And so does ODAN think that Opus Dei has secret assassins? That what it seems to imply here since it does not deny that aspect of the Da Vinci Code. If so, this is a pretty slimy smear if not slander.
I'm not a member and have never really followed its apostolate too closely but recent events have convinced me that it truly is a "work of God". The current hullabaloo has motivated me like nothing else to discover more about Opus Dei, to read the life of it's founder and to attempt to live its message.
I may soon become a member and I suspect that there will be many more like me.
As long as they're into conspiracy theories, I guess I should point out that by changing one letter in their acronym, you get "Onan"...
Mark 4... And without parable he did not speak unto them; but apart, he explained all things to his disciples.
*It's interesting that those of us who have had pesonal experiences with Opus Dei report nothing but a positive response. We witnesss to the fact their meetings are open and advertised and welcoming.
But, that good news is sloughed-off or ignored because it doesn't fit with the bigoted template about the Catholic Church so many have allowed to form in their intellects
Apparently, the cilice is a scandal to the modern age. However, there is a LONG Christian tradition of such things. Many famous Christian Saints have worn hair shirts and the Bible describes folks putting on sack cloth...
Matt Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes.
*Jesus isn't castingating them for adopting that penetential practice.
The Prophet Joel commands the priests to do the same..
Gird yourselves, and lament, O ye priests, howl, ye ministers of the altars: go in, lie in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: because sacrifice and libation is cut off from the house of your God. 14 Sanctify ye a fast, call an assembly; gather together the ancients, all the inhabitants of the land into the house of your God: and cry ye to the Lord: 15 Ah, ah, ah, for the day: because the day of the Lord is at hand, and it shall come like destruction from the mighty
* Sackcloth was made of coarse, black goat's hair. Penetential folks used to wear that AND roll in ashes.
Matt quotes Jesus...And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away. ( "Suffereth violence"... It is not to be obtained but by main force, by using violence upon ourselves, by mortification and penance, and resisting our perverse inclinations.)
But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.
*Now, the cilice is not mandatory but it does have solid roots in Scripture, Tradition and it is not contrary to Christian Orthopraxis
As for the ODAN folks. It is nice they found a group they like. Apparently Opus Dei was too demanding for them due to its focus on bringing Christ into the world and practicing penetential humiltiy. It must be nice for them to have found a group in which criticising other Christians is the focus. It seems a perfect fit for them.
Sorry, my encounters with Opus Dei have been highly positive.
Even Opus Dei admitted to some of the cult-type practices: isolation from friends and family, handing over most of your income, the self torture (pain is good) constant prayers and rituals and intense training (programming) (these are mind control methods used by cults - (Islam being one of the biggest - playing stink bug with your nose to the ground and butt in the air 5 x's a day upon the signal, is to keep the mind in line - along with every aspect of your life controlled and dictated).
Now if Point 1, point 2, point 3 and point 4 are admitted, even from the group...then why would it be hard to wonder if point 5 followed?The segment will be on the History Ch again and on Nat' Geographic. Many Catholics were unaware of the very quietly held sect within the church.
One might also wonder...if the church is the end all of churches, God's emissary on earth...why does it need secret societies also...
They pretend, now that their existence is more exposed, that they are simply a bunch of people, more spiritual than others, that commune together for that reason.
Hmmm. Does one need a secret society for this? Would the church fund (they are worth billions) such a group for such a simple reason, something any 'pious' catholic could practice without the need of a separate, secretive, controlled group?
Or might one have reason to suspicion they perform other functions?
Ping to read later. How ya doin', fishtank?