Religion & Spirituality - 1 October 2007

The late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin (died 11-14-96), also gay. In some photos he displays an extremely strange & perhaps sinister hand gesture--a symbol of his membership in the occult or secret society. Think there are other Cardinals, or Bishops of the Catholic faith into satanic practices? Would every Mass be considered invalid in which he presided over? How would that effect the people who attended Mass?

2007-10-01 11:15:18 · 11 answers · asked by ZORRO 3

Generally speaking, how do atheists view paranormal phenomena, such as telepathy, telekinesis, or any other type ESP? I know you cant speak for all, but I would like your opinion.

2007-10-01 11:13:31 · 2 answers · asked by ☼ɣɐʃʃɜƾ ɰɐɽɨɲɜɽɨƾ♀ 5

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030).

Purgatory is simply the place where already saved souls are cleansed of the temporal effects of sin before they are allowed to see the holy face of Almighty God.

Revelation 21:27 tells us that "...nothing unclean will enter [Heaven]."


Purgatory is His way of ensuring that Revelation 21:27 is true and that nothing unclean will see Heaven. It is only through Christ's sacrifice that we are shown this mercy! It is Christ and Christ alone Who allows us access to the Father.

It's isn't in the Bible, but neither are the words "Trinity," "abortion," "lesbianism," and "cloning" (or "Rapture," for that matter), and it doesn't matter whether you call the process of purgation "purgatory" or the "Final Theosis": the concept of a "final cleansing" or "purgation" for those who require it is very evident in the Bible, in the writings of the early Church Fathers, and in the Old Testament religion whence Christianity sprang.

Daniel 12:2, Matthew 12:32, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, 2 Timothy 1:16-18, Hebrews 12:14, Hebrews 12:22-23, 1 Peter 4:6 and Revelation 21:10, 27 all speak of Purgatory in their telling of the need for purification, prayers for the dead, Christ's preaching to the dead, or how nothing unclean will see God.

Archaeology also indicates the antiquity of the Christian belief in Purgatory/the Final Theosis: the tombs of the ancient Christians were inscribed with words of petition for peace and for rest, and at the anniversaries of deaths, the faithful gathered at the graves of the departed to make intercession for those who'd gone before.

Orthodox Jewish practices, which branched off from the Old Testament religion, to this day reflect belief in this "place" of final purification which they call Gehenom: when an Orthodox Jewish person dies, a ritual called the taharah is performed by the "Chevra kaddisha -- gmilat khessed shel emet," the "Holy Society" or "Burial Society" of Jews knowledgeable in these traditional duties. They cleanse and prepare the physical body and recite the required prayers (Chevra Kadisha) which ask God for forgiveness for any sins the departed may have committed, and beg Him to guard and grant eternal peace to the departed. For eleven months after the death of a loved one certain members of the family pray a prayer called the Mourner's Qaddish (or Kaddish) for their loved one's purification.

Even the The Talmud1 speaks of Purgatory:

Sabbath 33b:
"The judgment of the wicked in purgatory is twelve months."
Rosh HaShanah 16b-17a:
"It has been taught that the school of Shammai says: "There will be three groups on Judgment Day (yom haDin):
(1) one that is completely righteous,
(2) one that is completely wicked,
(3) and one that is in between."

Jews, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox have always proclaimed the reality of the final purification for those who need it. It was not until the Protestant Reformers came in the 1500s that any Christians denied the idea of a final purgation before seeing the face of God.

2007-10-01 11:11:20 · 13 answers · asked by cashelmara 7

Every Christian religion believes in the Bible and they all use it to "prove" their religion is true. I take this to be proof that the Bible is not a reliable measure of truth. Surely not all Christian religions can be 100% true.

Other than your knowledge of the Bible, why do you believe your religion is true?


Please don't answer if you believe that truth is subjective.
For example: If you believe it doesn't matter what religion
you are, all religions are equally true, or truth is in the eye of
the beholder.

*Sorry to leave anyone out, it's nothing personal*

2007-10-01 11:10:38 · 22 answers · asked by atomzer0 6

well at least sometimes! :)
bee honest it's a sin to lie! LOL

2007-10-01 11:07:04 · 12 answers · asked by sisterzeal 5

(Matthew 7:21-23) 21 “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. 22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ 23 And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew YOU! Get away from me, YOU workers of lawlessness.

(James 2:14-17) 14 Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if a certain one says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it? 15 If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day, 16 yet a certain one of YOU says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but YOU do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it? 17 Thus, too, faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself.

(1 Peter 2:21)

2007-10-01 11:06:22 · 11 answers · asked by zorrro857 4

2007-10-01 11:06:00 · 18 answers · asked by ? 1

For everyone who thinks about Mormons as Non-Christians and evil, I just want you to look at these few pictures of temple marriages and tell me that they are not Christians. Can't you see the happiness and righteousness and worthiness in their faces? Mormons are Christians. Everyone should know that. I know it, and I have a testimony of the this church's teachings and the truthfulness in them. These pictures help me know even better that this church is true. Can you not see in their eyes that it's just a RIGHT and GOOD thing that they are doing? Well for me it does. Sorry if I've offended anyone in any way, which is not my intent whatsoever. Thanks for checking them out!

http://sandyjamesphoto.com/TempleWeddings/index.htm

2007-10-01 10:58:52 · 21 answers · asked by dGom 2

I am being very deeply convicted about something. I can't even eat or have a normal conversation with anyone. I don't know what God wants me to do. Like I said before, it feels like the coviction I had before I got saved. Is it possible to have that same conviction again?

