I Don't Get The Catholic Confession Thing

[kellychaos]

Explain please. Personally, I don't understand it. Isn't your relationship with God, and thus, your need for atonement more a personal thing between yourself and God? What right does a priest have (aside from a lifelong study of religion, I guess ) to tell you how bad your sins are, how to repent (in ways to me that seem ritualistic and dated), ect? Are priests the only ones that can relay your message to God ... at a price. Sort of like a spiritual fax ... funny, I never thought of church as a Kinkos. Just sayin' :/

[CastroMotorOil]

learn about the religion before you criticize. Jesus forgave sins i nthe bible as did his apostales after him. Bishops nad priets are the succesors to the apostles thus the powers have been passed down from priest to priest. Before i go further iam no longer catholic but still have a tiny place in my heart for it. It is nto a fax machine for sins. Catholics fully beleive god can forgive you alone for sins. But peopel like going though an "official" source for guidence and unload their problems to another person.
if i screwed anything up feel free to correct me.

[VinceZeb]

Kelly, go to http://www.catholic.com/

[mburbank]

Jeeze, Vince, can't you offer your own explanation? I mean, you studied to be a Priest for two years, doesn't the question even interest you?

[VinceZeb]

Why sit out there and type something that is going to take a fucking day to do when I can just post a link that will say the same thing, only more eloquently?

[mburbank]

While I don't for a moment doubt the site would be more elloquent, I just thought this would have been a fine opportunity to demonstrate the nuanced knoweldge of Catholocism you acquired during your two years of study for the Priesthood.

I was so impressed with your earlier statements that Popes had to be against wars and that while a catholic you didn't need to take the Popes view very seriously, I was wondering just where you fell on the subject of the neccesity of intercession. I mean, it's fairly big difference between the two major branches of Chrsitianity, I thought it might have sparked your interest as a former student of religion.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Zorak790

learn about the religion before you criticize

I wasn't criticizing. I was asking about something that doesn't make sense to me. Please don't take offense.

Originally Posted by Zorak790

Jesus forgave sins i nthe bible as did his apostales after him. Bishops nad priets are the succesors to the apostles thus the powers have been passed down from priest to priest

Were'nt they saints, though? Are all priests deserving of this honor? I don't believe that the term "confession" came into vernacular until the middle ages when the church was taking bribes and tributes disguised as pennance as a way for those who hoped to get into heaven. I know all churches have their faults but this is surely not an area that speaks well for catholicism. What may have started out as a sincere way to get parishoners thoughts known to God seems to have been bastardized during the middle ages. It was one of the sticking points for Martin Luther as well. I'm not trying to convert anyone here as I'm not particularly religious person. I just don't get the ideology behind it. I don't think that priests are in any way more qualified to offer atonement and/or to communicate with God than the average person who's living a catholic (or whatever denomination) life.

Originally Posted by Zorak790

It is nto a fax machine for sins. Catholics fully beleive god can forgive you alone for sins.

Why the middle man? That's my point.

Originally Posted by Zorak790

But peopel like going though an "official" source for guidence and unload their problems to another person..

I can see your point about guidance as priests (or any other religious leader) has spent their lives in religious study. To me, the sticking point is whether the "average joe" can communicate with God WITHOUT the assistance of a priest. I believe it only serves as a way to put the "little people" in their place ... that they're not good enough for direct communication with God. It's kind of condescending really and seems to destroy a sincere relationship with God.

[mburbank]

I could answer this question, but I'm just a Jew and my knowledge of Catholocism surely pails before Vince, who says he studied to be a Priest for two years.

I really think he should be the one explaining intercession.

[glowbelly]

psst: he's doing his reasearch right this very moment, i'm sure of it.

[kellychaos]

research consists of cut and paste comments taken out of context and lunatic ravings that have no basis in reality ... I'm starting to get it.

[mburbank]

But... But....

He STUDIED to be a PRIEST!

For TWO YEARS!

He SAID so! I mean, I know it seems really, really, really unlikely, and he hardly seems to be the type of person who'd have even concidered the Priesthood, let alone study for it, but he SAID so, so I'm sure it's true!

[Vibecrewangel]

Personally, I like the way the movie Stigmata portrayed this.

[VinceZeb]

Stigmata was a stupid movie, but thats my opinion.

Hey, Max, I studied at St. Thomas Seminary in Hannibal, MO where my hometown is. Closed down about a year ago because of low enrollments. Sad day, really.

Glow, instead of talking when the big boys do, you should do something more constructive like making dinner or scrubbing a floor. And Max, should you be celebrating killing Christ today? 3PM is party time for ya'll.

[Vibecrewangel]

Zeb -

Why did you think it was stupid?

Is it such a stretch to think that the Church would hide something like the historical documents in the movie?

Honestly, though that type of information would make the religion stronger, it would make the Church weaker. And that is one of my biggest gripes with organized religion. Instead of being about God, most are more about the Church. A very sad difference if you ask me.

[mburbank]

Well, Laws Vince, show us some of what you learned. Two years is long time to study. Didn't they make you write any papers? Did you find your need for comparative boobie feeling and multi ethnic pleasures of the flesh too compelling to be compatable with a calling? And don't you still have a scholarly interest, at least enough to weigh in on intercession?

And as an Italian heir to the Roman Empire, shouldn't you be celebrating the state imposed death of Jesus?

[Protoclown]

The Pope is a vampire. 8-)

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by Protoclown

The Pope is a vampire. 8-)

I'm not going to take a stab at this since I flubbed the last attempt at a "Smashing Pumpkins" quote.

[VinceZeb]

Sorry, I am not Roman.

[Vibecrewangel]

Vince ignores me......

First about ESL now about Stigmata.
Hopefully he'll respond to my post about hot Native American or South American women.

[mburbank]

Your Italian, though, right? I mean, you know, a REAL Italian, not some Imigrant Swede or something. So you have a direct genetic tie to the guys that crucified Jesus.

Whereas my roots, see come from a Mass conversion of Russians to Judaism about 600 years ago so I'm not even marginally mixed up with the tragic state execution of that poor misunderstood radical Rabi.

[glowbelly]

Originally Posted by VinceZeb

Glow, instead of talking when the big boys do, you should do something more constructive like making dinner or scrubbing a floor.

my penis is bigger than yours, vincey. i'd watch yourself. especially from behind.

[Vibecrewangel]

She does like the Butt Sex!

[El Blanco]

Anyone care for my 2 cents?

[Protoclown]

No, but if you want to give me 5 bucks, I'm game.

[mburbank]

Sure.


I mean, I am interested in the topic, and obviously Kelly is.


It may distract momentarily from my trying to get Father Vince to show us he did something during his two years of studying the priesthood by (insert your own joke about the current catholic sex scandal here).