Christian Prayer / Bible Study Corner

[Strong Eagle]

Ah yes. I can see the issue. I would not pray or worship an idol either.

You mean like those rather white looking Jesus dudes hanging from a golden cross in so many Christian churches? Is that the idol you're talking about?

[PNGMK]

Ah yes. I can see the issue. I would not pray or worship an idol either.

You mean like those rather white looking Jesus dudes hanging from a golden cross in so many Christian churches? Is that the idol you're talking about?

Absolutely not and that is why I'm not a catholic. I even have issues with crosses in church.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, I have an issue with praying to the Virgin Mary in Catholic Churches. I've been married to one (a catholic) for 33 years now. And she wonders why I like to sleep in on Sundays or Saturday afternoons or Fridays or whatever. That's before they even get to the graven images hanging behind the pulpits/alters. SE I'm with you on this one.

[Brah]

Cheers Fella,

This issue is in my girlfriends family , her sister-in-law refuse to go temple and do josticks , and its causing quite some pain to her parents , disowning of only son is not something done lightly.

However if a simple forgive my sins is all thats required then I really dont see what the issue is with wife of my girlfriends brother.

Some folk eh!

Joss Sticks aside, it gets more complicated if the Chinese are anything like the Japanese when it comes to funerals and graves, where if the family are traditional and one of the family becomes Christian.

[Brah]

Ah yes. I can see the issue. I would not pray or worship an idol either.

You mean like those rather white looking Jesus dudes hanging from a golden cross in so many Christian churches? Is that the idol you're talking about?

Absolutely not and that is why I'm not a catholic. I even have issues with crosses in church.

What is, er, interesting is hearing one Christian denomination denounce the practices of another Christian denomination, in particular Protestants attacking Catholics. That's not hyperbole, I've witnessed it in eye-rolling 3D. Even worse with 'new" Christians who converted from Buddhism etc. and drank their denomination's Kool Aide and don't think for themselves.

Religion is not perfect. Man is not perfect. Religion is a man-made construct.

While I disagree with a lot of Catholic doctrine, having been born as one, some Protestants come off as misguided Catholicism witch-hunters.

The Baptists seem to be on a more even keel and with less interpretation on the basic tenants. At least I am more comfortable with them myself.

And then there are the myriad flavors of said denominations...

But I'm no expert in this, and I don't know of any denominationally-objective such person.

[PNGMK]

For a Christian it is almost (or perhaps it is) an unforgivable sin to deny the Holy Spirit. For a Christian to worship anything than the one God is a terrible sin. In the original question I assumed it was a casual act of cultural appreciation. I personally would not burn joss sticks to a deity (idol) as that is sacrificing and hence acknowledging an idol as a god. I have however prayed in a mosque (I said my own prayer). Perhaps an equivalent can be found. I know a lot of Singapore Christians struggle with these things.

[Brah]

For a Christian it is almost (or perhaps it is) an unforgivable sin to deny the Holy Spirit. For a Christian to worship anything than the one God is a terrible sin. In the original question I assumed it was a casual act of cultural appreciation. I personally would not burn joss sticks to a deity (idol) as that is sacrificing and hence acknowledging an idol as a god. I have however prayed in a mosque (I said my own prayer). Perhaps an equivalent can be found. I know a lot of Singapore Christians struggle with these things.

The same can be said of the reverse. Some "new" Christians I know are just a wee bit too paranoid about setting foot in historical places like temples or shrines or about hearing certain music, etc.

So where does one draw the line while living in the material world.

As long as one does not subscribe to and practice these things it should not be a problem, otherwise one's faith may not be as strong as it should be.

[sundaymorningstaple]

And yet, you can walk into any number of Chinese Christian homes and still find an alter with a kitchen god in it. When asked about it, the response is usually something like 'if one god is good, then more must be better' or 'we just want to make sure'. :-/

[Strong Eagle]

The "Holy Spirit" and the Trinity are constructs of Roman Imperial Christianity. Jesus never said worship me, he said follow me... but man had to create a god in his own image so that the Roman state could use the Christian religion as a means of control.

The rules that all these churches make up under the guise of holiness are designed to exclude and deny. If you don't believer this way or that way, you're going to hell... yet another construct of Imperial Christianity, along with the idea of original sin. None of this has anything to do with following Jesus who preached nothing more than love and inclusivity.

Funny, isn't it, that those born and inculcated into one particular religion are absolutely positive that it's the only way to salvation... just look at Ted Cruz... not judgmental he says... but there is a right and wrong way to believe in god.

[Strong Eagle]

[Barnsley]

Cheers Fella,

This issue is in my girlfriends family , her sister-in-law refuse to go temple and do josticks , and its causing quite some pain to her parents , disowning of only son is not something done lightly.

However if a simple forgive my sins is all thats required then I really dont see what the issue is with wife of my girlfriends brother.

Some folk eh!

Joss Sticks aside, it gets more complicated if the Chinese are anything like the Japanese when it comes to funerals and graves, where if the family are traditional and one of the family becomes Christian.

There in lies the added bonus in this situation , its getting the josticks out when its time to pray for give respect to the ancestors, in this case the grandmother (fathers side) , so my gfrnds father takes maximum umbrage as the daughter in law showing full disrespectt.

Turns out the daughter-in-law when christian of her own volition , her parents are a bit more relaxed about things though it sounds.