Clarification of terms and ides.
I should begin with a presentation of myself. I follow no specific religion, though I do believe in morality, fidelity, honor, courage and values. In fact, as a soldier with over 8 years of Army service, I uphold the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. I also firmly believe in the golden rule. Furthermore, I believe that religion is a personal choice and that the bond between a man and his God is both sacred and private.
That said, I should present the following questions...but I implore you to note that I do not pose the questions as an attack, but rather as an effort to gain understanding.
1. Why is "paganism" (an all but derogative term that has been attached to a slew of religions) labeled as "New Age" when a vast majority of these beliefs predate recorded history?
2. How can we as thinking beings be expected to accept blindly that Catholism, Christainity, or any other religion is the true path to salvation when so many religions claim the same virtue? Does it not make infinitely more sense to suppose that anyone who claims (in opposition to others) to be the only "right" one, is probably not so? Wouldn't a more tolerant approach seem more apt to be true...such as religions which teach acceptance as a primary virtue, or religions that preach that each must find his own path to truth?
3. I don't quite grasp the christian (christian is collectively used here) concept of a monotheistic deity, when Genesis 1:26 clearly states, "And God said, Let us make a man in our image, after our likeness...". I don't believe that God arrogantly spoke of himself in the "royal we", nor do I believe that he was speaking of the angels (as the angels are given no credit in the creation of man), and I find it difficult to put credence into the "Holy Trinity" argument, since Christ had not yet been born...let alone died and rose again. I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
4. Why do christians (colectively used again) kneel and pray before the image of Christ on the cross when the bible states, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me..."? Is the image of Christ on the cross not a graven image that of a thing that is in heaven? "Anything" does seem to be a definitive and all inclusive word.
5. My last and most pressing of questions is this...I have been "assaulted" by many a "devout christian" who seek to preach to me my sins and seemingly are intent on forcing me to change my life by being aggressive. Does God actually tell these people to be rude and crass? Or are they simply misguided zealots? And does the church condone such behavior?
I would hope that in this world in which have live, wherein our neighbors are often not so by choice, that tolerance was the universal constant. I agree that tolerance has a finite limit, but that limit is set by morality and virtue...not by our choice or ability to be intolerant. I suppose my foremost concern is that this world we live in has been so grossly divided...not by belief or religion...but by our inability to accept a different set of values or a different point of view.
Ren
QUESTION from Ren on March 4, 2004
Thank you for your time.
ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on March 16, 2004
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Dear Ren: I appreciate and thank God for your courage to take a stance on honor and integrity. While you may not be aware of it, those attributes are the attributes of God and what He teaches us. As to your questions: 1. The New Age is actually only a regurgitation of old and ancient ideas. That is why some people may include paganism in the New Age. 2. God does not expect us to accept Him blindly. Catholicism is a thinking man's religion. We reason our faith, not blindly follow it. As for which faith is true, the nature of Truth is that 1 + 1 = 2. If someone comes along and says 1 + 1 = 65 then he is wrong. period. Truth is utterly intolerant. It will not tolerate the answer to the equation 1 + 1 to be 2 1/2 or 65, or 1.9; truth only tolerates an answer that is true -- which is Two. A truly thinking person aspires to truth, not tolerance. Truth is what it is. The proofs for Christianity are myriad. More than enough evidence is present to accept Christianity as true; and if true, then all other notions contrary to it are untrue. One thing is certainly true, Truth is not found in tolerance, and the myriad of faiths and denominations out there cannot be truth. One must be true, and the rest not true, or none are true. But we can't all be correct since we contradict each other in our beliefs. 3. Genesis 1:26 refers to the Trinity. As taught elsewhere in the Bible God is Trinity (three persons, but one God). This is a mystery that cannot be fully understood, but its teaching is clear. Jesus himself refers to it. Christ is the Second Person of the Trinity and has ALWAYS existed. He is God. Then in a moment of human History, the Second Person of the Trinity lowered himself to incarnate in human form and be called Jesus. The incarnation was in history, but the second Person of the Trinity is eternal. 4. You are misinterpreting the first commandment. The Bible does NOT prohibit statues and the like, it prohibits WORSHIPPING graven images. If "mere" graven images were sin, then God Himself sinned since God told Moses to make graven images on the Ark of the Covenant - the Angels on the lid of the Ark. The Temple of Solomon had graven imaged all over it as ordered by God. The Bible condemns WORSHIP of graven images, not the images itself. We kneel and pray NOT TO the statue but BEFORE the statue. The Statue helps us to bring our minds toward God, like a picture of your grandmother hanging on the wall brings you mind to her. We are actually praying to God or to one of the Saints as God allows us to do. 5. The Catholic Church teaches that you have a right and a duty to follow your conscience. Unless you are attacking our beliefs, then our demeanor toward you should be cordial. Trying to explain the faith to you, or even to convince you is okay if done with respect. But, the Church teaches that we must respect whatever decision you make. It is your choice in what to believe. Ultimately, your decision on what to believe about God and religion is none of our business. That is between you and the Creator.
God Bless, |