Catholicism

[illicon]

In this article from The Guardian, they talk about how a cardinal recently affirmed the celibacy rule for Catholic priests

Comments

[seraph03]

You brought up very good points...however, I felt that they were both a little on the extreme side. You're right, there should be a balance...just like in all areas of life, it's the balance that keeps us healthy. You brought up the priests who abstain from the unholy, but given no alternative, some seem to end up acting out even more "unholy" acts. Then you brought up the point of martial arts, yoga and meditation (all good, healthy outlets in my opinion, by the way). However, can't those things also just become something to fill a void...leaving a person just as unbalanced

[illicon]

Interesting perspective, as usual. :)

So what do you think is the true purpose of fasting? And how are people getting it wrong?

I was never really taught much about fasting, but in the school of thought I was brought up in (which I'm now pretty skeptical of, since some parts of it are obviously BS) they'd probably say it has something to do with the relationship between your spirit, your body, and your mind.

Which really just means that denying the flesh brings you closer to spiritual things.

That makes a certain amount of sense to me, and it resonates with many different belief systems which is sort of interesting.

Again, good points.

[seraph03]

I agree that I do think fasting is to "deny the flesh to bring you closer to spiritual things." However, like so many other things in the church today, it tends to either be done to the point of being meaningless (where it's just about ritual) or it's taken too far and it's so legalistic that it does nothing but bring condemnation. And what does that have to do with opening your eyes, heart or mind to spiritual things? I found that it gets thrown around in churches like a common solution for everything. "You don't know where to go to school? Well, fast and I'm sure God will show you!" Hhhhmmm...I'm pretty sure the scriptures say something along the lines of "knock and it will be answered" not "fast and then and only then will I tell you." I have found that God is more approachable than that

Re: Again, good points.

[illicon]

You always have interesting things to say, Sally. :)

I hadn't thought too much about the Christian perspective to meditation and fasting -- at least beyond the surface.

Where I grew up, meditation was considered weird and dangerous. Unfortunately my 'Christian Experience' was tainted a lot by ignorance and deceit, which made me distance myself. In this case I was told something to the effect of, "Your mind goes away and it lets demons in."

...Even though I know now that meditation has roots in Judaism. (Then again, if you follow Jewish history back far enough there's a lot of mystical stuff that I wouldn't want to experiment with. And also there are many different kinds of meditation.)

But it's kind of like, "It doesn't matter if the words are nice, the demons are attracted to the beat." Didn't you love that one? ;)

*grumble*

Anyway, I'm starting to rant so I think I'm going to cut this short. :)

Re: Again, good points.

[seraph03]

I'm always leary when people say things like I have "interesting" things to say...lol...but I'll choose to take it in a positive way with you :)