2007-10-01 10:57:58 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous

do you do an impromptu prayer, such as "Lord, please bless CJ and let your light shine into his heart," etc., or do you say an "Our Father," "Hail Mary," "Glory Be," or some other kind of memorized prayer and dedicate it to the person you're praying for?

2007-10-01 10:54:51 · 19 answers · asked by Joao 3

by that?

2007-10-01 10:54:43 · 6 answers · asked by beba 1

Do you have to participate in polygamy to achieve exhaltation? If yes, why is this necessary? Please provide sources.

Are there any other LDS women out there who are extremely uncomfortable with this?

2007-10-01 10:54:38 · 12 answers · asked by vivainagaddadavida 1

I am writing an argumentative paper on the Dome of the Rock and why it should be removed. I need a valid reason why it should be removed.....any help would be greatly appreciated.
Give me secular reasons...instead of religious..

2007-10-01 10:52:42 · 15 answers · asked by dere h 1

you know; in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer and so on?

2007-10-01 10:51:36 · 10 answers · asked by fullofideas4u 4

2007-10-01 10:49:23 · 17 answers · asked by forerunner7 4

seems like you do. I really doubt you have peace in you.

2007-10-01 10:49:19 · 11 answers · asked by Ťango 3

Ie, Who started the tradition?If it was pagan,why do Jehovahs Witnessess have one but dont do xmas or birthdays??????????

2007-10-01 10:46:14 · 19 answers · asked by odd socks 3

2007-10-01 10:46:04 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous

…in the sense that we are saved by the works of Jesus Christ; that is, by His righteousness which is imputed to us, by grace through faith in Him?

Have you ever thought about that?

-

2007-10-01 10:45:39 · 14 answers · asked by yachadhoo 6

The word number of times mentioned in Arabic Quran:

Dunia (one name for life) 115 ¡
Aakhirat (one name for the life after) 115
Malaikat (angels) 88 ¡ Shaytan (satan) 88
Life 145 ¡ Death 145
Benefit 50¡ Corrupt 50
People 50 ¡ Messengers 50
Eblees (king of devils) 11 ¡ Seek refuge from eblees 11
Museebah (calamity) 75 ¡ Thanks 75
Spending (sadaqah) 73 ¡ Satisfaction 73
people who are Mislead 17 ¡ Dead people 17
Muslimeen 41 ¡ Jihad 41
Gold 8 ¡ Easy life 8
Magic 60 ¡ Fitnah (dissuasion, misleading) 60
Zakat (taxes Muslims pay for the poor) 32 ¡
Barakah (increasing or blessings of a wealth) 32
Mind 49 ¡ Noor (light) 49
Tongue 25¡ Sermon 25
Desire 8 ¡ Fear 8
Speaking publicly 18¡ Publicising 18
Hardship 114 ¡ Patience 114
Muhammad 4 ¡ Sharee*ah (Muhammad's teachings) 4
Man 24 ¡ Woman 24

And amazingly enough have a look how many times the following words appear:-

Month 12
Day 365
sea 32
Land 13
Sea + land = 32 + 13 = 45
% sea = 32/45 * 100 % = 71.11111111

2007-10-01 10:45:19 · 20 answers · asked by Al Qiyamah{top lawyer inshAllah} 5

When the US government suspended the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 (which prevents the Army from policing its own citizens) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, who stepped up and helped the government maintain order? The secular humanists? No--it was Christians. A clergy response team volunteered to explain to the Christians of Louisianna that the Bible demands that they be obedient to their government (Romans 13), and hand over their personal firearms.

What have atheists ever done to preserve democracy that even remotely compares to this?

Source:
http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=6937987

2007-10-01 10:44:57 · 28 answers · asked by Pull My Finger 7

2007-10-01 10:43:37 · 20 answers · asked by Bad Liberal 7

Is she right?

2007-10-01 10:41:55 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous

I was raised Lutheran, and we don't "get saved," or "ask Jesus into our hearts." We get confirmed into the church, and we believe Jesus is always there.

So why did some small-town religious fanatic have the audacity to tell me I'm going to hell unless I ask Jesus into my heart? Like he's outside in the rain or something.

Can anyone elaborate this idea for me?

2007-10-01 10:41:45 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous

http://superstringtheory.com/

2007-10-01 10:38:57 · 12 answers · asked by Bad Liberal 7

2007-10-01 10:38:29 · 17 answers · asked by beauty4ashes 2

2007-10-01 10:38:19 · 9 answers · asked by Ťango 3

Representing myself as an atheist, I'm not trying to start any Internet fistfights here. But this question has always made me wonder - why are there so few atheists in the world, even today, when atheism is at an all-time high? To me, the idea of god existing, especially the Christian-described god, seems so ridiculous now, that it makes you wonder why is atheism so rare in most countries if it's so "logical" and "obvious"?

2007-10-01 10:37:54 · 36 answers · asked by Uliju 4

They didn't have opportunity to accept him, are they all damned?

2007-10-01 10:35:18 · 34 answers · asked by Equinoxical ™ 5

People say that Science is good for explaining "how" and "what", and that religion explains "why".

Why do things happen? Who knows for sure, at best we can only speculate, but for the religious fanatics out there who denounce science on the basis that it doesn't explain "why" the earth was created, or "why" was the human eye created in such a complex manner.

All I can say is why not, why wouldn't it be created. What universal law out there prevents such things from occurring on their own, no matter how complex they are given billions upon billions of years? Why is it that when people are faced with something they do not yet understand, they find the need to say that a "God" did it. Is it not possible that there are things out there which are just so advanced and so far beyond us that we as humans could never possibly comprehend it, but does that mean it was made by God?

If you showed a cave man a lighter, he would think you were a God. Are we cavemen or are we people of logic?

2007-10-01 10:34:04 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous