it means? Maybe that isn''t true, but is appears so. When I see this kind of thing you have posted, Epiph, I think "This person has happily accepted brainwashing, and the hatred that goes along with it, and refuses to listen to anything else." It has been said again and again (and you refuse to LISTEN) that the HONORING of Mary is NOT Worship. Yet, you keep saying it is. WHAT are you afraid of? Feminine power is a scary thing. Isn't it? "Unveiled eyes?" Is it possible that yours are veiled by dogma and fear and the msiogyny that some people interpret as part of their faith retain as a way to control people? Hatred=Fear. It is caused by misunderstanding and the panic that ensues when one's dogmatic "belief system" is believed to be challenged. I know of few Catholics who attempt to shove Mary down anyone else's throat, yet anti-Catholics try to shove things down Catholics, usually in the form of attack all the time. How is the LOVE and HONOR that some give Mary harming YOU? The Feminine in religion is in direct opposition to the hostility of those who disrespect honoring a wonderful womyn and a beautiful part of some people's faith. WHY does it bother you so much? Is is that scary? Isn't your faith alone strong enough to simply not beleive it, rather than have to attack an entire group of people? Or does the LACK of a feminine power make your system unbalanced, and the masculine overbearing part of this type of faith causes one to attack other's faiths. Personally, I couldn't care less what you beleive. It isn't my business. I wouldn't attack you for your beliefs. But I will call attention to your attacking other's beliefs. Maybe you might try to rid yourself of your fear of the Feminine. Then you won't need the attacks against Catholics, Orthodox ect. It is very unbecoming. To me, your attack on Mary appears to be nothing but fear. Why?
Well said. I think your dead right about this femminine/masculine balance. It seems that the male side is more concerned with rational argument, dogma, power, and so on, while the femminine is more intuitive and feeling. A balance of both sides is needed in everyone. I think you've actually hit here on one of the major defects of most western religion - all are too male dominated, and dominated by the concept of God the Father, but have no knowledge of God the Mother.
Quite the contrary, I do not possess fear. What I have is contempt and disgust for an instituion of false prophecy ("wolves in sheep's clothing") that claims to be, "of Christ", as the Catholic church leaders do. It was merely a religion created for control of the Roman Empire. As I have stated before in a post on this same topic, Mary was a woman who possess the type of faith that we should all desire. However, she is merely a woman. She holds no special powers, she is not a queen. She is merely a woman who was blessed by the Lord. The word of the Lord states that we are to pray to the Father in Heaven. Not some simple woman, or any of the other blessed individuals of the Bible. The Catholic church possess it’s own, "bible". Inside you will find many fictional stories that do not coincide with the actual word of God. If you had read my post carefully, you would have noticed that I mentioned I was raised Catholic and my entire family is part of the church. Once again, I do not have a problem with Catholics, nor have I attacked anyone in this forum who is Catholic. What I have a problem with is the fallaciousness and corruption of the systematic institution of the Catholic church and it’s leaders. What I possess for those who have been blinded by it’s madness, is merely sorrow, and the hope for God’s mercy upon them. Father Malachi Martin, Martin Luther, and others exposed the Catholic church for it’s true nature. It is estimated that seventy percent of Catholic church leaders have been involved with child molestation. As a parent, one should be appalled, rather than in support of this. As a Psychology major, believer in Christ, and a mere human being, I find it detestable. However, Catholics continue to support this demonic presence. Matthew 5:6-10 speaks specifically about this matter, including child abuse ("if thy hand offend thee") and molestation/pedophiles ("if thy eye offend thee"). Seventy percent is not merely, "a few corrupt individuals". The only brainwashing I have received, was the from the Anti-Christ religion of my past, the Catholic church. I have listened to plenty of the lies. You can assume that I am close minded (which would be quite pathetic, due to the fact that you are only reading my opinion based on a solitary topic). Frankly, your opinion really does not matter to me. What matters to me is the Lord’s will. As a daughter in Christ, I refuse to have love for a system that does not posses his Spirit. (*Note, I said, "system", not, "people"). For the Word tells me not to be in league with that which opposes God. Throughout the dark ages, up to the present day, the Catholic church has been seduced by the ways of the world. She is drunk on the blood of saints and martyrs, killing those whom have refused to believe in her evil ways. She has committed fornication, which, in the Scripture, is symbolic of false religion—lack of fidelity to the God who created heaven and earth. Just as the Babylonians, she has committed her crimes in the sight of God, and according to Revelations, she will taste the Lord’s wrath "Come out of her my people" (Revelation 18:4) She truly is the Whore of Babylon spoken of in Revelation. *It is well known that the early church fathers - the Apostles (whom the Catholic church, "claims" were their leaders) referred to Rome as Babylon. Furthermore, I do not have a, "religion". Religion is made at the hands of man. Faith is of the Lord. More lies of the Roman Catholic/Orthodox church: http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1450013#post1450013
Epiphany - you haven't answered my question as to how the Catholic Church 'physically blinds ' it's follwers. Or was that just rhetoric?
