Posted on 03/26/2012 1:38:33 PM PDT by NYer
Edit: A definition from Wikipedia is useful here: Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things.[1] Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy,[2] while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy.
[Fell's Point, Baltimore, MD] There was a show called "Cheers" on television years ago. It was bawdy and vulgar yet there were some borders it was not safe to pass in the early 80s when the show first aired. It depicted a homey place, reminiscent of an unpretentious neighborhood bar with a hint of old world ambiance and Boston charm. The heavy wooden furniture and the bar spoke of permanence, elegance, and that favorite piety of secular artists, human dignity. It was not always clear who the show's buffoons were, but you knew them when you saw them, and sometimes, it was a comedic mailman who could be the most noble in the simplicity of his fears. Some other writer said something about irony being lost on a society which had no shame. That's why we'd like to wield a metaphorical hammer. Perhaps there are others who can put a better finish on the details of what we will tell.
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| Satirical painting: priest displeased with Nun? |
All we can say is that sometimes evil is really mundane and some of us don't realize that we're not only bufoons needlessly offending people's religious sensibilities, but far worse than that, we're offending God. Even the name of the bar, a pun on the Blessed Mother's name seems calculated to be offensive.
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| Would you like some candy? |
We're not talking about this place, but it's not far from Boston, but it boasts a similar unmistakable charm you'd expect in New England with friendly folks.
One of the features of the bar, and there are many, is its unmistakable Catholic ambiance. It's called, Ale Mary's and is located in Fell's point Maryland. One can just smell the faint aroma of the ocean as you think about it. The food is inexpensive, but if you're Catholic you might find it too expensive for the peace of your conscience to see the sacramental elements of your religion appear for the sake of decoration in peculiarly deliberate ways.
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| Chalices Used for Holy Sacrifice Being Abused by Patrons |
It's not surprising, but it's not acceptable either that chalices which are used in Catholic Mass for the consecration of wine which becomes the blood of Christ, are used by patrons to drink (and get drunk from). They're made of precious metals, sometimes jewels, but their use in such a secular setting is strange and unsettling. No less than the inexplicable painting of a priest with a stole, looking aghast or in surprise at a nun who has her back to him.
The most disturbing thing in the restaurant is the monstrance which is behind the bar used as decoration. The monstrance is large ornate disk, often resembling the sun, which is surmounted in a long stand with a heavy base. It contains a crystal compartment at the center of the disk where a consecrated communion Host can be placed inside and it allows the priest to elevate the entire object by the stand for the veneration of the Sacrament it contains. Seeing this monstrance here in this bar, covered with mardigras beads and a mustached smiley face where the Host would normally be is a little bit like finding family heirlooms in the hands of people who not only use them for purposes for which they were never intended, but use them in disrespectful ways.
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| Mustached Smiley Face Seems Particularly Malevolent |
We found out about this recently and the individual who sent this to us wrote an e-mail complaining about the display of these religious items and even offered to purchase them. Far from being treated with the respect she deserved, her concerns were met with derision.
Despite the bar owner claiming that no one cared about this clearly blasphemous display of religious artifacts, he asked her to remove an entry she made under the bar at a public site allowing comment on establishments.
As he berated our friend, the proprietor insisted as an argument to justify his sacrilege and disrespect for Catholic sacramentals, that there were even Bishops and priests who thought that his blasphemous inclusion of religious articles was comical and that there was nothing wrong with this display.
Apparently, there's some truth to what he says, because Catholic clergy, including senior, does frequent this place.
We'll be praying a Rosary in reparation for having seen this blasphemy. Hopefully, the proprietor can be persuaded to part with these items before word of this affects his business either spiritually or financially.
Give them a call:
Corner of Fleet & Washington Sts.
Fell's Point
Baltimore, MD.
21231
410-276-2044
I've spent a consideral amount of time in Israel and seen many devout Christians of all denominations moved to tears at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, at the sites around Nazareth and the Galilee, and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem because of their direct association with Jesus. Justifiably, no one on these threads would stand for the desecration of these sites by Muslims or hedonists.
For Catholics, the Chalice and Monstrance have a similar importance, not because any intrinsic or symbolic properties they might have, but because of their association with the Real Presence. Don't be surprised when your taunting and irreverence is seen by Catholics as a blasphemy equal to the actions of the descecrators.
