Would you kiss the hand of Christ?

Christ Himself, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage.

A man claiming to be equal to God and claiming adoration for it is blasphamy. Others who have claimed that have died a terrible worm-infested death.

Kissing that hand would be worse than catching cooties imho

OrthodoxyUSA said:

There are no rings. They are liturgical equals.
The ring is from an Emperor and is a designate of Vicar.

Forgive me...

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Ahhh...thank you for the clear up

OrthodoxyUSA said:

Not in a germ-o-phobic way though right? More of a, mentally I can't do it.

You think that may just be an American thing?

Forgive me...

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In a germ-a-phopic way also. A biblical thing ...

OrthodoxyUSA said:

Would you kiss the hand of Christ, or do you think perhaps you may have a knee jerk reaction to kissing anyone's hand? (This may be just an American thing.)

Forgive me...

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Certainly, but I suspect he would be more inclined to kiss us on the cheek.

Roseonathorn said:

You know sir, God the Father is alright and I hope I meet Him again. But pretending a priest is Christ is slightly a serious matter for me. I tend to see hungry beggars on the street as Christ instead...

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It is not 'either ... or', but 'both ... and'.

OrthodoxyUSA said:

Perhaps it slips by you that our corporate worship together is a training ground.

I guess we are pretending, but it is more serious than play.

Would you bow? Would you come to your knees? How do you think we might react in this "less than awake" state where we will encounter HIM next? Will our physical habits betray us?

Forgive me...

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Interesting.....never knew this took place. Are the priest considered the lowest member in your church? The least honorable? The bible seems to liken what is done to the Least and being done to Jesus.....

OrthodoxyUSA said:

Would you kiss the hand of Christ, or do you think perhaps you may have a knee jerk reaction to kissing anyone's hand? (This may be just an American thing.)

Forgive me...

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I'd kiss him on the lips.

RaymondG said:

Interesting.....never knew this took place. Are the priest considered the lowest member in your church? The least honorable? The bible seems to liken what is done to the Least and being done to Jesus.....

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The priest is the servant of the church, yes.

OrthodoxyUSA said:

Perhaps it slips by you that our corporate worship together is a training ground.

I guess we are pretending, but it is more serious than play.

Would you bow? Would you come to your knees? How do you think we might react in this "less than awake" state where we will encounter HIM next? Will our physical habits betray us?

Forgive me...

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You will be very awake in heaven, more alert than on earth. You will have a heavenly version of You a body fit for heaven and believe me Your knees will not be stiff. Your can praise and worship God for Who He is but remember the Father knows His children, that will not change in heaven either. He knows everything about You, every thought. Did Your earthly Father care more about how You put Your fingers together when You prayed or how You opened the door to the car when You loaded the car with clothes for the poor. Or was He more concerned that You actually cleaned Your wardrobe spread the word to Your friends and packed it neatly and put it in plasticbags to protect them from rain. Finding clothes for people in all sizes big and small old and young and making sure it gets there to those poor folks before it get vinter? Even though You yourself think You barely affords living still someone else might have it worse, as we see in the world. Do what You can, that is what I thought I should do. But again some fathers are perfectionists...but only one is perfect only one has a face that shines like the sun and God has a warmth around Him, a familiarity, divinity and really if You serve God and love Him with all Your heart You need not be afraid. He will make sure You end up at the right place.

Catherineanne said:

The priest is the servant of the church, yes.

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Yes, I understand that leaders are supposed to be servents. But, in the minds of the people they serve.....Is he the least honored and respected in the church? If you have a dinner or gathering, would you greet him and feed him last, while you attend to more important guests?

Is he a person whose hands you would say is the last hands you would want to touch, much less, kiss in the church? Would he be the least likely to be considered worthy to have his hands kissed in the place of Christ.

If YOU were to take his place and have your hand kissed, would everyone be happier because you are an upgrade to him?

Roseonathorn said:

You will be very awake in heaven, more alert than on earth. You will have a heavenly version of You a body fit for heaven and believe me Your knees will not be stiff. Your can praise and worship God for Who He is but remember the Father knows His children, that will not change in heaven either. He knows everything about You, every thought.

