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To: If You Want It Fixed - Fix It

You need to “fix” your ignorance. Prosperity gospel preaching is actually a very rare phenomena in Protestant chuches and the dudes that do this sort of preaching on TV need to have their heads and their faith examined. Then again, looking at some of the Catholic advertisements for various religious medals and trinkets with the notion pushed that wearing these medals will allow the wearer some extra influence with God, I see huxsterism can be found in Catholic as well as Protestant publications and TV ads.


11 posted on 08/08/2012 10:00:23 AM PDT by mdmathis6 (Not left wing! Not right wing! But....CHRIST WING!)
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To: mdmathis6
http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu207.htm

Q. 1. Why do Catholics wear and bless religious medals?

A. 1. In summary, the wearing of a medal that represents a Patron Saint is an expression of faith. The blessing of such a medal acknowledges the approval of the Catholic Church to allow the medal as a sacred symbol of the supernatural protection offered directly by our Lord, Blessed Mother or a saint. This blessing sets apart the medal as an expression of faith rather than an item of worship that has pagan roots.

A religious medal is never worn as a "charm," but rather as a constant physical reminder of the love and fidelity that we share with Almighty God and the communion of saints. The Catholic is very clear in its teachings, whether a religious medal is blessed or not, it has no built-in power. Such a belief is superstitious and condemned by the Catholic Church.

In the early days of the Church, there were many pagan practices in the community. The Catholic Church implemented many spiritual practices to combat those pagan practices. The wearing of religious medals was one such practice. Medals were used to remind the believers of Jesus, Mary, the Sainst, Shrines they had visited or even their having received the Sacrament of Baptism. Religious medals served as reminders to Catholics to pray, to perform acts of charity, to show reverence to God or the Lord Jesus, etc... Religious medals containing the images of Saints Peter and Paul were found in graves dating back to the second century. The blessing of religious medals did not commence until Pope Pius V implemented this practice in the 1500s. Religious medals are blessed by the priests of the Catholic Church.

As a non-Catholic, you are entirely free to reject all of that. Cheers.

16 posted on 08/08/2012 11:27:11 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature not nurture TM)
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To: mdmathis6

Thank you. I think that needed to be said.


21 posted on 08/08/2012 3:10:29 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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