Greetings!

[Yes he Was]

I was wondering if this was an appropriate forum to ask questions.

I have been buzzing around the internet of late, caught the Left Behind Message Board, in particular, and have been lurking here.

I read most of that book that some of you mention by Keating, his reading of nineteenth-century anti-catholics. It was a relatively good study in the history of ideas, but really targeted at one author and his (her?) sources.

Well, I am kind of interested in where all the myths came from, about the Catholic church, more generally.

I guess the one that sparked me to log on was this thread about cannibalism. Well, which mentioned it. Because this one, at least, was not invented in nineteenth-century American fundamentalism. It was a major leitmotiv of the reformation religious wars. I can't remember the name of the guy who wrote about it, but I have read about it.

So I am wondering things like where did the urban legend that Catholics are cannibals start? Reformation? Or is it even older: Rome?

Anyway, I kind of have questions like this, and I was wondering if this was the appropriate place to ask questions, randomly, now and again.

 

[ZooMom]

Hello, and welcome. May I ask where your user name comes from? It puts me in mind of another poster.

 

[Yes he Was]

Huh?

It's a play on word's, sort of.

Think Hebrew.

Oh thank you for the welcome.

Your username reminds me of Noah.

 

[Yes he Was]

Well, okay, also, this is going to sound a little contrived, but, like I said, I have been lurking here for awhile, and you got this other poster whose name I liked, and I thought it would be funny if we ever got dialoguing you would see this "Yes he Was" "He Was Not" "Yes He Was" thing going back and forth.

A Metapoetic.

But seriously, I like the play on words thingie, too. I caught it later.

 

[ZooMom]

Ok. I didn't mean to be rude, I've just got sock-puppetry on the brain.

Your username reminds me of Noah.

:lol: I never thought of that.


I can't help you with the cannibalism question. I have no idea when that particular charge started circulating. But there are several very smart people here who probably know, and it's just a matter of waiting for them to show up.


God bless...


Sandy

 

[Yes he Was]

ZooMom,

Thank you!

So it's okay to ask this kind of stuff here then?

What is a sock-puppet?

 

[Kirkland1244]

Hi, [whomever].

 

[nyj]

Hi Yes He Was and welcome to the forum.

I can't cite anything specific at the moment, but if my memory serves me correctly, the charge of cannibalism was leveled against the early Christian Church by Rome because of the Eucharist.

This charge surely would not have stemmed from the Reformation, because a majority of the Reformers (Luther first and foremost) continued to believe in the Real Presence. Luther had some very choice words for Calvin when Calvin began preaching "symbolism only" in reference to the Eucharist (ie: spawn of Satan, damned to Hell, etc etc).

 

[ZooMom]

So it's okay to ask this kind of stuff here then?

Absolutely. Sincere questions are always appreciated.

What is a sock-puppet?

Just what it sounds like. Some ppl like to duck under the counter and let their alter-ego do the talking.


God bless...


Sandy

 

[ZooMom]

Hi, [whomever].

LOL!!

 

[VOW52]

Welcome, Yes He Was!

Not knowing how much you know of Catholicism, it might help for you to understand what nyj meant by "Real Presence."

The Catholic Church believes that during the consecration portion of the Mass, when the Priest recites the Gospel of Jesus's Last Supper and elevates the Bread, and the Wine, with the words, "Do this in memory of me," an actual MIRACLE occurs. In fancy words, this miracle is called "transubstantiation," and it means that the Bread and the Wine, while still looking and tasting like Bread and Wine, have actually become the Body and the Blood of Jesus.

The confusion and misunderstanding of cannibalism goes all the way back to John 6: 32-59. Many of his followers thought Jesus was actually instructing his believers that they would eat his flesh and drink his blood. This was a disgusting concept to Jews, and people actually left Jesus for saying this. The Disciples were given the choice to leave, also. They were just as confused as the others, yet their trust in Jesus comforted them, and they believed that one day they would understand his words.

Protestant teaching broke away from this belief. In most Protestant churches, Communion is explained as being symbolic. You can find a book called "Creeds of the Churches," where they actually state that "transubstantiation is abhorrent."

To a Catholic, calling this beautiful miracle "abhorrent" is incredibly sad. We rejoice in our ability to actually touch Jesus.

I hope this helps.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[Yes he Was]

Wow, Vow, thanks for the explanation.

I knew what transubstantiation was, more or less.

I hadn't considered it had any significance in Jewish culture.

I thought that the reason the Protestants broke away from it in the reformation was basically political and cultural, like because there were issues with people worshipping the wafer and consequently the priests withheld the wafer (kind of a give the power to the people thing) so that turned into a kind of "fine then! It's all symbolic anyway!" kind of thing.

But that is just what I kind of got from reading about it in school. I don't really know if I am right on that part of the reformation.

But thing is I do remember that in the religious wars, when towns or villages were sieged (or maybe it was because of the famine/plague scenario that came with the fighting, there were actual cases of cannibalism.

It makes me wonder if there was an actual religious tradition or actual case of cannibalism in the early days of Christianity and that is partly of what the myths are built on.

 

[Yes he Was]

ZooMom,

I am a friend of kirk's....in a manner of speaking... .

But I don't like him using my name on the net.

Watch it, Kirk, or I'll give out your number!

"[Whomever]" ---pffft.

 

[ZooMom]

I figured you must be. A friend of Kirk's, that is. He's such a touchy-feely kinda guy, and his enthusiastic delivery just gushes with emotion. He always greets his friends with this kind of embarrassing sentiment.

Hi, [whomever].

Just makes you feel all warm inside, don't it?

:lol: :lol:


Sorry, Kirk, I couldn't resist.


God bless...


Sandy

 

[Kirkland1244]

Yes, laugh now. But when I seize power in a (mostly) bloodless coup, and impose my will upon this puny planet, we'll see who's laughing...

Ooh! Medication time...

Kirk

 

[Yes he Was]

Isn't he just adorable?

I think he's just adorable!!!!!!!

And those dreamboat eyes!!!!

Kirk is just a fuzzy teddy bear type of guy, you know.

 

[MichieC]

Hi Katerina,
Whats with the new name?

 

[Kotton]

I am a friend of kirk's....in a manner of speaking...

You wouldn't be from the same city or school maybe?

Kotton :lol:

 

[Yes he Was]

Yes, I know Kirk from school.

Who is Katerina?

 

[MichieC]

Your not the Katerina from the Pizza Parlor?
We had someone register under Yes he Was! at the Parlor that looked like from the e-mail addy that I thought was Katerina's.

Ok.
Sorry.

*shrug*