can unbaptized believers touch catholic holy water?

[ihavefoundgod951]

As the title asks, I am aware unbaptized and outsiders are not welcome to take communion in the Catholic church.


What is the stance on blessing ones self with holy water?

 

[seashale76]

As the title asks, I am aware unbaptized and outsiders are not welcome to take communion in the Catholic church.


What is the stance on blessing ones self with holy water?

Sacramentals like holy water are not magical. Holy water is blessed water, and unbaptized people can bless themselves with it. In Orthodox Christianity we even drink holy water.

 

[ihavefoundgod951]

Sacramentals like holy water are not magical. Holy water is blessed water, and unbaptized people can bless themselves with it. In Orthodox Christianity we even drink holy water.

Oh good im pleased because I used some today, I don't want to break any of there rules and I wouldnt knowingly, I like going to there morning service to pray everyday. (I have nothing better do, I don't work lol)
I would say holy water does have power, I've seen it used in an exorcism (it has lots of power over the enemy)

 

[football5680]

What is the stance on blessing ones self with holy water?

If an unbaptized person touches holy water it will melt their skin.

On a serious note, there is nothing wrong with it so you are fine. You should try to get baptized though. We do not know when we will die so it would be better for you to get baptized as soon as possible just in case.

 

[ihavefoundgod951]

If an unbaptized person touches holy water it will melt their skin.

On a serious note, there is nothing wrong with it so you are fine. You should try to get baptized though. We do not know when we will die so it would be better for you to get baptized as soon as possible just in case.

Im going to ask about baptism today at the evangelical church (church of England)

But im unsure wether to baptized in a Catholic church or evangelical.

Decisions decisions

Thank you for your reply

 

[Rhamiel]

interesting question

the reason we use Holy Water is as a reminder of the waters of Baptism
so since you are not baptized yet, there would be no need for a reminder?

I am not trying to discourage you
my gut instinct says that it is ok for you to bless yourself.... but I never heard this before so I can not be sure

 

[Blessedj01]

To answer your question in my own honest opinion: there is no such thing as "holy water".

 

[Rhamiel]

To answer your question in my own honest opinion: there is no such thing as "holy water".

when Moses saw the burning bush, God told him to remove his sandals because he was standing on "holy ground"

if dirt can be holy, why not water?

 

[GoingByzantine]

Sure you can use holy water, as seashale mentioned you can even drink it...or use it to bless your house.

 

[ebia]

you can even drink it....

But not if it looks like this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qearpb7t5let6fa/IMG_0450.JPG

 

[GoingByzantine]

But not if it looks like this:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qearpb7t5let6fa/IMG_0450.JPG

Yeah, fecal matter can be an issue with holy water, especially if people are dipping their fingers.

 

[ebia]

Yeah, fecal matter can be an issue with holy water, especially if people are dipping their fingers.

It's the things swimming in it that I find off-putting.

 

[Blessedj01]

when Moses saw the burning bush, God told him to remove his sandals because he was standing on "holy ground"

if dirt can be holy, why not water?

"It was not that the actual ground on which Moses stood was holy; rather, it was the presence of the holy God that made it holy."

Read more: What does the Bible mean when it refers to holy ground?

 

[Rhamiel]

"It was not that the actual ground on which Moses stood was holy; rather, it was the presence of the holy God that made it holy."

Read more: What does the Bible mean when it refers to holy ground?

so was it holy or was it not holy?

you said the presence of the Lord MADE it holy
but before that you say it was not holy.

I agree with you though, that it is God who makes things holy
but I think the things He makes holy are actually Holy

in the OP we see this a lot, things being set aside for the Lord
for example, we see the pagan king Balthazar being killed for using the vessels from the Temple that Solomon built for blasphemous pagan feasts

 

[Blessedj01]

so was it holy or was it not holy?

you said the presence of the Lord MADE it holy
but before that you say it was not holy.

I agree with you though, that it is God who makes things holy
but I think the things He makes holy are actually Holy

in the OP we see this a lot, things being set aside for the Lord
for example, we see the pagan king Balthazar being killed for using the vessels from the Temple that Solomon built for blasphemous pagan feasts

I think you're just over-complicating what's a simple concept and applying the wrong rationale to the situation of the vessels.

