Posted on 04/25/2007 6:54:31 AM PDT by NYer
“WOW -- coming from RC tradition I thought I’d never return to the Rosary. But here it is and here SHE IS. Blessed be, Mairly.”
The “here” in this message, found on herchurch.org, is Ebenezer Lutheran Church in San Francisco. But the SHE is not the Mother of God. SHE is “God/dess.”
On Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Ebenezer opens its sanctuary for the “Christian Goddess Rosary.” The church says it offers “Goddess Rosary Beads” and that “prayers and suggested meditations will be on hand as well as incense, candles and bells.”
“The Goddess rosary is grounded in traditions of the Christian Church and the proclamation of the gospel which is a vision of release from bondage for a new creation,” says the church’s web site.
The Goddess Rosary page on herchurch.org says that though “God as Father plays an important role” in Christian tradition, its “exclusive emphasis... contributes to a limited understanding of God, an understanding that supports a domination structure that oppresses and subordinates women.” Jesus used “Abba” as a “revolutionary deconstruction of domination structures of his day in both religious and social institutions.” The modern task is to do the same with “Goddess.”
Ebenezer, however, does not want to eradicate masculine images of God but to balance them with feminine images to “confront the biblical texts, products of their day and cultures, for the blatant patriarchal biases and misogynist attitudes.” And herchurch.org cites three Catholic theologians in support this confrontation: Harvard’s Elizabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, Fordham University’s Sister Elizabeth Johnson, and Rosemary Radford Ruether (who will lecture students in the course, “The History of God in Feminist Theological Discourse,” at LA’s Mount St. Mary’s College this spring.) Ruether calls the exclusive use of male imagery for God “idolatry.”
Herchurch.org offers a “Hail Goddess” prayer by feminist theologian Carol Christ, formerly of Harvard Divinity School but now director of the Ariadne Institute for Myth and Ritual in Greece. The prayer goes: “Hail Goddess full of grace. Blessed are you and blessed are all the fruits of your womb. For you are the MOTHER of us all. Hear us now and in all our needs. O blessed be, O blessed be. Amen.”
“I felt that I had stepped into a Presence, like a mother’s warm embrace,” wrote Dalyn Cook of Ebenezer’s Goddess Rosary. “The attendees were few in number, yet there was a sense of fullness in this welcoming space. I inhaled deeply the earthy scent of the incense, sending up delicate tendrils of smoke which curled around the altar in a nimbus visible against the warm rays of the evening sun filtering through the stained-glass windows....
“From the basket of rosaries, I took into my hand a strand of vibrantly-colored beads with a silver goddess icon in place of the traditional cross. The goddesses came in a variety of shapes and sizes, celebrating the beauty of the feminine form; I found reflections of my own figure in the full hips and Rubenesque curves of my goddess,” Cook wrote.
Amen to your post!
Sorry, but I don’t see how researching your faith in these friendly spirits or whatever will bring me one step closer to God.
In fact, it occurs to me that pursuing such things can create obstacles between a man and God so I will surely put this behind me.
And how is it that you've come to believe those who died in Christ are not in heaven?
Thanks much.
There has clearly been a failure to communicate.
I’M 100% AGAINST HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS OR ANY OTHER DEMONIC FORCES OR ASSOCIATES OF DEMONIC FORCES.
It is our contention that praying to believers who’ve graduated from this life CAN open one up to being deceived by familiar spirits pretending to be graduated saints.
We are not saying it is certain but that it is a real hazard of unknown frequency.
She said nothing about their NOT BEING IN Heaven. Merely that their activities there were not, per se, to pray for those of us still here.
To a degree, it is conjecture on both sides. But I think the Scriptural support is stronger that they are unlikely to be praying for us.
And it is my contention that this is pure nonsense.
You are certainly entitled to consider yourself an expert on the topic.
I ask again . . . how many exorcisms regarding demonic forces and familiar spirits have you participated in?
I’d guesstimate about 250-400, for me. I never kept close track.
That is one possible interpretation of her sentence, and that they are neither in heaven nor praying for us is another.
If you don't mind, I'll allow the original poster to state her original intent (just in case you're playing the part of the friendly spirit or whatever).
Let’s redo the Religion! I know! we can make it like this! Isn’t this fun?!
Excellent point.
I fercely resent your cheeky allegation/question.
When does particiapting in Biblical exorcisms have anything to do with the hideous Biblicaly proscribed stuff you mentioned? There aren’t many jokes about demonic forces that I tolerate kindly at all. GRRRRR
Perhaps reading more of the related Scriptures would enlighten you.
Why do you continually take things out of context for the sake of argument. You know that Marysecretary meant that the saints aren't up in heaven praying for us, NOT that they aren't up in heaven.
You also know that Quix isn't talking about seances and conjuring up spirits. (and the spirits aren't "friendly").
A huge part of the ministry that Jesus did on this earth was to help all those who were oppressed of the devil. That included healings, as well as casting spirits out of people.
Is it your contention that spirits were only here to oppress, torment, and make sick those that Jesus could "impress" us by delivering? That they aren't real and here today?
Or, worse yet, do you think Jesus SHOWED us how to operate by the power given through His name and then just left us with NO power to do those things?
No, He was the living example. He left us with the ability to help others. The church fails miserably at that. People are walking around sick and tormented while we set up our alters, do our rituals, and feel good about ourselves.
If the church today would preach and operate in the power that was given us through the mighty name of Jesus, people would be set free, delivered, healed, and FLOCKING to the saving power of Jesus.
Demons and evil spirits are alive and real. The power of Christ to cast them out still exists today.
I'll answer you like I answer unbelievers who emphatically state that salvation is "nonsense".
JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT REAL.
Actually, I do not know that based upon the original sentence structure and I wanted a verification before I proceeded with the discussion. Accuracy counts, you see.
I recall another poster resenting your using the term "magicsterial" in reference to Roman Catholic liturgical practices. I also recall that your reaction to him was not charitable. How you treat people is taken as a cue by those observing you as an indication of how you prefer to be treated. If you don't like having what you consider to be holy treated lightly, perhaps you should extend the same courtesy to other Christians, including Roman Catholics.
As to your claim about how many exorcisms you've performed, have you ever been impressed by someone making grandiose claims via an internet forum? I certainly have not.
Puleeeeeeease, I think if you’re honest with yourself and with God, you’ll know what you’re doing.
I believe he said "participated in" .. not "performed".
(Accuracy counts, you know.)
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