Is It Armageddon Yet?

[LouiseVargas]

I should not have made the controversial statement. I am not perfect and often say the wrong thing. However, I learn from each of my mistakes.

I have no problem with saying I'm sorry. To me those two words "I'm sorry" mean I will never again repeat this mistake. Many people say they are sorry just to get out of the conflict. My daughter did this all the time. I asked,"What exactly are you sorry about?" She had no answer, so her apology carried no weight because she was not sincere. She kept doing the same things that she previously apologized for.

So while I have a long list of things I will never do again, unfortunately I keep stumbling upon new ways to accidentally offend people. With every experience, I am growing and learning what to do and what not to do. I never have a problem facing my mistakes, assessing the situation, apologizing and never making that particular mistake again.

[Anna]

Having insomnia with my dogs barking and keeping me awake!

This is a very interesting thread.  I am so impressed with the Bible Scholars here!  WoW, you guys have put some time into all that study.

There is one thing this little Catholic girl can add and that is the concept that faith is a gift from God.  It is given to some and not to others.  If you have received this wonderful and miraculous gift, you are truly blessed.

Traditionally, we Catholics tend to be dreadful Bible Scholars and just cannot compare with many of the Protestants in that area.  I know I sure can't.  But we are very strong in the faith department and it is not the factual nor historical nor the knowledge on which my faith thrives but by the gift of Faith alone.

It is not logical but spiritual. No one can "debunk" my faith because it is just that, faith and not facts.  It is a gift I was given from God and I don't have to know much of anything to adhere to it because it is the beliefs I hold and my trust in The Church.  

Yes, I know of all the evil priest and times The Church has fallen on hard times and corruption and all the rest but it is The Church as it is supposed to be that I love and hold dear and through which my faith is sustained.

I guess it could even be called blind faith but that's OK, too, because it lives and thrives and sustains me.  It is sort of the concept of "blessed are those who have seen and believe but more so those who have not seen and yet believe" in a way.  

For us, either you have Faith or you don't and I am blessed that I do.  And thousands before me have devoted their entire lives to the doctrines and tenets of my Faith and they have covered just about all aspects.  That's good enough for me;  I don't feel the need to personally do it myself, sort of like reinventing the wheel.

Louise, you mention your religion is older but I am not sure that means much to me because humanity unfortunately does not seem to be on any path of progress but aside from technology actually seems to be regressing into a sort of Dark Ages.  Age does not equate wisdom, unfortunately.  That can also be said of all aspects of life and humanity, not just religions.

I am in a minority in this region of the country and so am accustomed to taking a lot of flak for being Catholic in certain circles but have grown a thick skin about it over the years.  

Again, for me it is all about Faith and not knowledge.  Wasn't that what Christ said about the Pharisees?  Teaching the letter of the law and not the spirit of it?

So if you have Faith, consider yourself greatly Blessed of God.  Other than that, I just don't worry about it.  Not my own and not anybody else's because no matter what, I can't give Faith to them, only God does that. Few Catholics are Evangelical or try to convert others.  We are taught to respect the faith of others and leave them in peace.  It was not always so with the olden times of forced conversions and all that but today that is what the position of The Church is on other faiths.  We are to live in peace with them and respect their religion but not proselytize to those of other faiths.  OK for those without a faith but leave those alone who have one.  We do NOT believe we are the only Children of God, either.

 I know basic Biblical concepts and stories taught at Church but have never felt a need to delve into it in a scholarly manner.  I just enjoy the work others have done on my behalf in that regard.  I think this goes all the way back to the time when the masses could not read and had to totally depend on priests because they could read the Scriptures.

Hope this makes more sense than I think it does but it is very late and I should be asleep by now.

.

[LouiseVargas]

Dear Anna,

Thanks for your post. I agree this is a valuable thread. By the way, I think your current avatar is most adorable one you've ever had.

A couple of things ... Anna, I had no idea that Catholics are in the minority in Alabama. But I understand what you went through because I was the only Jew in my elementary school (6-12) and took a lot of flack and didn't understand why. I have a thin skin.

When I mentioned in the calendar of Judaism, we are now in the year 5767 and Christianity is in the year 2007, I asked what it means to you. You said my religion is older but you're not sure that means much to you because humanity unfortunately does not seem to be on any path of progress.  This is a little tricky point ... I think the older the civilization, the stronger it is. Not many civilizations have been around for 5767 years. We have not died out, while many others have come into being and eventually were wiped out. Jesus said "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." Well, guess what? We are still standing undivided and progressing forward.

You mentioned blind faith. I have asked many an orthodox woman why she was doing "whatever" on the Sabbath.  They said they don't know, they are just doing it because that was what their mothers taught them.  So they had blind faith.  As you said, it is not logical but spiritual.

I'm an analyst and like to know the reasons why people do certain things according to their faith.  Fortunately, my daughter studied under the tutelage of the most holy Rabbis in Jerusalem and she came back home and told me the reasons behind why Jews do what they do.  She knew more than the common orthodox women.

Tell me what Christ said about the Pharisees? I don't know. Teaching the letter of the law and not the spirit of it? I'm very interested in this area if you can explain further.

Thanks, Anna, from Louise

[Anna]

Louise,

Thank you for your understanding of how one can be operating on blind faith.

I can't tell you much about what Jesus had to say about the Pharisees except that the point was they get all caught up in the minutia of the law, the details of what is allowed on the Sabbath for example and forget the point is a day of celebration and thanksgiving.  They were so concerned with what was allowed and what was not and this and that that they totally left out the part I would call blind faith or the purpose of the Sabbath, a day of rest and devotion to God.

I am analytical in other areas of my life but not religion.  There I am all faith and trust that God is going to deal fairly with me and don't worry beyond that.  Religion for me is a solace and a comfort, not a contract or a deal I have some how worked out.  It is just a gift I was given from my Holy Father and for that I am grateful and humble.

I guess the point Jesus was making was that one can have too many details and lose sight of the big picture.  I just enjoy my religion and the comfort it brings me without having to even know all the rules and regs because there are just too many of them not to lose the purpose and big picture.  I don't think Catholics are even encouraged to study the Bible except under the tutilege of a priest or other authorized Catholic person.  We just sort of stay dumb and happy.

I just follow the basic tenets of my faith to the best of my ability and then don't worry about it any farther.  If it is the beginning of Armageddon, I don't think we can do much about it as it is going to happen no matter what.  But I know I will be dealt with fairly by my God on an eternal basis and so don't worry about anything religious.

Now political is another matter, haha!

Anna

[LouiseVargas]

Anna,

When I hooked back up with orthodox Judaism twenty years ago (through my daughter) they were all caught up in the minutia of the law. They were strict. They had high walls.  I agree they totally lost sight of the purpose of the Sabbath, a day of rest, devotion, celebration and thanksgiving. They were so concerned with what was allowed and what was not that they totally left out the part I would call the purpose of the Sabbath which is a day of rest and devotion to God.

[Anna]

Louise,
Well, that was just an example, the Sabbath  The same applies in many areas of religion where we become so entangled in the details, we forget the big picture.

Christians and Jews are today facing a real challenge and threat from the fundamentalist Muslims and we really need to return to our commonality in the face of this the greatest threat to our religions of our lifetime.  I often fear we lack the will to even fight back we have become so soft as a people.

There are troubling times ahead for us all, I do fear.