The crime would have been blasphemous feasts, not making vessels unholy.

 

[PaladinValer]

As the title asks, I am aware unbaptized and outsiders are not welcome to take communion in the Catholic church.

Depends...

If you mean by "Catholic" the Vatican Catholic Church that is oversighted by Pope Benedict, that is mostly correct, since certain non-members can licitly receive.

If you mean by "Catholic" any of the truly Catholic and Apostolic Churches which includes the above but also Anglicanism, Continuing churches, Old Catholics, and both the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox churches, then it depends on which.

What is the stance on blessing ones self with holy water?

It is fine.

Im going to ask about baptism today at the evangelical church (church of England)

The Church of England is a Catholic church, although many Anglicans are Open Evangelicals which emphasize the protestant nature of Anglicanism, though never to the expense of its Catholcity.

But im unsure wether to baptized in a Catholic church or evangelical.

There is no such thing as a Anglican "Evangelical", as that term is typically used by Protestants.

To answer your question in my own honest opinion: there is no such thing as "holy water".

Not according to orthodox Christianity.

so was it holy or was it not holy?

you said the presence of the Lord MADE it holy
but before that you say it was not holy.

I agree with you though, that it is God who makes things holy
but I think the things He makes holy are actually Holy

in the OP we see this a lot, things being set aside for the Lord
for example, we see the pagan king Balthazar being killed for using the vessels from the Temple that Solomon built for blasphemous pagan feasts

Bingo.

I think you're just over-complicating what's a simple concept and applying the wrong rationale to the situation of the vessels.

The crime would have been blasphemous feasts, not making vessels unholy.

The reason why your opinion is wrong is because it is not based on the actual definition of the word "holy" but one entirely made up. In short, a Straw Man.

 

[seashale76]

Yeah, fecal matter can be an issue with holy water, especially if people are dipping their fingers.

Just as a clarification: In Orthodoxy, we don't dip our fingers in the holy water (at least I haven't heard of it or seen this done). We just tend to drink it or even use it to cook with. We don't have open holy water fonts in our churches as you would find in a Catholic church, but there is a font with a tap for people to take it home sometimes. We usually get it twice a year (it's common for people to use up their holy water from the year before by watering their plants with it- I had a plant that was doing poorly that flourished after using holy water). The priests (in the US anyway) use regular tap water for the Great Blessing of the Waters at Theophany. The priest will use an aspergillum when blessing people, houses, etcetera.

Also to reiterate: We don't deny unbaptized believers from having holy water- just like we don't deny them antidoron or koliva. In fact, we'll often give it to people without them asking.

 

[Blessedj01]

The reason why your opinion is wrong is because it is not based on the actual definition of the word "holy" but one entirely made up. In short, a Straw Man.

God is the only one holy, that's the definition. God's presence makes things holy, because he is present, not because the thing has changed due to God's presence and then leaving. God does not leave behind "holy particles."

 

[Rhamiel]

God is the only one holy, that's the definition. God's presence makes things holy, because he is present, not because the thing has changed due to God's presence and then leaving. God does not leave behind "holy particles."

things can be made sacred, sacred just means set aside
so when something is dedicated to God, it becomes set aside

 

[PaladinValer]

God is the only one holy, that's the definition.

Sorry; that is the Fallacy of Equivocation:

Holy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Note definition 3.

God's presence makes things holy, because he is present, not because the thing has changed due to God's presence and then leaving. God does not leave behind "holy particles."

And since God is Omnipresent, your belief is, again, not correct. Really, it isn't even Christian. In Christianity, or at least historic, orthodox, pure Christian doctrine, God is transcendent to His Creation yet also immanent in relation to the same; not immersed, or one in Substance, with it, yet in constant exchange and interaction with it.

God is the Source of all holiness, true, but that's not the question nor is there an objection of this. The objection arises when the argument is made that the material cannot be set aside for His work or is worked by Him.