Posted on 02/24/2005 7:06:21 PM PST by wagglebee
An episode of the NBC sitcom "Committed,” featuring two characters who flush a Communion wafer down a toilet, has created a firestorm of protest among Catholics.
During the February 22 broadcast, two non-Catholics are mistakenly given Holy Communion at a Catholic funeral Mass. As recounted by the Catholic League:
"Nate, who is Jewish, and Bowie, a Protestant, don’t know what to do with the Eucharist, so they make several failed attempts to get rid of it. For example, they try slipping it into the pocket of a priest, dropping it on a tray of cheese and crackers, etc.
"At one point, the priest, who is portrayed as not knowing the difference between the Host and a cracker, goes to grab the 'cracker' from a tray of appetizers; he initially balks when he discovers that it is the last one. Then he changes his mind, saying, "Oh, what the hell.”
"By far the most offensive scene occurs when Nate and Bowie accidentally flush what they think is the Host down the toilet."
Catholic League President William Donahue is demanding that NBC apologize.
"To say that Catholics are angry about this show would be an understatement - the outrage is visceral and intense," he said Thursday.
"NBC has made a direct frontal assault on Roman Catholicism, choosing to mock, trivialize and ridicule the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ," Donahue added. "More than an apology is needed. This episode should be retired for good, and that is what we will demand.”
Southern Baptists do partake in the Lord's Supper. And the wafer or cracker is representative of the Body of Christ. While we may differ on transubstatiation (and please, I really don't want to get in a debate with anyone), the fact remains that it is representative of the Body of Christ, and the wine or juice represents His Blood.
In my book, to use such things for cheap laughs is blasphemy, pure and simple.
Turnabout is fair play!
Hey Jorge,
What are you trying to learn about? Maybe I can help. (Maybe not.)
By calling us idiotic and mindless?
Well, I am from New Orleans, but we only think of ourselves as southerners geographically. As for the shows you meantioned, yes you are right I probably would not enjoy them, on the few examples I did see some of them I thought it was all just foolishness and ignorance desplayed as some great and wonderful thing.
As for the translation of my comment it reads.
"The foolish man always praises is own ignorince."
I meant it in a more general way however when I originally said it. So that arguing with you about this issue is probably a waste of time since you seem intent on defending the show.
I believe in what, I think it was Heinlein said, that any technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic. So it is with God. I can't understand Him. I don't have to. There will be eons to find out the details of weighty theological questions later. Until then, I like having a bit of mysticism in my life.
Learn some history. Then you'll be less inclined toward ignorant comments.
.
I guess my pop bottle is sacred if I can convince somebody to bless it.
Mathews advice comes in handy here;
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."
This conversation is over.
I tried that too. But, I'm not giving up. I try grits again every time I visit the South. (Though I don't always finish them.)
I hate to say it, but I was 30 years old and had never even heard of Holy Water. (except I knew that that was what they threw on Linda Blair in the Exorcist)
To this day, I don't know what it is or what it is for, but when Susan said, "That's Holy Water!"....I figured that with a name like 'Holy', putting my smoke out in it was probably not a good idea. :o)
This was 1982 when you could still smoke in hospitals. Where I worked selling TVs, we had an ashtray on every fifth set and the only thing considered rude was not offering a cigarette to the customer when you lit up.
But yes....you did not smoke in Church. That's why they put ashtrays inside the door.
I thought I found one.
Mea Culpa.
As a newly minted Catholic in a parish where most everybody seems to receive in the hand (although it's a quite orthodox parish and we have a number of people who do receive on the tongue), I'm a bit shy about putting myself forward. I do genuflect before receiving though. Otherwise, I'm still doing what we always did in the Anglican church - if you receive on the hand, you don't pick up the Host with your other hand and place it in yoru mouth, you simply bow your head and place the Host on your own tongue. And you don't CHEW - there's a thing in the XXXIX Articles about "those who carnally press with their teeth" so we never did . . . Sister Mary Attila would have been proud (except that we were heretics or at least schismatics, I guess. ;-) )
Next time...if you're flush with cash....order the country ham and ask for red eye gravy for the grits.
Hmmmm..mmmm...that's why they say "grits is groceries".
"Red eye gravy." OK, I'll try it. Anything is better than having a waitress follow me into the parking lot saying, "You didn't finish your grits!"
Hey eddie,
I didn't realize you were that old! 1982 and you were smoking?
Good grief. Lots of old people on Free Republic.
It makes more sense now.
You are absolved.
The Catholic fatwa has been lifted!
(that's a little joke - part of the old Confiteor, with the grammar altered to make it YOUR fault instead of MINE . . . ;-) )
Confiteor
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistae, sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi pater: quia peccavi nimis cogitatione verbo, et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et te fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum Nostrum.
I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Angels, and you father: that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. And I ask Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Don't panic. Holy water is (as I noted) a Sacramental - not a Sacrament. Sacramentals are defined by the Church as words (blessings, pious utterances) actions (crossing oneself, genuflecting) or objects (medals, scapulars, holy water) that remind us of God's grace. Holy water is blessed by the priest at the Easter vigil and used all year long - it's a reminder of the baptismal Sacrament, but it isn't in and of itself a sacred object like the Host.
Funny that Jesus and his disciples never did this confession thing, nor Peter after his death etc.
The Holy Gospel says: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Then you cry "boastful sin" with this odd claim:
You guys like to boast about your history (hmm....I recall that being sin), but in reality, your history only starts hundreds of years after Christ.
So do tell us when you date the history of the Catholic Church from and what sect or community you claim and when it allegedly was founded and by whom, can you do that?
"It is intellectually dishonest to toss in the consub folks as if they agree with you."
Really? Why? They DO believe that it is the Body and Blood of Our Lord co-existing with the Bread and Wine. That was the question, what "protestant" parts of the Christian Community viewed the Consecrated Host as the actual Body and Blood -- well, the Lutheran view is just that.
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