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Nice imagination you have there.

Did Your earthly Father care more about how You put Your fingers together when You prayed or how You opened the door to the car when You loaded the car with clothes for the poor. Or was He more concerned that You actually cleaned Your wardrobe spread the word to Your friends and packed it neatly and put it in plasticbags to protect them from rain. Finding clothes for people in all sizes big and small old and young and making sure it gets there to those poor folks before it get vinter? Even though You yourself think You barely affords living still someone else might have it worse, as we see in the world. Do what You can, that is what I thought I should do. But again some fathers are perfectionists...but only one is perfect only one has a face that shines like the sun and God has a warmth around Him, a familiarity, divinity and really if You serve God and love Him with all Your heart You need not be afraid. He will make sure You end up at the right place.

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I suspect there is a shade more to being a Christian than just giving away a bagful of old clothes we no longer want.

RaymondG said:

Yes, I understand that leaders are supposed to be servents. But, in the minds of the people they serve.....Is he the least honored and respected in the church? If you have a dinner or gathering, would you greet him and feed him last, while you attend to more important guests?

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What does any of that matter?

Is he a person whose hands you would say is the last hands you would want to touch, much less, kiss in the church? Would he be the least likely to be considered worthy to have his hands kissed in the place of Christ.

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The priest's hands are not kissed in the place of Christ. Christ's hand is kissed.

If YOU were to take his place and have your hand kissed, would everyone be happier because you are an upgrade to him?

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I think you misunderstand the role of a priest when he is in a church, particularly when wearing liturgical robes.

Catherineanne said:

What does that matter?

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Is he a person whose hands you would say is the last hands you would want to touch, much less, kiss in the church? Would he be the least likely to be considered worthy to have his hands kissed in the place of Christ.

If YOU were to take his place and have your hand kissed, would everyone be happier because you are an upgrade to him?

IT matters because if these things are true....I would see it as in line with what the scripture states.....But I see no fault in it either way.

RaymondG said:

Yes, I understand that leaders are supposed to be servents. But, in the minds of the people they serve.....Is he the least honored and respected in the church? If you have a dinner or gathering, would you greet him and feed him last, while you attend to more important guests?

Is he a person whose hands you would say is the last hands you would want to touch, much less, kiss in the church? Would he be the least likely to be considered worthy to have his hands kissed in the place of Christ.

If YOU were to take his place and have your hand kissed, would everyone be happier because you are an upgrade to him?

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We would hope that in his mind he would at least think that. In which case I couldn't see anyone consenting to it

I did not realize you are referring to kissing a priest as though he is Christ. Paul said greet the brethren with a holy kiss (Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor., 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Th. 5:26) but I think that means on the cheek. We are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9) which means there is no distinction in the body of Christ called "laity" and "clergy". The implication of kissing the hand is subservience to a lord, and other men are not our lords. So, no, I would not kiss the hand of someone posing as a vicar of Christ, since Christ is in all born again believers. If I met Jesus on his throne, I would kiss him on the lips, if he let me, and I believe he would let me.

~Cassia~ said:

We would hope that in his mind he would at least think that. In which case I couldn't see anyone consenting to it

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But He is not the one kissing the hand of christ.....In this case, the mindset of the person committing the action is what matters. If they view the Preist as the most respected and honorable......then it would be more closer to scripture if they kiss the hand of the person sitting next to them than to kiss the priest hand

RaymondG said:

Is he a person whose hands you would say is the last hands you would want to touch, much less, kiss in the church? Would he be the least likely to be considered worthy to have his hands kissed in the place of Christ.

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What? Any chance of that one in English?

If YOU were to take his place and have your hand kissed, would everyone be happier because you are an upgrade to him?

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Once in a while people do kiss my hand; I am never offended by it. I am not sure what you are getting at.

IT matters because if these things are true....I would see it as in line with what the scripture states.....But I see no fault in it either way.

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I don't much care whether you see it as in line with Scripture or not. That may be your benchmark but it isn't mine.