Posted on 12/14/2011 11:10:27 AM PST by NYer
You couldn’t be more right. And they know full well the thing isn’t worshiped, but it’s import that they bear that very false witness, wielding the shroud as a means to project their hatred on fellow Christians. Kinda sick.
I’m guessing the whole “Doubting Thomas” episode got edited from his Bible...
If I kneel down in front of my bed to pray, does this mean I am worshiping my bed?
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He did NOT yell down: "READ MY BOOK!"
Our Lord did NOT leave us a book; He left us TWELVE MEN, with Peter as the Rock, the Shepherd of the flock of Jesus' foundling Church. Thus we have the Apostolic Tradition and the Magesterium (all the bishops and the Bishop of Rome--the pope).
Peter's successors have been around in an unbroken line since then. Their names are engraved in granite in the Bascilica of St. Peter. The four names NOT there are the four popes who chose to serve out their papacy in Avignon. They were duly and correctly elected but did not serve in Rome.
Unbroken line of Peter's successors...what else to expect from what Jesus founded?
Was Transfiguration the first time 34 thousand billion watts of radiation hit Christ`s clothes and the Shroud the second time?
St. Matthew (17:1-6),
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James
and his brother John and led them up a high mountain,
by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them,
and HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN, AND HIS CLOTHES BECAME DAZZLING WHITE.
St. Mark (9:1-8),
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James
and John, and led them up a high mountain apart,
by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
and HIS CLOTHES BECAME DAZZLING WHITE SUCH AS NO ONE ON EARTH COULD BLEACH THEM.
and St. Luke (9:28-36),
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus
* took with him Peter and John and James, and
went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying,
THE APPEARANCE OF HIS FACE CHANGED AND HIS CLOTHES BECAME DAZZLING WHITE.
2 Peter 1:16-18
16 For we did not follow cleverly
devised myths when we made known to
you the power and coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, BUT WE HAD BEEN EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY. FOR HE RECEIVED HONOUR AND GLORY FROM GOD THE FATHER when that voice was
conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying,
‘This is my Son, my Beloved,*
with whom I am well pleased.’
St. John (1:14),
AND WE HAVE SEEN and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world
What a SHAME if that were true. Thomas was US.
St. Thomas traveled all the way to India for his missionary work to "go teach all nations." When the Portuguese arrived in southern India they found Christians already there....many of the males were named "Thomas."
If one does not understand what I wrote.. it might be that they are spiritually blind
...OR...it might mean that someone else suffers from psychological projection...supreme ignorance...or self-righteousness.
May Christ, our Savior, grant us ALL ... HIS wisdom and insight.
Another good question is to ask what the BIBLE tells us is the foundation of all truth for the Christian?
;-))
Always a good one to ask!
“...or self-righteousness.”
I think you nailed it. There’s a heapin’ helpin’ of that on this thread.
You can find it in His word
Indeed! The Sacred Scriptures are a great gift from our God.
;-)))
Yes, and we can also ask HIM for it. We often have not....because we ask not. Perhaps it’s because we think we already have all the answers. I think the more we grow in our relationship with Christ, the more we discover of how much re really didn’t know or understand. It’s a joyful, life process. God is sooo BIG that there is always more to discover.
:-)
Deut. 5:8 - God's commandment "thou shall not make a graven image" is entirely connected to the worship of false gods. God does not prohibit images to be used in worship, but He prohibits the images themselves to be worshiped. In Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1,31 - for example, God commands the making of the image of a golden cherubim. This heavenly image, of course, is not worshiped by the Israelites. Instead, the image disposes their minds to the supernatural and draws them to God. This is corroborated in Num. 21:8-9 - God also commands the making of the bronze serpent. The image of the bronze serpent is not an idol to be worshiped, but an article that lifts the mind to the supernatural. In fact, according to I Kings 6:23-36; 7:27-39; 8:6-67 - Solomon's temple contains statues of cherubim and images of cherubim, oxen and lions. God did not condemn these images that were used in worship. However, notice the distinction in 2 Kings 18:4 - it was only when the people began to worship the statue did they incur God's wrath, and the king destroyed it. The command prohibiting the use of graven images deals exclusively with the false worship of those images.
The Shroud is not an object of worship and certainly did not come from Satan as it bears the imprint of a crucified man wearing a crown of thorns. How many men were given that honor before they were hung from the cross?
As noted in Col. 1:15 - the only image of God that Catholics worship is Jesus Christ, who is the "image" (Greek "eikon") of the invisible God
“Yes, there were so many people resurrected from the dead back then, how would you ever know which one it was?”
The image itself, and the unknown manner of how it was produced also does not confirm (prove) that the person in the image was “resurrected”. It can only confirm that the shroud was placed around whoever it is in the image. When, how, why and with whom cannot be determined by any facts that can be deciphered from the shroud alone.
Regardless, belief or non-belief in such things cannot be a determining factor in a Christian’s faith. It is enough that G-d knows more than we do, always, and we can leave understanding and confirmation of such things up to G-d. We can trust that G-d will answer such questions to ALL of us when and if it is important for us to have the answers. And by G-d, I do not mean some human activity claiming to be the work of G-d.
Apparently an amount of end-end spectrum UV light (34 thousand billion watts worth - lots of zeros there) which no modern technology can approach. It is not idolatry to be moved and awed by an evident fingerprint of God nor amused at some scientists’ desperate attempts to explain it away. Of course, a finger print is not itself the Entity (which we do worship) Who made it, and in a real sense every sunrise and our ability to contemplate and relish it is as much a fingerprint of God as the Shroud.
The problem is if it is His wisdom in your mind..without affirmation of the scriptures it is nothing more false wisdom... one can ask Joseph Smith about that he thought he had a pipeline to God.. or Mohammed ....he had a personal line to the wisdom of god too ..problem is ...they are false gods..
Catholics love mysticism.. so this fits right into catholic beliefs..
Answer: Jesus.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.