Do Christains actually believe that the wine they have at mass somehow IS the blood of christ?

Answer 1

Nickster was close, but wrong. First, Catholics *are* Christians, so his response was somewhat difficult to understand.

Most (all?) of the "older" churches originating previous to the Protestant Reformation believe that the wine is actually (supernaturally) turned into the blood of Jesus. This includes the Roman Catholic Church, all of the Orthodox churches, the Armenian Church, etc. etc.

Some protestant denominations also retain this belief, such as the Anglican and Lutheran churches. Methodists (and some others) take a "middle of the road" approach, claiming that it is much more than a symbol but not actually the blood of Christ in any physical sense.

Look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucharist for more details.

Jim, http://www.jimpettis.com/wheel/

Answer 2

This is a pure concept of pagan cannibalism. The pagans used to believe that by eating the parts of a person, you can somehow be able to be one with the person.

But the Christians do not feel any ill feeling to this ritual. They eat the bread to represent the flesh of Jesus and drink wine or grape juice to represent the blood of jesus DESPITE the fact that the bible disallow the partaking of blood!

You say its metaphorical, symbolism and non-literal.

Well, the ritual is but the CONCEPT is, believe me, scary and appalling...

Answer 3

No. It's an expression. A symbolism. A remembrance. The wine isn't actually the blood.

Answer 4

I believe only the Catholic's believe it actually changes into Christ's blood. The Protestants see it more as representation of his blood, a symbol of what it means.

Answer 5

Dear Sahara_Springs,

i think many Catholic churches (Catholics have Mass) (Christians just have service) do teach that Jesus is in the Eucharist.

Biblically it is just a symbol which has the purpose of remembering the death of Christ.

At our church we use grape juice, and crackers which are leavened (so they have the stripes on them) to remind us that Jesus was whipped and by his stripes we are healed. But once again they are just symbols to remember Christ by.

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 6

If price of Christians’ sins and crimes have been paid, why they are paying US$2 billions for sexual abuse of children?
Total amount paid out by the U.S. church since 1950 to more than $2 billion
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19762878/
Settlement represents Church’s largest payout in sexual abuse scandal on account of sexual abuse by catholic church.
LOS ANGELES - The nation’s largest Catholic archdiocese will settle its clergy sex abuse cases for at least $600 million, by far the largest payout in the church’s sexual abuse scandal, The Associated Press learned Saturday.
Attorneys for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the plaintiffs will release a statement Sunday morning and hold a news conference Monday, said Ray Boucher, the lead plaintiff’s attorney.
An anonymous source with knowledge of the deal placed its value at $660 million, by far the largest payout in the church’s sexual abuse scandal. The amount exceeded earlier reports from sources that the settlement would be between $600 million and $650 million — $1.2 million and $1.3 million per plaintiff.
Priests’ files would be released
Some Roman Catholic orders — the Servites, Clairites and Oblates — will be carved out of the agreement because they refused to participate, the source said. The settlement also calls for the release of confidential priest personnel files after review by a judge assigned to oversee the litigation, Boucher said.
The settlements push the total amount paid out by the U.S. church since 1950 to more than $2 billion, with about a quarter of that coming from the Los Angeles archdiocese.
It wasn’t immediately clear how the payout would be split among the insurers, the archdiocese and several Roman Catholic religious orders. A judge must sign off on the agreement.
The release of the priest documents was important to the agreement, Boucher said, because it could reveal whether archdiocesan leaders were involved in covering up for abusive priests.
“Transparency is a critical part of this and of all resolutions,” he said
Matthew 16:4 An EVIL and ADULTEROUS generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it,