Originally posted by leslie
oh you are muslim! That is so interesting! Do you find the Catholic religion strange at all? (I am not affiliated so don't be afraid of insulting me- I find it interesting, I love learning about everyone's beliefs and cultures!)
Yep, I'm Muslim. As to whether or not I find the Catholic religion *strange*, I must say, I honestly don't know how to answer your question. I mean....I don't understand what you exactly mean by *strange*?

Originally posted by Soledad
What do you mean by holy, Pops?

I don't know that they're thought of as pieces of God or anything, but since they are affiliated with God, the Catholic church and prayer they are deemed to be valuable and worthy of a certain degree of respect and protocol.

Just like with the flag. We don't worship a flag, but it is a symbol of our country so we have certain rules about how it should be treated.

But it's not like the Orthodox Church who consider icons (paintings of Christ and the Madonna) to be filled with the Holy Spirit. I don't think that they're meant to be seen as an actual piece of God, but a tool that brings you closer to Him.

Does that make any sense?
See, the beads *WE* use, have no value or significance at all. Something *Holy* is basically something belonging to, derived from, or associated with God. We don't consider or value the prayer beads we use as such. They really have no more significance than a rock or any other item. We use them basically as a tool to keep count of supplications and prayers.......basically, but you can also use rocks, marbles, your fingers, whatever for that. That is what I meant by us not considering the beads we use as *holy*. They are just mere objects, that are USED for prayer, but not associated with prayer at all. They are just used to keep count.

So when I asked if Catholics think of rosaries as *holy*, I meant do they value it as a religious, holy item, that needs to be respected, etc.? We don't view the prayer beads we use as such. It wouldn't offend me if someone wore the prayer beads we use as a necklace, but I would find it strange and silly, as it is something not meant to be worn. I would think it might offend Catholics if someone wore a rosary, if they consider them sacred. That is what I meant.

And whether sacred or not, I personally don't see *prayer beads* as something anyone would wear, as beautiful as they may be.