Posted on 11/09/2004 6:51:12 PM PST by Land of the Irish
The Catholic Church has issued a message to Hindus, wishing them a happy Diwali, the Festival of Lights, one of the oldest and most important feasts on the Hindu calendar.
Echoing the theme of a message to Muslims last week, which marked the approaching end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, the message to Hindus focused on children.
It was issued by President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, who called for collaboration among people of different faiths in protecting children.
"During this season of Diwali, as you strive to overcome darkness through light, evil through goodness and hatred through love, I would like to propose to you, as one of your Christian friends, that we focus our attention on the evils in our society that afflict children," he said.
These evils included forced labour and conscription, family breakdown, trafficking in organs and persons, sexual abuse, forced prostitution, AIDS and the sale and use of drugs.
"Could not the dialogue between Hindus and Christians take concrete form by working together in support of underprivileged children, who are often the innocent victims of war and violence, inadequate food and water, forced immigration and the many forms of injustice present in today's world?", he asked.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Francis Carroll noted Archbishop Fitzgerald's acknowledgement that such interfaith cooperation already exists, but that more could be done.
"We must always strive to do more to protect the dignity of all human persons, particularly children, who are among society's most vulnerable members," Archbishop Carroll said.
"As we face the future together, we look to our friends from other faiths to walk with us in exploring new ways of ensuring that children, both here in Australia and around the world, are safe and free to take their rightful place in our society.
"I wish all Hindus in Australia a happy Diwali."
Fitzgerald by the way is the bishop who represented the Vatican at the scandalous Fatima conference in October 2003.
From: http://members.tripod.com/~jennifer_polan/diwali.html
"In villages cattles are adorned and worshipped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day."
Ping
I've always had good interactions with Hindus but not Muslims. Just my personal experiences.
That's one of the problems Christians have in encouraging Hindu conversion ~ the two religions seem very much alike at the most fundamental levels of theology, and Krishna stories are, to put it mildly, very, very entertaining and attractive.
But, that's not the most interesting thing ~ it's that name itself, "Festival of Lights". All too often anti-Christians around the country who have sought to extirpate Christian traditions from the public schools have renamed any December school festivals as "Festival of Lights".
I would imagine the churchman involved in this "greeting" knows all about it and has had more than his fair share of yuck yucks about how ignorant the anti-Christians are.
Others have not been as fortunate as you.
Sign of the times ping!
Do you have such a ping list?
Have you seen this thread?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1274030/posts?page=217#217
Yep I know about this thread since I replied to your posts there. :) Personally I think signs of the times could or could not sway people since their pre-supposition of God's prophetic plan may make them dismiss these signs.
For instance, we are not naive enough to believe that all Catholics agree with JPII's ecumenical acts. There are plenty of traditionalist Catholics and Orthodox people decry what happened at Assisi "Praying for Peace" meeting in 1986, but if we suggest to them this is a sign of the times and coul show what Mystery of Babylon the Great in Revelation 17 would be like, we would get ridiculed or laughed off.
I was thinking this sounds like the Universalism that I see ridiculed here so often. I am sure many Catholics do not like this sort of thing. The Global thinking is in the Church as well as politics.
As a cow lover myself, I intend to celebrate with a good Australian Cabernet and a home-made steak pie.
The first toast will be to my Grandfather, may his soul rest, who fought in the trenches in Belgium so that we might be free. The second will be to our armed forces, still fighting for the same goal, ninety years later. May I add Free Republic for a third glass?
Oh, for God's sake!
...I
Oh, for crying out loud! What in hell is going on in my Church? ... What the hell?
"I would like to propose to you, as one of your Christian friends, that we focus our attention on the evils in our society that afflict children," he said."
If I were a hindu I might be tempted to reply:
"Well why not start by getting rid of all the homosexual priests in your Church and all the bishops who have facilitated their predatory attacks on minors?"
Archbishop Fitzgerald is the head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. At what point does "dialogue" become "encouragement"?
Good relations with other faiths and religions are essential if the Church hopes to spread its message. That means talking to them, maintaining cordial relations in so far as this is possible and building on whatever goodwill is present to achieve objectives which are praiseworthy. In this case, furthering the good of children.
Lecturing other religions or engaging in one-sided monologues will achieve very little.
Would you have a problem wishing a Happy Hannukah to someone who is Jewish? This is simply common human courtesy.
Hogwash. After speaking about the doctrine of Christ, 2 John 10 says, "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds."
Preach the real gospel of salvation from condemnation.
And a joyous Chanu-Rama-Kwanz-mas !
The question raised by the above article is a little different. How does one behave towards those who have been born into a different belief system? I believe a more appropriate passage might be from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians:
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law--though not being myself under the law--that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law--not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ--that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23
Patronizing, berating, insulting and yelling at those outside the faith generally does little to persuade them of the beauty of your doctrine.
Yes, absolutely.
Deuteronomy 4:19..."And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.