Posted on 09/02/2011 9:07:47 AM PDT by marshmallow
Minneapolis, Minnesota (CNN) –Prior to 2006, few people even knew that then-Minnesota state legislator Keith Ellison was a Muslim. Because of his English name, he said, no one thought to ask.
But five years ago, when he ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives - a race he would go on to win - word of his religious affiliation began to spread.
“When I started running for Congress it actually took me by surprise that so many people were fascinated with me being the first Muslim in Congress,” said Ellison, a Democrat now serving his third term in the House.
“But someone said to me, ‘Look Keith, think of a person of Japanese origin running for Congress six years after Pearl Harbor–this might be a news story.’”
Though Ellison's status as the first Muslim elected to Congress is widely known, fewer are aware that he was born into a Catholic family in Detroit and was brought up attending Catholic schools.
But he said he was never comfortable with that faith.
“I just felt it was ritual and dogma,” Ellison said. “Of course, that’s not the reality of Catholicism, but it’s the reality I lived. So I just kind of lost interest and stopped going to Mass unless I was required to.”
It wasn’t until he was a student at Wayne State University in Detroit when Ellison began, “looking for other things.”
(Excerpt) Read more at religion.blogs.cnn.com ...
Something I've noted is oftentimes there's a mindset which says if something "isn't" written, "isn't there" or the full meaning unrevealed....then individuals assume the idea they can insert their doctrine or dogma or teachings into the vacancy...and they do. Cults do it all the time. I think Jesus knew fully well what the people would do with Marys body had it been publicly known at that time....for there were many pagan symbols and idols of departed or manufactured gods and goddesses at that time.
All we have to do is look at today with all the paraphernalia of Mary scattered throughout their churches...in their parade's..sold throughout the world , all shapes and sizes and pictures of whatever ones mind might conceive she might have looked like ..additionally and at the vatican statues and people kissing them , bowing down to them etc. You can imagine what her grave site would look like if it were known...and what the people would do.
Yes, we are ALL sinners, utterly without hope UNTIL Christ came. By his sacrifice on the cross, all of our sin has been purged, taken away, removed from us, cleansed, sanctified, made righteous, justified, and glorified. The word "purge" means:
v., purged, purg·ing, purg·es.
v.tr. 1.
a.To free from impurities; purify.
b.To remove (impurities and other elements) by or as if by cleansing.
2.To rid of sin, guilt, or defilement.
3.Law. To clear (a person) of a charge or an imputation. Often used with respect to contempt of court.
v.intr.
1.To become pure or clean.
1.The act or process of purging.
2.Something that purges, especially a medicinal purgative. [Middle English purgen, from Old French purgier, from Latin pūrgāre, from pūrus, pure.]
http://www.answers.com/topic/purge
Even in the times before Christ came, those who worshipped the true God, knew that there was no way they could purge themselves of their sins:
Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 65:3
Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.
Psalm 79:9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
Proverbs 16:6
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
So that when Jesus came, as the Messiah, the Christ, those who worshipped the true God found out that he was STILL in the purgation business.
Hebrews 1:2-3 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high
Exactly....for as we know Paul had a zeal for God but wasn’t right with God...but He wasn’t aware of that until Jesus chose to reveal Himself to him.
I recall my first sincere prayer to God to reveal Himself to me if He really was real...the very next day Jehovah Witnesses were at my door! I studied with them a few months before realizing what they were saying was not what my Bible was saying....later I studied with Mormons for a time...and likewise results...then the Charismatic movement and didn’t take long to see that was not for me either.
I felt rather like Adam when God announced He’d give him a helpmate and then sent all the animals to him before Eve was finally presented to him......the ah-ah moment had arrived.....She was the perfect fit.
The same applied when the Lord came for me....I knew He was the truth I was seeking....and that not in a religion or a church...but completely and fully IN Him.... My ah-ah moment had arrived!..and it was a glorious moment!
"For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Rom. 10:2-4.
Can you expand a little more on verse 5, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.” and what you see as “scandalous”?
I would put all that stuff in the “cheap” mysticism pile.
Thank you. Grace is never deserved nor can it be merited. While we were sinners, Christ died for us. God knows our frame, he remembers we are but "dust", as a father pities (has compassion on) his children, so our Lord pities those that fear (reverence) him. You are quite correct, we do have to cooperate with Christ for our salvation. What he asks us to do is trust, surrender ourselves to his grace, believe in who Jesus is (God who saves), have faith that he loves us so much that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him, will not perish, but have everlasting life. THAT is grace!
As we see in the verses you gave, and excellant to post as you did....these truths are evidenced only to those who have "believed"....Which falls into line with "The Just shall live by Faith"..... those who do not "believe" will indeed attempt to establish their own righteousness.....
.....“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” ......Not even the effort that we put forth in living the Christian life is our own; it is 'the result' of His enabling presence within.
we must cooperate with Christ for our salvation.
- - - -
We ‘cooperate’ by our faith, not works. All we must do is believe, good works flow out of the belief, but is not a requirement for salvation.
Well...they are used by many other religions and cults as well....and the history of appears to be rooted in paganism practices....
-The rosary has 10 times as many prayers addressed to mary as to God the father, with none addressed to Christ or the Holy Spirit. It is designed as a devotion to Mary thus exhaulting a human being above God.
-Peter the hermit invented the rosary in the year 1090, more than 1000 years after Christ. The rosary represents a form of prayer that was expressly condemned by Christ, for He said, “ And in praying use not vain repititions, as the Gentiles do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking, be not therefore like unto them.”
-a mechanical devise similar to the rosary used for counting prayers was in use amongst the Buddists and Mohammedans for centuries befor the rosary was introduced. So its origin is not hard to trace.
-the Rosary is because St Dominic claimed that The Virgin Mary appeared to him in 1208 and told him to establish monastaries over the world and to say the rosary in order to stop the spread of heresy throughout the world. So apparently there’s belief it has powers all it’s own.
-A Catholic writes....The rosary is a Catholic devotion to our Mother Mary. The whole purpose of the rosary is to lead to this deep experience of Our Lady.
-the rosary was used by the laity as a “replacement” of the psalms. Instead of reciting all of the psalms (the common folk simply did not have time for that), they could instead pray the rosary.
-The rosary, as it is accepted today, was officially recognized in 1569 by Pope Pius V who recommended 150 angelic salutations..which some say.
-Buddhist use the rosary to help the faithful keep track of time while praying or meditating. According to Tibetan Buddhist Altar, there typically are 108 beads on a mala, which includes one large bead called the guru bead or mother bead. Specific meditations or mantras are recited using different prayer beads.
- Praying with beads is a spiritual practice with a long history in most of the world’s religions, one that modern Pagans use.
Source?
Numerous throughout the web....from varied sites both catholic and non-catholic as well as catholics commenting on what they are also as varied....and that of history buffs.
My point is the Rosary beads, their meaning and usage are varied throughout the world and among many faiths and religions...as well as what they represent.
The purpose of the post doesn’t matter, the moderators need source information to check for copyright restrictions. If there are any direct excerpts, we need source information.
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ok...I’ll watch it next time...and thank you for pointing this out .
I think the moderator and I can handle this fine.
Perhaps next time I’ll just make comment that whatever the item or topic discussed is seen throughout the web in varied places....rather than posting what I find. Then if further discussion is made I can single out the specific and link to that source.
I think I did mention these also came from comments so that very well could be one of such.
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