Posted on 04/06/2005 6:11:48 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
I should tell you I'm not approaching from a religiouse standpoint. I'm just telling you the reason I infered from reading other Judeo-Christian things. It's a theory.
Are you Catholic?
They're not secretive - it's simply that they don't flaunt their religiousity. In Spain prior to Escriva, pious laypeople were often known as "beatas" (or "beatos," in the case of men). However, their form of piety left much to be desired. They would be in churches for every service, liked to have lengthy public prayers, were not usually very engaged in society but were obsessed with the internal doings of the local diocese or even parish, mistreated their servants and family members, didn't value education, etc. Unfortunately, to many Spaniards, being religious essentially meant being a "beata."
Escriva changed all this, telling them that parading their devotion publicly was not the essence of religion, but that faith was something that affected every aspect of one's life, including one's professional life. And furthermore, it wasn't just for the clergy or clerical wanna-be's. People could lead devout, holy lives without abandoning their families or professions and without flaunting it like the Pharisees.
The only reason Opus Dei is considered "secretive" is because the left and the media - which hate Opus Dei because it has been so effective - either misunderstand or twist this humility into something it's not, that is, secrecy.
That's my experience as well.
You don't think the corporal mortification is a problem?
Christian.
If you're thinking of the mortifications described in 'The DaVinci Code' - well yeah, I think that's weird and overkill to say the least (which was the author's intention). But to fast or to deny yourself a worldly pleasure (dying unto oneself, giving up things of this world) I think probably most Christians (or at least some) do practice that. We do it certainly during Lent and to a less conscience degree, throughout the rest of the year.
No, it usually consists of fasting. Even down to something as minor as not eating that last bite of something you really like, in order to discipline your appetites and make a small offering.
Some people do adopt other practices, but only with the consent of their confessor - and they never go around bragging about how much they're mortifying themselves!
Mortification is really just a tool. It gives us something to offer to God to remind ourselves that we must always think of God, no matter what our external circumstances, and to let Him know in a very real way that we are always thinking of Him. And it is a "training device," as well. Modern man (heck, man at any time) spends all of his time seeking to be comfortable. There's nothing wrong with that, but many people, as soon as they cease to be comfortable, also cease to be devout, cease to be honest, cease to be kind to their neighbor, etc. Self-inflicted discomfort trains us not to seek personal comfort as our highest good, and prepares us for a time when some discomfort we can't control may come our way.
No, it's not. Opus Dei members do not nail themselves to crucifixes or do anything that can be considered extravagant or bizarre. If you read my post, you'll see that the Opus Dei type of mortification is aimed at subduing one's selfishness and bodily greed. I think if more people had been doing this, you wouldn't have had any of the scandals that the Catholic Church has had since the coming of the new "EZ version" of Catholicism 40 years ago.
The Filipino behavior is the sort of ecstatic behavior (like Pentecostals falling down foaming at the mouth, handling snakes, etc.) that the Church tries to discourage, but it's harder to eradicate in some societies than others. It's not the same thing at all as fasting or sleeping on a hard surface.
Reenacting the Passion in a non-mutilating way is perfectly legitimate, btw - the Filipinos just go overboard. It's a cultural thing.
That's a Hispanic thing, not an Opus Dei thing.
Opus Dei is paganistic.
Horsefeathers. You really shouldn't trash people you know nothing about.
I do know something about them, and I know enough about them to be aghast at their actions.
You sound like you just read the Da Vinci Code and think the lies in that book have some relationship to reality. They don't.
And there's nothing secretive about O.D. at all; we just don't flaunt it.
Those were not Opus Dei members.
The Da Vinci Code makes it appear that Opus Dei members practice bloody mortifications (e.g., pp. 12, 14, 29, 31, 73, 89, 127-28, 195, 276-79, 293). In fact, though history indicates that some Catholic saints have done so, Opus Dei members do not do this.
Further, what you saw is a bizarre example of religous extremism practiced in certain corners of the world which is not endorsed by the The Holy See, nor Cardinal Jaime Sin, the highest-ranking leader of the Church in the Philippines. Opus Dei, on the other hand, is wholly Catholic and approved of by the Church.
And the claim that Opus Dei is paganistic is, to put it politely, uninformed. The truth about Opus Dei is easily available to anyone with time and a decent search engine and sense of fairness.
What do you think of this article?
However, I'm always nervous about some members of these groups, who carry things out five decimal places.
Exclusivity, cliquishness, an "elect" mentality, and a demand of conformity are all temptations that must be avoided in organizations, and Catholic organizations like these are no exception.
There are also some eyebrow-raising practices (mortifications in the Opus Dei, praying in tongues in the Charismatic Renewal) that give outsiders pause.
I've had no experience with Opus Dei, so I can't make any personal comments. My mind is still open.
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