You wrote:
“Stop comparing pagan catholic idolatry with YHWH’s commanded worship for Israel.”
Stop claiming there is Catholic idolatry when there isn’t.
Serious question: where do you get your history from?
>> “A doctrine of devils? Luther disagreed with you.” <<
.
Wow!
The Bible disagrees with Luther and the pagan catholic church.
>> “I’ve spent a consideral amount of time in Israel and seen many devout Christians of all denominations moved to tears at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, at the sites around Nazareth and the Galilee, and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem...” <<
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Most of us would be, due to the display of disrespect for God’s word, and for the disrespect of Christ.
Comparing the early Christian worship described by Paul and Luke, with the pagan abomination that the ‘catholic’ church has become is enough to bring tears to any Christian’s eyes.
>> “Stop claiming there is Catholic idolatry when there isn’t.” <<
.
Huh?
* Worship of Ishtar(Mary)
* Worship of graven images, statuary in niches, in defiance of the true 2nd commandment.
* Prayer to dead humans
* Worship of man made implements
* Worship of pagan alchemy (”Eucharist”)
These things are idolatry my FRiend.
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Is there some agenda or objective behind your hatefulness and abrasiveness that you would like to share with us? I can't imagine that your behavior is something you is something your pastor, your mother or your children would be proud of.
Do you really want to convert souls or are you simply angry that others do not recognize and follow your brilliance? Because a kind example will ultimately convert more than an insult.
The first church dedicated to to the Virgin Mary was built after a Church council declared her to be Theotokos. Which is to say that her son Jesus was true God and true man. Mary is revered because she is the first among all us creatures of God, because her son is NOT a creature, the son of God, though like us in all ways except sin.
*** Worship of Ishtar(Mary)
* Worship of graven images, statuary in niches, in defiance of the true 2nd commandment.
* Prayer to dead humans
* Worship of man made implements
* Worship of pagan alchemy (”Eucharist”)
**
Catholics worship God.
God the Father
God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit.
I judge that your allegations are false and that you probably know they are false.
>> “Is there some agenda...” <<
.
T R U T H !
Millions will burn in hell because of trusting the salvation by Alchemy of the ‘catholic’ church.
Mary is revered because She is the perfect example. There is no human who has shared a closeness and unconditionally loved Jesus like His mother. She was the first Christian. She was the first to truly accept Christ and the first to evangelize. She was there at every stage of His life and ministry. She was present at His trial, his cruxificition, His death, His resurrection, the first Pentecost and His Ascension.
If those who personally knew and loved the risen Lord call her Theotokos, what credibility have those who disagree?
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I have witnessed all of the idolatry that I listed, thus I know that it is true.
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Since I don’t know what you have witnessed, I cannot comment here.
Are you a former Catholic, still a Catholic, disgruntled Catholic?
I am not convinced he knows them to be false. Some are incapable of believing anything other than what they want to believe. Those are the ones most in need of our forgiveness and prayers.
The only harm they can do is to entice us into the sin of anger and vengeance. The truly amazing thing is that whatever the mischief the devil is up to, regardless of who he has co-opted, if handled properly only serves to increase the glory to God.
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." - Matthew 5:43-45
Cease and desist from posting catholic propaganda and falsehoods, and your uninformed opinion of me, per religion forum rules.
You wrote:
“Worship of Ishtar(Mary)”
We don’t worship Ishtar nor Mary. We also don’t confuse them.
“Worship of graven images, statuary in niches, in defiance of the true 2nd commandment.”
We don’t worship images. None of them are God.
“Prayer to dead humans”
Saints are not dead, but alive in God (just as Christ said), and we worship no saint.
“Worship of man made implements”
We worship no man made implements.
“Worship of pagan alchemy (”Eucharist”)”
The Eucharist is not pagan, but is Christ. Christ is not pagan.
“These things are idolatry my FRiend.”
We don’t do what you claim. I was right. You’re wrong. That’s how it’s going to stay.
Truth is not propaganda and discord is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. I do not worry about the harm you may do to me or to the Church, but I do worry about the harm you are doing to yourself.
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth." - 1 Timothy 4:1-3
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