religion

[the grey seer]

luvSimpson3

True enough, but in light of the literal definition, what does the church have to say? Although the word "cults" technically has no negative connotation, it still would be considered an insult to the church, so what can they say, i asked my religion teacher and she said that....she'd answer me next class

tpical alway avoiding the question  

[Doctor_Orc]

The “Blood of Christ” and the “Flesh of Christ” (it’s technically bread and not a cracker, it’s one of those Middle Easterner breads that have no yeast) is a very interesting and meaningful part of the mass.
Like Mircea Eliade points out (over and over again) is the fear people have of history. Repeating the acts the Civilizing Heroes/Gods did before time is ok, those are archetypical actions. Every other action is a sin, since it creates history. So, to deny history and time, to be one with the old ones, there’s a need to erase time, those out of the norm actions, those sins. So there are purification ceremonies.
Some of the most fantastic ones are the passing of the year. The old year dies and a new on begins all starts over. Some Passing’s are in the pinnacle of winter, seeing that the world is dying and the sun is getting weaker. Others are linked with the start of the agricultural year or the end of it. Or even with the moon calendar.
Anyway, that part of the service when the bread and wine are turned into the body and blood of Christ is a reliving of the last supper. Invoking it makes you live it. For a brief second you are there, time is no more. This is the deeper sense of Archetype and Ritual.  

[WeHappyFew]

Absolutely, but wouldn't you also say that it's a sort of way they invite jesus into their lives (if you go more spiritually), we see it as the ultimate way to connect ourselves with god. A way that's open to everyone, from priests to murderers?
Also, by formal definition all churches are cults, but that definition has changed over time, and if you refer to the new slang of the word "cult", no it is not a cult. but in the formal definition, it has no negative connotation, this is all the info a group of us concluded after 30 minutes of talking to our religion teacher.  

[the grey seer]

o so cannibalism is a way 2 b with god  

[Doctor_Orc]

It’s a bit different Syn, but at the same time you’re almost right. It’s not cannibalism of “eating flesh”, but partaking on its essence.
You see, gods posses an energy different from mortal, and anyone who receives energy from the gods, who partake in their power becomes a little more like them. So Reliques from Saints have almost the same power. People believe that those saints had a lot more divine energy, and any piece of them still acts like a like between heaven and earth, channeling this energy to those around it.
The monolith, the column, the totem pole, the cross, the mystic tree, all those all links between the worlds, though which the divine power can descend and give order to chaos.

The last supper, reinterpreted in the mystical conversion of bread and wine to flesh and blood symbolizes the passing of testimony of Christ to its followers, they are all one. The acceptance of the “cracker”, now flesh of Christ is an acceptance of Christ into your life, of his message and of his words. It’s a purely symbolic ritual, but it underlines a vow.  

[the grey seer]

still it has it's simalarities  

[Doctor_Orc]

As much as getting an autograph from a famous person or dressing like them, or even getting a chewed bubble gum from them.  

[the grey seer]

ooooook confused  

[Tsubaki Aoi]

i am catholic and i followed the religion perfectly up till a few years ago, one day i came to realise that the bible was not written as it should have been, the church in ancient times edited out many things such as Christ being a growing boy who some times used his power to punish people like his teachers, well anyway when i realise this i came to the conclusion that most gods are the same and that there original teachings were very similar, i believe that we need religion and to believe in something for if we did not our life would become nothing but science it self and a metaphysical (evolution beyond body) ascension of our mind would become impossible. for me all religions are correct when they preach to difference between wright from wrong, but i still considered my self catholic. PS metaphysical came to my mind as i wrote this but i have no idea what it means xp  

[the grey seer]

u had the meaning right and there is some truth in what u say  

[Tsubaki Aoi]

good couse i did not want to look like i had no idea what i was taking about.  

[the grey seer]

well it happens

i was born catholic but i gaveup reilgion when i was 10  

[Tsubaki Aoi]

like i said i won't give up because i need to believe in something and catholicism has many good morals, even if the religion has been corrupted over the centuries.  

[the grey seer]

so ur cool with riest molesting it's children evil  

[Tsubaki Aoi]

sorry not what i meant to say, that does not qualify as good moral therefore i don't like it or want it to happen. i never said i completely like the church now did i, the religion is what i like, not the system it self for me the church i follow is in my believes in the religion it self, not the church that's been set for everyone else.