[armydoc]

And now I trot out the old line...where's THAT in the Bible? The text says IS. It doesn't say represents. It doesn't say symbolizes. It says IS.

Remember that TV public relations commercial, back in the 80's IIRC? It went like this: "This is your brain"....(pic of egg)..."This is your brain on drugs"....(pic of egg frying)....

Powerful stuff. The message would have been "diluted" if the metaphore was overtly, clumsily stated as such by using words like "represent". Jesus used the same technique. Imagine the Last Supper, a passover meal that had been celebrated the same way for centuries. All of a sudden he strays from the script. He picks up the passover bread, and states "this is my body, broken for you" (breaks the bread)-- crack -- What an incredibly elegant, simple, and powerful display of what was to occur in a few hours. Then he commands them to eat the bread. Cannabalism? Of course not. Another brilliant metaphore for true belief in Him.

In John 6, Jesus speaks of this act, which you claim is the actual eating of his flesh, and I claim really represents belief in Him, as being both necessary and sufficient for salvation. My interpretation jives with the rest of scripture; yours does not. The RCC does not teach that taking the Eucharist is either necessary or sufficient for salvation.

[adiaireton8]

Then why did all those disciples walk away? Either they thought Jesus was saying that they must *really* eat His flesh and drink His blood, OR they were such wimps that they thought even eating and drinking mere representations of His body and blood was too hard for them.

And either way, why didn't Jesus say, "Hey, guys, wait. It is just a metaphor. You don't really have to eat my flesh and drink my blood. Light up."?

-A8