Question for Catholics

[RICHARD]

Well,

DDM, I respect your question as to the use of a rosary as a necklace.....I know that some people from Mexico are going to have quite a bit of 'splaining to do when they go to heaven.

It's kind of tough to tell some poor 'bracero' (farm worker) that they are committing a sin by carrying their faith around their neck.

And what is faith?

Is faith the same thing that drove Junipero Serra up the coast of California trying to convert the indigenous indians to the Catholic faith? Is it the Crusades back in the Middle Ages? Kicking some Muslims around to take over some turf?

The Roman Catholic Church professes to be a religion of love, understanding and peace-and the followers follow the same doctrine-that coupled with a good first amendment right should guarantee a person's freedom of speech and the freedom to
inquire or pursue something that they feel they want to find out about.

And we, as good catholics and citizens should respect that desire.

I seriously doubt any of us are going to walk up to someone with a rosary around their neck and ask them their religious affliation and then castigate them for wearing a rosary in that manner.....

While it may not be the original use of a rosary, I admire anyone who has an interest in another religion and has the desire to find out more about it's artifacts and objects.

Wearing a cross, Star of David, Yarmulke, headdress is no one's business why you choose to wear it.

Of course, I grew up among a bunch of Mexicans who loved their religion so much that some would even go get the Virgin of Guadalupe tattooed on their bodies.

Again, who am I to question their faith or the reason why they want a religious icon needled into their skin?

[dukedogsmom]

Very interesting, Richard. I didn't know a lot of that. I can see if I was wearing it disrespectfully, such as in a bar or something like that. But, I would not even consider that. I saw a hispanic man at a business wearing one as a necklace, also.

[RICHARD]

http://www.angelfire.com/mt/Charmed/tattoos.html


http://www.geocities.com/onebadkitten/tatpageEternalArt

Since we are delving into the mysteries of Catholocism-


Let me know when you see your first Virgin Tattoo..

[Soledad]

Oooh, I love Catholic tattoos. If forced at gunpoint to get a tattoo, I think I'd get the immaculate heart.

I think there's a difference between being respectful to the Catholic religion and committing a sin/angering God. I would never argue that God is looking down on us and trying to see who's defiling rosaries by wearing them as necklaces, but I would argue that there are many Catholics who would be offended by the sight of seeing someone wearing one.

Whether or not you choose to care about their feelings on the matter is totally up to you.

[dukedogsmom]

I really find it hard to believe that God would actually be angered by someone wearing a Rosary. That is really a bit much. Yes, if they were desecrating it. But wearing it out of respect, no.

[chocolatepuppy]

Originally posted by Soledad
Oooh, I love Catholic tattoos. If forced at gunpoint to get a tattoo, I think I'd get the immaculate heart.

I think there's a difference between being respectful to the Catholic religion and committing a sin/angering God. I would never argue that God is looking down on us and trying to see who's defiling rosaries by wearing them as necklaces, but I would argue that there are many Catholics who would be offended by the sight of seeing someone wearing one.

Whether or not you choose to care about their feelings on the matter is totally up to you.

Well said!

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Soledad
I would argue that there are many Catholics who would be offended by the sight of seeing someone wearing one.

Whether or not you choose to care about their feelings on the matter is totally up to you.

Actually we shouldn't give a flying handshake about what and who sins here on earth..

It's not a matter of me caring about their feelings, as a recovering Catholic I was taught that God would take care of any loose ends in the Afterlife...

IT'S NOT my job to enforce the rules of the religion. If it bothers me THAT much I'll say something about it and go on.

In a land of religious freedom, I find it strange that people are
fighting over RELIGION.

Too many years have been spent by men fighting over who's God is bigger, places of worship and religious icons.

It reminds me of a little town called Jerusalem and three religions who wont budge an inch in the interest of creating any kind of harmony in that area of the planet.



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MATTHEW 7:1-5:

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's eye."

[Soledad]

Yes, there's freedom of religion. Which is why you are free to choose your religion. But that has nothing to do with wearing a rosary as necklace which is more in the realm of social faux pas/etiquette and has nothing to do with law, judgments or sins.

What are you raging against now? Or am I totally misreading you? Seems like we're agreeing rather than disagreeing.

People asked what Catholics think of rosary wearing, I answered according to the Catholic church (since I once was a member, and quite a regular one, thank you!). They didn't ask if they would be jailed, heckled or sent to hell...

[chocolatepuppy]

I don't think anyone would be sent to hell for wearing a rosary. And I try not to judge anyone. I simply said I would rather not see someone wearing one.

[RICHARD]

Originally posted by Soledad


What are you raging against now? Or am I totally misreading you? Seems like we're agreeing rather than disagreeing.

I am upset that I have a knife sticking out of my forehead.

Suicide is again the religion, isn't it?
------------------------------------

I know I am going to hell. Why fight the obvious?

I'll have the first table, on the left, ready to greet my fellow sinners.
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Trust me,
To get a tattoo just drink a whole bunch of liquor and go to the tattoo parlor, It alot safer than having a gun pointed at your head.......THAT"S DANGEROUS and a lot less fun.

[carole]

I think I would choose not to wear it once I had found out as Soledad mentioned it would be offensive to the catholic faith, even though I am not religious, I respect other people's belief's.

Yes Richard no-one has the right to tell anyone how to or not to dress, but it all comes down to whether Dukesdogsmom feels right about wearing them, the fact that she took the time to ask, makes me think she does indeed care and respect the catholic belief.

It is really up to you Dukedogsmom as to whether you have a conscience about it or not, if you have no problem with it, then wear it, only you can decide.,but if it were me a definite NO.

[pitc9]

Originally posted by Soledad

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.

I am Catholic, I have always been told you never wear a rosary as a necklace. Why? Who knows just another "Just because" from the Catholic church I guess.

I if saw someone wearing one, I would think they are not Catholic because a Catholic should know not to wear it as a necklace. I wouldn't be offended, it would just tell me that the person is not Catholic.